ART 105-02 (Fall 2011)
Beginning Ceramics I
Credit Hours: 3
Laboratory Hours: 6
Days and times the course meets: Tuesday & Thursday
@ 9:00 am – 11:50 am
Classroom Number: ICN 1408
Introduction / Rationale:
The making of ceramics is a fundamental mode of human expression and utilitarianism.
Many cultures from the beginning of time have created ceramics. By exploring different ways in which to work with clay, one becomes more aware of the many reasons why peoples from different backgrounds create ceramics and one also becomes more conscious of and skillful with their own three-dimensional skills and insights.
Catalog Description:
Pre-requisites: None. An exploratory course designed to introduce students to the basic hand building sculptural techniques of three-dimensional clay design, clay glazing and kiln firing.
Instructor Information:
Instructor name: Mark Bokesch-Parsons
Instructor e-mail address:
Location of instructor’s office: mark.bokesch-parsons@heartland.edu
ICN 1408
Hours and days of instructor’s office hours: Before or after class only.
Relationship to Academic Development Programs and Transfer:
ART 105 fulfills 3 hours of elective credit for the A.A. and A.S. degrees. It should transfer to most colleges and universities as an elective course. However, since ART 105 is not part of either the General Education Core Curriculum or a baccalaureate major program described in the Illinois Articulation Initiative, students should check with an academic advisor for information about its transferability to other institutions.
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Student Learning:
Through an inquiry based exploration, students will demonstrate, through individual and group learning, the course objectives of the class.
Instructor’s Role:
Furnish a structured, stimulating environment that is conducive to learning and to provide guidance in attaining and understanding of the information and goals of the course.
Course Objectives (Learning Outcomes):
Students who successfully complete ART 105 should be able to
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Understand formal issues in ceramics and ceramic sculpture.
Grow creatively, technically, and conceptually through the practice and resolution of assigned problems.
Employ an aesthetic vocabulary and verbal skill when discussing artwork.
Develop confidence in problem solving through the exercise of aesthetic and technical options via ceramics.
Demonstrate critical thinking skills through the process of analyzing and evaluating works of art.
Course/Lab Outlines:

Clay chemistry

Coil hand building

Slab hand building

Solid figurative sculpture

Wheel throwing

Ceramic glazing and kiln firing procedures will be integrated throughout the course
Methods of Instruction:
Demonstrations, power point presentations, videos, and lectures.
Method of Evaluation (Tests/Exams, Grading System):
Students will be evaluated based on performance in these areas: creative concepts, engineering, class participation, and the aesthetic qualities of their work. In addition to their studio work, students will be evaluated on journaling, sketchbook/visual research assignments and at least one quiz pertaining to the subject of ceramics.
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Rubric:
1.
Formal and Sensory Components
(Elements and Principles of Design)
- Excellent use of all assigned components.
- Good use of all components.
- Includes most of the components.
- Considered some of the components.
- Less than minimum use of the components.
2.
Technical Skill
(Media, tools, and processes)
- Excellent abilities and skill.
Skillfully completed.
-
-
Explored and practiced with the media, tools, and/or processes.
Lacks finishing touches with media, tools, and/or processes.
Less than minimum technical concerns.
3. Effort and Perseverance
(Worked hard and solved problems to complete assignment)
Excellent use of abilities.
Good use of abilities.
-
-
-
Worked reasonably hard to complete the assignment.
Minimum effort and abilities were used.
Less than minimum effort and abilities.
4. Expression and Creativity
(Explores expressive and creative solutions with the subject, media, tools, and processes)
-
-
Exceptional use of expressive and creative components.
Good use of expressive and creative components.
Explored and used some expressive and creative components.
-
-
-
Minimum use of expressive and creative components.
Less than minimum use of expressive and creative components.
________________________________________________________________________
Grading Policy:
A letter grade will be assigned according to the following scale:
90-100% = A
80-89% = B
70-79% = C
60-69% = D
59-0% = F
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Evaluation and Assessment:
Components are inclusive of (but not limited to) the following contents:
Studio projects in clay
Sketchbook work
Quiz
Participation
620 points
150 points
30 points
200 points
= 62% of the total grade
= 15% of the total grade
= 3% of the total grade
= 20% of the total grade
_____________________________________________________________
Total 1000 points =100% of the total grade
Attendance:
Attendance is a vital component of this class. If you do not attend class you will miss handouts, assignments, demonstrations, lectures, and class discussions and you will fall behind very quickly. Attending designated lab hours is strongly encouraged but should not be used as a substitute for attending class.
Attendance Policy :

If you miss 4 classes you will forfeit 100 points (one letter grade) from your total point score.

If you miss 5 classes you will forfeit 150 points from your total point score.

If you miss 6 classes you will forfeit 200 points from your total point score, etc.

If you have a legitimate and verifiable emergency or documented illness (which clearly states that you should not attend class), I may take these circumstances into account when considering missed attendance.

The instructor will not e-mail any notes, quizzes, or assignments.
Class Participation:
Class participation is also a very important component of this class. A maximum of up to
6.25 points will be awarded for active participation during each class attended.
Participation is inclusive of, but not limited to, acting responsibly and respectfully during class time, coming to class prepared to work, contributing to class discussions, as well as participating and sharing equal responsibility during group critiques and clean up. When it comes to deciding whether a student deserves the benefit of extra consideration class participation is always examined.
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Incompletes:
Students must schedule an appointment to discuss situations involving incomplete work.
It is the student’s responsibility to follow up on all incomplete grades.
Extra Credit:
Extra credit assignments will be given at the Instructors discretion.
Make-up of work and assignments:
Make-up work will not be accepted unless previously scheduled with the instructor.
Deadlines:
Work will be accepted after the deadline, but the potential grade will be dropped. Work that is turned in one lesson late will drop 5% and two lessons late will drop 10%. Work will not be accepted or graded if handed in more than a week late. Take the deadlines I assign to all projects very seriously. If studio, drawing, and academic projects are not completed by set deadlines grading potential will be negatively effected. All students should be expected to work on their studio projects during extra studio lab hours. If you do start to fall behind with your studio projects you will definitely be expected to catch up by making use of the extra studio lab hours, which will be posted in due course.
Notice of Cancelled Class Sessions:
Cancelled class sessions, for all HCC classes, will be listed under Cancelled Class
Meetings in the A-Z Index and under Academic Information in the current Students page on the HCC Web site. Go to http://www.heartland.edu/classCancellations/ to learn what classes have been cancelled for that day and the upcoming week. Be sure to check the last column, which might contain a message from the instructor.
Required Writing and Reading:
Students will be required to read hand outs and other assigned readings throughout this course. Students will also be required to answer a quiz that references the technical and historical aspects of ceramics.
Student Conduct:
Students must follow all safety procedures while participating in this course. Students should also be respectful of other people, other people’s property, and the property of
Heartland Community College.
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Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a fundamental principle of collegial life at Heartland Community
College and is essential to the credibility of the College’s educational programs.
Moreover, because grading may be competitive, students who misrepresent their academic work violate the right of their fellow students. The College, therefore, views any act of academic dishonesty as a serious offense requiring disciplinary measures, including course failure, suspension, and even expulsion from the College. In addition, an act of academic dishonesty may have unforeseen effects far beyond any officially imposed penalties.
Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to, cheating, aiding or suborning cheating or other acts of academic dishonesty, plagiarism, misrepresentation of data, falsification of academic records or documents and unauthorized access to computerized academic or administrative records or systems. Definitions of these violations may be found in the college catalog.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the presenting of others’ ideas as if they were your own. When you write a paper, create a project, do a presentation or create anything original, it is assumed that all the work, except for that which is attributed to another author or creator, is your own.
Plagiarism is considered a serious academic offense and may take the following forms:
1 Copying word-for-word from another source and not giving that source credit.
2
3
Paraphrasing the work of another and not giving that source credit.
Adopting a particularly apt phrase as your own.
4
5
Using an image or a copy of an image without crediting its source.
Paraphrasing someone else’s line of thinking in the development of a topic as if it were your own.
6 Receiving excessive help from a friend or elsewhere, or using another project as if it were your own.
* Note that word-for-word copying is not the only form of plagiarism.
The penalties for plagiarism may be severe, ranging from failure on the particular piece of work, failure in the course or expulsion from school in extreme cases.
[Adapted from the Modern Language Association’s MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. New York: MLA, 1995: 26]
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Support Services:
Heartland Library Information
The Library, located in the Students Commons Buildings at the Raab Road campus, provides Heartland students with a full range of resources including books, online journal databases, videos, newspapers, periodicals, reserves, and interlibrary loan. Librarians are available to assist in locating information.
For more information please call the Library (309) 268-8200 or (309) 268-8292
Tutoring Center
Heartland Community College offers tutoring in various forms at no cost to
Heartland students at the Academic Support Center (ASC) in Normal and at the Pontiac and Lincoln Centers. Tutors are available at convenient times throughout the week.
Study groups, group tutoring facilitated by a specially-trained tutor, are also available by request. For more information about services available at each location, please call the
ASC in Normal (309) 268-8231; the Pontiac Center (815) 842-6777; the Lincoln Center
(217) 735-1731.
Testing Center
The Testing Center provides a quiet environment for students to complete make-up exams, online exams, and exams for students with special accommodations. Students may be able to complete exams in the Testing Center if arrangements are made with their instructor. For more information, contact the Testing Center at (309) 268-8231.
Open Computing Lab www.hcc.cc.il.us/divisions/asc/complab
The Open Computing Lab provides free computing for HCC students at convenient times throughout the week. The computer lab is staffed by trained Lab Assistants and offers the use of approximately 70 computers, a scanner, a laser printer, and an electric typewriter.
Disability Accommodations:
If you have a documented disability and wish to discuss academic accommodations, please contact Anita Moore by phone at 309-268-8249, by fax at 309-268-7986 or anita.moore@heartland.edu
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Syllabi disclaimer:
All scheduling information is tentative and is subject to change at the instructor’s discretion.
Class Materials:
Clay, underglaze, and glazes to be used in this class have been purchased using monies from student lab fees. You will also incur a $25-$30 cost for small hand tools and a sketchbook which will be available from the following location:
Michael’s Arts and Crafts
1500 East Empire, Bloomington, IL (near K-Mart)
Phone # 309 – 664-6550
Supply List (to buy):
ART MINDS Mini Clay Tool Set, 8 piece, $7.99 (ceramics)
ART MINDS Pottery Tool Set, 8 piece, $10.99 (ceramics)
STRATHMORE Sketchbook, 81/2 x 51/2 inches, $6.99 (drawing) or
STRATHMORE Windpower Sketchbook, 61/4 x 81/2 inches, $5.49
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Week 1 (Aug 23-25)
Week 2 - 5 (Aug 30-Sept 20)
Introduction, facilities and syllabus
Introduction to Architectural Dwelling project
Week 5 (Sept 20)
Architectural Dwelling project
Introduction to Bust project
Week 5 - 8 (Sept 22 – Oct 13) Bust project
Thurs. Oct 13 Mid-term review
Week 9-10 (Oct 18-25) Glazing and decoration of architectural dwelling project
Week 10 (Oct 27)
Week 11-13 (Nov 1-15)
Introduction to wheel throwing
Vessel throwing project
Week 13-15 (Nov 17-29)
Thurs. Nov 24
Glazing bust project
Thanksgiving Break
Week 15-16 (Dec 1-8) Glazing vessel project
Thurs. Dec 15 (8:00-9:50 am) Finals: includes a studio artwork critique, clean up, and removal of all student property and artwork. All students are required to attend and fully participate on Finals day class.
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