High School Grade  Project 5 weeks

Clay Comfort: Altruistic Dinnerware Project

Audrey T
Updated
Effective Communication
Collaboration
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Content Expertise
Academic Mindset
+ 1 more
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Purpose

Your project aims to create a tangible impact in your community by addressing practical needs through handmade ceramic dinnerware, making a valuable contribution to local shelters and community organizations. By engaging in this creative endeavor, you will explore the intersection of art and service, learning how craftsmanship can foster a sense of belonging, purpose, and empathy. This project serves as a meaningful journey of self-discovery and community engagement, as you will investigate ethical service and reflect on your evolving understanding of the community and your role within it.

Learning goals

Develop expertise in ceramic techniques like hand-building, glazing, and firing to create functional and thoughtful designs. Enhance your understanding of community needs through research and dialogue, applying ethical service principles to your work. Cultivate skills in effective communication by reflecting on your process through writing and visual documentation, sharing your insights and outcomes with others. Foster collaboration by co-designing project components with peers, contributing to shared decision-making and conflict resolution. Engage in critical thinking to address complex community questions and refine your project purpose through iterative critique and revision.

Competencies
  • Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.
  • Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.
  • Content Expertise - Students develop key competencies, skills, and dispositions with ample opportunities to apply knowledge and engage in work that matters to them.
  • Academic Mindset - Students establish a sense of place, identity, and belonging to increase self-efficacy while engaging in critical reflection and action.
  • Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.

Products

Create a series of handmade ceramic dinnerware pieces that will be donated to local community organizations, ensuring they meet the practical needs and aesthetic aspirations of their recipients. Document your journey with a photo collage showcasing the stages of creation, from initial sketches to completed pieces, coupled with journal entries detailing your creative process and insights gained. Throughout the project, develop prototypes to refine techniques in hand-building, glazing, and firing, making informed iterations based on peer and teacher critiques to achieve high-quality final products.

Launch

Kick off your project by visiting a local community center or kitchen to gain firsthand insights into community needs. Engage in discussions with staff and residents to understand their perspectives on how creative endeavors like yours can contribute to emotional well-being. Collaborate with your art teacher to host a creative workshop where peers sketch initial designs for the ceramic dinnerware while discussing the potential impact and service-based art concepts in small groups.

Exhibition

Organize an impactful exhibition showcasing your handmade ceramic dinnerware at your school's exhibition event. Create an immersive display that includes not only the final ceramic pieces but also a photo collage of your process and journal entries. Engage visitors by sharing the story behind each piece, its intended community impact, and reflections on your learning journey. Encourage attendees to interact with and ask questions about the work, fostering meaningful connections between your project and community needs.