K-3 Grade Monet Lily Flowers
![]() The following project was completed by an art teacher at the Toledo Museum of Art. I was in the class as an observer and helped the students with their projects.
Clay art project. Project was not completed due to Kiln not available to fire clay projects because of back log. AED 5900, Toledo Museum of Art Boys and Girls Club, 1-2nd graders Teacher: Amanda Flemming Observer: Patricia Whittington Clay Project: Monet Lily Flower and Lily Pads Students were escorted to the museum to the Impressionist gallery to sit in front of Claude Monet’s Water Lily painting. The teacher gathered the children into a small group and had them sit on the floor in front of the painting. The teacher read them a story about a frog who lived in Monet’s Garden. “Where is the Frog?” a book inspired by Claude Monet. Authors Geraldine Elschner and Stephane Girel. The story was very engaging for the students and the book showed more pictures of the marsh with lily pad flowers. The teacher talked of biology with the frog living in the pond and reminded the children that some cultures eat frog legs. Pre-Assessment: When the story was completed, the teacher asked the student’s questions on who eats frog legs? Where do frogs live and Why do frog’s like marshes? Where do Lily pads grow? Content Area Subjects: Environment, Biology, Culture Clay Vocabulary: Slab, Slip, Score, Smooth Art Elements: Shapes Form, Lines, Color, Texture Principles of Design: Repetition, Balance Visual Literacy: To be able to interpret information from the story being read aloud and visualize the frog in Monet’s pond. Classroom Management: When the students returned to the classroom, the teacher had then sit on the carpet in the center of the room and she gave the following demonstration on how the students were going to work with clay and how they are going to make their own Lily Flower and Lily Pad. Procedures:
Students will ball up clay in hands to remove air pockets in the clay. Flatten clay ball like a pancake. Use Rolling pin to flatten clay to ¼ inch thick.
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Use needle carving tool to create outline of the lily pad shape. Student will also create leaf vines in the lily pad for more decoration.
Student will carve out shape of the lily pad and discard extra clay to the side.
Student will carve out shape of the lily pad and discard extra clay to the side.
With the extra clay from the lily pad, students will roll up the clay into a ball and make sure there are no air bubbles in the clay.
Next students will stick their thumb in the center of the clay ball to make an hole in the center ¾ in the ball. Then smooth out the sides and edges to form a small cup.
The next process is called Slip-Score-Smooth.
Students will turn over the small cup and score marks on the bottom and also score marks on an area on the lily pad where the small cup will be placed.
Students will turn over the small cup and score marks on the bottom and also score marks on an area on the lily pad where the small cup will be placed.
Next, students will add small amounts of water to both areas scored and then place the cup onto the lily pad and push down gently.
Next the students will make the lily flower by using the needle nose tool to cut into the sides of the small cup ¾ of the way down to make 5 sections all the way around.
The students will gently bend down the sides of the cut areas to form the shapes of the petals. Once the petals are smoothed out, the students will score the center of the lily flower. Students will take a small smooth ball of clay and score one side and add small amounts of water to both scored areas on the small ball and center of lily flower, then gently place them together.
Students will smooth out any rough edges and clean off extra clay scraps not wanted on their clay lily and lily pad before firing.
Once the clay project is fired, students can paint their lily flower and pads with tempera paints.