1. 3rd Grade Clay Pinch Pots

2. An excellent 2 minute long video showing traditional pot making techniques is available in the white dvd basket in the first art cabinet. Show this video at the beginning of class. DVD: Traditional Pot Making Insert dvd into art room pc

3. Many cultures throughout history have created clay pots. Recreation of pottery making from 5000 years ago Ancient cultures dug clay from the earth & used it to create tiles, pottery & other useful items. The first clay pots were roughly made - simple lumps of clay with an indent pressed by a fist. Firing is the process of heating clay to remove water, it hardens the clay & makes it durable. Before kilns were invented pottery was heated in wood fires.

4. How hot is the kiln? How warm is this room? 70 degrees fahrenheit How hot is a summer heatwave? about 100 degrees fahrenheit How hot is an oven baking cookies? 350 degrees fahrenheit How hot is it inside the kiln? about 2000 degrees!!!

5. Today we are making pinch pots. Follow your own artistic vision. Ideas to make your pot unique: Will the overall feel of your pot be primitive, refined or something in between? Use your fingertips to make impressions, create a bumpy look or to smooth things out The top of your pot could be smooth & even, primitive & rough, or a mix of both it could be straight up or you could press it out into a fluted edge, or even make it wavy You could use a skewer to etch designs on the sides or in the center

6. Pinch Pots Process: Pull up long sleeves, remove any rings from your fingers Work your clay slab into a ball shape: First lightly pound & press the edges of the clay against the table to round the corners & thicken the piece Next pass the clay from hand to hand, press, turn & round the clay into a ball shape. Once you have a ball shape - press thumbs into the center - don't go all the way through! Shape the walls of your pot by pinching & turning your piece - a half inch thickness for the walls is ideal. Press the bottom of your pot against the table to give it a flat bottom so it won't tip or wobble. Remember to put your initiasl on the bottom of the pot

7. Vocabulary Greenware: Unfired clay projects Bone Dry: Completely air dried clay Kiln: An oven used for firing clay projects Bisque: Clay which has been fired once, without glaze Fire: To heat clay in a kiln Glaze: Paint used to color clay projects. Glaze turns to glass when fired in a kiln.