Clay Weaving

Third Grade - Riffenburgh Elementary School

Return to Home Page

Return to Lesson Plan Page  

 

Outline:

Students should have basic experience with weaving techniques and be familiar with the vocabulary (warp and weft). (They will have completed a paper weaving first and second grade. Students should also have basic experience in clay building including wedging, pinching, and rolling a slab. Prepare an example prior to class. Have additional examples of weaving using a variety of art mediums. Examples should be both 2D and 3D. The clay for this project needs to be quite soft and pliable.

When weavings are complete plan a final critique in which students compare and contrast their clay weaving examples with standard fiber weaving examples.

Materials:

Two kinds of clay: Willow and Red Rock Red work well (it is important to use clay with similar shrinkage ratios. These clay bodies shrink 7% and 8% and work well together.) Clay rollers; Forks and other texture making tools; Clay canvas sheets

Instructional Objective:

• Student will correctly weave two different kinds of clay.
• Student will create at least two textures on their clay weaving.

Variations: Some students may chose to make a vessel with their woven clay. Woven clay is very unstable and the use of wadded up paper toweling will help keep the clay in place. Bowls can be made by forming the clay over a rounded wad of paper towel.

Standards addressed:

Perception: Students use a combination of lines and shapes to create textures their weaving. The textures are further enhanced as the warp and weft strips are woven together.

Application/Creation: Students apply their knowledge of weaving to a new material.

Aesthetics/Art Criticism: Students will compare and contrast examples of standard fiber weaving and clay weaving. They will make judgments about which is most aesthetically pleasing to themselves and why.