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LESSON PLAN
Year Level: 9

Date: Thursday 16th

Unit: Clay Basket Fusion

Period/Lesson:2

Topic: Intro to Clay

Length: 1 hour

Curriculum outcomes:
Conceptualise and develop representations of themes, concepts or subject matter to experiment with their
developing personal style, reflecting on the styles of artists, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
artists (ACAVAM125)
Evaluate how representations communicate artistic intentions in artworks they make and view to inform their
future art making (ACAVAR130)
Analyse a range of visual artworks from contemporary and past times to explore differing viewpoints and
enrich their visual art-making, starting with Australian artworks, including those of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Peoples, and consider international artworks (ACAVAR131)
Achievement standard: Students Evaluate artworks and displays from different cultures, times and places. They
analyse connections between visual conventions, practices and viewpoints that represent their own and others ideas.
Learning Intention: today students will begin to understand the processes involved with clay making. They will
know and understand the basic clay methods of coil, pinch, slab and slip.
Success Criteria: I can understand and identify the basic terms and methods of clay making.

LESSON STRUCTURE:
Time

5 min

Content / Learning Experience

INTRODUCTION
Introduce students to the next unit of
assessment: clay basket fusions, with todays
lesson being an introduction to clay, also explain
the learning intention of the day:
Learning Intention: today students will begin
to understand the processes involved with clay
making. They will know and understand the
basic clay methods of coil, pinch, slab and slip.

BODY
20min

Teacher : to start this unit of work we need to

understand the basics of clay making/pottery. To
do this we are going to watch an intro to pottery
power point presentation and also a YouTube
clip on how to make a coil pot.
Show power point presentation.
Talk through each slide.
(annotation of slides attached)
Show YouTube clip

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Teaching Approaches/ Strategies

Assessment

Student to be seated at desk, with their Visual

diaries out.

Watch for student

engagement

Ask students questions

Who has worked with clay before?
What did you make?
Did you fire your creations?
Did you glaze them or paint them?

While presenting the power point keep

students engaged by asking direct questions
to students regarding the content on the slide.
Example questions:
Who knows where clay comes from?
What do you think the term fired means?
Do you know what a kiln is?
How hot do you think it can get?
What kind of pot is this ? (image from ppp)
What technique did they use?
During the YouTube clip repeat the key
terms when they are shown to reinforce these
to the students

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Observe students
responses

Again watch for

student
engagement and
interest
throughout the
PPP and YouTube
clip also observe
their responses
and interactions
with other
students.

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Remind students during the power point and

YouTube clip to watch out for the 4
terms/techniques of PINCH, COIL, SLAB and
SLIP as we will be using these techniques when
we get down to the clay room and that they will
also be writing their definitions in their visual
diaries.

Symbols and images

Different symbols and images
of pots, clay, clay techniques
and clay tools etc. are displayed
throughout the power point to provide visual
representation to students and in particular
reinforces these terms, processes and object
for visual learners. The you tube clip also
appeals to visual learners and also Indigenous
learners as they can see what a particular
technique or process involves.
ICT : power point presentation and YouTube
clip are used

20min

Teacher to hand out the task sheet

Read through the task student with students.
Explaining what the next assessment task
involves.
Students to then cut and glue task sheet into their
visual diaries.
Students are then to complete task1 write
down and explain these different
terms/techniques used in pottery in your visual
diary
PINCH
COIL
SLAB
SLIP
THINK, PAIR, SHARE
Ask students to pair up (if students cant pair up
appropriately teacher to pair them up. If odd
number group of 3)
working with their partner they are to think abut
the 4 key terms Pinch, Coil, Slab and Slip used
in pottery. Working together they are to write
the definitions of these 4 terms in their visual
diaries.

learning maps
providing students with a task
sheet is providing them with
visual and writen map and or process in
which students can follow making the overall
task explicit in a visual way for Indigenous
learners.It gives students a reference point to
revisit past learning and see where they are
going next.

THINK, PAIR, SHARE

Students are to work quietly in their pairs
sharing ideas and throughs about the key
terms before deciding on the best definition
for each one.
Students are able to use their the internet on
their personal devices e.g. ipad, laptop to
assist them on developing their terms.

Community links is about

group activities that
support group
collaboration and
exploration. Working in
pairs and presenting their
terms to the class is sharing their findings and
making the content meaningful and
understandable for all.

10min
Students are to listen quietly and respectfully
when their peers are presenting to the class.

CONCLUSION
Once students have written the terms down each
pair is to stand up present and explain there
terms to the class.

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Reflect on how
well the students
have understood
the information
displayed in the
power point,
when walking
around the room
talking with
students one on
one.

Observe student
interaction during
the think pair,
share exercise.

Evaluate students
consideration of
others or lack
there of when
students present.
Reflect on how
well the pairs
worked together
and presented to
the class.

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5min

Homework:
For homework students are to begin task 2Draw a design of you clay basket in visual diary.
Remind students that the homework is due next
lesson.

Pack up
Students to put away visual diaries and tidy
their desk
Returning any materials borrowed
Students to stand behind desk unit teacher is
happy with their area.

RESOURCES

YouTube clip: coil pot construction http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB6GFo0M92g

Power point presentation: slide share http://www.slideshare.net/djmunson/intro-ceramics-
powerpoint
Pencils / pen
Visual diary
Eraser
Glue
Scissors

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Above

At

Below

Identifies the 4 basic pottery terms.

Presents and shares ideas/finding with partner and class.
Works effectively and cooperatively within pairs.
Engaged in learning process and understand the content

References
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Lauren Wilson

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ACARA. (2014). The Arts. Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/thearts/visual-arts/curriculum/f-10?layout=1#level9-10

Karens Pots and Glass (2013) Coil pot construction. [Online Video]. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB6GFo0M92g

Slideshare. (2015). Introduction to ceramics. [Online Video]. Retrieved from

http://www.slideshare.net/djmunson/intro-ceramics-powerpoint

Wikispaces. (2015). 8 Aboriginal Ways of Learning. Retrieved from

https://8ways.wikispaces.com

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Lauren Wilson

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Year 9 Art: Clay and Basket Fusion Task sheet

Student:
Task: Clay Basket Fusion
Students will combine a fired clay pot with reeds and other
materials to create a sculptural vessel that fuses two ancient
techniques.

Date due:
Week 6
Friday22nd may

Date completed:

Achievement standards:
Students manipulate materials, techniques and processes to develop and refine techniques and processes to
epresent ideas and subject matter in their artworks.
Learning intention: student will be able to develop their artistic intention by combine clay making processes and
techniques with painting processes
1. Working in pairs write down and explain these different techniques
used in pottery in your visual diary then present to the class.
-
Pinch
-
Coil
-
Slab
-
Slip
2. Draw up a design for your clay basket (similar to the image shown) in
your journal. Including what colour you will paint your pot.

3. Make a list of different materials that could be used to weave onto
your basket in your journal and include these in your design.
Making the clay basket

4. Make a clay pot using both slab and coil techniques. Make sure your
coils are at least a fingers width or you pot wont hold together.
5. Puncture a ODD number of holes in the
sides to be able to weave reeds through later.
6. Fire pots in kiln
from your design

and when dry paint and decorate

in your journal.

7. Start your basket by threading reeds through the holes

and securing it at the base.

8. Weave the sides of the basket using different types of

yarn, wool, wire or any other materials you have listed and
found.

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Year 9 Assessment rubric

Student:
Task: Clay Basket Fusion
Students will combine a fired clay pot with reeds
and other materials to create a sculptural vessel
that fuses two ancient techniques.

Date due:
Week 6
Friday 22nd may

Date completed:

Achievement standards:
Students manipulate materials, techniques and processes to develop and refine techniques and processes
to represent ideas and subject matter in their artworks.
Learning intention: student will be able to develop their artistic intention by combine clay making
processes and techniques with painting processes
Success Criteria
ABOVE

AT

BELOW

Student develops and documents Ideas and experiments in visual diary.

Definitions of key terms.
Presentation of terms to class.
Draw design of clay basket.
List (at least 10) different materials for weaving.
Student can manipulate materials to represent their design.
Creates clay pot following their design.
Paints pot following their design
Student refines and develops their techniques and processes.
Adds reeds for weaving
Weaving basket
Behaviour monitoring

Always

Sometimes

Rarely

Students use class time effectively

Students display appropriate Attitude
Students co-operate and participate in class
Students act appropriately towards others

Comments :

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Lauren Wilson

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Annotations for Power Point Presentation

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Clay
Made from earth, water and fire.
Clay is different from mud, since it has plasticity. This gives it the ability to hold together
while its being shaped.
History
The art of making pottery by forming and burning clay has been practiced from the
earliest civilizations.
As clay is made from the earth it was a resources that was always in abundance. The earliest
function of clay was to line baskets as a way to waterproof them so water could be
carried from one place to another. Once the clay had dried out it could no longer be used
to carry water. The loss of moisture caused the shape to shrink and separate from the
baskets and thus creating pots when heated (which we now called fired) these pots harden
and could be used for any number of purposes.
Burnt clayware has been found dating from about 15,000 B.C. and as well developed as
an industrial product in Egypt by about 5000 B.C.
Formed glass dates from the period 7000-5000 B.C. and was a stable industry in Egypt
by about 1500 B.C.

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Basic Terms
Ceramics Clay objects that permanently retain their shape after they have been heated
to specific temperatures.
Pottery Functional Ware, such as
vases, pots, bowls or plates,
shaped from moist clay and hardened by heat.
Basic Terms cont.
Wedge A way of improving the workability of clay by reforming the mixture to make it
homogeneous and
even in texture while
eliminating air bubbles.
Basic Terms cont.
Kiln A structure built to fire clay at high temperatures.

6:

Fire Heating pottery or clay sculpture to a temperature high enough to render it hard and
durable.

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Construction Hand built Methods

Pinch method: Technique that involves squeezing the clay, usually between thumb and
fingers.
Coil method: Attaching rolls of clay together to form pottery.
Slab method: Technique that involves shaping clay into a broad, flat, thick piece.

These are the two techniques we will be using for our project
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Clay Stages
Greenware Unfired pottery or sculpture.
Leatherhard The stage between plastic and bone dry when clay is dried, but may still be
carved or joined to other pieces.
Bone dry Stage of drying when moisture in the clay body has evaporated so the clay
surface no longer feels cold.
Clay Stages cont.
Bisqueware Ceramic ware that has gone through the first firing at a relatively low
temperature and still maintains its porous state.
Glazeware Ceramic ware that has been fired at a high temperature with glaze, which
forms a coating of glass onto the surface.
Tools
Fettling knife A long tapered knife used for cutting and trimming clay.
Loop tool A small loop with a handle used to carve clay away.
Joining Techniques
Score Scratching the edges of clay before joining them together.
Slip A fluid suspension of clay in water used in joining clay pieces and for surface
decoration.

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