Community Study: Clay Buildings

By Gr. 1&2

Overview of the Inquiry process for Clay Buildings

First the students • played with clay • discovered tools at home and in the classroom for mark making and sculpting • experienced clay ‘through the senses’ with a visiting artist, looking at, smelling,

tasting, touching, and even listening to clay • learned about technical aspects of creating with clay

Then they • reviewed what they had already learned about buildings • looked at a power point of many different ‘weird and wacky’ buildings around the

world and talked about their design and structure • discussed what was important about buildings

Finally the students • created their own buildings out of clay

First the students • had daily experiences playing with clay

during Explorations Time at the clay table in the classroom

• became familiar with the medium and

experimented with using many tools

Art Toolbox tips: Cover a box or small table with canvas for play with clay. This will reduce the clay dust in the classroom and facilitate clean-up.

In Art Language & Tools, students practise safe and appropriate use of various art media, tools, and processes K–4 A–L2.1

Previously, the children had created clay families. These were inspired by the sculptural work Field for the British Isles by the well known British artist Antony Gormley. After creating the families out of clay and then graphing them as a group during a Math lesson, the families became a part of the children’s play at Explorations Time. It was because of these clay families that the group developed the idea of a year long study of the city. One day a child asked if she could create a house for her family.

After their independent work with clay during Explorations Time, the students then learned more about the medium with a visiting artist. They experienced clay ‘through the senses’ looking at, smelling, tasting, touching, and even listening to clay.

They charted their ideas

They also learned about some of the techniques artists use with clay • using slip to attach pieces • making marks with fingers and tools

Then the students • reviewed what they had learned about buildings (see other powerpoints in this

exemplar: WOW CITY and CITY MURAL ) • viewed and discussed images of many different ‘weird and wacky’ buildings around

the world. See “Strange Houses”

In Understanding Art in Context, students demonstrate understanding of ways in which artists and designers contribute to the quality of everyday life K–2 A–U3.1

Finally the students made their own wacky clay buildings.

In Creative Expression in Art, students search for and discover ideas for artmaking through observation of others’ (peers’ and artists’) use of art elements, principles, and media 2–4 A–C1.3

In Valuing Artistic Experience, students participate actively in art learning experiences K–4 A–V1.1

The clay buildings were fired and glazed with commercial low fire glazes.

Art Language and Tools

SLO: K-2A-L1.1 students used real clay, tools, and processes to explore

and demonstrate awareness of the elements of art: line, texture, shape,

form, and space

Creative Expression in Art

SLO K-1A-C1.1 students independently played with clay, experimented constructively and then worked with a clay artist. They looked at three dimensional representations and then designed buildings out of clay.

Valuing Artistic Experience

SLO: K-4 A-V1.1 The students participated in a lesson with the clay artist. They looked at clay through all of their senses.

SLO: K-4 A-V1.2 students asked relevant questions and contributed to discussions of clay in art learning experiences

Understanding Art in Context

SLO: K-2A-U21 The students examined and discussed many

different pieces of clay art.

In

Visual Art: Clay