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Meet The Teacher: Maggie Rapp Boggess
This year marks 22 years of art teaching at all levels. Most recently I am working with kindergarten through fifth grade students in an urban setting. Clay was the art material that helped me discover that I wanted to become an art teacher. I love the magic it brings into any setting, regardless of age or ability!
Project Description
This project uses slab building as students become architects for solitary bees. Not only does this project have unlimited design aspects and encourage excellent handbuilding, but it is a great ecological lesson as well. Solitary bees do not maintain hives. Giving them a safe place to shelter helps protect the habitats of these early pollinators!
Materials
- Stoneware Clay (Stoneware is best since these sculptures will be out in the elements)
- Sturdy Paper for Templates
- Rolling Pin or Slab Roller
- Fettling Knife
- Stoneware Slip
- Wooden Modeling Tools
- Sponge
- Needle Tool
- Specialty texture rollers as needed for designs
- Cardboard tubes and/or Untreated wood with holes drilled to correct size
- Galvanized wire for hanging or Fishing Line
- Ribs for slab compression.
- Glazes appropriate to clay body
Grade Level
High School
Difficulty
Intermediate
Student Hands-On Time
390 minutes
Teacher Prep Time
60-120 minutes
Project Cost / Cost Per Student
5
National Core Arts Standards - Visual Arts
- Creating - Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas.
- Creating - Organize and develop artistic work.
- Creating - Conceiving and developing new artistic ideas and work.
- Presenting - Develop skills for artistic presentation and exhibition.
- Responding - Perceive and analyze artistic work.
- Responding - Evaluate and critique based on aesthetic and technical qualities.
- Connecting - Relate artistic ideas to historical, cultural, and social contexts.
- Connecting - Connect personal experiences with artmaking and meaning.
21st Century Skills
- Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving
- Creativity & Innovation
- Initiative & Self-Direction
- Social & Cross-Cultural Skills
- Productivity & Accountability
STEAM Education
- Science
- Engineering
- Arts
- Mathematics
Differentiations and Accommodations
Differentiation
IEP
Accommodation
Provide breaks, reteach materials, peer pair, roll clay for students with mobility issues.
Differentiation
Advanced Learners
Accommodation
Create supporting materials to educate the public about solitary bees.Create an additional bee hotel to donate to a community garden.
Learning Objectives: Knowledge
The basics of rolling slabs and compressing their surface. How to join slabs of clay together to discourage cracking. How to account for clay shrinkage to accommodate cardboard tubes in completed project. Glaze decoration that enhances and properly finishes the bee hotel.
Learning Objectives: Skills
Slab Rolling, Slipping, Scoring, Joining Slabs, Using math to calculate wet versus finished dimensions to accommodate cardboard tubes, Designing for installation (Will it hang? Will it Sit? How can you raise it from the ground?)
Learning Objectives: Attitudes/Values
Valuing the Natural World. Supporting pollinators. Valuing the role of pollinators in the world.
Formative Assessment
*Observe students as they are working and make suggestions as needed. Also, notice successes along the way. *Interview students briefly before they begin their project to check that they have considered shrinkage, drainage, design, and bee safety.
Summative Assessment
Class Critique, Student Self-Assessment paired with Teacher Assessment using the same rubric
Reflection and Discussion
What aspects of your design make your space move in ready for pollinators? What areas do you see for improvement in your design? Are there any aspects of your design that could hurt a pollinator? What parts of this project would you do differently next time? Would you recommend this project to friend? Why or why not?
Lesson Activities
Research Solitary Bees
Learn more about solitary bees and their nesting requirements.
Design
Create a bee hotel sketch and template for your final design.
Build Bee Hotel
Use slab building techniques and tools to create a bee hotel.
Glaze
Glaze bee hotel.
Finish
Add cardboard tubes and wood for the bees.
Critique
Evaluate your completion of this project and provide helpful feedback to others.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Considerations for successful, healthy bee tenants: *Drainage holes at the bottom. This also prevents any water that gets in from becoming trapped and possibly cracking the clay in cold temperatures. *A plan to keep it off of the ground. (This can be making a plan for hanging or setting it on top of something in the yard) *A bit of shelter from the worst of the elements. Just positioning it under an overhang helps! If it is in an area where it bakes in the sun, that will be too hot for the eggs and bees inside. *The ability to accommodate nesting tubes 6 inches long. *I’ve found a slight coil or piece at the bottom front helps keep tubes from sliding out if bumped. *You are more likely to have bees move in if hotels are placed by flowers, plants, and trees that bloom in early spring.
Step 2
After researching solitary bees, student creates a design for their bee hotel with bee safety at the forefront of their design.
Step 3
Student creates a template for their hotel. (If you are purchasing the cardboard tubes, you may consider limiting the size so you do not need to buy as many!)
Step 4
Student rolls out slabs that fit their templates. Stoneware clay works best as it is most likely to survive cold weather and snow.
Step 5
Student cuts along their templates to create their slabs.
Step 6
Let slabs rest until they are firm enough to hold their shape, but not inflexible.
Step 7
Score and slip areas that are to be joined.
Step 8
Run a slight coil along the seam to reinforce.
Step 9
Smooth the seam.
Step 10
Add any embellishments or design features to your bee hotel.
Step 11
Allow to fully dry.
Step 12
Bisque Fire
Step 13
Glaze your bisqueware.
Step 14
Glaze Fire Piece
Step 15
Add cardboard tubes and untreated wood piece with drilled holes.
Step 16
Enjoy the bees and post about your experience to educate others about the importance of pollinators!
Step 17
Useful Links:NC State Bee Hotel Design and Placement: https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/how-to-manage-a-successful-bee-hotel/bee-hotel-design-and-placementAbout Mason Bees: https://extension.psu.edu/mason-bees-in-the-home-gardenCardboard Tube Resource: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0858XWGNW?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_3&th=1
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