Eden Valley Watkins Art Deptartment

Free Clay Project

Minnesota 9-12 Visual Art Standards
Used in this Lesson

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the foundations of the arts area.

1A. Analyze how the elements of visual art including color, line, shape, value, form, texture and space; and principles such as repetition, pattern, emphasis, contrast and balance are combined to communicate meaning in the creation of, presentation of, or response to visual artworks.

1b. Evaluate how the principles of visual art such as repetition, pattern, emphasis, contrast and balance are used in the creation of, presentation of, or response to visual artworks.

2. Demonstrate knowledge and use of the technical skills of the art form, integrating technology when applicable.

2a. Integrate the characteristics of the tools, materials and techniques of a selected media in original artworks to support artistic purposes.

3. Demonstrate understanding of the personal, social, cultural and historical contexts that influence the arts areas.

3a. Analyze how visual artworks influence and are influenced by personal, social, cultural or historical contexts, including the contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities.

3b. Synthesize and express an individual view of the meaning and functions of visual art.

4. Create or make in a variety of contexts in the arts area using the artistic foundations.

4a. Create a single, complex artwork or multiple artworks to express ideas.

4b. Revise artworks based on artistic intent and using multiple sources of critique and feedback.

6. Respond to or critique a variety of creations or performances using the artistic foundations.

6a. Analyze, interpret and evaluate works of visual art by applying self-selected criteria within the traditions of the art form.

6b. Justify choices of self-selected criteria based on knowledge of how criteria affects criticism.

Additional Tie-ins

Advanced clay skills

Meaning of artwork

Finally students get to make a clay project of their own choice. They should make something that is meaningful in some way.

I always tell them that if they do a project just because they have to, it won't turn out as good as if it has some significance or is meaningful to them. So if they need to make a box, they should think about how they could use that box. It could hold jewelry or keys or spare change, etc. Or maybe they can place initials or a name on it or even a small sculpture on it to signify a special person.

Evaluation:
1 point -- Large enough to be hollow
2 points -- Artistic merit (make it meaningful)
3 points -- Unusual or original
4 points -- Quality and workmanship
10 points total