COLLEGE OF EDUCATION Department of Teaching & Learning

Name: Hannah Grace Alciso

Cooperating Teacher: Melinda Stender

Subject & Grade Level: Ceramics I, 9-12th Grade

Lesson Topic: Pinch Bowl Project with Attachments

Date: Monday-Thursday, August 28-31, 2023, Estimated Time: 80 minutes

1. Standards:

VA:Cr2.HS.1I Develop art making skills and techniques while making/designing works
of art comparing methods of spontaneous and deliberate design

1.0 Know and apply visual arts media, techniques, and processes.

(C)1.1a Create works of ceramic art using media, techniques, and processes appropriate
to the pinch method of construction.

(C)1.1f Create works of ceramic art using surface decoration techniques and processes
other than glaze.

2. Teaching Model: Direct Instruction/Lecture: All information will be from the teacher's
direct instructions.
3. Objective(s):

Day 1:

By the end of the 80-minute class, students will be able to create pinch bowls to
demonstrate their ability to do the pinching method and then submit an image of their
completed pinch bowl and another image of the pinch bowl cut in half on Canvas.

Day 2:

By the end of the 20-minute lesson, students will be able to create small handles and feet
for their pinch bowl project to demonstrate their ability to create surface decoration then
start their pinch bowl project by sketching 2 ideas for the teacher to approve and give
advice for the structure.

4. Materials/Resources: Clay, wire tool, thumb tool, cookie cutters, wood rulers, rolling
pins, saran wrap, scratch tool, slip, Canva Presentation, and Canvas assignment.
5. Instructional Procedures:

Day 1:
Students will grab their sketchbooks from their class bin and write the definitions of
pinch bowls in their sketchbooks. Once students have completed their notes. The teacher
will then begin the lesson by introducing the objective which will be for students to learn
the pinching method and practice their scoring and slipping.

a. 10-minute Introduction: The teacher will begin the lesson by providing

examples of pinch bowl work that can vary in size depending on the amount of
clay used and for its purpose such as small bowls for sauces or big bowls for pasta
and cereal. The teacher will further discuss common mistakes of bumpy and
uneven walls and emphasize creating even walls for the structure of the pinch
bowl.
b. 50-minute Activities or Learning Experiences: The teacher will transition to
instructing students to take out a handful of clay from their bins. Students will
follow along with the teacher's instructions to begin their pinch bowls.
i. Instructions:
- If the clay is dry flatten the clay in your hands and spray it with some
water. Then fold the clay in half and mix the clay in your hands.
- Once the clay has been hydrated, form it into a sphere by cupping your
hands and passing it back and forth. Do not set the clay down on the table
as it draws out moisture.
- When the clay is formed into a ball, take your thumb and stick it straight
to the ball. You want to push your thumb until there is about ½ inch left in
the bottom. You do not want to push all the way through as you will need
a base for your bowl.
- Then hold your clay in your non-dominant hand and with your dominant
hand keep your thumb inside the ball and the rest of your fingers outside
to support the clay.
- To start building your walls Slowly pinch around at the base and then
continue pinching as you rotate the clay.
- You are slowly pinching the wall and evening it out, this has to be done
gradually or you will get lumps in your clay.
- Continue working your way up towards the rim of the bowl, keeping your
thumb on the inside and your other fingers on the outside.
- Once you have reached the rim you will probably need to smooth out the
top with your damp sponge to help moisturize the clay and smooth out any
cracks.
- Continue to hold the bowl in your hand as you begin to smooth out the
inside of the bowl using pressure from the inside while supporting it on
the outside.
- You will continue to smooth the bowl by pressing and rotating the bowl
until you get the entire bowl to about ¼ inch wall thickness or less.
- Then set your bowl down to create a flat spot for the base. You can then
clean up the bowl by smoothing it more on the inside and outside by
adding water carefully with a sponge and then compressing the wall to
give it more strength.
 - Once your bowl is complete, take an image for your LEMOV Strategy:
Exit Ticket. If you do not have a device to take a picture, raise your hand
for us to check your pinch bowl and we will check you off on the paper of
the exit ticket. Then you will cut your bowl vertically in half to check how
even you got the walls.
- Then you will form your clay back into a ball and flatten it into a thick
pancake. Cut the clay in half, then score and slip both pieces together. Add
a coil to reinforce the attachment made and smooth it out.
- Once your pieces are joined together we will do a shake test. If they stick
together then you will have completed the assignment.
- We learn the pinch method because it is one of the major techniques in
hand building and is the beginning technique for many other skills in
ceramics. You have to learn the basics and how to handle the clay before
you can make anything of your choice.
c. 10-minute Closing: Students will be reminded to take an image of their pinch
bowls and submit it through Canvas. The teacher will announce that it is our
clean-up time and students will place their clay back into their clay bins. Students
will clean up their tables by taking a bucket of rags to their table. For any small
crumbs of clay, students can use the small dust brooms at their tables to scoop the
dried clay and throw it away. Sketchbooks will be placed back into their plastic
bags and someone from each table will bring it to the class bin.

Day 2:

Students will grab their sketchbooks from their class bin and write the Pinch Bowl
Project Instruction:

1. Draw 2 ideas for a pinch bowl.

2. The design must have at least 2 attachments (e.g. A foot, handle, animal
details, etc.).
3. First, create the pinch bowl- then reevaluate the design idea
4. Then smooth out the pinch bowl and add attachments.

Once students have completed their notes. The teacher will then review the pinch method
lesson from the previous class and start the slideshow presentation on small handles and
feet then demonstrate how to create handles and feet using cookie cutters.

a. 15-minute Learning Experiences: The teacher will transition to a slideshow of

examples for handles and feet.

- There are a variety of shapes that can be added for foot designs such as
cones, cubes, cylinders, and foot rings.

- Adding feet to bowls allows the bowl to sit on a surface without wobbling
and keeps food from releasing heat in the bottom.

- Small handles can be created in a variety of ways such as coils and cookie
cutters.
 - Small handles on bowls can be added for decorative purposes but to also
keep you from burning your hands when you handle hot food.

- Students can also create alternative designs such as animal bowls.

b. 15-minute Demonstration: The teacher will demonstrate how to create cookie-
cutter handles and feet.
- Roll out a slab.
- Place a piece of plastic wrap on your slab. Place a symmetrical cookie
cutter on top and push it on the clay to cut out the shape.
- Cut the shape in half and you can use both pieces as a handle by scoring
and slipping it on the ends of your bowl.
- To add texture to a handle, place a texture mat on top of the clay slab and
roll a rolling pin on top of it.
- Then peel the texture mat off and cut the shape.
- To add feet to your bowl, flip the bowl over and decide where to place
your feet.
- Similarly to the handles, there are a variety of styles that you can do. For
example, scoring and slipping a coil around the bottom is a simple way of
adding a footing. Don’t feel limited to just doing simple designs and take
some inspiration from the images on the slideshow.
- We show students functional surface designs such as handles and feet as it
allows them to critically think about the purpose of their work.
c. 30-minute Activity: Students will sketch at least 2 ideas for their pinch bowl
projects on their sketchbooks. Students will raise their hands once they have an
idea for their project. The teacher will mark off each student's idea and provide
them with methods for construction and advice as needed. The teacher will be
walking around as students are sketching their ideas or building their bowls.
d. 10-minute Closing: The teacher will announce that it is our clean-up time and
students will be reminded to place their pinch bowl projects inside their group
storage bins. Students will clean up their tables by taking a bucket of rags to their
table. For any small crumbs of clay, students can use the small dust brooms at
their tables to scoop the dried clay and throw it away. Sketchbooks will be placed
back into their plastic bags and someone from each table will bring it to the class
bin.
6. Extension/ Contingency Plan: If students were to complete the activity early they may
work on their 3D Stamp project online. Many students have yet to finish the project so it
is highly encouraged to complete it during class time. Students may also complete their
luck charm project and their reflection if they have not been graded yet.
7. Accommodations/Modifications: Any student with an IEP or 504 will have the
opportunity to participate in the pinch bowl practice. If the student does not want to
participate then they may work on a clay project of their choice. Students who do not
want to touch the clay may wear gloves or create art using colored pencils and markers.
Students who are absent or new to the class will be given a one-on-one lesson on how to
make the pinch bowls.
8. Assessment/Evaluation of Learning:
 a. Formative: Observation of students' engagement in the activity. The teacher will
facilitate the classroom during the activity so this will show if students paid
attention during the lesson and demonstration. Students will also sketch out their
ideas for their pinch bowl project on their sketchbooks which will be reviewed by
the teacher.
b. Summative: Students will submit two images of their pinch bowls from the class
practice on Canvas as their exit ticket.
9. Homework Assignment: All the material will be covered during class time. There will
be no homework.
10. Post-Lesson Reflection:
a. Pre-Teaching: When my mentor taught the lesson first she gave examples of
different pinch bowls she had made and provided examples of students' past work.
I worry that I won’t be able to replicate this part of the lesson as I don’t often keep
my work in the classroom and I have never had students of my own to reflect on. I
feel confident that I will be able to provide the information for the lesson but I
worry about how I will be able to speak loud enough in the classroom and quiet
down students.
b. Post Teaching: During the lesson, I was able to mirror my mentor's examples and
used her work to talk about different ways that pinch bowls could look. I did feel
a little uncertain talking about her work as it wasn’t my own but it did make me
realize the importance of keeping examples of work for students to see during
lessons. During the lesson, I used a microphone as I knew it would be difficult for
me to talk very loudly in a lesson with direct instructions. My mentor mentioned
to me to take the lesson slowly and give students time to take in the information. I
found that it was important to remember to breathe especially when there is a lot
of information to go through. Overall, I think that the lesson went well and I hope
to improve my presentation skills and learn to relax during lessons.