The Ratner Montessori School Art Program

We are now two weeks into our clay unit and the students are all learning so much. I wanted to give every grade level the opportunity to just experience working with clay without having a set project to begin with. Honestly, in the past I just wanted the clay unit to pass as quickly as possible, so I jumped right into each project. I am trying a different approach this year and it seems to help the students understand the material more. I figured an extra week of mess and chaos in the art room would be tolerable if the students were able to understand the properties of clay better. I still do not love working with clay, but I am getting better with the level of maintenance and have a clearer system after 15 years of presenting clay. Wish me luck!

A Missouri  clay mine

                                               

Kindergarten Art

The students showed great enthusiasm using clay last week in art. For many, this was the first experience building with clay so I wanted to give them time to experiment and see what was possible with the material. We are using terracotta clay this year because the clay is stronger for building forms. The clay is messy, but nothing is permanent! The students showed fine control with the material and all embraced the mess. We will construct a bowl this week in class and will fire and glaze the bowl later in the semester. 

1st, 2nd and 3rd Grade Art

Every student had a wonderful time experimenting with clay last week. They were careful with their use of the clay, tried several different techniques and enjoyed creating temporary pieces while learning the qualities of the clay. Each grade level is working on a different project according to their skill level. The 1st grade class learned how to create an even and balanced pinch pot bowl to create a bird nest. They added texture to to nest, created a 3-dimensional bird and added details like eggs or branches to their work. They were introduced to the technique of scoring and slipping to attach their birds to the nest. The 2nd grade class created larger pinch pot vessels to create a face cup based on the work of Kirk Mangus. They have sculpted eyes, nose and mouth details to attach and will work on the base of the cup today. The 3rd grade class is working on a newly designed unit to tie into their classroom study of  Porifera ( the tubed shaped sea sponge).  They hand built a small bowl or vessel, created a lid with a rim and will build the Porifera inspired sculpture to place on top of the lid. We are experimenting with the combination of terracotta clay with a white stoneware clay and have great hopes that the experiment will be successful. I am excited to see the results.

                            

4th, 5th and 6th Grade Art

The students were so excited to see the art room set up for clay when they returned from winter break. I decided to have a full week of playing with clay so I could assess the level of skill for each student. I presented basic techniques for the students that have not used the medium of clay and they all learned several principles of the quality of terracotta clay as they experimented. The 6th grade class are doing a different project than the 5th and 6th grade class as all the students have had clay for several years with me. One of the advanced students is creating a teapot and the other students are constructing a clay totem pole. In the 5th and 6th grade level, the artists are working on a bobble head sculpture. They created an even pinch pot bowl and added facial features depicting either a fantasy creature or a realistic face or animal. We talk a lot about craftsmanship with the use of clay and the attention to detail in their work. We will create the cone shaped base next week and will complete the clay unit. 

7th and 8th Grade Art

We had a week of experimenting and "playing" with clay last week. One class was dedicated to a series of clay challenges so I could assess what skill level each student was operating with. They each had to create a pinch method bowl, an even coil as long as their arm, a recognizable piece of food, a hollow sphere and for the more advanced students, a hollow cube. Most students were able to successfully complete all 5 challenges within the 50-minute class period. Our current project is a geometric solid sculpture created by rolling an even slab and cutting a template shape to fold the clay into a form. The students are moving at a good pace and I expect we will finish the unit next week.

The Ratner Montessori School Art Program

I love having the ability to set the art program to the pace and needs of each student as we progress through the year. Several project that have taken many weeks to complete with one group of students may be completed in a shorter time according to the group I teach. I appreciate the ability to create a program that serves the creative needs of the students. I thought most the projects would wrap up before the upcoming Winter Break, but we may continue with current projects when the students return in January. I usually begin the ceramic unit after the break as it is a student favorite and a gentle re-entry back into the rhythm of school. I will not post a blog next week as the week is a bit disjointed due to celebrations and events. I hope you all enjoy a wonderful holiday season and am forever thankful for all your support and encouragement.

Photograph by Deborah Fields during the recent NC snowstorm