Direct Instruction Planning Format
2008-2009
1. Lesson Plan Information
Subject/Course:
Visual Art – AVI 200
Grade Level: Gr. 10
Topic: Clay Sculpture – Building a Vessel
Name: Jen Morgan
Date: October 17, 2006
Time: 12:35 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. (75 min)
(activity is continued over several lessons)
2. Expectation(s) and Learning Skills
The students will:
CRV.01 Grade 10
The Arts
Creation
Overall Expectations
Produce a work designed around specific objectives and challenges (create a vessel using one or a
combination of three methods of clay building – pinch, coil or slab)
CR2.02 Grade 10
The Arts
Creation
Experimenting and Producing
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
CR3.01 Grade 10
The Arts
Creation
Reviewing and Evaluating
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)
Today, students will:
● work in a group during the introductory activity and then independently when creating their clay
work
● begin to grasp the concepts needed to make clay objects
3.
A.
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Pre-assessment
(i) Students
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) Differentiation of content, process, and/or product (may be accommodations
and/or modifications)
 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
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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
 tools for students to share
 jars for slip
 surgical gloves
book for reference: “Methods of Handbuilding”
4. Content (The What)
Teaching/Learning Strategies (The How)
A. Introduction (motivational steps/hook/activation of students’ prior knowledge)
Students will interpret images of ceramics from different eras/geographical locations
(10 min.)
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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
B. Content for New Learning
B. Teaching/Learning Strategies for New
Learning (15 – 20 min.)
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clay must have good texture, moisture content
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hand building techniques (pinch, coil, slab)
clay walls should be no more than ¼” thick for
firing – if clay is too thick, it can contain air
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
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bubbles that will expand during firing and the
piece can explode
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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
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demonstrate rolling out a slab, cutting a side,
attaching to previously started slab box by
scoring and slipping
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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
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show sample of piece that wasn’t joined
properly; explain that edges separated because
scoring and slipping was not used.
explain importance of using scoring and
slipping method to join edges
What are some ways of decorating clay,
anyone?
Ways to decorate clay
 stamping
 adding
 cut outs
 carving
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)
Stages of clay:
 butter hard (clay out of bag – soft, workable by
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Show samples of each stage, pass around so
students can feel them
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
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hand)
leather hard (not workable by hand)
greenware (clay has dried, is warm to touch;
ready to be fired)
bisqueware (fired clay – ready for glazing)
glazed bisqueware (coated with glaze – looks
chalky)
ceramicware (has been glaze fired, glaze is
shiny, hard, waterproof)
Glazing:
 paint on a few layers of glaze, brushing in a
different direction each time
 start with the inside first, then turn your vessel
upside down and paint the outside
 don’t let any glaze get on the bottom of your
piece
Clean up:
 no clay down the drain – put dried clay in
garbage
 wash desks 2 – 3 times
 store clay on board, cover with wet cloth and
plastic bag
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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)
show samples of glaze colours
explain that glaze coats the pottery in a thin
layer of glass
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?
5. Consolidation/Recapitulation Questions (Check for understanding/scaffolded practice)
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
(5 min.)
6. Application (Moving from guided, scaffolded practice to increasingly independent practice and
understanding / gradual release of responsibility)
 students will 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
 teacher will 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)
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7. Lesson Conclusion
Lesson will conclude when all students have a finished and fired vessel
8. Assessment (collection of data) / Evaluation (interpretation of data)
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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)
9. Teacher Candidate’s Reflections on the Lesson
A. (i) Evidence of Student Learning Related to the Lesson Expectation(s)
 Students performed the group investigative task very well – better than expected! They came up with
some good observations and expressed their opinions well. They didn’t seem to lose interest and I
didn’t hear any complaints about it. There was a bit of an issue with students talking while other
students were presenting, but overall it was successful.
 Students were very observant during demonstration. Again, a few issues with talking, etc., but overall
very attentive. Smooth transition from first activity to demo. I asked them some questions during the
demo and they were able to answer them. Students started to get a bit fidgety near the end, and I let
them go forgetting to mention clean up procedures.
 A few students started on clay right away. They were able to use proper techniques and articulate
intentions using clay vocabulary. I handed out sheet with assignment rubric on it; most students did
not read it. Students didn’t start with sketches as stated in rubric until I asked them to.
 All expectations won’t be addressed until assignment is completed, which will take a few lessons –
time needed for vessels to be built, decorated, dried, fired, glazed and fired again
 N.V. wasted some class time making small figures. I explained to her that they were too thick, and if
she wanted them to be fired, she would have to hollow them out or make them in a different way.
After I spoke to her, she hollowed them out and found a creative way to incorporate them into her
vessel. She worked very well for the rest of the class.
 T.D. wanted to start on his clay project although he hadn’t finished his previous project (Opera House
perspective drawing), with which he was extremely frustrated. I explained to him that he could work
on his clay, but that the drawing was still due at the end of the week. He said that he understood, and
I allowed him to start his clay vessel, giving him a slightly smaller piece of clay. He started a pinch pot
but began to get frustrated with it, and instead made a very small sculpture of a hand. When I came
around to see him, he told me that he didn’t like his vessel, but was very proud of his hand. Then he
said “Wait… a hand can hold something! It could be a vessel.” I encouraged him to scrap his pinch
pot and make a larger version of the hand, making sure that it was not too thick. I explained to him
that his small hand could be considered a “maquette” and that I would accept it as a sketch. Class
was almost over at this point, but he seemed very excited about his new idea and ready to work on it
during the next class.
(ii) Next Steps for Student Learning Related to Lesson Expectation(s)
Follow up on lesson in next class. Go over clean up and clay storage procedures because I didn’t
address these points with the whole class today.
 Go over rubric with class so they know what I am looking for; reiterate importance of preliminary
sketches
 Follow up with T.D. to make sure he is on track with his hand vessel; help him figure out a way to
make it hollow, not too thick
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B. (i) Evidence of the Effectiveness of the Teacher Candidate
 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 couldn’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.
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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
(ii) Next Steps Related to the Effectiveness of the Teacher Candidate
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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