Experimenting with clay for a cake sculpture
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can experiment with different clay techniques to create a textured, cake-inspired sculpture.
Key learning points
- Understand the properties of clay and how to manipulate it.
- Experiment with different clay techniques (pinching, coiling, slab building).
- Develop fine motor skills and creative expression through hands-on exploration.
Keywords
Clay - a natural material that can be shaped when wet and hardens when dried or fired
Texture - the feel or appearance of a surface, which can be smooth, rough, or patterned
Score & slip - a technique for joining clay pieces by scratching the surface (scoring) and adding watery clay (slip)
Coil - a rolled-out snake-like piece of clay used for building shapes
Common misconception
Two pieces of clay can just be pressed together to attach them.
Clay needs to be scored and slip applied to create a strong bond, just like glue helps stick paper together.
Teacher tip
Encourage pupils to work slowly and mindfully with clay as rushing can cause cracks! Remind them to keep their clay moist and always use score & slip when joining pieces. Celebrate experimentation, as mistakes can lead to creative discoveries.
Equipment
Clay (air-dry or kiln-fired). Clay tools (wooden sticks, rolling pins, carving tools). Water pots & sponges. Images of ceramic cakes for inspiration. Paper & pencils (for sketching designs).
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the keywords to their definitions:
making quick and simple drawings to show ideas or the things we see
is the combination of a selection of elements arranged and organised
the feel or appearance of a surface
Q2.Complete the following statement: Texture means the feel or appearance of a .
Q3.Complete the following statement: Clay can be shaped when wet and hardens once or fired in a kiln.
Q4.Ceramics is the name given to both functional and decorative objects made from ...
Q5.Ceramics have been used for __________ of years for sculptures and artworks.
Q6.Which of the following could be used to add texture to wet clay?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is clay most commonly used for in art?
Q2.What does the word texture mean when talking about clay sculptures?
Q3.What are the three basic techniques to shape and join clay?
Q4.Why do artists use the score and slip technique when working with clay?
Q5.Put these steps in the correct order for using the score and slip technique:
Q6.Match the clay term to its correct definition:
a rolled-out snake-like piece of clay used for building shapes
scratching the clay
adding a mixture of clay and water
a natural material that can be shaped when wet, hardens when dried
To help you plan your 5 art and design lesson on: Experimenting with clay for a cake sculpture, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 5 art and design lesson on: Experimenting with clay for a cake sculpture, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 art and design lessons from the Ceramics: cake culture unit, dive into the full primary art and design curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.