The Art Problem
A kindergarten teacher asked me to
show her how to make clay flower-
pots in which to plant the flowers
they had been growing for Mother’s
Day.
Objectives
Students will each make a well-
constructed clay flowerpot, using a
commercial pot as a mold.
Materials
terracotta flowerpots to be used as
molds (one per child), pottery clay,
small sponges, water containers,
black lowfire underglaze, clear glaze
Process
Explain to students that molds
are often used in ceramics to help
shape a pot. Show the terracotta
flowerpot and demonstrate how
students will be pressing clay inside
it to shape their pots.
1. Flatten a piece of clay into a
hamburger shape about ½" thick.
Press this into the bottom of the
flowerpot.
2. Roll a fat coil of clay. Place the
coil in the mold and use the finger-
tips to adhere it to the clay base.
Roll a second fat coil and connect
it to the first coil. Continue adding
coils until about 1 inch from the
top.
3. Make six balls of clay. Flatten
these and connect them to the coils
along the top to give some variety
to the patterning.
4. Hold the mold in one hand and
firmly paddle with the other to
release the pot.
5. Cut a small water hole in the
base and add student initials or
name. Let dry.
6. Brush lowfire black underglaze in
the textured areas. Wipe off excess
with a damp sponge. Cover with a
clear glaze and fire.
Assessing Learning
Do pots maintain their shapes and
hold together when released from
the mold and fired?
By Craig Hinshaw, an art teacher
at Hiller Elementary, Davison,
Michigan. craighinshaw@hot-mail.com
The Art Problem
Dinosaurs! Mention the word and
second graders are immediately
engaged. This activity offers young
learners a chance to formulate
their own ideas for a work of art
and to create a three-dimensional
dinosaur.
Materials
clay, glazes
Process
1. Remind students that dinosaurs
lived long ago. Show a variety of
drawings of dinosaurs.
2. Ask students to name some
of the distinguishing features of
dinosaurs.
3. Cover tables with newspaper
and provide small tubs of water
and clay.
4. Demonstrate rolling the clay into
a fairly round ball that easily fits
into the cupped palm of a child’s
hand. More clay can be added if
students are able to handle larger
quantities.
5. Show children how to pinch and
pull clay from the ball to create a
tail, neck, head, and legs. Empha-
size that it is not important to add
details yet.
6. Allow students to practice, each
time rolling the clay back into a
ball before starting again.
7. If students have difficulty with
legs, allow them to create a dinosaur with its legs tucked underneath or show them how to create
short, thick legs.
8. Using clay tools, add details
such as scales, eyes, or teeth.
9. Fire and glaze or paint.
10. Display with the drawings that
were used to introduce the lesson.
By Pam Stephens, Northern
Arizona University. This lesson
was originally developed and
taught by Amanda Mein during
her student teaching at Midway
Park Elementary, Euless, Texas.
Pamela.Stephens@nau.edu
ANIMAL HABITATS Middle School
SUPER SIZE High School
The Art Problem
How do we take an interdisciplinary
approach to animal art?
Objectives
Students will create an animal habitat, enhancing their understanding
of life and other subjects.
Materials
drawing paper, black permanent
markers, cardboard, glue, leaves,
soil, branches
Process
1. Have students research animals
that are either inspiring to them or
are part of your unit (i.e., rainforest,
African, extinct, etc.). They should
write down how the animal looks,
how it lives and survives, and what
its environmental needs are.
2. Students sketch the structure
of each animal, including its form,
musculoskeletal system, and move-
ment. Emphasize the importance
of slow, careful drawing, as well as
the importance of tying in the life-
style facts they learned about each
animal. Have students trace their
sketches with permanent marker
and cut out each animal carefully.
3. Have students go outside to
gather materials to create their ani-
mal’s habitat. Include soil, branches,
leaves, rocks, shells, etc. If the habi-
tat is not available in your environ-
ment, go to the craft store to select
a few items.
4. Glue the habitat onto the card-
board, focusing on composition,
repetition, and unity. Make the hab-
itat as three-dimensional as possible
using cardboard squares under-
neath the animals to make them
protrude in a variety of depths.
Assessment
Have each student present his or
her habitat to the class. Do they
understand why an animal looks a
certain way based on its environ-
mental needs? Can they analyze the
history, elements, and condition of
that habitat? Has the student effec-
tively used art elements and design
principles to make the habitat a
successful and unique work of art?
By Tracy Ellyn, art teacher and
President of Miami Art and
Design in Miami, Florida.
The Art Problem
How can students understand and
create art incorporating scale, mark-
making, and color schemes?
Objectives
Students will create an over-sized
drawing of a still-life object that
emphasizes mark-making and
explores color schemes.
Materials
12 x 18" ( 30 x 46 cm) black paper,
colored pencils, black conte or oil
pastel, still-life objects
Procedures
1. Explain the concept of over-
sized objects in art and introduce
artists that use this theme in their
artwork. Examples include Chuck
Close and Claes Oldenburg.
2. Discuss the use of mark-making
in drawings and paintings that use
repetition of line to create visual
texture.
3. Discuss the use of color schemes
in art and how an ordinary subject
can be made intriguing using an
unusual color scheme. These color
schemes may include monochro-
matic, analogous, complementary,
split complement, and triad.
4. Students choose a still-life object
or bring their own. They practice
drawing their object in an over-
sized manner. Next the drawings
are enlarged to fill a 12 x 18" sheet
of black paper.
5. Lighting the objects helps stu-
dents understand and create three-
dimensional form. Students may
then choose a color scheme and
practice mark-making.
6. When their drawings are
complete, students will color the
background with black conte or oil
pastel.
Assessment
Does your object appear over-sized?
Have you incorporated mark-
making in your drawing? What
color scheme did you choose? Does
your composition fill the paper
format? Does your drawing appear
three-dimensional?
By Debra Lott, art teacher and
department chair at Assumption High School in Louisville,
Kentucky.
