Crafting Creativity: Exploring Round Clay Ornaments in Upper Elementary Art Class

In our upper elementary art class, creative sparks flew as students embarked on an enchanting journey of clay craftsmanship. This lesson plan revolved around creating round clay ornaments using slab rolling techniques, adorned with vibrant acrylic paints, and sealed to preserve their artistic expressions. Additionally, students delved into the world of ceramic vocabulary, enriching their artistic vocabulary while crafting memorable ornaments.

Unveiling the Clay Canvas: Excitement filled the art room as students familiarized themselves with the slab rolling technique. Using clay as their canvas, they deftly manipulated the slabs to create rounded shapes for their ornaments. The process of rolling out the clay encouraged tactile learning, fine-tuning their motor skills, and introduced them to the possibilities of clay artistry.

Exploration through Ceramic Vocabulary: The lesson seamlessly integrated the exploration of ceramic vocabulary. Students were introduced to terminology such as:

• Clay body: The type and composition of the clay used.
• Slab rolling: The technique of flattening clay into sheets or slabs.
• Kiln: A high-temperature oven used to fire clay creations.
• Glaze: A glass-like coating applied to fired ceramics for color and protection. Explanation of using acrylic paint instead of glazes. You can also watercolor on the bisqued pieces too!
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• Clear coat: A sealing finish applied to preserve and enhance the final artwork.

Colorful Expressions with Acrylic Paints: Once the clay ornaments were shaped, fired, and cooled, students unleashed their creativity with acrylic paints. Vibrant colors danced across the rounded canvases as students meticulously painted their designs, infusing life and personality into their creations. The painting process encouraged self-expression and artistic freedom, resulting in a myriad of beautifully adorned ornaments.

Preservation and Final Touch: To ensure the longevity of their artwork, students carefully applied a clear coat to seal their painted ornaments. This final step not only protected their designs but also enhanced the colors and textures, adding a subtle sheen to their creations—a testament to their craftsmanship.

As each student completed their round clay ornaments, the classroom buzzed with pride and accomplishment. The joyous faces and gleaming ornaments were a testament to their creativity, dedication, and newfound understanding of ceramic vocabulary. We have a hair dryer available if anyone needs it to help the drying process while they are layering the colors.

The round clay ornament lesson plan was a splendid fusion of creativity, ceramic education, and artistic expression. Through the hands-on process of creating, painting, and sealing, our upper elementary students not only crafted beautiful keepsakes but also expanded their artistic horizons and vocabulary.

1969 - Thanks Cathy Hicks for letting us share your lower school art lesson! We loved it and thought our readers would too!