Ceramics Course Syllabus
Course Description:
This course is comprehensive hands-on introductory experience working with clay. Fundamental techniques demonstrated in hand building and wheel throwing. Concept in ceramics will be discussed, connecting cultures, artists, and contemporary trends. Students will also get experience in finishing objects using glazes and underglazes. A big part of the course will focus on developing critical thinking skills and learn to troubleshoot with clay.
These competencies will be taught and assessed.
Power Standards
1. Students will successfully create a piece demonstrating pinch technique
2. Students will successfully create a piece demonstrating coil building technique
3. Students will successfully create a piece demonstrating slab construction
4. Students will successfully create a piece demonstrating wheel throwing technique
5. Students will successfully create a piece demonstrating slip mold technique
6. Students will create with a purpose an intended outcome functional
7. Students will effectively apply creativity to students designs
Course Objectives:
● Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
● Using Knowledge of Structures and Functions
● Choosing and Evaluating a Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas
● Understanding the Visual Arts in Relation to History and Cultures
● Reflecting Upon and Assessing the Characteristics and Merits of Their Work and the Work of Others
● Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines
Supporting Textbooks:
Warshaw, J. (2010). Practical Art Handbook: Handbuiling Pottery. London: Hermes House.
Mackey, M. (2005). Experience Clay (1st ed.). Worcester, Massachusetts: Davis Publications, Inc.,
Grading Scale:
93-100 A
92-90 A-
88-89 B+
83-87 B
80-82 B-
78-79 C+
73-77 C
70-71 C-
68-69 D+
63-67 D
60-62 D-
59-0 F
Grading System:
All studio tasks, daily tasks, and participation grades are based on a point system that is then computed and converted to percentages. While a first nine-week grade and third nine-week grade will appear on the report card, they only indicate the progress of the student’s work at that time. The final semester grade is a cumulative grade based on all of the work throughout the eighteen weeks of the course, including the final.
Studio Tasks (60% of total grade)
Studio tasks are long-term tasks requiring you to produce ceramic pieces that fulfill particular criteria or demonstrate certain techniques. They will be assessed with a scoring rubric. This work is intended to be portfolio quality work and should be work that you are proud to exhibit.
Daily Tasks (40% of total grade)
Daily tasks are completed in class on a daily basis that lead up to a studio task. These are things such as practice skills and exercises in brainstorming, learning activities, designing and planning, small group activities, research, etc. Students will receive a possible 28 points daily for completing the objective of the specific activity. See the following rubric that is used for grading daily tasks.
Scoring rubric for daily task work:
28-26 Student work demonstrates an understanding of the task’s objective, meets all criteria, and is completed at an exemplary level of neatness and accuracy.
25-23 Student work demonstrates an understanding of the task’s objective, meets all criteria, and is completed.
22-20 Student work demonstrates and understanding of the task’s objective, but more work needs to be applied to meet the criteria and complete the task.
19-17 Student work is vague and does not provide enough information towards understanding the task’s objective.
Make-up and Incomplete Work:
Each student is responsible for getting make-up work upon the return of an absence(s). Any make-up or incomplete work must be received no later than the Friday before a grading period ends.
Final Task (15% of total semester grade)
A final will be assigned at the end of the semester, which includes an oral presentation and written assessment based on a given rubric. Students will present this task on the assigned final exam day. No credit will be given to unprepared or incomplete work. If a student is not in attendance for the assigned exam period, no credit will be given unless the student and instructor have made previous arrangements.
Course Description:
This course is comprehensive hands-on introductory experience working with clay. Fundamental techniques demonstrated in hand building and wheel throwing. Concept in ceramics will be discussed, connecting cultures, artists, and contemporary trends. Students will also get experience in finishing objects using glazes and underglazes. A big part of the course will focus on developing critical thinking skills and learn to troubleshoot with clay.
These competencies will be taught and assessed.
Power Standards
1. Students will successfully create a piece demonstrating pinch technique
2. Students will successfully create a piece demonstrating coil building technique
3. Students will successfully create a piece demonstrating slab construction
4. Students will successfully create a piece demonstrating wheel throwing technique
5. Students will successfully create a piece demonstrating slip mold technique
6. Students will create with a purpose an intended outcome functional
7. Students will effectively apply creativity to students designs
Course Objectives:
● Understanding and Applying Media, Techniques, and Processes
● Using Knowledge of Structures and Functions
● Choosing and Evaluating a Range of Subject Matter, Symbols, and Ideas
● Understanding the Visual Arts in Relation to History and Cultures
● Reflecting Upon and Assessing the Characteristics and Merits of Their Work and the Work of Others
● Making Connections Between Visual Arts and Other Disciplines
Supporting Textbooks:
Warshaw, J. (2010). Practical Art Handbook: Handbuiling Pottery. London: Hermes House.
Mackey, M. (2005). Experience Clay (1st ed.). Worcester, Massachusetts: Davis Publications, Inc.,
Grading Scale:
93-100 A
92-90 A-
88-89 B+
83-87 B
80-82 B-
78-79 C+
73-77 C
70-71 C-
68-69 D+
63-67 D
60-62 D-
59-0 F
Grading System:
All studio tasks, daily tasks, and participation grades are based on a point system that is then computed and converted to percentages. While a first nine-week grade and third nine-week grade will appear on the report card, they only indicate the progress of the student’s work at that time. The final semester grade is a cumulative grade based on all of the work throughout the eighteen weeks of the course, including the final.
Studio Tasks (60% of total grade)
Studio tasks are long-term tasks requiring you to produce ceramic pieces that fulfill particular criteria or demonstrate certain techniques. They will be assessed with a scoring rubric. This work is intended to be portfolio quality work and should be work that you are proud to exhibit.
Daily Tasks (40% of total grade)
Daily tasks are completed in class on a daily basis that lead up to a studio task. These are things such as practice skills and exercises in brainstorming, learning activities, designing and planning, small group activities, research, etc. Students will receive a possible 28 points daily for completing the objective of the specific activity. See the following rubric that is used for grading daily tasks.
Scoring rubric for daily task work:
28-26 Student work demonstrates an understanding of the task’s objective, meets all criteria, and is completed at an exemplary level of neatness and accuracy.
25-23 Student work demonstrates an understanding of the task’s objective, meets all criteria, and is completed.
22-20 Student work demonstrates and understanding of the task’s objective, but more work needs to be applied to meet the criteria and complete the task.
19-17 Student work is vague and does not provide enough information towards understanding the task’s objective.
Make-up and Incomplete Work:
Each student is responsible for getting make-up work upon the return of an absence(s). Any make-up or incomplete work must be received no later than the Friday before a grading period ends.
Final Task (15% of total semester grade)
A final will be assigned at the end of the semester, which includes an oral presentation and written assessment based on a given rubric. Students will present this task on the assigned final exam day. No credit will be given to unprepared or incomplete work. If a student is not in attendance for the assigned exam period, no credit will be given unless the student and instructor have made previous arrangements.