Creating an Autobiographical Amulet Necklace

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Alternate Plan: Good for use if time is short or for leaving with a substitute.

[A descriptive form of the lesson can be found on the Overview of Unit 1 page.]

Neither ancient man nor modern man made ceramic items only for practical purposes. In fact, it appears that some of the earliest uses for clay were aesthetic/spiritual/magical/mystical. By means of a little guidance through images of artifacts from different cultures, a little brainstorming, and some relevant questioning, students will create their own personalized amulet necklaces.

Primary Learning Outcome

Students will explore the spiritual/ mystical uses to which clay has been put to use since time immemorial. What powers did past peoples attribute to symbolic items such as fetishes, charms, amulets, and talismans? What attitudes and qualities in themselves do they believe go beyond the physical?

Secondary Learning Outcome

What purposes have people had for ceramic items? Do these purposes have any things in common? Do they cross cultural and geographical boundaries?

Materials and Equipment:

Technology Connection: 

An Internet connection is necessary in order to do this lesson as students must browse the net to look at various examples of charms, fetishes, and amulets.

Procedures:

Another reason you might consider using polymers at the beginning is that students can continue this type of clay work at home if they like. Stoneware or earthenware require more equipment than most students can afford to buy.

1. If possible, pass around clay pendants and beads and/or pictures of some as you lead a discussion.

Some questions to ask that might spur discussion are:

• In what ways do you think that the technology of ceramics might have changed over the years?
• What items do you own or have you seen that are made from clay?
• What are some of the reasons that people have used clay to make things throughout the centuries? Other than the practical? [You, the teacher, should look at Sample Past Purposes: Survival Chart to see where this is leading. You can also insert the ideas that students brainstormed in the past purposes section.]
• What qualities of clay do you like?

Have a student writing the ideas that students give on the board as a brainstorming session.

2. Next, talk with students about the nature of the product that they will make. They should understand that the necklace will be autobiographical and that they should keep this in mind as they work through the lesson. Clear up the meaning of the word autobiographical.

Get students to give examples of 1) issues that are personal to them, 2) items in the natural world which might have significance for them, 3) objects that they feel represent their culture or time period, etc. Have one student write these examples on the board. Really get them to understand that this is about them and that this includes all aspects of their lives.

3. In order to introduce students to the nature of the material, give the students a small lump of clay each and have them shape it into an animal with their fingers. Have a few tools available at each seat so that they can try to get details into the animal. Let students know that they do not have to keep this first piece, that it is a practice piece.

If this step is skipped, some students will try to do work that is too delicate and too detailed for the material. As students work, wander among them and assist with details and advise on delicate parts. Have each student scratch or press his/her name on the animal on the bottom or back so that it will not easily be seen when the piece is completed. When most have finished, have each student write his/her name on a piece of paper to wrap around his/her animal and collect the papers and animals in boxes or trays. One box for each table is a good idea.

4. Briefly, discuss the problems and difficulties that students found when making the animals. Offer suggestions such as:

• Don’t have thin, delicate pieces such as legs or tails sticking out from the pieces. [Advise students to take note of how others solved the issue of legs and tails during their Internet explorations.]
• Impress lines and features into the damp clay rather than scratching. Scratching leaves a rough edge that looks unattractive and unprofessional.
• Don’t try to work too small. Remember clay will shrink some.
• Be sure to think about how the beads or pendants will hang from the cord before making the holes for stringing.

These suggestions are good to have written on a sign and posted in the ceramics studio.

5. When all materials have been thoroughly cleaned up and put away, introduce students to the idea that there are reasons that people began using clay and that those reasons had something to do with survival. Have students brainstorm some of the physical/practical and spiritual/ mystical/ magical survival reasons that early people used clay. Take note of these and add to them as you go along. You might do this in chart form like the one that is used later in this lesson plan.
    
6. Hand out copies of the Amulets and Fetishes Worksheet and go over the terms that are listed on it. Show pictures or examples of the terms and get the students to give examples of each.
    
7. Students should have a computer and Internet access in this step. Ideally, this step is done in a computer lab. Each student should have his/her copy of the Amulets and Fetishes Scavenger Hunt Worksheet in hand and his/her sketchbook. Demonstrate, using a projected computer screen or a TV and scan converter hooked up to your computer, how students can explore the links on the Scavenger Hunt [the topic words above each question or set of questions and the image beside the questions are linked to the answer pages] and answer question number four with them. Then have students explore the Amulet Bookmarks on their own or in pairs at their own computers. Have them answer the questions on the worksheet and sketch any of the necklaces or amulets or beads that catch their attention.
    
8. Require that students make at least three sketches: One pendant or bead that is an example of Imitationalism, one that is abstracted from a natural form and one that is nonobjective.
    
9. Go over the ideas covered on the worksheet with students and take them up. Use images from the Internet or books as you do this step.
    
10. Hand out the rubrics for the necklaces. Go over them carefully, have students sign them to say they understand the requirements and take them up. Have a copy or copies posted so that students can refer to it as needed. It is also a good idea to have the earlier “suggestions” posted in the class somewhere.
     
11. Hand out the student worksheet for Past and Current Purposes for Ceramics and have them fill them out. Review the idea that their necklaces should reference themselves; they are to be autobiographical. Point out the examples that they gave the first day to:

• issues that are personal to them,
• items in the natural world which might have significance for them,
• objects that they feel represent their culture or time period, etc.

12. Have students begin sketching ideas for their amulets as they explore the links gallery. Require that students do at least six sketches and show them to you [mark rubric for each student] before starting to work with their clay. When each student has the required number of sketches and has demonstrated that he/she understands what to do, give him/her a lump of clay to work with. Require at least one pendant/charm be done, but allow students who finish early to work on more beads or pendants.
     
13. Allow all pendants to dry thoroughly, then fire [or bake if using polymers]. Pendants can be finished in a number of ways. One way is to have students use a dark slip like Blackbird slip on the item as a wash and wipe it off with a damp cloth. Fire the piece a second time, then have students use touches of gild or metallic paint in areas if they choose. Polymers won't need paint.
     
14. Use rubrics to evaluate finished pieces.

Have students go to the computer lab and complete the scavenger hunt. Students can create a single pendant to suspend from a cord.

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