4th Grade Pottery Class

Welcome to 4th Grade Pottery. Students learn basic techniques with which to create and explore the qualities of clay. They become critically aware of environment, vocabulary, aesthetic interpretation and marketing.

One approach students use is the coil method of making pottery. This method is common to all cultures and has been used from the dawn of civilization. In many countries it is still the principal method by which pots are made for daily use. Traditionally pots are made by starting from the bottom and working up to the rim. After experimenting working from the rim up to the bottom, (pot upside down) I found the technique helps to prevent the pot from sagging, becoming floppy and unmanageable. The weight of the pot is not on the top as it would be traditionally, instead the weight is on the bottom (rim) for a bowl shaped pot.

Students make simple coiled round and square pots using this technique. Besides using coils to make pots of various kinds, the skill of coiling, once learned, can be used to produce forms which can be turned into a whole range of subjects.

The slab method is approached in a variety of ways in fourth grade. Generally students work on projects from small decorative trays or tiles, to constructions of sculpture such as figurines. Students roll, cut and mold slabs by hand. This is simple and easy to master.

The simple pinch method of making pottery is taught at this level so students can move on to join multiple pinched forms to make all manner of subjects.   By molding individual features they can create owls, pigs, elephants or whatever their imaginations suggest.

4th Grade Factory

To culminate the year students create a product using methods learned to sell at May Frolics.   Student employees are placed in specified departments in the Pottery Factory.   The departments include Preparation Specialists, Assemblers and Over-glazers.  

All employees are required to research how to promote and market a product.   The cost of a product is established after it has been produced.   Proper money exchange and business etiquette is studied.   Children learn how to properly display their product.   Advertising posters are created in advance of the sale date.

Employees are paid the minimum hourly wage (play notes).   Students sell their product at May Frolics and donate their earnings to charity.