Saint Paul Public Schools Curriculum Map
Visual Arts: Ceramics, Beginning, Grades 9-12
18 weeks
Semester –
2 9 week
Quarters
Brief Description of Content
Standard
Benchmarks
The student will:
Assessment Activities
Unit 1:
Structural
Exploration of
Ceramics
(Introduction)
On-going:
 Preliminary sketches, research, prompt questions to build
artistic intent (Kent)
 Seeking feedback
Artistic Foundations:
Focus is on: (see ten golden rules of ceramics)
Perform/Present:
Formative Assessments to evaluate
student understandings of ceramic
vocabulary, tools, materials, technical
aspects of the medium and preparation
of clay and continued care of clay as
artwork is created.





Qualities of clay (plasticity, stages of drying,
attachments, etc)
Adding visual interest (texture, shape, application of
design,
Tools used on ceramics (fettling tool, needle tool,
modeling tools, wet trim tool,
Clay preparation (kneading), storage,
Health and safety in a ceramics studio
Create/Make:
Evaluation
Criteria
Respond/Critique:
Project: (Instructional Choice of teacher)
The teacher will select one method of hand building (i.e. pinch,
coil, slab or combination) to introduce the student to basic
ceramic understanding and practices
Elements:
 Texture, form and shape
Principles:
 Pattern/repetition
 Unity
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Visual Arts Curriculum Map: Ceramics, Beginning, Grades 9-12


Balance
Emphasis
Technique:
Structural Techniques
 Scoring, slipping
 Craft Work
 Structural integrity
Surface Treatment
 Incising
 Stamping
 Additive and Subtractive
Artist(s): (teacher may select from following list of exemplars,
considering cultural background of students)
 Maria Martinez
 Jomon (Japanese style/cultural/historical period)
 European Ceramic artists
 Pinch/pot coil Nok heads
 Local Minnesota (artists such as McKenzie,
Christensen, Bresnahan)
Unit 2
On-going:
 Preliminary sketches, research, prompt questions to build
artistic intent (Kent)
 Seeking feedback
Focus on:
Ceramics skills and techniques:
Building techniques –
Hand Building
 Pinch
 Coil
 Slab
2
Evaluation
Artistic Foundations:
Assessment Activity:
Stand 1
Benchmark 1
Learning Goals:
Benchmark 2
The student will:
(extended written
(Strand I, Stand 1, Benchmark 2):
response)
 Evaluate in an artist statement
Benchmark 4 (selected
how principles of visual art are
response)
used in a coil pot
Stand 2
(Strand
1,
Stand 1, Benchmark 3):
Benchmark 1

Analyze
the characteristics of a
(performance
selected culture as the appear
assessment)
design sketches for a coil pot
Stand 3
Benchmark 2 (extended (Strand 1, Stand 2, Benchmark 1):
Visual Arts Curriculum Map: Ceramics, Beginning, Grades 9-12
Wheel
 Coning
 Centering
 Cylinder
 Bowl
 Plate
 Handles & other stuff such as: spouts/lids/lugs
 Trim
Application of Elements & Principles -- Surface Treatment
 Surface treatment
o Texture – additive & subtractive through incising,
adding & carving, value in texture, scraffito
o Line, shape
o Burnishing
o Color/value
o Pattern/repetition/rhythm/visual movement
 Form
 Balance – symmetrical/asymmetrical
Glazing
 Low, mid and high
 Under glazes, slips, stains
 Terra Siguilata
 Dipping
 Brushing
 Pouring
 Spraying
 Splattering
 Wax resist
written response)
Create/Make:
Stand 1
Benchmark 1
(extended written
response)
Benchmark 2
(performance and
extended written
response)
Benchmark 3 (extended
written response – sketch
for example with oral
presentation or written
statement)
Respond/Critique:
To be developed

Explain in an artist statement
how the materials and
techniques of coil construction
are used to support an artistic
purpose
(Strand II, Stand 1, Benchmarks 1, 2, 3):
The student will:
 Create a ceramic pot using coil
construction to express a
cultural influence
 Revise a coil pot design based
on student/teacher critique and
feedback
 Justify in an artist statement
how visual arts principles are
used to express a cultural
influence in a coil pot
Coil Pot Influenced by Cultural
Source:
Create a coil pot with a slab base,
that starts at the base, becomes
wider at least once, and then
narrows to the top
Describe the use of visual arts principles
in an artist statement
(See assessment detail for more
complete description of activity)
Assessment Products:
 Coil Pot
 Design Sketch and Plan
 Artist Statement
Tech & Skills Projects (for example)
 basic skills
o attachment
 relief
 draping for slab building
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Visual Arts Curriculum Map: Ceramics, Beginning, Grades 9-12



molds
sculptural
wheel
Skill & Tech
Design through intention
Planning, changing & revising
Create, execute
Reflecting evaluating & critique
Projects:
Artistic Foundations:
A day to two weeks.
2:1 Integrate tools,
techniques & materials
of hand built ceramics
PINCH
Create/Make:
Pinch – Lisa:
Focus on learning to make attachments. Students pinch
Perform/Present:
on first day, then add feet and lip (feet, body, lip & ?).
Orientation to clay classroom facilities and processes.
Respond/Critique:
Students make “creature shakers” from two pinch pots.
Trouble shooting for thickness, hollows, air bubbles.
Students do skipping and scoring, then slips and under
glazes and firing. (hardness of clay: wet, leather hard . . .
)
Clay warm-ups
Pinch – Randy (couple of days):

Kids oriented to room then in groups of three
make three-part piece: form, lid, something
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Visual Arts Curriculum Map: Ceramics, Beginning, Grades 9-12


inside.
Exploratory about finding problems with
working.
Students watch each other to be aware of what
they are finding about what works and what
doesn’t work.
Pinch – Kent:
Imaginary Window Creature – 1 lb. of clay (one scoop
of clay) Practice using clay to understand weight of one
hand-scoop. Processes for clay class-room. Selfsupporting, appropriate for school, hollow out. Creative
in concept and design. Identify with marks.
Evaluative Criteria (done with a partner):
Are all seams joined correctly?
Any parts to improve?
Expressive mood?
Emotion evoked? Why?
What content or idea does creature convey
What grade would you give it and why?
Once bisque, students glaze in eight glazes –
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Visual Arts Curriculum Map: Ceramics, Beginning, Grades 9-12
experiment. (logging possibilities)
Pinch – Tom
Pug machine – long tubes of clay. Start with a lb. of clay – one
scoop. Pack clay into ball with force. Start with a pinch and
maintain thumb-width opening. Feel of clay, cleaning up, abating
dust. Students given shelves for future work. Students encounter
their dried clay and how to maintain workability. Recycling used
clay – not disposed of. Orientation to the room and flexibility of
clay process. Also workable pinch whistles.
Pinch – Susan (first three weeks):
Ocarina pinch. Pinch pot folded over into “taco” shape.
They refer to detailed sketch of animal. Add texture to
animal. Close up and add holes. May include
attachment. Slipping and scoring to add details: sockets,
lids, scoring and slipping.
COILS
Susan – coil pot with slab bottoms.
Story box – Tom
Pinch Pot - Susan
Ocarina – Susan
Sculpture in Round - Relief
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Visual Arts Curriculum Map: Ceramics, Beginning, Grades 9-12
Randy: 3 projects in 9 weeks: slab, coil & wheel
Lisa: adv. Wheel
Susan & Tom: Carving, incising into surface against
contrasting clay body
Lisa: demonstrations along the way
Expectations of accumulation of skill and knowledge:
SLAB
Lisa – slab construction (three week). Two major slab
constructions.
Mask: roll a slab of well-wedged clay. Use techniques of rolling
slabs. Draping slab and adding detail.
Introduce slides of world mask traditions. Functions of masks,
identity. Brainstorm about mask forms. Examine decorative and
functional purposes of masks. Three dimensionality built up from
slab. Produce 5 detail sketches. Pick one and analyze character –
emotion.
Begin construction with draping and building up. Body part
construction: eyes, nose, mouth. Age and emotion through mask
elements. Exaggeration explored. Texture building, then color use
for emotion and emphasis. Elaborating mask with accessories and
details. Finish with holes and wire mounting.
Foundations:
1.1
1.2
2:1 Integrate tools,
techniques & materials
of hand built ceramics
Create/Make:
1:1
Perform/Present:
1:2
Respond/Critique:
Lisa – Tea Pot. Create three-dimensional attaching. Working with
slabs well, seams of attachments to determine what works well.
Introduce world tea pot traditions. Four parts of tea pot. Pre-film tea
pot question. Describe four parts of pot and draw examples.
Students see video of tea pot styles (100’s of images) functional to
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Visual Arts Curriculum Map: Ceramics, Beginning, Grades 9-12
fanciful. Student write about what they learned and their questions.
Students begin with three mini-tea pots. Student pick one of series
to show and have critique. Strengths and areas for improvement
discussed.
Student plan large tea pot and learn slab cut out process using
templates. Round templates explored. Construction of spouts,
handles and lids. Final glazing, color plan and firing. Student
display final teapots, apply ceramics knowledge and vocabulary to
critique (what was done well, what could have been done
differently), and extensive self-critique (written and verbal).
Randy – Slab. Explore history of construction of houses/home.
Ancient patterns of dwellings to contemporary
architectural/structural styles. Population patterns to human rights
background.
Slab joining demonstrated. Students draw houses that are adequate
for basic human needs. Go for surprising design (no mushroom
houses). Structure is height of piece of paper (11” high). Students
execute design using a rubric and write artist statement. Additive
and subtractive techniques.
Vocabulary:
Clay defined: leather hard, bone dry, bisque, glaze, glazeware, slip
and score, houses and homes
Resources:
Web sites about structure – historical
www.library.thinkquest.org/ - Google: history of
houses/homes
Christopher Alexander
Kent – Tile Project (three to four days 5lbs of clay)
Student create tile with imagery in relief sculpture of personal
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Visual Arts Curriculum Map: Ceramics, Beginning, Grades 9-12
belief. (NPR This I Believe program) “This I Believe Relief”
Visual depiction of belief. Not text or commonly available symbols.
6” X 6” minimum dimensions. A variety of textures (excluding
canvas textures). Relief carving demonstrated. Students follow a
planning guide. Passion and belief distinguished. Border with
pattern that integrates with design. Uses student exemplars.
Dry on paper towel/newspaper on board. Lay bag on top of tile for
two days. Third day bags removed and dry by day 5. Fire and glaze
one color at a time. Or, thinned tempera paint (like stain) and
shellac.
Vocabulary: visual sculpture, pattern, slow dry . . .
Tom – Major quarter project – Build Container of Unusual Design
Story Box – Making two separate parts that fit together. Density a
concern.
Box has more than six sides, a lid that fits, and a meaningful quoted
phrase on outside (literacy element), a foot to prevent kiln
breakage. Phrase needs to show movement on piece.
Students apply techniques so slab is workable. 64 cubic” on inside,
measurement process reviewed for student success. Height, width
and depth reviewed. Construct with slabs, or collection of coils.
Students cut and join with skill. Styles of lids/tops examined (see
Tom’s handout). Additive pieces and textures possible. Incisions
need to be deep enough so glaze won’t obscure. Clean glaze.
Students defend project. Artists statement at end, with picture to
complete project. Students use rubric to score their work.
Susan – Box (or jar)
Students create a box relating design of lid to texture/pattern on
box, and/or incorporating a Pop Art style. Draw a design after Pop
Art style is explained. Student read about slab building and
experience teacher demo of construction techniques. Students draw
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Visual Arts Curriculum Map: Ceramics, Beginning, Grades 9-12
design from two different angles in 3-dimensional way. Students
grade themselves using rubric and write about success of their
piece.
Susan – Relief Postcard
Students refer to postcards about locations and personal memories
and apply slab construction/relief techniques. 5”X7”X 5/8” thick.
Students refer to landscape background ideas: foreground, middle
ground and background to organize relief work. Depth and levels of
detail at each depth. Students conduct self-evaluation using rubric
and write about success of their work.
Sydney – in Intro to Visual Art. Stitch Slab Box with Lid and Feet
– from self-portrait lesson – contour drawing. Self-portrait with
string and glue on masonite. Assemble box. Patterning texture onto
box – students create unity using golden rectangle self-reference.
Uses Mialica colors. Students print their drawing on one side of
clay box. Feet and lids. Focus on joinery. TA’s assist by rolling out
slabs. Health and safety issues central.
Critique in beginning ceramics:
Introduce written work: statements about work. Teacher provides
questions to inquire about work and statement of peer. Strengths,
weaknesses. Critique build from informal to more formal. Present
orally once per semester. Informal critiquing leading to culminating
group critique process – helps solve schedule challenges.
COIL (all slab bases)
Lisa – (1 to 2 weeks) Demonstrate and survey kinds of coil pots.
Make an 8” coil pot with slab bottom. Students select a form and
create it through coil. Explain design source and reason for
selection. Areas on pot that you can see coil, others that coil is not
visible. Mid-fire glazing (cone 6).
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Foundations:
1.1
1.2
2:1 Integrate tools,
techniques & materials
of hand built ceramics
Assessment Activity:
Create a coil project
Coil Project Artist Statement
Visual Arts Curriculum Map: Ceramics, Beginning, Grades 9-12
Kent – (lessons on program advocacy) (5 to 7 days) Coil culture
project. 8 to 10 lbs of wet clay. Students can extrude or hand roll
coils. Demonstrate semi-closed container with personal cultural
significance. Kent mediates student responses to cultural pottery
forms – i.e., cultures without ceramic tradition. Encourages
flexibility of cultural selection (see MIA East Asia collection of
resources). Students research pottery of cultural identity (pottery
from my culture). Students select stylistic pottery elements and
create a sketch similar to teacher exemplar. Students create a final
plan from selected sketch. Students then create a pattern plan from
a similar research process. Patterns are applied to selected pot body
segment. Glazing process involves terra S. Kent leads study and
creates terra S. Vocabulary: coil, coil technique, greenware, terra S
(basic glaze form), burnishing, cultural significance, score and
slipping, semi-closed form.
Create/Make:
1:1
Perform/Present:
1:3
Respond/Critique:
Students write an artists statement and critique of work.
Randy – Students study Maria Martinez (video?). (2 weeks)
Demonstrate coil technique. Students draw out shape: narrow slab
base, work out and taper (multiple times possible). Design a visual
image of their culture/heritage or contemporary popular culture.
Smooth off coils (inside and outside). Belly, shoulder, neck and lip
body parts examined. Apply a pattern design encircling the entire
piece (cultural element in the pattern or separate). Piece should be
8” to 12” high. (dares kids to exceed his height exemplar).
Vocabulary:
Tom – same as Kent and Randy stresses anatomy of pot: foot,
belly, shoulder, neck and mouth. Motif pattern circles piece.
Symmetry in pattern.
Susan – Students study Maria Martinez. Introduces sewing of coils
(sewing clay – same body of clay and time period – slipping and
scoring connecting later). Students create pot in reference to three
drawings of three different forms. Student comes up with geometric
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Visual Arts Curriculum Map: Ceramics, Beginning, Grades 9-12
design corresponding to form of pot. Teacher approves student
selected design (gatekeeping) and demos coil building. Students
build 5” high pot (at least) that fits form on drawing. Starts with
slab base. Smoothes inside and outside. Burnish after overnight
drying using tool. 1 to 2 days on burnishing, then design plan is
incised into piece. Designs adjusted to accommodate final form.
Apply pattern with MKM decorating tool.
Sydney – Self-portrait, realistic observation, photograph student
from all four sides, printed out and used as source for coil. Portrait
matches side to side and done in red clay. Traditional sculpture,
smoothed coils.
Tom – (3 to 4 weeks) Slab base piece. Students practice coiling,
blending, paddling, smoothing with a rib. Student roll slab for base.
Practice rolling coil and using with knowledge of drying
limitations. Build a straight walled cylinder. 2” taller than it is
wide. Paddling, and using a rib tool to refine coil piece. Critiqued
for imperfections using a rubric with exemplars of each level of
quality. Students use a banding wheel to keep consistent shape.
Once created, students change their cylinder, incise, add clay by
scoring and slipping (no handles or spouts), cut at least 3 holes
(negative space), 3 kinds of texture. No words or numbers. Can
orient the cylinder flexibly. Students glaze or plain fire then paint
(acrylic). Student reflect on changes if they created another.
Critiqued using a rubric. Students write a statement of intent.
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Visual Arts Curriculum Map: Ceramics, Beginning, Grades 9-12
WHEEL
Kent – Wheel lesson (1 week) – (technique lesson – no
final finished product) 6 cylinders of 1 lb of clay.
Students cut cylinders up middle and evaluate the
profile view of the cylinder.
Each cylinder is on 50 point scale:
 No outside flange
 Bottom is even
 Heights of two wall are equal
 Thickness is wall is consistent
 Corner is clean (nice L shape)
 Rim is trimmed evenly
 Walls are straight and of equal thickness
Students can replace low scored cylinders with better work
Wheel operation and physical demands: balance, kick
and fine motor, active muscles and anchoring (support),
muscle memory/patterning; mental demands: patience,
concentration and pause. Tom adds: throwing unified
through one piece of clay. Kent adds, pottery wheel is a
tool in the hands of a skilled thrower (I have to operate
it correctly for it to work).
Vocabulary: wedging, centering, opening up, draw back,
compress the bottom, compress the rim (sponge used),
pulling up, final forming (wet tooling), trim and cut.
Susan adds coning the clay.
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Visual Arts Curriculum Map: Ceramics, Beginning, Grades 9-12
Tools: Rib tool, wooden knife, needle tool and sponge.
Cylinder is most basic form – other forms result from
cylinder.
Randy – Art history on Bernard Leach and Shoji Hamada, Warren
MacKensie. Throw 6 pieces and teacher/students look for same
quality features as listed under Kent.
Butterfly images for shaping with hands. Alligator and
caterpillar image for compressing rim.
Sydney – ask about wheel techniques
CUPS, BOWLS AND PLATES
Handles, lids and spouts
Kent – Students encouraged to make pieces they will
use. Mug, glass and yanomies (traditional Japanese tea
cup) Students make one of each form. 1 lb of clay.
Students put a handle on the mug, a foot on the yanomie
and glass is straight cylinder.
Teacher demonstrates technique and students practice
until they have satisfactory completion. Pattering and
decoration added by student choice.
Same criteria for good work as cylinder work.
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Visual Arts Curriculum Map: Ceramics, Beginning, Grades 9-12
Bowls – students create 3 bowls 1.5 lbs of clay. Teacher
demonstrates bowl techniques and styles of bowls. Fruit bowl (low
and wide), cereal bowl (as wide as deep), mixing bowl (taller and
narrower). Trim a foot on each bowl. Similar evaluation and
elaboration options for students.
Throw 1, 3 lb clay plate, trim foot on plate. Students use bats on
wheel. Similar evaluation and student options for elaboration.
2nd Quarter?
Design and Expression
 form (sculptural) & function
 functional & non-functional
 hand built & wheel built
Susan -- Surrealist interior and exterior piece (2.5 to 3
weeks) – Design a room dealing with inside and outside.
Roots of surrealism in unconscious processes (dreams)
draw from inside and outside to plan. Use relief element
on every wall (inside and outside). Add a free-standing
element on the floor. Relate inside and outside through:
theme, elements that cross-over, visual movement inside
and outside, etc. No smaller than 4” walls, 5”
recommended. Glazing and firing is student choice.
Tom – Reference the “changed coil cylinder” project.
Kent and Randy – Reference “coil culture” project
Kent – tile project
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Visual Arts Curriculum Map: Ceramics, Beginning, Grades 9-12
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Visual Arts Curriculum Map: Ceramics, Beginning, Grades 9-12