Curated OER
Handbuilding With Joan
Students discover the three basic handbuilding techniques used in beginning pottery: pinch pot, coiling, and slab work. After a lecture/demo, students try their hands at making pottery using the three different techniques.
Curated OER
Puebla Patterned Pots
Sixth graders examine and discuss the characteristics of tin glazed earthenware pottery of Colonial Mexico. They design and create their own Talavera-style plate by applying the concept of radial symmetry.
Curated OER
Make a Paper Mache Bowl
Students create a paper mache bowl. In this paper mache lesson, students use wallpaper paste, newspapers, and paint brushes to construct a paper mache bowl. Students decorate their bowl with unique designs.
Curated OER
Ceramic Processes and Vocabulary
Learners examine new vocabulary associated with ceramic processes. They watch demonstrations of different techniques. They complete a crossword puzzle to help them with the vocabulary.
Curated OER
Radial Design
Students examine the use of radial design and crystalline glazing in the art works of Harding Black. They watch and discuss a video about Harding Black, identify the colors and designs on his pottery, and create their own radial design...
Curated OER
African Mask
Students research the importance of masks to the African culture. In this African mask lesson, students design original masks using a variety of materials. Students use the template provided to create their masks.
Curated OER
Pottery, Porcelain, And Posterity
Students research and discuss the various ceramic techniques foudn throughout China's history using primary source documents and internet resources. This lesson plan emphasizes small learning groups.
Curated OER
Children of the Earth and Sky
Fourth graders explore the culture and traditions of Native Americans. After reading "Children of the Earth and Sky," students discuss the lives of Native American children in relation to their own. They create replicas of Hopi...
Curated OER
Hand Built Tea Bowls
Learners follow directions to create clay bowls. In this pottery lesson, students use clay and the pictured tools to follow the directions and create a fire baked tea bowl.
Curated OER
Crazy Critter Whistles
Students research the historical and multicultural uses and forms of whistles. They design and create a clay whistle.
Curated OER
Platter
Students identify the many cultures whose artistic traditions contributed to the art of viceregal Mexico and specifically to this piece of art. They discuss the many influences on the life and society of viceregal Mexico and note the...
Curated OER
Pieces of the Past
Seventh graders compare and contrast the way of life of Native Americans in Texas and around the country. As a class, they brainstorm about the uses of pottery today and use broken pieces of pottery to create an artifact. In groups,...
Curated OER
Creating an Autobiographical Amulet Necklace
Young scholars create their own personalized amulet necklaces after viewing images of artifacts from different cultures.
Curated OER
Reading Comprehension: Counting
In this informational text comprehension worksheet, 3rd graders read the passage about counting and answer 10 multiple choice questions about the passage.
Curated OER
Paper Mosaics
Third graders read the story "Pompeii...Buried Alive." They locate Italy on a world map and define the term artifact. Students conduct an artifact dig on the playground. Students study the characteristics of mosaics and their...
Curated OER
Creating a Japanese Garden Lantern in Crea-Stone
Students create a Japanese Garden Lantern. In this step-by-step ceramics activity, students follow simple how-to directions to mold and create a Japanese Garden Lantern out of Crea-Stone.
Curated OER
Carving Mountains
Students explore geography by participating in an illustration activity. In this land-form activity, students define vocabulary terms associated with glaciers and forests. Students utilize pens, cardboard and pottery clay to draw and...
Curated OER
Time For A Change: Illustrated Plates
Students create illustrated plastic plate designs depicting a physical, chemical, or biological change of some kind after investigating the artwork of porcelain artist Kataro Shirayamadani.
Curated OER
Basics of Archaeology
Middle schoolers identify what and how to complete an Archaeological excavation is conducted. They identify the transition from one layer to the next more easily if the colors of the layers are different. When creating a dig, the...
Curated OER
What is Cultural Evolution?
Young scholars comprehend what is meant by Cultural Evolution and that it primarily applies at Human Evolution, but that there are examples in higher mammals such as a killer whales, dolphins and great apes of particular groups by...
Curated OER
From Corn To Tortillas
Students investigate the food known as the tortilla. They research the growth cycle of the corn plant and how tortillas are made from it. The importance of the tortilla according to the Hispanic culture is explained to the students. The...
Arizona State University
A.r.t.s : Navajo Pottery: Beautiful Objects
This informative website contains pages discussing the history of Navajo pottery. Provides photos and explanations of various pottery techniques. Teachers can use these lessons to show students how to create and fire their own pottery!
Smithsonian Institution
Archives of American Art: Digging for Clay
A selection of letters, writings, photographs, interviews and other primary sources documenting American artists working in clay.
Other
Native American Indian Art
This site provides illustrations and descriptions of Native American art and painting. Visual sampling of many Native American artists.