Enviormental Clay Unit

Teacher Candidate Name: Justin Scherer
School: Scioto Darby Elementary

5th Grade Environmental Clay
Central Focus/Theme/Concept:
Expressive Hand-building / Environment / Botany
Unit Essential Questions:

Focus How can art support and/or reflect life?
When does art become practical? Does practicality enhance art?
How can we make a work of art emotional or expressive?
Project:
In this project, we will dive into the relationship between the environment and ceramics. In
addition to this, we will be exploring specific hand-building techniques (which are critical for any
young ceramicist to know). In this unit, we focus on slab building. More specifically, we will
attempt to insert emotion into our slab works by additively constructing scenes and expressions
onto them. To start off, students will have an opportunity to experiment with additive and
subtractive techniques on a practice slab. On this slab, they will attempt to make a lively
underwater scene with both additive and subtractive details. In the next project, students will
pick out a succulent to base a planter off of. More specifically, they will create a planter with an
expressive face that personifies and responds to their specific succulent. At the end of the lesson,
we will plant their chosen succulents in their constructed planters.
Anticipated # of lessons & days for the unit:

Lessons: 2
Days: 8
What is the end goal of

this unit?
(You can paste an image or
describe what your end goal is
for this unit development) Lesson 1: Underwater Slab Scenes: A
practice slab of both additive and
subtractive techniques (this will be a
great intro into the work processes
needed for the next lesson).
Lesson 2: An expressive
succulent planter with facial
expressions. This will be made
out of coils and feature matte
glaze, and potted greenery
Content Statement- Lesson 1:

Perceiving/Knowing 5PE Focus attention on selected artworks to identify and pose questions about
From ODE Standards aesthetic qualities (e.g., sensory, organizational, emotional) in the works.
Lesson 2:
2021-2022 Unit Planning Outline Tool

1PE Understand that the context of an art object has an effect on how that
object is perceived.
4PE Compare and contrast how form and style are influenced by social,
environmental, and political views in artworks.

Producing/Performing 1PR Integrate observational and technical skills to strengthen artmaking.
From ODE Standards
Lesson 2:
1PR Integrate observational and technical skills to strengthen artmaking.
4PR Select and use the elements and principles of art and design to
communicate understanding of an interdisciplinary concept.

Responding/Reflecting 1RE Apply reasoning skills to analyze and interpret the meaning in artworks.
From ODE Standards
4RE Communicate how personal artistic decisions are influenced by social,
environmental, and political views.
Lesson 2:
5RE Express what was learned and the challenges that remain when assessing
their artworks.
6RE Use criteria to assess works of art individually and collaboratively.
Performance Based Lesson 1

Objectives • Students integrate observational and technical skills (utilizing reference
photos) to inform and improve upon their underwater slab scenes.
• In an informal class discussion, students will apply reasoning skills to
analyze and interpret the meanings of various art-historical relief
sculptures.
Lesson 2
• Using art-historical examples, students will compare and contrast how
form and style are influenced by the environment.
• Using a “Peer-check” sheet, students will use specific criteria to assess
their finished planters individually and collaboratively.
Performance Based Lesson 1
Assessments • Students will be required to use reference photos to guide the
imagery of their underwater slab scenes. In their “Final-check”,
students will have to explain how they used their reference photo to
help in the construction of their tiles.
• In an informal class discussion, students will discuss potential meanings
and interpretations of various art-historical relief sculptures.
Lesson 2
• In an informal class discussion, students will discuss how various works
of art could be influenced by their surrounding environment.

• Students will fill out a “Peer-check” sheet, in order to assess their
planters as well as their peer’s planters.
Unit Vocabulary Additive: A clay technique where you add clay onto a surface to build it up.
Subtractive: A clay technique where you take away clay to get a desired
look.
Practical Art: Art that serves a purpose outside the realm of aesthetics.
Slab: A thin sheet of clay rolled out; used for building.
Slip and Score: The process of adding hatch marks as well as wet clay before
joining two pieces of clay together.
Relief: A kind of artmaking where everything is attached to a background of
the same material.
Additional Language Students will have to fill out a “Peer-check” sheet (where they will need to
Demands read criteria and mark off the corresponding boxes in order to assess their
(How have you designed work as well as the work of the peers). They will also be required to review
opportunities to speak vocab as a full class. Students will also engage in informal class discussions
and/or write throughout your where they will attempt to answer questions about art as it relates to its
unit so students have surrounding environment.
multiple ways to learning
and knowledge?)
Accommodations For Demo:
Special Populations • Compact the demo into a short list of steps for students that may need
it to scaffold their work processes
Assessment:
• Potentially adding more weight to the beginning steps of the project
rather than the end for students who may get discouraged easily.
• Oral assessments option to check for understanding
Pacing:
• Provide extra time if needed.
• Allow for more relaxed schedule with chances for breaks.
Art/Visual Culture • Abby Ozaltug (Artist) –

Examples https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2019/07/anthropomorphic-planters/
(List all artists, artwork, • Bruce Sherman (Artist) – https://www.brucemsherman.com/
and/or visual culture • Katie Spragg (Artist) – http://www.katiespragg.com/
resources used for this • Rami Kim (Artist) – https://www.ramikimstudio.com/shop/mini-face-
unit) planter-dreamy-made-to-order-1
• A nice list of planter ideas! – https://www.boredpanda.com/creative-
flower-
planters/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign
=organic

• Lesson inspiration from Crayola – https://www.crayola.com/lesson-
plans/undersea-plant-and-animal-life-lesson-plan/
• Bob Clyatt (Artist) – https://www.artsy.net/artwork/bob-clyatt-wait-
what-happened-to-all-the-bees-cscape-28
• Katie Fitzgerald (Artist) –
https://www.katiefitzgeraldart.com/store/art_print_products/under-
the-sea-10x8
• Fan Yanting (Artist) – https://neocha.com/magazine/emotive-vessels/
• Some fun commercial face planters –
https://holistichabitatclt.com/products/funny-face-jug-clay-pot-set-of-
3?currency=USD&variant=12256579584088&utm_medium=cpc&utm
_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&cmp_id=14
068448762&adg_id=133903445188&kwd=&device=c&gclid=Cjw
KCAiAlrSPBhBaEiwAuLSDUC08oJzprl71QjSvZlw7YEPJg3QJAqOUfk4
QUtWUDgsG5JQ8CLne5BoCklkQAvD_BwE
Materials & Supplies 12 containers for water

Paper towel rolls
24 Score tools
24 Fettling knives
12 PVC pipes
2 large bags of Clay
“Environmental Clay” PowerPoint
24 “Peer-check” Sheets
24 “Final-check” Sheets
Glaze Bottles (RYGBV underglaze + Clear)
12 Tupperware Containers (for portioning out the glaze)
24 Paint brushes
Safety Procedures We won’t be using particularly dangerous materials, but I will remind them
how to safely use clay, clay tools, and glaze (specifically with regard to
ingestion & horseplay).
Procedures for In the days listed below, feel free to outline which days align with each lesson
Teaching/Learning design. Please feel free to add/remove days/lessons as your unit design requires.-
Give estimates of time regarding your plan and procedures for each session and
the instructional .
For example:
Lesson 1 / Day 1 3 min – Students will file into the classroom, find their seats, and get settled in
(while I take attendance).
“Plan Period” 2 min – Get Students’ attention and tell them what we are going to be doing
today (starting our environmental clay unit).
10 min – Intro to additive and subtractive relief sculptures from the
“Environmental Clay PowerPoint”. We will briefly look at inspiration from
prominent artists (from past and present). In an informal class discussion,

students will discuss potential meanings and interpretations of some prominent
art-historical relief sculptures.
7 min – Go over the lessons vocab terms & introduce the first lesson
(Underwater Slab Scenes). In this time, I will go over the expectations and
materials for this first exercise.
5 min – “Planning Period” demo. Show the students how to properly utilize the
plan period in order prepare for our first day of making.
Things to pay attention to:
• Utilizing reference pictures from their iPad
• Thumb nail sketches
• Maybe using written descriptions
2 min – Material distribution. My student helpers will help me distribute the
pencils and paper to each table.
11 min – Student plan period time. Students will take time to start plan out the
composition of their underwater slab scenes. While they are doing this, I will
be walking around assisting and checking in on anyone who needs it (mostly in
the form of one-on-one instruction).
5 min – Wrap up: Students will make sure their spaces are clean before lining
up to leave the classroom. For clarification on clean up procedures, see the
“Clean-up procedures to consider for this unit” section below.
“Additive Slabs” 2 min – Get Students’ attention and tell them what we are going to be doing
today (using our plans from last class to assist us in making our underwater
slab scenes).
5 min – Revisit vocab terms as an informal review before we jump into the
workday (with a focus on additive clay & slab rolling).
8 min – “Additive Slabs” demo. In this demo, I will go over the specific steps
for rolling out an 8” x 8” slab. I will also talk about sculpting and attaching
additive elements properly.
• Utilizing their plan from the previous class
• Slipping & Scoring
• Thickness of slab
• Wetness of additional clay
• Using hands to form additive elements
2 - 4 min – Material distribution. My student helpers will help me distribute the
fettling knives, score tools, water, paper towels, and PVC pipes, to each table.
I will handle the distribution of clay.
18 min – Student work time. Students will take time to start their underwater
slab scenes. I will still have my expectations and my teacher sample displayed
on the projector. During this work time, I will be walking around assisting and
checking in on anyone who needs it (mostly in the form of one-on-one
instruction).

“Subtractive Elements” 2 min – Get Students’ attention and tell them what we are going to be doing
today (continuing to make our underwater slab scenes in greater detail).
5 min – Revisit vocab terms as an informal review before we jump into the
workday (with a focus on subtractive clay processes).
8 min – “Subtractive Slabs” demo. In this demo, I will go over tips and tricks for
using subtractive sculpture techniques in order to achieve greater detail in their
underwater slab scenes.
• Still utilizing their plan from the first class
• Using hands and sponges to smooth
• Using the fettling knives to carve out details
fettling knives, water / sponges, and paper towels, to each table. I will pass
back their in-progress slabs.
18 min – Student work time. Students will take time to continue working on
their underwater slab scenes. I will still have my expectations and my teacher
sample displayed on the projector. During this work time, I will be walking
around assisting and checking in on anyone who needs it (mostly in the form of
one-on-one instruction).
As students start finishing and wrapping up their slab’s construction, I will have
them fill out a “Final-check” sheet. In this sheet, they will have to answer
questions about lesson processes and vocab. They will also have to write about
how they used reference images & project plans to assist with the creation of
their slabs.
“Underglaze Day!” 2 min – Get Students’ attention and tell them what we are going to be doing
today (glazing our underwater slab scenes).
5 min – “Underglaze Day” demo: In this demo, I will remind them how to
properly use and underglaze.
• Color choice (RYGBV underglaze)
• Using the appropriate brush

brushes, water, underglaze, and palettes to each table. I will handle the fired
underwater slab scenes.
26 min – Student work time. Students will take time to glaze their underwater
slab scenes. During this time, I will be walking around assisting and checking in
on anyone who needs it (mostly in the form of one-on-one instruction).
If they haven’t done so yet, they will also use the back end of this glazing time
to complete their “Final-check” sheets
If they finish early, students will have an opportunity to try and sketch
expressive facial features on a blank sheet of paper. This will get them to start
thinking about how we portray and depict emotion in art – which will be a
super helpful exercise to do before next lesson.
“Plan Period 2: The 2 min – Get Students’ attention and tell them what we are going to be doing
Return of Planning” today (starting our expressive planter lesson).
10 min – Intro to lesson and artist examples from the “Environmental Clay
PowerPoint”. We will go over the lesson guidelines and schedule. We will also
use this time as a class brainstorm session. In this brainstorm session, I will
project various plants and faces up on the board. We will then match these
facial expressions to the plants that fit them best. There are no right or wrong
answers here, it’s just to get them to start thinking about how art can respond
and relate to the environment.
7 min – Plant Picking Time! Students will have a chance to pick out a succulent
to tailor their expressive planters to. We will have a number of succulents
projected up on the board. I will write down what plant each student decided
to use for their project.
3 min – “Planning Period 2” demo: I will remind students how to properly
utilize the plan period in order prepare for our first day of making.
• Researching on iPads
• Thumb nail sketches
• Written descriptions and explanations
2 min – Material distribution. My student helpers will help me distribute the
pencils and paper to each table.
13 min – Student plan period time. Students will take time to start plan out
expressions of their expressive planters. While they are doing this, I will be
walking around assisting and checking in on anyone who needs it (mostly in the
form of one-on-one instruction).

“Slab and Face 2 min – Get Students’ attention and tell them what we are going to be doing
Construction” today (start the construction of our expressive planters).
5 min – Review vocab before the work period starts (additive, subtractive, &
slab)
8 min – “Slab and Face Construction” demo: In this demo, I will go over the
specific steps for rolling out an 8” x 4” slab. I will also showcase how to make
facial features with additive element.
• Utilizing their plan from the previous class (IMPORTANT)
• Thickness of slab
• Wetness of additional clay
• Using hands and tools to form additive elements
fettling knives, score tools, water, paper towels, and PVC pipes to each table. I
will handle the distribution of clay.
18 min – Student work time. Students will roll their slabs and start construction
their expressive faces. I will have the expectations and my teacher samples
displayed on the projector while they work. During this work time, I will be
walking around assisting and checking in on anyone who needs it (mostly in the
form of one-on-one instruction).
“Finish Face & Add 2 min – Get Students’ attention and tell them what we are going to be doing
Base” today (finishing up our faces and turning our slab into a vessel by attaching a
base).
8 min – “Finish Face & Add Base” demo: In this demo, I will go over the specific
steps cutting out a base and connecting their expressive slabs to this base. I
will also showcase how to touch up after everything has been connected
• Beveling the edges
• Measuring and cutting base
fettling knives, score tools, water, and paper towels, to each table. I will
handle the distribution of clay and in-progress projects.
23 min – Student work time. Students will take time to finish constructing their
planters. I will have the expectations and my teacher samples displayed on the
projector while they work. During this work time, I will be walking around

assisting and checking in on anyone who needs it (mostly in the form of one-on-
one instruction).
“Glaze Day!” 2 min – Get Students’ attention and tell them what we are going to be doing
today (using clear glaze to seal our expressive planters).
5 min – “Short Glaze demo”. In this demo, I will remind them how to properly
use and layer glaze.
• Adding 2 to 3 coats
• Using the appropriate brush
brushes, water, glaze, and palettes to each table. I will handle the fired
expressive planters.
26 min – Student work time. Students will take time to glaze their expressive
planters. During this time, I will be walking around assisting and checking in on
anyone who needs it (mostly in the form of one-on-one instruction).
As they wrap up, I will pass out the “Peer-check” sheets as a final form of
assessment. They will trade and assess their neighbor’s work. Once they
complete these, I will have them place glazed projects on the back counter
with their sheets.
*At a later date, we will take a moment to plant the appropriate
succulents in each planter and show off our work!*

Clean-up procedures to Students will be required to write their names on their plan sheets. These sheets
consider for this unit will travel with their slab projects at all times. When they put their in-progress
works on the clay-cart, they will need to make sure their plan sheets are
beneath their projects (that way we know whose projects are whose). They
have done this before, so they shouldn’t have much issue with preforming this
task. On glaze days, students will be required to place their brushes and
palettes in the sink (where student helpers will properly clean them). On
construction days, students will be required to place any leftover clay in the
bag on the back counter (so we can reuse them for future classes).
I will utilize my student helpers (for the month of February) to help and collect
certain materials. One helper will be responsible for grabbing the water
containers / sponges and one will grab the clay tools. I will be assisting at the
clay cart in the back of the class (in order to maximize storage space and
making sure their works aren’t getting crushed).
We will also sponge and dry off the tables before students will be permitted
to leave.
Closure/review- What This lesson will take us to the end of student teaching for this site – with
comes next in curriculum that that being said, I would like to do a music inspired art unit after this one
will build on student (If we have time). This would allow us to continue to explore the
knowledge from this unit?
relationship between art and the world we live in.
Supplemental Activities The first supplemental activity comes in the form of an expression exploration
that connect with this sheet. Students will have an opportunity to try and depict certain expressions
unit and corresponding on sheet of paper. This will help get them thinking about how we portray
lessons. emotions in art (this is a nice practice to engage in before the following lesson).
The second supplemental activity would be a fashion-environment mapping
activity. Just like how we connected facial features to plants. Students will have
an opportunity to connect biomes to clothing styles. Students can take a
moment to brainstorm certain places and draw the outfits they would wear in
those places. This could work to further their ability to make connections about
how art (fashion) can respond to the environment.
Unit Reflection for art N/a

educator (Considerations
for when you teach this
again in the future)

Image of teacher sample
or samples to help
students learn processes
“Underwater Slab Scene” Example
“Expressive Planter” Example
APA Reference list of

Works Cited APA
sources and research
conducted for this unit D., L. (2016, January). 40 of the most creative planter designs ever.
from https://www.boredpanda.com/creative-flower-
planters/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_cam
paign=organic
Kim, R. (n.d.). Mini face planter - dreamy - made to order. from
https://www.ramikimstudio.com/shop/mini-face-planter-dreamy-
made-to-order-1
Sherman, B. M. (n.d.). Bruce M. Sherman studio. from
https://www.brucemsherman.com/
Spragg, K. (n.d.). Katie Spragg. from http://www.katiespragg.com/
Staugaitis, L. (2020, January 23). Houseplants become hairstyles for
smiling anthropomorphic planters by ceramicist Abby Ozaltug.
from https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2019/07/anthropomorphic-
planters/

Undersea Plant and Animal Life. (n.d.). from
https://www.crayola.com/lesson-plans/undersea-plant-and-
animal-life-lesson-plan/
*All handouts / assessments associated with this unit can be found in the accompanying PowerPoint*

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Teacher Candidate Name: Justin Scherer

School: Scioto Darby Elementary

Unit Essential Questions:

Anticipated # of lessons & days for the unit:

What is the end goal of

Content Statement- Lesson 1:

2021-2022 Unit Planning Outline Tool

Content Statement- Lesson 1:

Content Statement- Lesson 1:

Performance Based Lesson 1

2021-2022 Unit Planning Outline Tool

Art/Visual Culture • Abby Ozaltug (Artist) –

2021-2022 Unit Planning Outline Tool

Materials & Supplies 12 containers for water

2021-2022 Unit Planning Outline Tool

2021-2022 Unit Planning Outline Tool

2021-2022 Unit Planning Outline Tool

2021-2022 Unit Planning Outline Tool

2021-2022 Unit Planning Outline Tool

2021-2022 Unit Planning Outline Tool

Unit Reflection for art N/a

2021-2022 Unit Planning Outline Tool

“Expressive Planter” Example

APA Reference list of

2021-2022 Unit Planning Outline Tool

2021-2022 Unit Planning Outline Tool

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