3rd Grade Spotlight: Coil Pots

Good afternoon! I wanted to share some photos of 3rd grade coil pots and hopefully inspire you to try them with your classes.

Teaching clay projects can always be a challenge. Here's what I like to do:

Go over rules of ceramics. I have the students take turns reading them out loud and we discuss each one. Since my K-4th classes are only 25 minutes long, we spend one whole class discussing rules of clay and doing a demonstration. Here's a Clay Rules PDF if you want to use it!

To start the coil pots, I give each student a small round slab of clay (pre-cut). This will (for the most part) help their pots stay similar sizes. Of course, some of them may flare out and turn into plates, but oh well. I show them how to make a coil, and always score and slip. Here's a handout I made this year that seemed to help! **Note: I decided to let them choose whether or not to smooth out the coils as they go. I found they prefer both ways.

Here's my example of a basic coil pot (no flaring out or in). This year, I let them play around with the shape by adding coils that go in and outside the existing coils.

Here's an example of a student who really embraced the project and created his own unique shape... I was so proud of him!

 

This student did a good job staying consistent with their coils.

 

Coil pots after first firing and about to be glaze-fired...

 Coil pots are easy and fun, especially once the students get the hang of it. Give them a try!

Mrs. E