6th Grade Clay Sea Creatures

In this project students explored many important elements in the ceramic making process.

Vocabulary we focused on:
Slab- Handbuilding technique used when clay is rolled out and flattened.

Pinch Pot- Pinch in ceramics is a method of shaping clay be inserting the thumb of one hand into the clay and lightly pinching with the thumb and fingers while slowly rotating the ball in the palm of the other hand.

Slip & Score- refers to a method of joining two clay pieces together (like velcro).  First score the clay; this mean that you make lines and scratches in the surfaces that will be sticking together.  Then you slip it; you wet the surface with slip, using it like glue to stick pieces together.

Plastic- The quality of clay which permits it to be readily shaped into different forms without cracking, crumbling, or sagging. (Wet, Workable Clay)

To start this project students were given a 6"x6" piece of paper to use as a template.  Students were instructed to design a sea creature (fish, octopus, shark, sea horse etc.)  Their creature had to fill the 6 inch square they were given.  Students then cut out their sea creature to use as a template.  Students rolled out two slabs of clay and traced their templates on both slabs. After both slabs were cut out students slipped and scored the edges. To give the sea creature more form  students took a small piece of newspaper and put it between the two slabs.  Students then placed the slabs together (with newspaper in between) and smoothed the clay to be one piece.  The next step was to make a pinch pot. Students put their pinch pot upside down, slipped and scored it to their sea creature to act as a stand.

To add color we marbleized our sea creatures using liquid starch and acrylic paint.

Teacher Example: 

Students sea creatures are waiting to be marbleized.