Last year, Grade 3 students were introduced to printmaking in a Pop Art project, in which they used an A6 sized plate to make multiple prints in different colored inks. This years printmaking project was a bit more involved. 

Using one A4 sized plate, they made multiple prints with different inks on the same piece of paper. Here's how it worked: after making a drawing of an activity that they were looking forward to doing over the summer holidays, students then traced some-but not all-of the elements in their drawing. They over-layed the tracing paper on their styrofoam plate, traced the image again, and in that way, incised the plate with the drawing. The plate was then inked with gold ink and then printed. 

After washing and drying the plate, they traced the remaining elements in their drawing and incised the plate again. The second inking was done with an ink color of their choice and they made their second print on top of the first print, being careful to line up the edges of the plate. The effect is really neat and the students loved the results!

EE4 (pre-school), Kindergarten, and Grade 3 students finished off the school year with Ceramics projects. 

EE4 students learned how to make simple pinch pots with terra-cotta clay. Then, by turning the pot on its side, it became the gaping open mouth of a monster.  Students then used clay tools to cut and mold clay into monster features. By adding eyes, teeth, tongues, and other details, the effect was complete. 

Kindergarten students combined both a pinch pot and a coil pot to make a terra-cotta owl. After rolling out long "snakes", students coiled them around the sides of an upside down plastic cup. When the got to the top, they added the pinch pot to form the top of the head. They then smoothed down the coils with their fingers, and added features such as the eyes, beaks, ears, etc. Using a pencil, they "drew" feathers on the clay owl and the owl was complete.

Unfortunately, the school kiln broke down before we could glaze the owls, so they've had to remain in the bisque fired stage, but the students loved them nonetheless!

Grade 3 students studied Ancient Greek Black Figure vases and noted that myths, stories, and everyday activities were represented on the vases. After creating a design of themselves participating in an everyday activity, students began work on their clay piece. Using a rolling pin, they rolled our their clay into a flat, even surface. Some students then chose to create bowls or vases, as was their choice, and then using a pencil, they incised the surface of the clay with their drawing. After the bisque firing, they then glazed as the Greeks did, using only black or white glaze. The students were thrilled with the results!