DecorativeCeramics

Welcome!

Thiscourseisdesignedtoteachstudentsseveralmethodsofhandbuildingpottery.
Studentswilllearnaboutvarioussculpturaltechniquesandhavetheopportunityto
createbothsculpturalandfunctionalobjectsinclay.StudentsinDecorativeCeramics
willbeworkingwithlowfireceramicclayandunderglazes.Wewilllearnaboutmethods
andapplicationssotheyareabletochooseglazesthatwillenhancetheoutcomeof
theirfinalpieces.Classpresentations,topicsandcritiquesaredesignedtogivethe
studentsabetterunderstandingofaesthetics,historyandwillincreasestudentslife
skillsandproblemsolvingabilities.

**Allschoolrules,policies,andexpectationsasstatedinyourstudenthandbookapply
tothisclass**
Thelabfeeforthiscourseis$20.00.

MainCourseObjectives

Content
1.Studentswillunderstandwhywemakeartandunderstanditsmeaningtothe
individual,itspurposeinsociety,inhistoryandintheenvironment.
2.Studentswillunderstandthattherearemanyaspectstothestudyofart,including
aesthetics,artcriticism,artheritage,andartmaking.
3.Studentswillunderstandthedefinitionandpurposeoftheelementsandprinciplesof
design,andwillbeabletoapplythisunderstandingtothedesign,creationand
analysis/evaluationofthreedimensionalforms.
4.Studentswillbeabletoidentifythefivestagesofclayandwillbeabletounderstand
howeachstageaffectsthedevelopmentoftheirpieceofart.
5.Studentswillbeabletoexhibit(throughtheirwork)avarietyofhandbuilding,
sculptural,andglazingtechniquesandprocesses.
6.Studentswillbeabletoidentify,useandtakecareofavarietyoftools,materialsand
equipmentwhichareusedinthiscourse.
7.Studentswillbeabletouseterminologyrelatedtocoursecontent.
8.Studentswillbeabletoanalyzeandevaluatetheirownworkandtheworkofothers
inregardtotheareasofartheritage,aestheticsandartmaking.

Absence
Thenatureofthiscourse,whichdependsalmostentirelyonstudiohours,makesit
mandatorythatyouattendeveryday.Workingwithclayrequiresconstantattentionand
care.Unfinishedpiecesleftunattendeddry,crackandgetbroken.Unlikeothersubjects,
thereisntmuchyoucandoathome.Therefore,TIMEinthestudioisVERY
IMPORTANT!

Ifastudenthasanexcusedabsence,itisthatindividualsresponsibilitytoobtain
makeupassignmentsfromtheteacherorfromanotherstudent.Studentswillreceive1
daytomakeupassignmentsforeachdayofexcusedabsence.

Studentswillnotreceivemakeuptimetocompleteassignmentsduetounexcused
absences.Classparticipationpointsarealsodeductedforeachdayastudentis
unexcused.Anyworkruined(i.e.dryingoutorcrackingtothepointofbeing
unworkable)asaresultofunexcusedabsencesmaynotbegivencredit.

Expectations
SeatingStudentsareassignedseatsforseveralreasonsfromtakingattendanceto
involvementinthecooperativelearningexperiences.Everyoneisexpectedtobeinhis
orherassignedseatatthebeginningbell.Everyonewillreturntohisorherseatafter
cleanupbeforethedismissalbellrings.
CleanUpPartofyourgradeinvolvescooperationinmaintaininganorderlyand
efficientlycleanstudio.Cleanupwillbegintenminutespriortodismissal.NOONE
WILLBEEXCUSEDTOLEAVEUNTILALLTHEAREASARECLEAN.
Theseareasare:*wedgingtable*counters*sinksthrowingwheels*tables

Responsibilityforalltheseareaswillbeshared.Adutyrosterwillbeposted.Itisthe
responsibilityofthestudenttowritedowntheday/stheyhaveacleanupdutysotheir
cleanupgradeisnotlowered.Cleanupdaysperindividualwillvarydependingonthe
numberofdaysinthequarterandthenumberofstudentsintheclass.Theteacher
assignsdutiesrandomlyandtriestobeasfairaspossible.

Effort
1.Consistenteffortisexpectedandrequired.Nonproductivestudents
haveanegativeimpactonoverallclassproductivity.Anystudentwhoisnotworking
duringaclassperiodwillberemindedoftheimportanceofutilizingclasstimeaswork
time.Ifthereisnoeffortbythestudentuponthethirdreminder,thestudentwillbe
askedtoleavetheroom.Allstudentswillreceiveadailyparticipationgradeofthe
following:


+ Excellent

ExpectedEffort

Little/LowEffort(nonproductivestudents)

Earning3inasemesterwillresultinadroppedlettergradeonthecurrent
project.

2.Usingclasstimetocompletehomeworkfromothercoursesisonlyacceptablewhen
allrequiredclassworkiscompletedtothebestofthestudentsabilityanduptodate.
Studentswhocompleteothercourseworkduringthisclass,whentheirprojectsfromthis
classarenotfinished,willhavetheirworkconfiscated.
3.Studentsareexpectedtohavetheassignedsuppliesinclasseachday.
4.Food/Beverages,otherthanwater,aretobeleftoutsidetheclassroomorinsideyour
backpack,astheyareadistractionfromthelearningenvironment.
5.Allleisureelectronicitemssuchasheadsets,gameboys,palmpilots,etc.arenotto
beusedintheclassroomastheydistractstudentsandteachersfromeducational
activities.Classroommusicwillbeplayedduringworkperiods.Studentscaughtusing
theirdeviceswillhavethemconfiscated.
7.Studentsareexpectedtoberespectfulofthemselves,peers,theteacher,the
administrationandanyartworkanywhereintheschoolandduringspecialactivities.
8.StudentsexpectingagradeofAareexpectedtoconstantlychallengethemselves
beyondtheminimumworkassigned.
9.Studentsareexpectedtoworkonartprojects/assignmentswhilepatientlywaitingfor
teacherassistancewithproblemsonassignments.Therearemanystudentsinclass
andtheteacherwillattendtoeveryoneassoonashumanlypossible.

Grading:
Gradingwillbebasedonattitude,effort,individualimprovement,completionofwork
demonstratinggoodcraftsmanshipanddesign,completionofwrittenassignments,test
scores,participationincritiques,attendance,recordoftardiesandstudiocleanup.A
goodattitudeandcooperationareessentialtobeingsuccessfulinthisclassandto
achievingapassinggrade.Anystudentwhowishestospendadditionaltimeinthe
studiotoworkmaydosowiththepermissionoftheinstructor.

Allstudentswillbegradedwithauniversalprojectrubric.Thisrubricscoresstudents
ona15scalebasedontheircompletionofallindividualprojectsheetrequirements.All

projectsheetswillbeaccessibleonmyclassroomwebsiteinadditiontotheuniversal
projectrubricforyourviewing.

Studentswhoturninlateworkwillbedeductedpointsforeachdayanassignmentis
late.However,studentswhoturninworkontimewillalwaysbeprovidedtheopportunity
toreviseandresubmitworkafterreceivingmyfeedback.

MethodsofEvaluation
*TeacherEvaluationofassignedartprojects:exercises,drawings&handbuiltpieces.
Idea/composition

Craftsmanship
50%
Understandingofconcepttaught,criteriaorrequirementsand
Overallqualityoffinishedproject.

Quizzes/Tests
Objectivequizzesandtestsincludingquestionsaddressingavariety
ofthinkingskills
25%
VerbalandWrittenCritiquesofstudentwork,andArtistReviews
Theseareaddressedbothformallyandinformallyandofteninvolveallthreefacets
1)StudentPeerEvaluationStudent
2)SelfEvaluationStudent
3)TeacherEvaluation

Classwork
Dailyassignmentssuchaswrittenworksheets,vocabulary,
10%
technique,media,historyandculture,sketchbookassignments

Homework
Regularlyassignedhomeworkassignmentsintendedtostrengthenstudent5%
Understandingandreinforceclassroomlearning.

Behavior
ClassParticipationGradebasedonInvolvement,attentiveness,cleanup,
10%
effort/behavior,andcooperation.

Feelfreetoemailwithquestions,commentsorideasatanypointduringtheyear.Ican
bereachedatjonespearsonb@seekonkschools.org

DearParentsandGuardians,
Pleasesignbelow.Yoursignatureindicatesthatyouhavereadthecoursesyllabus,classpoliciesand
expectations.Itisimportantthatyouunderstandwhatisexpectedofyourson/daughterinthisCeramics
course.Below,pleaselistyourphonenumberaswellasthebesttimetocontactyousothatImaydiscuss
yourson/daughtersprogressiftheneedarises.Ifyouhaveanyquestionsaboutthisclassorwouldliketo
talkaboutyourchildsprogresspleasefeelfreetocontactmebyphoneoremail.Ihavelistedbothmethods
ofcommunicationbelowandwouldbehappytotalktoyouaboutmattersconcerningyourchild.Youcan
reachmedailyduringtheschooldayat(508)3367272oryoucanemailmeat
(jonespearsonb@seekonkschools.org).Technologyhasmadeemailthemostefficientcommunicationtool.

Thankyouverymuch,
MissBiancaJones
ArtEducator,SeekonkHighSchool

StudentName_________________________________________Period_______(pleaseprint)
StudentSignature_________________________________________Date___________
Parent/GuardianName____________________________________________(pleaseprint)
Parent/GuardianSignature__________________________________________Date___________
Phone(preferred)_____________________Besttimetocall____________________
ParentEmailaddress________________________________________________________

Thankyouforyourpromptattentiontothismatter.
Yourson/daughterwillearn5pointsforreturningthisformontime.

Earnextracreditpointsforbringinginthefollowingitems:

*Spongeforwipingthetable
*Largegallonziplockbaggies
*PlasticmargarineorlargeyogurtcontainersWITHLIDS
*Foundobjectswhichwhenpressedintoclaymakeinterestingtextures
*Handlotion(12oz.Bottle)handsgetreallydryworkingwithclay
*Tissues!Betweenallergiesandcoldseasonwewillgothroughourfairshare.
*Newspaperforwrappingfinishedprojects
*Magazinesforcollageprojects