ART Grade 1 Teaching Guide

Unit 4: FOURTH QUARTER

SCULPTURE AND MIXED MEDIA

Lesson 24: Pinche d Bowl (Creating Useful Objects)

Lesson Summary

Art History/ Art Production Art Criticism/ Art Appreciation

Connecting Creating Looking and Seeing Appreciating
Many different provinces Make a clay pot by Identify and recognize Describe the different
in the Philippines are pinching, or by coil shapes and textures kinds of pottery do
know n for their pottery. (rolling clay into a in objects. they see around the
Vigan, in Ilocos Norte is snake-like shape) neighborhood or
one of them. Sagada, province.
Mountain Province, is
another. Pottery clay is What are they used
made out from wet soil, for?
or mud. It is heated in
big, and very hot ovens
called kilns, so that the
clay will stick together to
harden.

TIME ALLOTMENT: 2 sessions (80 minutes)

OBJECTIVES
The learner will:
1. Explore pottery and pottery making.
2. Def ine the given art vocabulary.
3. Make a small bowl.
4. Apply previous learning.

ART VOCABULARY
Potte ry: This is a term used because the process of pottery was first used to make pots
for cooking. In modern times, however, pottery is a term that is also used to describe any
item made using the pottery process and clay. In Ilocos they call it burnay and the pots
are made by hand.
Potte ry Clay: Unlike the clay that can be bought in the stores, pottery clay is mined from
different places in the Philippines. It is made from earth or mud. The kind of clay
depends a lot on where or what province it is from.
Kiln: A special oven for heating clay to make pottery. When a pot is made from clay, and
then heated at very high temperatures, the clay becomes hard and solid. Pottery clay that
isn’t “baked” in a kiln will harden also, except it will disintegrate when it gets very wet.
When it is c ooked in a kiln, the clay hardens so much that the pots can be used, and
washed again and again.
Potte r: A kind of artist that makes pottery, out of clay and other materials.
Pinching: A process or technique in which pottery is made. This means, litera lly, that
the potter will pinch the clay to give it its shape, form, or sometimes texture.

Elements and Principles

1. Form
2. Shape
3. Texture – the design that is found on the surface of the clay pot.
ART Grade 1 Teaching Guide

Materials

1. Store-bought, commercial clay. One small bar per student, or real clay, if it is available.
o If there is a local potter, it would be advisable to invite him or her to the school to
explain the process.
o If there is access to pottery clay, and a kiln, you may also use these. However,
baking pottery in a kiln takes a long time, usually most of the day; and the
students will not be able to take their pottery home right away.
o If there is no clay, make Salt-Dough Clay again.
Flour
Iodized salt
Water
o Mix a ratio of 1 is to ½ of flour and salt. (one cup of flour to
half a cup of salt, for example). For any container of flour,
use half of that same container to measure the salt.
o Add water, little by little, until a dough forms. It should not be
more than the measurement of flour (for easy measuring, use
the same container for water.
2. Bottle (with no texture) or toilet paper tubes, to use as rolling pins. (OPTIONAL, depending
on availability)
3. Old newspapers to help absorb the liquid from the salt -dough clay
4. Newspaper or scratch paper folded like envelopes or paper bags (for storage, and
transport of their artwork)
5. Utensils for cutting (old forks, popsicle sticks, twigs)
6. Barbecue sticks for “drawing” on the dough
7. Pencil or crayon or any other draw ing tool.
8. Wash Bucket
9. Rags
10. Towel or old newspaper for drying hands
11. References:
o Pictures of potter from Vigan, or Sagada. If actualpots are available, display them.
o Contact the pottery organization in the Philippines, called Putik.
o Catalogs from local museums (who have pottery on permanent display) may also
be used.

Motivation

Show the students pictures of pottery. Ask them if they recognize shapes, and to describe the
texture of the pots. Ask them to describe, or make an educated guess, about how it was made.

If anyone gets close to how it is made (see summary under Connecting, above), proceed to
explain the process. Explain that pottery comes in different sizes, for different uses (eating,
storing food, display, as burial urns, or large storage jars for fermented rice wine).

At this point the students should be asked t o sketch, on newspaper or scratch paper, their own
pottery. One sketch per student will be enough. Ask them to describe its shape as well.

Procedure

1. SET UP: Cover the work surfaces with newspapers. Secure the newspaper to the work
surface.
If students are using individual desk-chairs, the desks may be set around the
classroom and students can work on the floor. Again, have students work in groups
(3 to 4 per group) so they can share the sticks and other tools.
2. Do the MOTIVATION (above)
ART Grade 1 Teaching Guide

3. Distribute the clay, or the dough, and ask the students to roll them into a ball. Show them
how to do this.
If the clay is in bars, compress it first, and squeeze it a few times.
Than put the clay on the palm of one hand, and putting the other hand on top of
the clay.
Keeping the palms flat against the clay, have the students make circular motions
with their hands; with each hand going in the opposite direction.
 If necessary, have a practice session first, without the clay.
4. Once the clay or dough resembles a ball, not necessarily a perfect sphere, have the
students hold it in one hand. With their free hand they will push their thumb into the top
of the ball, but not so far into it that their thumbs will come out of the opposite end. Tell
them to push their foref inger just until the middle of the ball.
5. Using their thumb and forefinger (or pointing finger), they will then “pinch” the clay. Their
thumb w ill be pulling the center towards the forefinger, creating a crater in the ball.
Caution: make sure the students don’t pinch the clay too hard so that there will be
a thickness to their bow l.
6. Turn the clay to one side, and then pinch again. Repeat the process until they arrive at
the part where they first pinched the clay.
7. Then put the “bowl” on the work surface, with the crater facing upward. Put a little
pressure on the clay so that the bottom of the “bowl” will be flat.
8. For students who finish early, and who have extra clay, suggest adding clay as decoration,
or to make a handle.
To make the handle:
 Take a small ball of clay and lay it flat on the work surface.
 With two fingers, roll the clay against the table while moving the fingers
outwards towards the ends.
 When a long piece of clay is made, break the necessary length to make a
handle.
9. The student can also make coils – they and by turning I around and around, they can form
a bowl.
10. The students may also “draw,” or scratch, on the clay with barbecue sticks to make
decoration of lines and shapes.
11. Remind the students to clear and clean up the work area.
12. Wash hands and dry them.

NOTE: Store-bought clay doesn’t harden, but it will generally hold its shape. Leave in the
classroom until the students are able to bring boxes, or containers, for easier transport.

Processing, Evaluation

Pottery Exhibition

Display the pottery around the room, or in the center of the circle.
Have the students point out the shapes that they see, and the textures.
Ask for a few volunteers – pick their favorite and say why it is their favorite.
They may also be asked to speculate as to the possible uses for the pottery, other than what it
was originally made for.