Ceramics I Slab Pieces

Planning:
Central Focus

Students will apply ceramic slab construction

techniques to develop three-dimensional works
from two-dimensional plans, demonstrating
problem-solving skills to meet design criteria.

Objectives

- Students will transform two-dimensional

designs into three-dimensional work.
- Students will apply relevant arts vocabulary
and processes to creating hand-built slab
constructions.
- Students will self-assess their work to improve
their slab pieces and document their learning.
- Students will devise solutions to visual arts
problems as they work under set criteria.

Ohio Academic
Content Standards

1PR Demonstrate proficient technical skills and

craftsmanship with art media when creating
works from observation, memory, or
imagination.
3PR Generate a variety of solutions to visual
arts problems through preparatory work.
2 RE Apply assessment practices to revise and
improve their artworks and to document their
learning.
3RE Expand the use of arts-specific vocabulary
to define and describe techniques and materials
used to create works of art.

Materials

Paper Models:
Planning Worksheet
Construction Paper
Tape
Pencil
Tar Paper (Roofing
Paper)
Slab Construction
Day 1:

Slab Construction
Day 2:
Leather-hard slab piece
from Day 1
SureForm
Rubber ribs, assorted
Texturing tools, assorted
Post Bisque Firing:
Variety of glazes and

Brown Stoneware
slab sticks
Large clay rollers
Rubber rib
Sponge
Water
Tar paper templates
Plastic bags to cover
work

application tools
Post Glaze Firing:
Slab Project Reflection
Sheet

Skills/Knowledge
Pre-requisites of the
Lesson

Ceramics I students have knowledge of basic

ceramics concepts and processes; they have
completed a slab plate prior to this project.

New Key Vocabulary

Slab Construction: A construction technique

in which clay is rolled into thin sheets and
manipulated into shapes
Beveled: A surface that does not form right
angles with adjacent surfaces

Differentiation and Learning Supports

Gifted: Prompt students to expand their work through adding more sides,
curves, and textures to their pieces. Throughout the lesson, encourage
students to explain their reasoning behind processes and creative
intentions.
English-Language Learners: Visual supports for all written and/or
spoken instruction; visual modeling
Speakers of English as a Second Language: Clarify or restate
instruction; visual modeling and supports
Learning Disability: Visual supports; visual modeling; direct instruction
when appropriate; clarify or restate directions and instructions; break
assignments down into smaller steps
Instructional Delivery Opening of Lesson:
Review pre-requisite
skills and
vocabulary

Review the basic process behind making a slab

plate. What kinds of techniques and materials
did students use?

Articulate central
focus of lesson

We will apply ceramic slab construction

techniques to develop three-dimensional works
from two-dimensional plans, tackling the
problems related to the slab construction
process.

Discuss relevance of
learning target with
students

Slab construction is a technique central to

creating both sculptural and functional ceramic
works.
Lesson Narrative

Part 1 Paper Models

Two-Dimensional Diagrams
Articulate central focus of lesson Introduce the project,
explaining, We will apply ceramic slab construction techniques to
develop three-dimensional works from two-dimensional plans,
tackling the problems related to the slab construction process. Today,
we will begin our two-dimensional plans, which will help us foresee
some of the issues we may find upon construction.
Discuss relevant of learning target with students Slab
construction is a technique central to creating both sculptural and
functional ceramic works. Slab building is essential to many facets of
to higher-level ceramics work.
Demonstrate how to complete a blow-out model of the slab form.
Important Criteria for two-dimensional models:
o None of the pieces, with the exception of a curved bottom, may
be squares or rectangles. Students may, however, use modified
squares or rectangles.
Students must complete the planning worksheet, drawing a
series of thumbnails in addition to two blown-out diagrams.
Before students begin constructing their paper models, Miss T.
must approve their design.
Three-Dimensional Paper Models:
After Miss T. approves a students design, they may construct a threedimensional model with construction paper and tape.
Modeling:
o Demonstrate measuring curved edges with a piece of string.
o Demonstrate matching edges together. This is an area of
possible student confusion. For example, two pieces that curve

out can fit together, as they can pinch the clay sides together.
Important Criteria for construction paper models:
o Since the clay will shrink about 14% upon bisque firing,
students should make their models about an inch larger than
they want their final construction to be. Minimal
demonstrations for paper models is 4 x 6.
After students finish their construction paper models, they can
use those pieces as templates for their tar paper models. They
do not have to tape the tar paper pieces together, as they will
use the tar paper to cut out their slabs.
Part 2 Greenware Construction
Teacher Demonstration:
o Emphasize that it is important to wedge the clay, although I
wedged my clay prior to the beginning of the demonstration.
o Place the red sticks on the table, with the clay in the center.
Students will roll their slabs, using the sticks as a gauge.
Students may use the yellow sticks only if they are planning to
create a piece entailing deep texture.
o As students roll slabs, they will keep the sticks on either side of
the rolling pin to ensure even thickness. They will roll from the
center to the outside. It is important that they flip the clay to
release it from the canvas periodically to ensure that it does not
stick to the table.
o As the roller hits the slabs, students should stop rolling,
releasing the clay from the canvas again. Put the roller aside.
o Rib the surface of the clay to compress the clay particles. This
smoothes the clay, but most importantly, the compression of
the clay particles makes the slabs strong. Do this on both sides.
Rib over any air bubbles in the opposite direction.
o Release the clay one final time from the table. This ensures that
it wont get stuck when we cut out the tar paper pattern.
o Rub a wet sponge over the slab. This creates slip to help our tar
paper stick to the clay.
o Place tar paper templates on the slab.
o Cut around the pieces of tar paper with a needle tool, trimming
away the scraps.
o Gently lift the pieces by releasing one edge first. Students may
stack their pieces as long as they place tar paper to clay. They
can cover these pieces for the next day if necessary.

o After the student is ready to construct their slab pieces, they

need to lay out their pieces like the blown-out view they have
drawn.
o They must then prep the corners for attachment, beveling the
sides. Demonstrate how two beveled angles go together.
Students will bevel all the upright corners, not the base or the
bottom of sides.
o Prep all edges by scoring and slipping. Students may use water
or vinegar for their slip.
o If students have an arch, they must create a support for
standing or the piece will collapse. They can use waste clay to
create a support.
o Connect each side, pinching the corners together. This helps
hold the construction in place. Pinch together the bevels on the
outside.
o Use scrap clay to construct coils that will go in each corner. The
coil will be thicker than a pencil, but thinner than a pinky
finger. These coils will fortify the construction.
o Blend the coils with fingers or a wooden tool. Make sure to hold
the corners on the outside as you blend on the interior, or the
piece might blow out.
o Coils should be added while the clay is plastic. Coils must be
blended the same day they are placed in a piece. By the next
day, they will be too dry.
o Clean-up the coils with a rubber rib while the clay is still plastic.
Blend the tops of the corners so there is no visible seam.
o Rib all corners together on the outside, ribbing the corners in
towards each other. Remind students to also rib the bottoms of
their pieces.
o Allow the slab piece to sit and get leather hard. The piece needs
to be leather hard before tar paper is removed. Place a strip of
paper over the rim overnight so it does not become too dry.
Part 3 - Cleaning our Leatherhard Slab Forms
Teacher Demonstration
Remove the bags on the slab piece. The clay should now be
leatherhard, able to bend slightly while holding its form.
Remove the tar paper. The piece should be able to support itself. If
this is not yet the case, recover it and let it dry for another night.
Now, it is time to begin cleaning our form, as we want to make sure
that the pieces corners have met nicely and do not have any wave

bumps. We will move use a Sureform, rubber rib, and scraper. First,
clean up irregularities along the corners with the Sureform. Sureform
the bottom, as well, to ensure that the form stands level. Your will
place all of the Sureforming scrap in the slip bucket.
The large Sureform may not fit into the smaller, concave curves along
the bottom. For this, use a the Sureform that is bent side-to-side
rather than end-to-end, moving it horizontally, vertically, and
diagonally.
Next, you will clean up the slabs with the rubber rib. Smooth out the
Sureform lines and the irregularities resulting from earlier
construction. Make sure that you keep the corners straight and not
rounded. If you have difficulty smoothing areas, you could add a
small amount of water to the clay, but watch that you do not add too
much, as this could make your clay move. Wiping away water also
reveals grogg.
Use a scraper to get rid of especially difficult bumps and to give your
sides straighter edges. Here, you are scraping away the clay rather
than simply compressing. After you have scraped it, rib it again.
On the interior, smooth out extra clay where you placed your coils
with your rib. Clean the rib off quite frequently, so you do not transfer
clay to new areas.
Make sure to hold your hand on the outside while ribbing the inside.
This else control the pressure and will protect your piece.
Rib the entire inside.
Sureform the top corners to ensure the edges are even. To check your
form, look at it with your eyes level to the top edge.
Choose a contour for your final top edge. You could use a vegetable
peeler or a notched card. Drag the notch along the edge. You may
need to go back and hand sculpt the corners with a vegetable peeler.
At this point, you will need to score and slip any appliqu. You would
also incise any designs or textures. Ribbon tools are especially useful
for incising, as they carve the clay rather than simply pushing it away,
as would a needle tool. When incising deeper, be especially aware of
your clays thickness.
Make a bag hat. This keeps the edges from drying out more quickly
than the rest of your piece, which would lead to crack. Place the
finished piece with its bag hat in the damp cabinet. It will then
become bone dry and we can bisque fire.

Modeling

During Demonstration Days, model all steps to

creating a slab pot (See Lesson Narrative)
Assessment:

Evaluative
Criteria:
Craftsmanship
Design/
Originality
Minimum
Requirements
Glazing
Reflection

Performance Tasks:
Craftsmanship:
-Neat blending of seams, very stable.
-Stays together, attention to small details.
-Precision in construction, not lumpy.
-No dents, rough spots, cracks, or fingerprints.
Design/Originality:
-Pleasing design, appliqu or incising appears
intentional
-Evident sense of balance Top/Bottom, Front/Back
- Design stands apart from others favorably
- Design considers slot and stopper hole.
Minimum Requirements:
- Design elements utilized.
- No squares or rectangles are a part of the design,
aside from a possible curved based.
- Piece features appropriately beveled edges.
-Name or initials are clearly identified.
Glazing
-Glazing is even in appearance, not too thick or thin.
-Glaze is cleanly applied, not drippy on the sides or
messy on the bottom of the piece.
Reflection
-The reflection and self-assessment worksheet
accompany the finished work. The reflection clearly
states the inspiration and logic behind the piece. The
self-evaluation is thorough and thoughtful.