Title

Emotion Holder

Lesson Week
L#1: Introduction/Planning
L#2: Creating/Glazing
L#3: Fill/Reflect/Discussion

Standards
L#1 - 5PE Examine designed objects and identify the processes and decisions made to produce
them with attention to purpose, aesthetics, social issues and cultural and personal meaning.

L#2 - 4PR Apply art and design principles in the construction of three dimensional artworks.

L#3 - 6RE Develop and use criteria to guide reflection and assessment of selected personal
artworks. 7RE Assess one’s own work and working process and the work of others in relation
to criteria and standards.

Essential Questions
How can artists express emotions in art? How can art provide therapeutic experience? How can
art provide a way to self reflect?

L#1: I can choose an emotion I wish to capture or release with my clay piece. I can design my
clay piece based off an orb form to express my emotion.

L#2: I can create my clay piece to represent an emotion. I can create a piece that will either
capture or release the emotion I’m representing. I can glaze my piece in a way that unifies with
my emotion.

L#3: I can capture one emotion related thought in my clay piece. I can participate during “gallery
walk”. I can complete my project reflection.

Central Focus
Students are to create something personal that offers the opportunity to reflect
introspectively. Students will create a clay vessel based off a process that creates an orb
form. Students will make a sphere using a technique that fuses two pinch pots together.
Students will work to add attachments and carve details to transform orb into a design that
focuses on an emotion they researched through
http://atlasofemotions.org#introduction/
Their orb, depending on the emotion, will need either an entrance with no exit or an
entrance and an exit for notes to pass through. The notes will be thoughts focused on the
emotion. For example if the student wants to focus on joy they will create a happy orb with
an entrance and an exit, they will be able to collect happy thoughts and retrieve them when
they desire to reconnect to that emotion. If they create an orb based off anger they may
choose to only have an entrance so they can place that less pleasant experience to be
“captured” and held by the orb forever. This process is cathartic once the vessel is complete
and offers the student an opportunity to reflect on their experiences and emotions
introspectively.

Vocab
Emotion list
Self Care
Introspection
Meditation
Ceramic
Orb
Hollow

Material
L#1: Powerpoint, Teacher example, http://atlasofemotions.org/#introduction/ , Chromebook,
sketch book, pencil

L#2: Clay, sketch reference, glaze

L#3: Reflection sheet, Finished art piece, note card, pencil, chromebook

Steps

L#1:
Start: Students enter classroom, greet and have them collect 2 balls of clay.
Do: Lead students through demon on how to create a hollow orb. Students take two same sized
balls of clay, create pinch pots, score and slip both openings, connect with a “rope” of clay that
is also scored, then smooth out seam. Teacher then has students store clay. Teacher explains
lesson and draws examples on board. Students research emotions on atlasofemotions.org and
decide what emotion they wish to capture or store. Students plan design for their orb in their
sketchbook and get it approved by teacher.
Finish: Students store clay and sketchbooks in their bin.

L#2:
Start: Students enter classroom and retrieve needed supplies and additional clay.
Do: Teacher demos how to carve and add attachments to clay orb to match design created.
Teacher covers scoring and slipping as well as making a entrance/exit holes on the orb.
Students work to complete clay design to be fired for glazing. When students are prepared to
glaze teacher covers brief demo over glazing. This would involve tips on brush size, application
of layers, and how mixing is unpredictable.
Finish: Students store clay orb or submit it to be fired in the kiln.
L#3:
Start: Students retrieve orb.
Do: Students write and place their first emotion note as a class to their orb. They are invited to
allow others place notes in their orb as well if they would like. Students work to complete
reflection over their clay process. Teacher takes photos of orbs prior to students taking them
home for grading purposes.
Finish: Students submit their reflections and take emotion orbs home.

Assessment
L#1: Design Plan in sketch book, checked by teacher

L#2: Creation of project, participation during form making and glazing

L#3: Finished emotion holder, Reflection sheet

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