SUNFLOWER BOWLS

2nd grade displayed how capable and smart they are with these Sunflower Bowls. This project required your brain to think about positive and negative space and to conceptualize in 3D before achieving a final product. It is the process that counts! 

Everyone started with a slab of clay and a roller. We learned how to roll like pizza dough or cookie dough with a nice and even thickness.

We then traced the perimeter of the styrofoam bowl I provided with a wooden dowel. We used the dowel to also cut out this circle. We set the extra clay aside.

Next we drew lightly! with the dowel, a circle for the center of the sunflower where the seeds are, and one petal each at North, South, East and West, making sure the petal reaches the edge of the circular slab. We then added 4 petals behind the front petals. 

Now, we decided which areas of the slab need to be cut off - this was the challenge! But I was pleased to see students separating the negative space from the positive space (the flower). 

We "peeled" the clay off the place mat and placed it into the bowl, pressing into the bottom and sides gently, so that the bowl will sit flat after being fired. 

After firing, we painted with glazes making sure not to paint the bottom! I explained the terrible things that could happen if they go in the Kiln with glaze on the bottom :)

Beautiful!