Submitted by Jan Hillmer,  Visual Arts Specialist Berkeley Preparatory School
UNIT:   impressionists and post impressionists -Ceramics
PROJECT: Van Gogh sunflowers relief sculpture
Grade Level: Elementary (Jan did this with third grade)

   
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Objectives:  
Students will create sunflower drawings and relief elements on clay using a variety of tools to obtain textures.  Students will observe Van Gogh’s sunflower paintings carefully - compare to work by Georgia O'Keeffe and Monet.

Materials: 

clay, clay tools, canvas cloth, slip dishes, glaze (or underglazes)

Instructional Resources:

 Pictures of Van Gogh's Sunflower paintings (PowerPoint) - Georgia O'Keeffe's sunflowers and Monet's flower painting. Actual flowers (or silk flowers) for study

Vocabulary: 

Impressionists, Post Impressionists, clay, score and slip, fire, glaze. Texture, additive and subtractive methods of working with clay, relief,

Instruction/Motivation: 

1. Show Van Gogh’s flowers.  Compare and contrast Sunflowers with Monet flowers and O’Keeffe's sun flowers.  Discuss how Van Gogh used texture in his paintings.

2. Science integration - discuss parts of flowers (use real flowers if possible).

3. Demo clay slabs, scoring and slipping, additive and subtractive clay methods.

Procedures: 

Distribute clay.   Have students create slabs approx ½ “ thick.  Add and subtract clay to create sunflowers.  Add Hanging device (hole can be made with straw - or insert a high fire wire loop on the back).  Allow to dry. Fire.  Glaze as desired.

Closure: 

Compare and contrast slabs with paintings.  Does student demonstrate a variety of textures in work?

Evaluation: 

Did students create textured works of sunflowers?  Did students use both additive and subtractive methods of clay work?  

Did students exhibit craftsmanship in working with clay and glazing?

[ELEMENTARY LESSONS]