Face Pots, 5th Grade

This is one of my favorite lessons every year.  Students use the slab technique to create face pots.

To introduce this lesson, we always discuss the history of face pots in America.  PBS has a great episode of History Detectives, all about face jugs.  I always begin by having my students watch this video,  https://www.pbs.org/video/history-detectives-face-jug/

Students then create their own face pots by using slabs and coils.  I always emphasize the importance of scoring and slipping.  This is the first year that I have not had a single eye ball fall off the pots.  I guess they listened well this year.

After firing, students glaze the pots.  I always tell them to use at least 3 coats of glaze.  I love these this year!

Warm and Cool Color Hands, 3rd Grade

This is an oldie, but a goodie.  I have been teaching this lesson for years.  I did not create this lesson myself.  I have seen it on numerous sites, so I am not sure who originally created this lesson idea.  If this is your lesson, let me know, I would love to give you credit. 

This lesson is about practicing patterns and warm and cool colors.  Students draw a pattern for their background first.  After this, students are asked to use either all warm or all cool colors for the background.  Then the hand is colored with the opposite. This lesson is simple, it looks amazing, and student's love it!