Are you looking for a super-successful clay project for 3rd-5th grade? Our third graders loved making these sea turtle pinch pots. Check out the video tutorial!
I’ve included a short video of our school’s Skutt kiln. I’ve found that young students don’t understand the process that transforms their soft, gray, clay creations into a pale-colored, hard ceramics. I show this video in class to all grades, no matter what clay project I’m doing.
Materials: clay, a popsicle stick, a toothbrush, and water.
alphabet pasta (I use La Moderna brand from the Hispanic food section at Wal Mart).
underglaze
clear glaze
Make the cupcake base
Give each student a lump of clay and a silicone cupcake form. Create a pinch pot, place it in the silicone form and press the clay all around against the textured sides of the form. If the clay pot is higher than the form, trim the clay with a pin tool or plastic knife. Turn form inside out and remove from clay. Students should write their name on the bottom at this time.
Make the cupcake lid
Take some more clay and roll into a ball. Flatten the ball. Invert the top of the cupcake form and place onto of the flattened clay. Trim clay to fit cupcake form. Write student name on one side of the lid.
I saw this great post on making simple clay roses on the smART Class blog. Essentially, you create a coil (rope) of clay, lay it on the table, pinch the top (‘spine’) along the length of the coil, and spiral into a rose. Please see the smART Class blog post for a full photo tutorial.
We attached our roses (and optional leaves) to the lid using vinegar applied with a q-tip. Some students skipped the roses and added other decorations. Variations included a sun, animal, wrapped present, and cherry.
(Note: vinegar is our glue. We use it instead of slip when attaching small clay objects).
Adding text
Pour some alphabet pasta into a plate. Press alphabet pasta into wet clay. Write a birthday message or anything else. Do not remove (the pasta will burn out in the kiln).
Fire to cone 04.
Glaze the cupcake
Glaze the base with three coats of underglaze.
If the lid has text, use a stiff brush to press a dark color of underglaze into text indentations. Wipe off the underglaze. The text should now be legible. Carefully glaze the roses/leaves/decorations with three coats of underglaze. When dry, add 2-3 coats of clear glaze. Fire to cone 06.
I just finished my annual art and cooking camp. This year’s theme was ‘Let’s Go to Japan’. We did lots of FUN art and cooking projects. All the campers were 9-11 years old.
Here’s a list of all the art and cooking projects we created:
Day one: koi fish kites (koi noburi) and bento box lunch
Day two: suminagashi prints and decorated rice balls bento
Day three: cloisonne collage and Japanese crepes
Day four: gyotaku fish prints and mushi-pan steamed cakes
Day five: Beckoning cat charms and ‘octopus’ bento
In addition, we read a lot of wonderful books about Japan, and practiced Japanese hiragana writing with brush pens.
I’ll be writing a bunch of posts with much more detail, including all the recipes! Check back this week to find out more.
Enjoy!
p.s. Want more art camp ideas? Check out my ‘Let’s Go to Paris’ art + cooking camp series from 2013. Click here to see more.
Thinking about a self-portrait project? This project starts as a basic self portrait but turns into a family ancestry art project when students add in national flag designs. This lesson uses basic materials and takes just two 40-minute classes. It comes straight from the wonderful Artisan Des Arts blog.
We began by looking at the great student examples on the Artisan Des Arts blog post. Then I asked the students, “Where does your family come from?” After a quick discussion, Next we looked at flags of the world. Then the students drew their portraits in pencil.
Because most of our students have mixed heritage, they had the option of using multiple flags in their design. It was up to them to figure out their own designs. The most common choice was to have one flag design on the face and a second on the shirt.
As a final touch, students had the option of cutting out their self-portraits and mounting them to construction paper.
I really look forward to our next art show. I think the parents will be THRILLED to see their heritage honored in this project.
What a fabulous lesson plan! I will definitely repeat next year. Thanks to Aly at Artisan des Arts for sharing this great project.
Do you have a special twist on a portrait project?
Fourth graders use markers to make landscape name art. Allow two 40-minute sessions.
Looking for quick, fun name art project? Here is the colorful project that gives 100% success and lets you get to know your students.
Students made a simple landscapes using curved lines. Each section was filled with a single repeated word. One section had to filled with the student’s name; the other sections had to be filled with single repeated words that described the student in some way. Students incorporated their pets, favorite subjects (yay art!), sports, activities, family members and favorite foods.
