1. Lesson Plan Information
Subject/Course: Visual Art – AVI 20
Grade Level:
Topic:
10 open
Clay Sculpture – Building a Vessel
Name: adapted from Jen Morgan
Date: October 17, 2010 Time: 12:35pm – 1:50pm
Length of Period: 75 minutes (completed over several periods)
2. Expectation(s)
Expectation(s) (Directly from The Ontario Curriculum):

Demonstrate the ability to use an increasing range of tools, materials, processes, and technologies in producing works of fine art and applied design; in particular, methods and tools related to clay sculpture

Use appropriate visual arts vocabulary in describing materials and processes (clay vocabulary includes pinch, coil, slab, greenware, bisqueware, ceramics, slip, butter hard, leather hard, glaze, kiln, firing)
Learning Skills (Where applicable):

Initiative: demonstrates a willingness to take risks with positive attitude
3. Content
What do I want the learners to know and/or be able to do?

Demonstrate hand building techniques when using clay such as pinch, coil, slab and understand that clay must have good texture, moisture content to do so and demonstrate the necessity for clay walls to be no more than ¼ ‘’ thick for firing to ensure that the piece does not explode in the kiln when fired

Explain the importance of using the scoring and the slipping methods as means to join edges and create a decorative pattern for the clay piece using methods such as stamping, adding, cut outs, and carving

Communicate an understanding of the stages of clay: 1) butter hard (clay out of bag – soft, workable by hand); 2. leather hard (not workable by hand); 3. greenware (clay has dried, is warm to touch; ready to be fired); 4. bisqueware (fired clay – ready for glazing); 5. glazed bisqueware (coated with glaze – looks chalky); 6. ceramicware (has been glaze fired, glaze is shiny, hard, waterproof)

Demonstrate the skill of glazing by painting on glaze using proper techniques and layering: 1. paint on a few layers of glaze, brushing in a different direction each time; 2. start with the inside first, then turn your vessel upside down and paint the outside; 3. don’t let any glaze get on the bottom of your piece; clean up properly: no clay in drain and put in garbage, wash desks 2-3 times, store clay on board and cover it with plastic bag
Today learners will:

Demonstrate hand building techniques when using clay such as pinch, coil, slab
 Demonstrate the necessity for clay walls to be no more than ¼ ‘’ thick for firing to ensure that the piece does not explode in the kiln when fired

Explain the importance of using the scoring and the slipping methods as means to join edges

Create a decorative pattern for the clay piece using methods such as stamping, adding, cut outs, and carving

Communicate an understanding of the stages of clay such as butter hard, leather hard, greenware, bisqueware, glazed bisqueware, and ceramicware

Demonstrate the skill of glazing by painting on glaze using proper techniques and layering
4. Assessment (collect data) / Evaluation (interpret data)
(Recording Devices (where applicable): anecdotal record, checklist, rating scale, rubric)
Based on the application, how will I know students have learned what I intended?
 class work will be kept track of using anecdotal notes (see attached)
 final project will be evaluated with a rubric out of 60 (see attached)
 note Initiative —demonstrates a willingness to take risks with positive attitude, using anecdotal notes (EGSN or
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Lesson Plan Template
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1-4)
5. Learning Context
A. The Learners
(i) What prior experiences, knowledge and skills do the learners bring with them to this learning experience?
 have little experience with art interpretation
 have not worked with clay yet this year
 have not worked in 3D yet this year
 understand some principles and elements of design
(ii) How will I differentiate the instruction (content, process and/or product) to ensure the inclusion of all
students? (Must include where applicable accommodations and/or modifications for learners identified as exceptional.)

T.D. may need some accommodations so that he does not get frustrated – maybe a smaller amount of clay, more time. I will make sure to check on him often during activity.

N.V. will need some extra supervision to make sure she stays on task. I will make sure to spend more time near her during activity.
Any students who have sensitive or dry skin can use surgical gloves when working with clay (B.M. has eczema on hands)
B. Learning Environment
 for intro activity, images will be laid out on 5 tables, tables numbered 1 - 5
 students will be numbered into 5 groups, will move to assigned table
 teacher demonstration will be held at front table
 during application activity, students will work independently at their tables (max. 4 per table)
 boards and vinyl cloth available in cupboard
 tools will be shared, laid out on front table
 teacher will circulate during work time
 some students will still be working on ink or charcoal drawings
C. Resources/Materials
For introductory activity:

5 images of ceramics from different eras, laid out on student desks (Etruscan funerary urn, ancient Chinese stoneware vase, Peruvian jug, Picasso jug, Art Nouveau vase)
 group work sheet (see attached)
For clay demo:
 board, vinyl
 wire for cutting
 rolling pin
 cutter
 scorer
 slip, brush
 clay for pinch pot
 clay for slab, slab box started
 clay for coils, coil pot started

 too wet clay too dry clay
 samples of greenware, bisqueware, pre-fire glazed bisqueware, ceramicware
 sample of incorrect joining
 sample of glaze colours
For activity:
 handout (see attached)
 new block of clay
 wire for cutting
 enough boards for all students
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Lesson Plan Template
Schulich School of Education – Practice Teaching Handbook 2010-2011

 tools for students to share
 jars for slip
 surgical gloves book for reference: “Methods of Handbuilding”
6. Teaching/Learning Resources
INTRODUCTION
How will I engage the learners? (e.g., mo tivational strategy, hook, activation of students’ prior knowledge, activities, procedures, compelling problem)
Students will interpret images of ceramics from different eras/geographical locations
(10 min.)
 when students arrive to class, an image of a ceramic piece will be displayed on each table
 tables numbered from 1 to 5
 when students are sitting at their regular tables, teacher will number students from 1 to 5 and have them move to assigned table
 in groups, students will study the images and fill out the worksheet (see attached)
 one student from each group will scribe the answers
 another student will present their conclusions to the class
MIDDLE:
Teaching: How does the lesson develop?
How we teach new concepts, processes (e.g., gradual release of responsibility - modeled, shared, and guided instruction).
(15-20 mins)
Demo of working with clay
 have students gather around front table; let them know that the demo will take approx. 15 min.
 show clay that is too wet, too dry
 demonstrate cutting off chunk of new clay
 demonstrate forming a pinch pot: roll out a ball of clay, use thumb to create a depression in centre, use thumb and fingers to expand the depression out
 demonstrate rolling out a slab, cutting a side, attaching to previously started slab box by scoring and slipping
 demonstrate rolling a coil, attaching to previously started coil pot by scoring and slipping; show how to make pot convex or concave by placement of coils
 show sample of piece that wasn’t joined properly; explain that edges separated because scoring and slipping was not used.

Share evaluation of Initiative —demonstrates a willingness to take risks with positive attitude, using anecdotal notes (EGSN or 1-4) with class, and model behaviours
What are some ways of decorating clay, anyone?
Demonstration:
 take a slab of clay, use found objects to stamp into it
 add small slabs on top
 cut out shapes
 explain carving (when clay is leather hard)

Show samples of each stage, pass around so students can feel them
 explain characteristics of each stage, asking for characteristics of each stage to different students e.g. how does the greenware fell? How doe sthe Glazed bisqueware look? Etc.
 explain process (drying, firing, glazing, firing again)

How does the Glazed bisqueware look? Etc.
 explain process (drying, firing, glazing, firing again)
 show samples of glaze colours
 explain that glaze coats the pottery in a thin layer of glass
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Lesson Plan Template
Schulich School of Education – Practice Teaching Handbook 2010-2011

 makes it waterproof, food safe
 some glaze colours contain lead, therefore are not food safe explain that once clay is leather hard, no more can be added to it, therefore it is very important to store properly: why shouldn’t you put the clay down the drain?
Consolidation and/or Recapitulation Process: How will I bring all the important ideas from the learning
experiences together for/with the students? How will I check for understanding?
(5 min)
Ask students some questions and orally take them up:

Define butter hard, leather hard, greenware, bisqueware, ceramicware
 Show them sample of greenware, ask “Why do you think this piece wasn’t fired?” Answer: too thick
 “What is the maximum thickness that the clay walls should be?” Answer: ¼”
 “What is the correct way to join two clay edges?” Answer: score and slip
 “What are some different ways to decorate clay?” Answer: stamping, adding, cut outs, carving
 “What is the correct way to apply glaze?” Answer: brush on in layers, each layer in a different direction
Application: What will learners do to demonstrate their learning? (Moving from guided, scaffolded practice, and gradual release of responsibility.)
 create a vessel using one or a combination of the three methods – pinch, coil or slab. A vessel is defined as an object that can hold something.
 must include decorative elements
 must be structurally sound (score and slip method)
 vessel will be fired and glazed
 circulate during class and assist students, answer questions, point out errors such as clay being too thick
 when ready, teacher will place finished vessels in kiln (in shop classroom) and monitor throughout day until they are fired
(40 min. and next 2 classes until they have finished vessel)
CONCLUSION: How will I conclude the lesson?
Lesson will conclude when all students have a finished and fired vessel
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Lesson Plan Template
Schulich School of Education – Practice Teaching Handbook 2010-2011

7. My Reflections on the Lesson
What do I need to do to become more effective as a teacher in supporting student learning?

Overall I think that I was quite effective during this lesson. I felt comfortable with the subject matter and was relaxed and confident when delivering the demonstration. Students responded well when I asked them to move into groups for the investigative activity, and to come up to the front for the demonstration. It seemed like they were interested in my demo and did absorb most of what I said; it was quite a lot of information at once.

I spent quite a bit of time preparing and organizing – images, table numbers, handouts, clay samples, etc. This really helped the lesson go smoothly.

Students were excited about starting clay. Many were still working on drawings so I cou ldn’t tell if they were able to apply the info I had given them. It will be interesting to see how much they have retained when they do start over the next few days.

In speaking to my associate teacher, S., after the lesson, she gave me some great feedback:

Positive points: o laid back, relaxed, confident, comfortable, good rapport with students o let personality come out, smiled o knowledgeable about subject matter
From Associate Teacher:
● Points to improve upon: o students were talking at a few points during lesson – when I was numbering students for groups other tables were chatting; during demo S. had to speak to a few individuals o I did not really notice this! I will have to pay more attention to what is going on in the periphery o S. suggested I wait until the class is totally silent instead of trying to talk over them

Pay more attention to what is going on around me, i.e. students talking

Make sure I have silence and attention before speaking
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Lesson Plan Template
Schulich School of Education – Practice Teaching Handbook 2010-2011