Dali Melting Clocks

Mother's Day Roses

This is the second year I've done this clay project with first grade. I love it, clay in a day!! It's a great introductory lesson to clay that is hands on but requires minimal steps and attaching techniques. It's really a no fail project. I saw it floating around Pinterest on several different art blogs. It is an amazing gift for the little ones to take home to mom (or grandma, or auntie....whoever). I love how proud they are of it too. We usually do a little writing to go a long with it. This year I did top ten reasons why my mom is the best. Writing is hard with first grade, especially when you have no clue how to teach it!! Kudos to the classroom teachers:)

Grant Wood Clay Chickens

Clay Pout Pout Fish

2nd Graders read the story the Pout Pout Fish. We then made a stencil drawing of a Pout Pout Fish on manilla railroad board paper. Students cut it and had a tracer for their slab fish. We reviewed clay vocabulary, slab, score, and slip. We also discussed what texture meant, both actual and visual texture. Students rolled out their slab of clay, traced their fish shape on it and used cutting tools to cut it out. Students then used stamps and a drawing tool to create texture and details on their fish. From their left over slab they created the eyes, mouth and fin and used proper attaching techniques. Lastly, they glazed using Magic Glazes. Easy clay in a day project that goes over beginning techniques and vocabulary.

Clay Coil Hearts

Clay Snails

Clay Snowmen

Clay Owls

Gingerbread Clay Ornaments

Clay Lady Bugs

O'Keeffe Flower Bowls

4th graders learned about the artist Georgia O'Keeffe in art class. We looked at lots of examples of her artwork, mainly looking at her flower paintings. I taught the students how to create a slump mold using a plastic bowl and a rolled out slab of clay. They then had to choose what types of petals they wanted- pointed or rounded. They had to create some sort of raised texture within their flower as well using clay coils, and they also had to have a center to their flower. When it came time to paint, we discussed color theory and schemes. They learned how to make tints and they also learned what colors would look good together. They turned out great and we finished them just in time for Mother's Day!

Clay Cuckoo Birds

Clay Cats

Students created a unique clay cat ( or mouse, they ended looking like mice:) by first making a pinch pot for the body. They then sculpted the other body parts from recycled clay and attached using the clay attaching techniques of scoring, slipping, and smoothing. Lastly, they used glaze to paint their sculptures. They did a super job working three dimensionally.