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- Beginning Ceramics Course Syllabus
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Beginning Ceramics
Course Syllabus
Higley High School 2022-2023
Mrs. Cami McClellan
(480) 279-7369 [voicemail only]
Cami.McClellan@husd.org
Room 212
Teacher PageSection I: Introduction
Course Description: Students will explore the nature of clay and glazes, handbuilding methods, throwing on the potter’s wheel, decorative process, and glaze application.
Course Objectives: Students will be…
CREATING – Conceiving and developing new artistic ideas and work
PRESENTING – Realizing artistic ideas and work through interpretation and presentation
RESPONDING – Understanding and evaluating how the arts convey meaning
CONNECTING – Relating artistic ideas and work with personal meaning and external context
District Curriculum: We will cover the following topics and techniques throughout the year
Ceramic Process
Pinch Method
Coil Method
Slab Method
Throwing
Surface Enrichment
Art Criticism
Art HistoryAZ State Standards: The Arizona State Standards will be used in planning and preparing lesson plans and assessments throughout the semester.
Course Fee:
A course fee for the entire year is $50, or $25 per semester. Please pay this fee online through Parent VUE (Credit or Debit) or in the bookstore (cash or check) as soon as possible. Clay and tools will not be distributed to students that do not pay their course fee. This money is used to purchase Ceramic supplies and tools for the class. Without fees being paid, we will not be able to purchase supplies for this course.
Course Materials:
All students are required to provide the following for the course:
- Combination lock for locker
- HARD BOUND or SPIRAL Sketchbook or Notebook (No sketch pads!! (they fall apart))
- Plastic pocket folder with prongs
- 2-3 Pencils, not mechanical (used as a tool in clay)
- Plastic pencil box (or washable pencil holder for tools)
Other optional items:
- Plastic Grocery Bags
- Colored Pencils
- Apron/Old T-shirt
- Small, old hand towel or large sponge
- Hand Lotion
- Small paintbrush
Classroom Supplies donation:
- Facial Tissues
- Spray bottle (for water to keep clay wet)
- Hand Lotion
- Old blow dryer
Donations: If you would like to make a donation to the Ceramics Program through Tax Credit, click here for the link. Please remember to write in that you would like your tax credit money to go toward the HHS Ceramics program/club. This money can be used to help purchase supplies, equipment, fund field trips, and other materials to use in the Ceramics classroom along with fund other extracurricular activities.
Donors Choose: You can check this website frequently to see if Mrs. McClellan has a new project that you can help fund. DonorsChooseFor any other donations, feel free to contact Mrs. McClellan. Thank you for supporting the Fine Arts.
Section 2: Grades
Grading Policy:
Students will be evaluated by their participation, class work, objectives, completion of projects and written examinations/evaluations throughout the year. Grades will only be rounded up if the percentage is equal to or greater than .59 for semester grades only.
Grades scale:
100-90% - A 89-80% - B 79-70% - C 69-60% - D 59-0% - FGrades will be weighted as follows:
80% Assessments & Daily Performance
20% Final Exam and Final Project (Portfolio)Section 3: Department Level Policies:
Attendance Policy:
Absences in Ceramics: Because projects cannot easily be taken home, please make it a priority to be in class every day to work on your artwork.
Make-up work: If you need more time to work on a project, please talk with Mrs. McClellan.
Tardy: Be on time to class. Consequences for tardiness:
1st tardy – warning
2nd tardy – contact parent(s)
3rd tardy – Cleaning assignment and/or After School Detention
4th tardy - ReferralSection 4: Classroom Particulars
Classroom Expectations/Rules:
- Clean-up
- Use Appropriate Language
- Show Respect (of others & the materials/equipment in class)
- Work hard, every day
Cell Phones: Cell phones will be turned in everyday before class and given back after the class has completed the clean-up procedures in class. This will minimize disruption to the learning environment.
Class Dismissal: Class is not dismissed until the Ceramics Lab has been cleaned, chairs are pushed in or stacked, and the teacher has dismissed you.
**All students are expected to abide by all school rules and policies found in the
Student Code of Conduct.**This includes:
NO food, drink, or gum allowed in the classroom
Discipline: All of the policies and procedures will be followed; misbehavior, disrespect, foul or inappropriate language/conversation will not be tolerated in the classroom. The Ceramics lab will be a safe environment for the benefit of learning.
If the policies and procedures are not followed in the Ceramics lab the following actions will be taken:
1st infraction: Warning/Conversation with Teacher (often with assigned cleaning job)
2nd infraction: Contact Parent
3rd infraction: Extra cleaning job assigned or After School Detention
4th infraction: ReferralRestroom Use: The best time to ask is during a break in the instruction period or during your personal work time. Do not interrupt the learning environment to ask to use the restroom; the answer will always be, no. You may not use the restroom in the first 10 minutes of class or last 10 minutes of class.
Nurse visits: If you are not feeling well, you may ask to see the nurse.
- During passing periods, students are to go directly to their classrooms and ask for a pass to the nurse from their teacher. Only EMERGENCIES can go directly to the nurse without a pass such as: vomiting, injury, health condition such as diabetic and feminine needs.
- No student should be sent to the health office during the first ten minutes of class. Unless there is an emergency.
- Students violating dress code are to go to the health office immediately.
- Health Office is a place to sleep. Beds are for ill students that are going home.
- Students MUST sign in when visiting the health office at all times No Exceptions.
- There are no medications in the health office given to students (Tylenol only) without a call to parents and none given in the first and last hour of the school day. The health office does not give allergy or stomach medication.
Section 5: Safety
My number one priority is to ensure you are safe in the classroom. There are sharp objects, heavy equipment, and health hazards in our class.
Crystalline silica can scar your lung tissue and cause irreversible loss of breathing capacity. Clay & glazes contain silica. When silica becomes air born it is not visible to the naked eye and can easily be inhaled. Silica, the finest, least visible, and most dangerous particle can be found in the air for hours and because of this is the most dangerous.
Prevent dust from forming in the class by:
- Use a damp sponge to clean up
- Don’t sweep clay onto the floor; if it drops, pick it up
- Don’t shake, bang, or tap clay materials or tools, including your hands
- Don’t let the clay dry out, keep it wet or leather hard.
- If whatever you are doing makes dust, do not do it
- Think before you act
Clay can also be an incubation for mold growth, so keep your hands clean when you are touching the clay and follow instructions given by the teacher. Do not leave tools in water, dry your tools before you put them away.
What to do to be safe:
- ALWAYS clean up with water (use a damp sponge)
- Avoid excessive dust exposure
- Do not eat or drink in the ceramic lab (your workspace).
- Do not smoke (or vape) in the ceramics class (Not that this is allowed…)
- Wash your hands after working
**This syllabus is subject to change per teacher’s request.