Sgraffito Vessels

Project Video

https://youtu.be/J_lIeitQgek

Meet The Teacher: Maribeth Sonsara

Hi, my name is Maribeth Sonsara but everyone calls me Sonny. I teach Ceramics at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, MI. I have been teaching high school ceramics for 15 years, which is one of the coolest jobs there is.

Project Description

Students can create a ceramic vessel using any method of construction and then finish the surface to illustrate a design using the sgraffito technique.

Materials

  • Clay
  • Black slip or underglaze
  • Tools (scoring tool, ribs, incising tools, paintbrushes)
  • Optional supplementary materials (banding wheel, real examples, graphic organizers)
Download Material List

Grade Level

High School

Difficulty

Intermediate

Student Hands-On Time

2 weeks

Teacher Prep Time

1 hour

Project Cost / Cost Per Student

5

National Core Arts Standards - Visual Arts

  • Creating - Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas.
  • Creating - Organize and develop artistic work.
  • Presenting - Develop skills for artistic presentation and exhibition.
  • Responding - Perceive and analyze artistic work.
  • Responding - Interpret intent and meaning in artwork.
  • 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
  • Communication
  • Collaboration
  • Initiative & Self-Direction
  • Social & Cross-Cultural Skills

STEAM Education

  • Arts

Differentiations and Accommodations

Differentiation

IEP

Accommodation

- Chunking information: Break down the sgraffito process into small, manageable steps. - Extended time. - Smaller scale

Learning Objectives: Knowledge

Students will describe their vessel's design using key ceramics vocabulary (sgraffito, vessel, slip, incise, contrast, form, motif).

Learning Objectives: Skills

Students will design and create a ceramic vessel and then carve the surface using the sgraffito technique.

Learning Objectives: Attitudes/Values

Students will explain their artistic choices. Students will explore the historical and cultural context of sgraffito.

Formative Assessment

- Teacher assess students' understanding through participation, discussions, and use of key vocabulary. - Provide feedback to guide students in refining their designs and explanations.

Summative Assessment

Teacher assess students' work using a rubric.

Reflection and Discussion

Pair Work: - Students pair up to discuss their design ideas before carving. - One student explains while the other asks follow-up questions. - Pair high and low proficiency students. Structured Language Practice: - Provide sentence frames - “My vessel represents _____ because_____.” - “I will use _____technique to create____.” - Encourage use of key vocabulary. Teacher Circulation & Feedback: - Monitor student conversations and provide support as needed. - Gallery Walk: students display their vessels and describe their designs using a sentence frame.

Lesson Activities

Lesson Preparation

Gather real life visual examples of sgraffito vessels for inspiration. Create slide presentation, prepare teacher demonstration, provide word wall with L1 translations, step-by-step guide with visuals, sentence stems, exit ticket.

Project Introduction

Teacher introduces the project, going through building on background knowledge, showing examples, explaining the demonstration process, and outlining the sketching process.

Sketching

Give students time to brainstorm and sketch ideas for their project. Provide a graphic organizer on the sketch paper reminding students to draw the form and the design they will sgraffito. Students may also include a motif. When students are done sketching, have them share their design ideas with a partner. Provide sentence stems, "My vessel represents ___________ because _______." or "I will use ______________ method of construction / technique to create ________."

Teacher Demonstration

Demonstrate methods of construction (at this point in the semester, my students already know how to pinch, coil, slab, and throw. If you don't want to give them options, I would recommend coiling). Demonstrate the sgraffito process.

Hands-on activity

Allow approximately 1 week of class time for students to create their vessels. Once their vessels are completed and leather hard, have students apply 2 layers of black slip. Allow approximately 1 week for students to complete the carving/sgraffito process. Students are responsible for cleaning up each day.

Reflections

Have a gallery walk where students display their vessels and describe their designs. Then, on a sticky note or scrap paper, have students write: one new ceramics word they learned and one challenge they faced during the project.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1

Sketch ideas

Step 2

Create a template for your vessel

Step 3

Slab build, coil build, or throw vessel.

Step 4

Smooth. Using ribs, paddles, and/or scrapers to smooth the surface of the vessel.

Step 5

While the clay is leather hard, paint 2 layers of black slip or underglaze.

Step 6

Using a variety of incising tools, scratch away to create your design.

Step 7

Bisque, clear glaze, fire and enjoy!

Additional Documents

Document 1

Document 2

Document 3