Clay and Relief Sculpture — Year 3 Lesson Plan
National Curriculum: Art and Design KS2 — To improve their mastery of art and design techniques, including sculpture, with a range of materials; to know about great artists, craft makers and designers and the historical and cultural development of their art forms.
Overview
Pupils develop their technical clay skills through slab building and relief tile making. Drawing on observational drawings of natural forms, they design and produce a clay tile with a relief surface showing organic pattern and texture. The unit introduces the score-and-slip joining method, the concept of relief as a sculptural form, and the ceramic traditions of different cultures.
Learning Objectives
- To build on KS1 clay experience by developing slab rolling and slab joining techniques
- To create a relief tile from an observational drawing source, demonstrating texture and depth
- To use score-and-slip reliably to join clay pieces
- To know about ceramic art traditions from at least two different cultures
Key Vocabulary
Suggested Lesson Structure
Show examples of relief sculpture: ancient Egyptian carvings, Roman friezes and contemporary ceramic tiles. Introduce the cultural context: Mesopotamian lion reliefs, African terracotta and modern studio ceramics. Pupils handle and discuss a pre-made demonstration tile. Show observational drawings that will be the starting point for design.
Demonstrate slab rolling between two guide sticks to achieve consistent thickness. Cut the tile to size and smooth edges. Show how to create a relief by adding small rolled and pinched clay shapes on top, using score-and-slip at every join. Demonstrate two relief approaches: adding pieces on top and carving away from the surface.
Pupils work from their observational sketches (from the Drawing with Observation unit) to design a tile composition. They roll their slab, cut it to size and begin adding relief elements drawn from their natural form source. Teacher circulates, checking that every join uses score-and-slip and that the relief has at least two distinct levels.
Pupils add surface texture using tools: combs, pencils, fork impressions and natural objects pressed gently into the clay. They add their initials to the back using a impressed letter tool. Tiles are placed on boards to begin the drying process.
Pupils hold up tiles and describe one textural detail they are pleased with. Ask: how has the relief made the tile more interesting than a flat drawing? Once fired (or air-dried), tiles can be displayed with the original observational drawing alongside as a process record.
Common Misconceptions
- Pupils sometimes forget to score and slip, leading to pieces detaching as the clay dries and shrinks — establish a classroom rule: no joining without scoring
- Some pupils make relief elements too thick and heavy, causing them to slide down the tile before drying — demonstrate that relief elements should be no more than 5mm thick and well supported
Prior Knowledge
Pupils should already be able to:
- Clay pinching and coiling from the Year 1 Sculpture unit
- Observational drawing skills from the Year 3 Drawing with Observation unit
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