Ceramic Game Pieces

Meet The Teacher: Stacey Walden
Stacey Walden teaches at India Hook Elementary School in Rock Hill, SC. She was SCAEA's Elementary Art Educator of the Year 23-24.
Project Description
Students learn about the history of board game player tokens, and build upon this inspiration to design their own ceramic game piece. This project allows for students to utilize coil, slab, and other ceramic hand-building techniques. Students also exercise choice through their game piece design.
Materials
- Low Fire Clay
- Liquitex Professional Spray Paint, Iridescent Antique Gold
- Optional- Letter Stamps for Names
Grade Level
Elementary School
Difficulty
Intermediate
Student Hands-On Time
30 minutes
Teacher Prep Time
10 minutes
21st Century Skills
- Critical Thinking & Problem-Solving
- Creativity & Innovation
STEAM Education
- Arts
Learning Objectives: Knowledge
By the end of this lesson, students will acquire knowledge of the origin of contemporary board game pieces. They will demonstrate mastery of ceramics hand-building techniques as they exercise choice to design a unique game piece inspired ceramic sculpture of their own.
Learning Objectives: Skills
Students will demonstrate mastery of scoring and slipping clay attachments. This project utilizes hand-made slab and coil construction as well as other hand-building techniques.
Learning Objectives: Attitudes/Values
Students will utilize choice and share their personal interests through their chosen game piece design. Students will demonstrate care for craftsmanship while hand-building with clay.
Formative Assessment
During conceptual sketches, teacher monitors student work and asks questions or provides guidance as needed. Teacher poses questions to students and appropriately challenges them for design detail. Teacher reviews sketches and provides feedback regarding design challenges or necessary corrections before constructing in 3D. *Optional-Students participate in a pair & share or table meeting where they present their three concept sketches to classmates for feedback.
Summative Assessment
Completion of ceramic sculpture inspired by board game pieces with demonstration of ceramics hand-building techniques and proper attachments. *Optional-Students present their design to their class and explain why they chose their final design.
Lesson Activities
Concept Ideation
After learning the brief history of contemporary game board pieces, students are challenged to create three concept sketches for their own unique design. Students should create these sketches thinking in 3D and annotate important notes as needed.
Ceramics - Hand Building
Each student will receive a block of clay, as well as various clay tools and slip. Students first create a hand-rolled slab and cut it to an appropriate size for their design. This slab serves as the platform base of the structure. Students then construct their chosen design using hand building techniques, including scoring and slipping all attachments. Students finish their piece by using alphabet stamps to add their name to their slab base.
Metallic Finish
After firing the ceramic game pieces in the kiln, students or teacher use Liquitex Professional Spray Paint in Iridescent Antique Gold to add the metallic finish to their game pieces. *Optional-Finish with another metallic spray paint or your favorite ceramic glaze.