Lesson #6 - Clay Pinch Pots

The sixth lesson was taught by Danielle and Lisa. They decided to teach a 3rd grade lesson about clay pinch pots. This was a really neat lesson and unlike anything we've done in the past. First, we each were given a big clump of clay. Before we started sculpting, we had to knead the clay and make sure all of the air pockets were out. Once the clay was ready, we were taught a process on how to pinch it into a bowl shape. We were able to make any type of bowl we wished. After we shaped our bowl, we used water to get the wrinkles and finger prints off of the clay. This made it look nice and smooth. Next, we were able to use any color to paint our bowls with. I decided to mix blue and white to create a sky blue color. Once the paint was dried, we were able to paint symbols on our bowl that represented us. I decided to paint a sun, heart, and stick figures. The sun represents my love for the outdoors and that I'm a happy person. The heart represents my love for my family and friends, as well as my future of becoming a teacher. The stick figures represent each person in my family.
An extension activity for this lesson could be for a history class. Students could research different types of clay work used throughout history, such as Native American art. Students could then choose a certain technique and make their own creation. Afterwards, students could present their pots and describe the symbols they used, as well as the technique they were trying to replicate.