Ugly Jugs

So, again, my fabulous students teacher came through with another cool project. Sometimes I love having student teacher for the simple fact of their cool new ideas! She worked with 4th grade making ugly jugs. I did not know what ugly jugs were, although I have unintentionally made a couple in my life. They are an art form that African American slaves did in their free time. There are all kinds of pictures on Google, and even a few Powerpoints! 4th grade students made a pinch pot out of clay, then added features. The jugs had to include two eyes, a nose, and a mouth, but it was up to the kids after that. The features could be enlarged or extra small. Once the jugs were fired, the students glazed them with Mayco crystallite glaze-fabulous stuff, if I do say so. I have had so many teachers comment on how pretty they are, and I have to tell them that they are really ugly jugs!

Wayne Theibaud Cupcakes

3rd graders have been working on the artist Wayne Theibaud. They created cupcakes out of clay. First, we made a pinch pot for the wrapper. Students used a fork to draw lines on the wrapper. Then, students made a pancake to be the bottom of the icing. My student teacher and I worked with students on rolling coils and building icing up, or simply making flat icing. Students could choose to add sprinkles, candles, cherries, strawberries, or whatever they could think of. The cupcakes are still drying, but I will have pictures or the finished product. While they cupcakes are drying, I am going to have students create a cupcake menu or advertisement for a pretend cupcake shop. They have been very excited about this.

Ceramic Rattles

5th Grade Ceramic Rattles

Fifth grade has done a wonderful job on the rattles. Students began the project by making two equal pinch pots. Students then rolled about 10 small pieces of clay to go inside the pinch pots. The small pieces had to be very dry so that they would not stick together. Students used slip and score methods to attach the two rattles together and created an animal out of the rattles. Three small holes were poked into the rattle to allow for ventilation. The rattles dried about one week and then were fired at cone 06. Students then painted three coats of Mayco glaze and an overglaze and the rattles were fired again. I think they are great!