In this post I write about how I scaled it up to Year 3-4 students (aged 7-9), and what I observed.
Year 3 were given teacher workshops to develop their understanding of slab work, with applied relief and imprinted textures.
We worked on boat-scapes to compliment their unit on explorers and offered some directed choice options for students to personalise their tiles (e.g. orientate your slab portrait or landscape, this is how you can turn this circle into a sun or a moon then place it anywhere in the sky, or add a second boat/wave if you wish, of your own design, or choose from these 4 texture rollers to imprint your water, etc).
These workshops were followed by an independent session where students were required to create a bird sculpture, continuing the theme of exploration and the applied concept of freedom. The initial intention was to base their birds on the slab technique learnt in the workshop. I supplied students with a number of reference photographs of slab bird sculptures to use for inspiration. However, I also included a few 3D bird sculptures just to see who might be ready / enticed to give that a go.
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| Bone dry and ready for the kiln |
I was impressed by how many did. But still just as many weren't ready to go that next step so it was good to have a range for students to refer to. A range of paint options were also available for finishing after the bisque fire. Students could choose from liquid water colour (dye), tempera, metallic acrylics or left uncoloured and dipped in clear glaze for re-firing.
With Year 4 students (aged 8-9), the teacher directed lessons modelled a cat figurine (tying in with the school production of Aristocats).
As with the Y3 students, Y4 were also given directed choice options to personalise their figurine. These included selecting preferred cutters for the base, the shape of the body and tail position.
I noticed during these teacher directed 'workshops', students were keen to personalize their work at every opportunity and my message was to embrace the uniqueness of their shapes and creations. The steps were a learning guide rather that a requirement and students were left to independently add further personal details for the last 5-10 minutes of their workshops. One student completely personalised his cat into a dog :)
This year group painted their cats with underglaze once bone dry, then they were bisque fired before I glazed and refired them.
I did not model how to apply the glaze so originality and creativity was even more evident in this step as students ranged from realistic designs based on pets they knew, to artistic pattern and colour interpretations. There were no rules but some reference images were provided on the board to indicate a range. None of these were copied, but some students did use the reference images as a starting point.
These workshops were then followed by an independent session where students used the skills they had learnt in the workshops to create a self portrait figurine, to show personal traits, interests or talents.
Students were given very limited time (only a single period) to create these figurines. Despite this constraint, they produced some remarkable and original work. There was a lot of conversation among the students as they supported each other through the making challenge.
This consolidation time was incredibly valuable for learning as students figured out what they remembered (or had forgotten) from their workshops and how they could apply those learnings to new elements that they wanted to create. For e.g. rolling a coil for a cat's tail worked for rolling thinner coils to make locks of hair. Again, the figurines were left to air-dry before under-glazing so there were mishaps with bits falling off. This learning will stay with them for future lessons about the importance of solid joins.
I created a teaching video for making a figurine, following these sessions, and included the elements that were challenging for the students. This video will be available to them next year to review before they start on their next clay artwork, which will be an independently conceived and created piece.
My next post will detail the lessons and outcomes observed with Y5-6 students .
Thank you for stopping by,
With love, Te Aroha
Timea
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