Ms. Schuschke's Professional Portfolio: Best Piece of Academic Work

When deciding which piece of academic work to include in my portfolio I went back and forth between a lesson from before student teaching or during the student teaching experience. I opted for something before student teaching because I have included so much from during my teaching experience. Over the past two years my experience as an educator has grown tremendously and it is reflected in my lessons and my student examples. This lesson is my best work during my time at the University of Montana and a strong example of my work at that time.

The lesson had a pre-assessment for the students to brainstorm interpersonal ideas for their art. We then explored the history of clay and pinch pots as we built our vessels. The students practiced twice before making the vessel that would become a monster. During this time I worked on my guiding language to help students without leading them too much. The students then created their monsters that personified a fear they had and fired them in a kiln. As a conclusion to the activity students were asked to write a brief description of pinch pot history and tell us a story about their monster vessels.

Monster Vessel

Purpose: To create a vessel to hold and personify monsters that children struggle with.
School: Rattlesnake Elementary Grade: 4/5 How many children? 20

Special Needs: Reaching all cognitive stages. Large span of skills. Pushing kids to go within to create a visual representation of monsters.

Developmental Level: Pre-schematic, schematic, and gang.

Where did the idea for this design originate: Coil pots and internal monsters. Vessel to hold and personify monsters and give the child a safe place to hold them out of body.

Practice making pinch pots. Not as easy as seems. Go slow and start from bottom. Make sure to keep the clay moist but not wet or it becomes slimy and difficult to work with. Appendages attach when clay is talky not wet. Lots of small texture tools, easier for small hands. Keep the clay on canvas to avoid sticking to desk.

Vocabulary:

Kiln - A furnace or oven used to fire pottery.
Scoring - A process of scratching to attach clay.
Pinch pot - Clay pots created by using your hands to press and shape clay.
Form - 3-D shape.

Objectives	The Learner Will	National Met	State Met	How Assessed (3)
1. Expressive reason or creative problem	The learner will create a pinch pot vessel to hold their monsters	Standard 3	Standard 1	Critique and self reflection on process
2. Media, process or studio skill	Pinch a clay ball to create an even pot	Standard 1	Standard 3	Slice pots in half to determine thickness
3. One element or principle of design	Analyze, choose and use geo. forms necessary for their monster body parts.	Standard 2	Standard 2	Identify two different forms used in pot
4. Artists, art history or culture	Identify two facts about the Chinese cultures that used pinch vessels	Standard 4	Standard 5	Short quiz attached to reflection
The learner will critically analyze art work	Critique vessels			critique and evaluate process and outcome
5. Questions for categories	Element 1 What forms make up the monster? 2 Describe the textures. 3 Why did you make it this size?	Principles 1 Did you balance the monster? How? 2 What is the most important part? Why? 3 Is there contrast and what does it accomplish?	Technical 1 What tools did you use to create texture? 2 What are the steps and processes to pinch a pot? 3 What medium did you use? Was it affective to personify your monster?	Expressive 1 If this vessel played music what would you hear? 2 If this vessel was found what would people think it was? 3 Where would you find this vessel?

Consumable Materials:
Material

Low-fire clay
Texture tools
Clay cutting wire
Canvas
Kiln
Watercolor kit
Tempera paints
Paintbrushes
Water cups

Protective items
Explain safety hazards of kiln. Extreme temperatures. Clay slicing wire and texture tools can be dangerous if used improperly.

Resources

Fine art prints
Pot/ceramic step-by-step
Posters – CP-6080
Ceramic terms/ crossword

Equipment

Kiln
Canvas
Cups
Paint
Clay wire
Texture tools

Space needed

Drying/storage space
Paint station
Sink

Sequence

Before going into the classroom:

Make a survey of questions of monsters/ stresses/ fears.

Day one:

o Designate area to store ceramic tools and pieces while working.

o Set name tags on desks prior to students coming in.

o Post step-by-step instructional poster in class.

o Introduce history of clay, pinch pots and the culture of pinch pots.

o Explain what the canvas is for and how to use it.

o Work with the kids as you make the first pinch pot. Explain what will be assessed.

§ Thickness of walls

§ Cupped fingers

§ Cut in half for thickness

Make a few more on own. Assess as you go.
Half/ ¾ through class introduce monster vessel project.
Be pinching a perfect pot that will be personified into a monster to hold you internal monster.
Pass out survey and have kids think about their monsters for the next class.
Demonstrate and tell the kids how to wrap and store pots with a moist towel and tight bag.
Have two kids collect and shake canvas outside.

Day two:

Name tags if needed.
Discuss monster ideas if kids are comfortable.
Talk about 2^nd culture and how they used ceramic vessels.
Demonstrate and explain texture tools as serious art tools not toys. Then pass out.
Explain scoring and attaching.

§ We will assess by having one solid appendage before moving on.

§ Work on form and textures. Geometric vs. organic.

Explain the deadline.
Show how to wrap to dry or keep moist to continue work.
Talk about kiln firing. Be brief, more the next day.
Have kids clean desks and tools. Two kids take canvas outside to shake.
Store tools in designated area.

Day three:

Arrive early to set up paint stations.
Pass back pieces and talk about the kiln process. Show power point of images.
Explain the tempera paint process.
Explain four stations – reflection, tempera dipping, rinsing and watercolor painting.
Ticket to move on is a scrubbed piece.
Once on the watercolor step let kids paint. Explain colour theory.
If early birds, clean up watercolor and continue on reflection.
If early birds with reflection have one or two start setting up critique area.
Once everyone is done set pieces on black drape.
Prompt a critique. Ask questions involving the principles and elements.