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Elementary [1st-5th] Lesson Plan

Hungry, Hungry Frogs

Created on March 10, 2013 by Hope200



This is an easy pinch pot project for new potters! The students will create a pinch pot and then form it into a frog with a big mouth! They can also make a lily pad for it to sit upon and a little tadpole.


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THE PLAN
2 sessions; 35 minutes per session

1. SWBAT create a Hungry, Hungry Frog by making a pinch pot from clay.
2. SWBAT glaze the frog with whimsical colorful glazes.
3. Exit:
SWBAT make a pinched tadpole to get out the door.
Extension:
4. SWBAT make a flattened and pinched lily pad.

Day 1
1. Clay - Stoneware - Cone 5
(*may use air dry clay if desired)
2. Toothpick, sponge, brushes/pencils for texture
3. Have a little box lid (pond) to collect the "exit tadpoles" when the children leave.

Day 2
2. Assorted Glazes
(*may use tempera if using air dry clay)
3. Assorted Brushes

Need these materials? Visit Blick!

Day 1 :
Making the Hungry, Hungry Frog
1. First, students will make 6 different sized balls of clay (see pic):
1 the size of a small fist,
3 medium sizes like walnuts, and
2 small sizes like peas.

2. The Body: With the fist sized clay, make a pinch pot. Place the clay on its side, so the opening is on the side.
Pinch the opening so it looks like an open mouth.
Gently flatten the underside of the body.
3. The Legs: With 2 walnuts, make two coils about 4-5 inches long. Flatten one end of each coil to make the frog's feet. You can scratch toes into the end of the flattened end with the toothpick, if you wish. Then bend the leg so it looks like folded frog legs. (See pic)
Attach the feet to the bottom by score & slip the feet and the body, extend so the feet peek out from under the mouth.
4. Tongue: With 1 walnut, make 1 fat coil for the tongue. Score and slip it and attach inside the mouth, so it hangs out the mouth. If you want to make a fly for the end of the tongue, use a little tiny bit of clay and score & slip it in place.
5. Eyes: With two small peas, roll into two clay balls. Gently flatten each for the bottom. Poke a hole into the top of each with the toothpick. Then, score & slip the flat underside and attach each to top of head for eyes.
6. Texture: Students may want to add texture to the frog's skin. They can use a sponge, toothpick or pencil tip.
See Pic
7. Students must scratch initials into bottom of frog before drying.

DRYING: Then, let the frog thoroughly dry. This may take a few days.

Day 2 : Glazing
After the clay frog is dried, you can start to glaze.
l. Have an assortment of colorful glazes and brushes available for the students to glaze their frog. Suggest fun patterns like dots, stripes or brush strokes!
2. Allow to dry for a day and then kiln fire - if stoneware.
*3. If using air-dried clay, paint with colorful tempera paints. Allow to dry.

Extension
Students may want to roll a small ball, then flatten and pinch it into a circular shape with a diameter large enough to seat the frog. They can pinch the sides up to make it a wavy water lily leaf. The water lily pad can be dried along side the frog and glazed at the same time.

Day 1 Exit tadpole:
Give each student a piece of clay about the size of a walnut. Tell them to roll it into a ball, then pinch out a long tail. This will look like a tadpole. They are to put their tadpoles in the "pond box" that you have waiting for them, while they exit the door. The tadpoles can then be glazed with the frogs and tadpole heads can be perched on the lily pad (score and slip).

"From Tadpole to Frog Book"

by
Wendy Pfeffer,
Holly Keller (Illustrator)

The students should already know how to make pinch pots.

THE STANDARDS

Visual Arts Standard 1:
Understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes


[K-4] Students use art materials and tools in a safe and responsible manner

Visual Arts Standard 6:
Making connections between visual arts and other disciplines


[K-4] Students identify connections between the visual arts and other disciplines in the curriculum

THE FEATURES
Form, Color/Value, Texture

Ceramics

Science