The Adirondack Curriculum Project: ‘Adirondack Slab Bowls’

Adirondack Slab Bowls Print This Challenge
Grade: K - 6th Grade Class: Art	Author: Kathleen Neal
NYS Content Area Standard: The Arts: Standard 1: Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Arts Standard 2: Knowing and Using Arts Materials & Resources	NYS Interdisciplinary Standard:	Adirondack Curriculum Content Area: Natural HistoryCulture & The Arts
Keywords: clay bowls, slabs,

The Challenge:

Investigative Question or Issue: How can natural materials found during our nature walk at Adirondack Camp Chingachook be used to create a clay bowl that reflects the "Adirondack Experience"?

Context:

It is suggested that this challenge be paired with a field trip to an outdoor education facilitiy.

The Challenge:

A.) Third grade students visiting Camp Chingachook, Lake George were asked to observe and collect natural elements that displayed interesting textures and shapes. These would be used later in their art class to create a clay slab project. Found elements included dried weeds, pebbles, bark, pine needles, dried leaves, vines, and moss. These were gathered during the "Mountain Nature Walk" and "Wetland and Stream Observation."

B.) Art Class #1: Is clay a natural material? How can collected materials be used to create a slab bowl? How does one create a clay slab and form it into a bowl? How can we create decorative textures using our found materials?

1.) Materials Needed:

baseball size lump of clay
clay board and clay tools
water cups
rolling pin
river rocks and found nature textures

2.) Discussion and Demonstration:

What are organic shapes and natural materials?
What is texture and how can you use natural materials to texture clay?
What are the methods used to hand form clay (pinch, coil, slab)? What is a slab and how is it created?
How can we use a river rock to mold a slab into a bowl? What is a coil?

3.)

Students hand form a ball of clay into a slab about 1/4 in. Thick, finishing lightly with a rolling pin.
Clay is lightly draped over a rock to form a bowl shape.
Students roll a coil of clay to form a "foot." The slab is "scored" and the coil foot is then joined to the base using a clay tool.
When the form of the bowl is complete, the students will use "natural materials" to experiment on scraps of clay then decorate their bowls with textures and patterns.
Bowls are gently lifted off of the rocks and any rough edges are smoothed with a damp sponge (allowing the bowls to sit on rocks for 15 min. will keep the edges from drooping). The weight of the bowl will level the foot of the pot as it dries.
The completed bowl is fired.

C.) ART CLASS #2: What is glaze and what colors of glaze best represent the colors of natural found elements?

1.) Materials:

brushes
water cups
glazes in natural colors
paper towels and sponges

2.) Students glaze all surfaces of the bowl except the base. Water is used to brush the glaze into crevices. The bowl is fired again.

An Arts Forever Wild Challenge

Quality Standards:

- Clay slab should be uniform in thickness.
The foot should be centered at the base of the bowl and be securely joined.
The textures from the natural materials should be aesthetic pleasing.
The textures should not cut through the bowl.
Glaze should be evenly applied so that all surface area is covered.
The glaze color should reflect the colors of the natural materials.

Product Quality Checklist Print This Checklist
Standard/Criteria:	Points Possible:	Points Awarded:
Clay slab should be uniform in thickness
The foot should be centered at the base of the bowl and be securely joined
The textures should not cut through the bowl
Glaze should be evenly applied so that all area is covered
The glaze color should reflect the colors of the natural elements

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