Teapot Tea Party

I'm a little tea pot,

round, tall, short, wide, crooked, smooth, 

and totally UNIQUE. . . 

Getting ready to be fired!

You know that feeling before you pilot a new lesson? It's that same feeling I get before jumping off the diving board. Since the beginning of this lesson, I held my breath and hoped that we would surface. Five weeks later we did and now I can breath again!

Kiln full of teapots.

Hassle Alert! We had to wrap the teapots every week and try to keep the clay at the right consistency. Keeping the clay moist between classes was a hassle and a few dried out. The students had to remake them! 

MORAL:Invest in some huge gallon bags for each student instead of plastic wrap. 

Basically we created two pinch pots and combined them together. We made a "taquito"for the spout and slip and scored it on. Handles could were coils that were slip and scored. Lids were an experiment in themselves.

After five long weeks of making them, I threw the kids a tea party so we could USE our teapots.

Is this not amazing?

Another beautiful work.
This student accidentely spilled the glaze on her  teapot.
Her classroom teacher suggested she "go for it"and spill more.
It turned out the most uniquely beautiful work I've seen from a 5th grader!

We put a coffee filter over the top with a rubber band
so the loose leaf tea wouldn't
get in their cup.

As I was pouring the hot tea on this 80 degree day,
 I thought, "I  have NO IDEA why I didn't make a bunch of iced tea and call it a day!"
SPOILERALERT:
NEXT YEAR'S  5th grade is having an ICED TEA party!

Enjoying our "naturally decaf"tea
(just in case you were wondering!)

I am in love with this one too!
For some reason the student doesn't like this one. . .

An elephant. . . how clever:)

Some even made tea cups.
This tea pot was perfection.

After a LONG day in the office (hahaha)
Stella and I put on our play clothes and went to the dog park.

As Alice would say, "I shall think nothing of falling down stairs after this!" It's good to take that step into the unknown. . . scary but good. I think they won't soon forget their 5th grade teapots.

I know two things for sure,
1. I learn as much as the students I teach.
2. I am as "mad" as they come!

CHEERS!

Backpacks!

As they were leaving class, I told my 5th graders "Your art homework is to bring your backpack to our next class. Remind your friends." "Where are we going? What are we doing?" students asked. No time for questions the next class is waiting. 


Perfect, suspense and excitement make for a creative atmosphere. 


Next class, everyone had their backpacks. I asked students to put their backpacks in the middle of the table. I demonstrated by making a blind contour drawing of one of their backpacks. Everyone made a blind contour drawing (with only a little giggling this time) and finally these beautiful watercolors! I am so proud of my 5th graders. This was a long time coming! They are becoming so confident in their drawing skills.