Seasonal + Holidays – Clay Projects (Division II)
Division: II
Location: Visual Art Studios at St. Albert Place (Art Gallery of St. Albert)
Duration: 1.5 Hours
Activity/Products:
- • Students learn what clay is, where it comes from, why it is fired in a kiln, and how to shape clay and use clay tools safely in a professional visual art studio.
- • Students experiment with cutting, attaching, drawing, impressing, rolling and coiling clay to build a two-dimensional or three-dimensional sculpture.
Volunteers: 4–6 recommended
Easter Cross
Students create a decorative cross on a slab of clay that can also be embellished with a sculpted draped cloth and Easter lilies. (Available March–April)
- Grade 4 Art: Develop realistic treatments, refine form and express feelings and ideas
- Grade 5 Art: Play with shape; use abstraction and distortion; minimize material & effort in art
- Grade 6 Art: Explore more complex art procedures; express themselves and refine artwork
Christmas Tree Tea Light
In this more advanced clay workshop, students receive step by step instructions on how to roll, scratch and attach a series of coils to build a hollow cone form. Coils can be impressed to look like pine branches and small clay ornaments can be added. This special Christmas tree can be embellished with tiny holes for battery powered tealights toshine through.
- Grade 4 Art: Develop realistic treatments, refine form and express feelings and ideas
- Grade 5 Art: Play with shape; use abstraction and distortion; minimize material & effort in art
- Grade 6 Art: Explore more complex art procedures; express themselves and refine artwork
Manger Scene
Students create a detailed 3D nativity scene that stands on its own. It’s a keepsake for years to come.(Available September to beginning of December)
- Grade 3 Art: Use art to express feelings and ideas; look closely and focus on improvement
- Grade 4 Art: Develop realistic treatments, refine form and express feelings and ideas
- Grade 5 Art: Play with shape; use abstraction and distortion; minimize material & effort in art
- Grade 6 Art: Explore more complex art procedures; express themselves and refine artwork
Rose for Mom
This beautiful rose will never fade! Students learn to fashion a rose with lovely petals, a bud and some leaves resting on a circular base. It’s the perfect Mother’s Day gift!
- Grade 3 Art: Use art to express feelings and ideas; look closely and focus on improvement
- Grade 4 Art: Develop realistic treatments, refine form and express feelings and ideas
- Grade 5 Art: Play with shape; use abstraction and distortion; minimize material & effort in art
- Grade 6 Art: Explore more complex art procedures; express themselves and refine artwork
Standing Angel
Students make a standing angel with unique decorative features and interesting texture patterns. It’s a wonderful piece they can display each season. (Available September to beginning of December)
- Grade 3 Art: Use art to express feelings and ideas; look closely and focus on improvement
- Grade 4 Art: Develop realistic treatments, refine form and express feelings and ideas
- Grade 5 Art: Play with shape; use abstraction and distortion; minimize material & effort in art
- Grade 6 Art: Explore more complex art procedures; express themselves and refine artwork
Standing Snowman
Using the pinch pot method, students create a playful three-dimensional snowman sculpture sure to warm hearts on the coldest winter day!
- Students experiment with cutting, attaching, drawing, impressing, rolling and coiling clay to
build a three-dimensional sculpture of a snowman. - Grade 3 Art: Use art to express feelings and ideas; look closely and focus on improvement
- Grade 4 Art: Develop realistic treatments, refine form and express feelings and ideas
- Grade 5 Art: Play with shape; use abstraction and distortion; minimize material & effort in art
- Grade 6 Art: Explore more complex art procedures; express themselves and refine artwork
* To schedule a field trip, you'll need to have a teacher account and log in. If you don't have an account yet, you can easily register for one here.
Teacher Feedback
My students loved the field trip. There is a good mix of teaching about the history and hands-on activities.
Perfect project to complement our learning in Science.
The presentation was engaging and informative. It fit in wonderfully with our kindergarten curriculum and was a positive and meaningful experience for my students.
These were valuable and engaging programs for the students. They enjoyed learning a new skill and at the river lots they were encouraged to think critically and reflect carefully.
My students loved it and couldn't wait to go home and show their creations!
This program was fantastic. The students loved the opportunity to be in council chambers.
I have done clay projects with you for as long as I can remember. Once again, everything was AMAZING! We have a new grade partner this year who had never been, and she absolutely loved it! The instructors are always excellent, They explain and guide the students in manageable chunks to make it easy for the kids to follow along. I love that you allow extra parents to come and assist. I especially like that the projects are always connected to the curriculum! Thanks again.
The Peru and Indigenous Peoples of Canada program perfectly connected Gr 3 Social Studies content with some Gr 4 Social Studies content. We had lots to talk about after.
The instructor was amazing. She engaged the students in the Métis culture. The activity was hands on and informative.
Amazing program with a knowledgeable instructor who engaged my students and me too! Thanks so much for offering this field trip.