Masterpiece Ceramics of Ancient China for 6th graders
The cost of ceramic supplies such as clay and paint from Dick Blick is $473, including shipping and <a target="new" href="http://www.donorschoose.org/html/fulfillment.htm" onclick="g_openWindow('http://www.donorschoose.org/html/fulfillment.htm', 300, 800, 'fulfillwindow');return false;">fulfillment</a>.
Four classrooms of sixth graders will breathe life into their social studies lessons of ancient civilizations by creating ceramic vessels in two world-famous styles of ancient China. One will be done in Terra cotta clay which concentrates on shape and form, because ancient Chinese ceramic vessels are world renowned for the beauty and mastery of shape. The second piece will be a porcelain cup painted in the blue and white style, which uses surface decoration in a strong way. These clay projects will be made in the art room while the students are studying ancient Chinese civilization with the sixth grade social studies teacher.
As Field's art teacher for the past two years, I have seen that "saturation" helps them to remember art history and art concepts as well as social studies material. In addition to creating their own ceramic vessels, students will take a field trip to the Art Institute, where they can get a firsthand look at actual ceramic and bronze vessels of ancient China. (The admission is free, and the bus can be paid for by the children's annual candy sales.) The students will benefit from having an in depth look at the ceramics of ancient China, which are still today considered to be masterpieces. They will be concentrating on shape and form, plus surface pattern design in terms of the hands-on project art learning, and they will remember the social studies material easily because they will have an enjoyable art memory tagged onto their studies of ancient Chinese civilization.
We will need to purchase two types of air-hardening clay, one that resembles Terra cotta, and one that will look like porcelain, acrylic paints for the porcelain one, as well as paper towels and disposable plastic aprons. Our student body is about 49% African American; 48% Hispanic, mainly Mexican, and 3% Caucasian. 98% of our school's approximately 620 students are below the poverty level. Having worked here as the art teacher for two years , I see it in the kids' eyes that they like their art, and a lot of these kids thank me when I give them a project with special materials they like. Thank you for your time in considering funding our project!
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