Week 9

"Building" project and "Scholar Rocks" Mixed Grades

Student Work - 7th Grade Ceramics

Fish Plate (intro to ceramics)- 6th Grade

High School Ceramics - Throwing Wheel

High School Ceramics - Glazing

Glazing

Getting glazing tips form AP Ceramicist

This week Gary and I agreed on a curriculum he wants me to develop for his 7th grade class. We discussed materials and possible projects that he wanted to do. He originally wanted to use cardboard to create a diorama, but he later mentioned that he wanted to use papier mache, which he hasn't used in a while. Oaxacan wood carvings came up in the discussion and we agreed that this would be a fun project. The details aren't worked out, but The big idea of the project will discuss the Zapotec Indian carvers using found materials and subjects from their natural environment. Papier Mache isn't a natural material in our environment, but this material will work. Folklore plays are large part concerning the animals and each one has a specific meaning within their culture, such as the turtle being associated with music. The students will choose an animal that represents their spirit animal and create a papier mache Alebrijes and painting them using colors to describe the nature of the animal. I will include the history of the Oaxacan carvers, how the "animal chooses the wood", and other relevant information. Ideally I would like to go through a similar process as the Zapotec do by finding forms in nature, but this lesson is being designed for someone else and material driven, so I will make the best of it.