Lesson Plan 3 - Outline and Process

The point of this lesson was learning how anger can be displayed with work, along with learning how to collaborate with their fellow classmates on a single ceramic project. To start students off, I set up a large piece of paper outside along with some slip, and told students to think of what made them angry. Once they had an idea in mind, students were then allowed to take turns throwing the slip onto the paper. Then after showing a PowerPoint with examples of work that portrayed anger, I stepped aside and allowed the students time to discuss what they wanted to create and sketch a basic idea of where they wanted the project to go. Once the ideas was established, the four students broke up into groups of two, where one group rolled out slabs while the other worked on the collaborative work. Once enough slabs were made, all students were then allowed to work on the project until it was finished. We then had a discussion of how some artists intentionally break/damage their work to help convey a meaning and discussed how this might benefit a work. After talking for five minutes, I then had students stomp, smash, punch, and/or stab the work. We then went back out to the paper and talked about how the dried slip chipping away was similar to how anger works. Anger may start out large and chaotic, but eventually it will start to shrink smaller and smaller, and we may eventually forget what we were angry about in the first place.

Students LOVED throwing the slip onto the paper. Since it was still pretty early in the unit, it was the most I had seen their personalities come out, and it was a great warm-up activity. In all honesty, they probably would have enjoyed doing that the whole period, but I had to stop them, so they could work on the actual project. Although they did go a completely different direction, I think planning out their idea helped them develop it a lot better. I was wanting them to work big, and they were all for it, but they did not consider how they were going to achieve that height. After prompting them, they began to consider that, and adjusted their design accordingly. I think they also enjoyed splitting up into groups, as well, because it kept the work area from getting too crowded, and allowed each of them time to add their own touch to the piece. Both discussions went incredibly well, and it was because I was able to develop really good prompt questions for them. They were all contributing meaningful ideas to the discussion, and I think they came away with a great understanding of anger. I think this project was a success, but I do believe that it might have even been better a week or two later in the unit. Two of my students were being quiet and going along with the plan, and I had to pipe up occasionally to make sure they had a chance to contribute and make sure they were being heard. Other than that, I think they all really enjoyed the lesson.