1st Grade: Strawberry Pinch Pots

I found shallow paper strawberry containers at a reduce/reuse art materials place.  I thought they might be the perfect thing to inspire small strawberry clay pinch pots.  I had the students break their clay in half, and then break each of those halves in half (bringing in the idea of fractions Whole,  1/2, and 1/4).  We did not write names on them, but created them "factory" style...where everyone was making strawberry pinch pots, and you knew you would get four back to paint & take home.  We started by creating small pinch pots, and then pinched the outside to make it into a strawberry shape(I had picture references up on the board).  After firing, students painted them with tempera & took them home the same day!  The kids loved the project, and I heard from many teachers & parents that they too loved the project. 

Pinch Pots: 1st Grade

My 1st graders created pinch pots with texture on the exterior.  I do not glace, and each year I do different things in regards to painting.  I've used watercolor, tempera, acrylic, crayon with a black ink dip......a little bit of everything.  This year I used Pearl It! by Crayola.  I've had it for awhile, but never tired it on anything.  I LOVE IT!!  I allowed the students to select a liquid watercolor to tint the Pearl It!  They look wonderful.  Just a little color...and a little shine.  It doesn't distract from the clay work the students did.  

Pinch Pots: Going Buggy

I'm doing a bug unit with my first graders...so we turned our pinch pots into crazy little bugs.  What kind of bug...I'm not really sure, but they sure are cute!!!  

I'm really focusing on the kids attaching well with their clay. I want to build a good clay foundation so when they get to middle/high school and have art...they will have a working knowledge of terminology and techniques.  

My Venting System

YA KNOW...WE JUST MAKE IT WORK SOME HOW! Haha

I decided to spray paint my 1st grade pinch pot robot heads silver...it was a cheaper & faster option for what I needed out of this project!  I don't have a vent system of any kind....even for my kiln. So I improvised!  I have two small windows in my room that open to the courtyard between two wings of our school.  I placed my drying rack on a level surface & then placed a flat plastic container on top with the clay evenly spaced.  I hung out my window and spray painted them...quickly shutting the window.  Not the most sophisticated method..but it worked.

Pinch Pot Robot Heads: 1st Grade

So here are some of the first completed Pinch Pot Robot Heads created by my 1st graders.  I decided to spray paint their pots silver to speed up the process a bit.  We have several projects we need to finish, and if I can do complete 2 in one day....I'm going to do it!!  I allowed the students to use pipe cleaners (they created holes where they wanted them to go when we made the pinch pots).  I secured them in with hot glue.  The students used acrylic paint with Q-tips to paint the details on their robot heads.  I'm excited to see how the other classes do on finishing up this project!!  

How do you do pinch pots in your room??  

 

Pout-Pout Pinch Pots

If you've been following my blog for a year or two...you'll know how much I love The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen!  If you don't have it...here is the Amazon link  BUY IT ...YOU'LL LOVE IT!!!

In our curriculum for 1st grade we have pinch pots starting off the nine weeks.  Pinch pots are great & all...but a little boring in & of themselves.   You've probably seen a number of other ideas on Pinterest or your fav. art blog of how you can jazz up the lesson.  I love doing fish & underwater units, and this fits in perfectly. 

I LOVE THIS OVER THE HEAD SHOT! 

TO BE CONTINUED....

The Pout-Pouts gathering place!

Hatching Dino Eggs: 1st Grade

My students finished their hatching dinosaurs with acrylic paint.  I limited them to  5 colors. 

More Dino Eggs Hatching: 1st Grade

I am loving these little guys!!!  The one at the top looks like something that hatched from Aliens...LOVE IT! 

Hatching Dino Egg Pinch Pots: 1st Grade

There are so many pinch pots you can make before you're like..."HOW CAN I JAZZ UP THIS LESSON!?!?!?!"  I've made frogs & fish out of them in the past....but this year I've decided to do a dinosaur unit with my 1st grade.  So our pinch pots became dino eggs!!  The kids loved this idea....though the dinos were a bit tricky for some.  I can't wait to see what hatches the rest of the week!

More Pinch Pot Fish - 1st grade