Discovering Pottery in North Carolina
A Unit Plan Developed by Angela Lovedahl, Curriculum Coordinator, Jackson County Schools
With Ms. Vyanne Fisher's 4th Grade Class at Fairview Elementary School, Sylva NC
This unit contains 3
lesson plans, active links within the lesson plans and three clickable and printable handouts
following the lesson plans. Scroll down toward the bottom of this page (Pottery Connections, Double Bubble, and ‘When Clay Sings’).
Contents
Lesson Plan 1 htm file; pdf file
Lesson Plan 2 htm file; pdf file
Lesson Plan 3 htm file; pdf file
Handouts
In Lesson 1: Exploration Recording Sheet
In Lesson 2: Pottery Connections ; Pottery Double Bubble
In Lesson 3: When Clay Sings (a song)
Lesson
1 - Title: Discovering Pottery in North Carolina
Grade Level: 4th
Grade
Purpose: A
motivational discovery/exploration lesson to help students build background
related to pottery in North Carolina;
designed to precede other lessons in this series
North Carolina
Standard Course of Study Objectives:
- Visual
Arts Objectives 5.01, 5.03
- Social
Studies Objectives 1.04, 5.02, 6.04
- Language
Arts Objectives 2.02, 3.05, 3.06, 4.02
Materials/Resources:
“Exploration” recording
sheet ; actual pieces of pottery; The Pottery Place by Gail Gibbons,
print and web resources to show examples of North Carolina pottery—some good
sources are North Carolina Art Pottery by James Everette and Rodney Leftwich
and the websites www.mintmuseum.org/craftingncpottery
and wwwhandsoncrafts.org It will
save time to bookmark these sites before the actual lesson.
Procedure:
- Read aloud
The Pottery Place so students begin to develop some background
knowledge about how pottery is created.
- Hand
out student copies of “Exploration”
sheet. Have students record in
the section to the left, “Before I Explore” things they think they already
know about pottery. Discuss
expectations and guiding questions for the “While I’m Exploring” section
in the middle of the “Discovery” sheet.
- Before
this step, discuss the proper way to handle pottery. Allow students time to observe the
actual pieces of pottery. Students
should record in the “While I’m Exploring” section observations and things
they notice about the pottery, keeping in mind the guiding questions.
- Allow
the students to explore the websites mentioned above. Have them record in the “While I’m
Exploring” section things they learn from the two sites. Also, make available any print resources
with examples of pottery.
**(Suggestion for students with
special needs: Allow the students to
work as partners as they explore and record.)
- Following
the website and book exploration, students should record in the right
section, “After I Explore,” things they have changed their mind about,
things that they found surprising and things they’re still wondering
about.
- Allow
time for students to share discoveries as a whole class.
Assessment Suggestions:
- Monitor
as the students explore and record to see if they are addressing the
guiding questions.
- Make
notes about the class discussion following the discovery time.
- Compare
the sections of the students’ “Exploration” sheets to see if they have
learned new information.
Lesson 2 -
Title: Pottery Connections
Grade Level: 4th
Grade
Purpose: To provide
students with opportunities to examine pottery for function, technique and
design
North Carolina
Standard Course of Study Objectives:
- Visual
Arts Objectives 5.01, 5.03
- Social
Studies Objective 5.02
- Language
Arts Objectives 3.05, 3.06, 4.02
Materials/Resources:
“Pottery
Connections” recording sheet; “Pottery
Double Bubble” recording sheet; Craft Revival website—www.wcu.edu/craftrevival It will save time if you
bookmark this site before the lesson begins.
Procedure:
- Hand
out and discuss “Pottery Connections” recording sheets.
- Provide
an overview of the Craft Revival website.
- Instruct
students to locate and choose two different examples of pottery from the
website.
- Students
use the recording sheet to describe each example of pottery.
- When
the “Pottery Connections” sheet is complete, students use this information
to create a “Pottery Double Bubble.”
Individual descriptors that apply to only one example of pottery in
the outside bubbles; descriptors that the two examples have in common go
in the middle bubbles.
**(Suggestion for students with
special needs: Allow students to work
with partners or allow the student to dictate what goes on each sheet.)
Assessment Suggestions:
- Evaluate
whether students have answered the questions about each example of
pottery.
- Evaluate
whether students have identified similarities and differences in the two
examples of pottery.
Lesson 3
- Title: North Carolina’s in My Pottery!
Grade Level: 4th
Grade
Purpose: To provide
hands-on opportunities for students to design and create pottery to reflect
their surroundings
North Carolina
Standard Course of Study Objectives:
- Visual
Arts Objectives 1.01, 2.02
- Social
Studies Objectives 5.02, 3.02
- Language
Arts Objective 4.02
Materials/Resources:
Crayola air-dry clay (Roll out clay and cut 5 inch x 5 inch
slab/plaques in advance of the lesson); visuals for NC state symbols and/or
symbols for local surroundings; a good source for these symbols is statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/nc/symbols/symbols.htm;
tools to use with clay (plastic forks and knives, toothpicks, and paper clips
work well and are inexpensive); When
Clay Sings by Byrd Baylor; wax paper; Pottery Rubric (attached);
acrylic paints or spray paint for when the pottery dries; clear acrylic sealant
Procedure:
- Read
aloud When Clay Sings and discuss as a group. Be sure to emphasize that while clay
cannot actually speak, the design of pottery can tell us about the person
who made the pottery and about that person’s surroundings.
- Review
and discuss symbols from North
Carolina.
Discuss why each symbol was chosen.
Brainstorm with the students other symbols that reflect the area in
which they live.
- Have
each student choose a symbol (state symbol or local symbol) with which to
decorate their pottery plaque.
- Provide
instruction for and demonstration of techniques that use tools to create
different effects on the clay.
Demonstrate how to roughen the two surfaces to be joined.
- Distribute
pottery slab/plaques. This works
well to provide a piece of wax paper on which to keep their work. This allows the work to be moved and
protects the work surface. Provide
each student with a piece of clay with which to form their design.
- Allow
several days for the pottery creations to dry.
- Choose
one of these painting methods:
Allow students to use acrylic paints and brushes to paint their
designs or spray paint each finished plaque a solid color. (The design will still show.)
- After
the paint dries, spray each finished plaque with acrylic sealant and allow
to dry.
- Remind
students of When Clay Sings and have each student create a free
verse poem entitled “If My Clay Could Sing…” (see attached examples that
you may share with students)
Students may word process, print and decorate their poems.
Assessment Suggestions:
- Have
students complete the attached rubric and complete self-reflection.
- Hold
a group discussion about what the students have learned during this
activity.
HANDOUTS
ARE AVAILABLE BELOW, IN ADDITION TO ACCESS WITHIN THE LESSON PLANS THROUGH THE ACTIVE
LINKS.
For Lesson
Plan 1:
Exploration Recording
Sheet
Before I Explore…
(What do you think you already know about pottery?) |
While I Explore….
(As you explore, think about these questions and record what you discover: What function does pottery serve? What differences do you see in pottery from different time periods? How do you see natural resources being used? What designs and symbols do you see on pottery and why do you think that is? )
|
After I Explore….
(How have you changed your mind about pottery? What did you find surprising? What are you still wondering about? |
For Lesson Plan 2: