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Animal Pinch Pot Whistles

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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 2 page.]

Pinch pot whistles can be challenging to make. Students should be fairly advanced in working with the clay and creating pinch pots before advancing to this project. The clay is unforgiving when creating a whistle which actually makes a sound.

Primary Learning Outcome:

What are other, imaginative products that can be made from clay? How does moving air create sounds by its movement? How can I merge the technical necessities of a whistle shape with the shape of an animal so that the whistle still works? How imaginative can I be?

Materials and Equipment:

television, scan converter, computer, Internet connection, clay, clay tools, kiln, acrylic primer, acrylic paint, clear acrylic varnish, brushes, palettes, paper, pencils

Handouts and Worksheets Needed:

• Illustrated Whistle Handout
• Ceramic Whistle PowerPoint

Objectives:

• The student will:
  • Form a pinch pot into a workable whistle,
  • Turn a whistle into an animal,
  • Create an imaginative creature from clay.

Procedures:

1. Using the handout provided, the Internet resources, other illustration, or simply demonstration, take students step by step through the process of making a whistle. Some will get it right the first time. Others will have to be taken through the process a second time.

TIP: I find that students whose whistles don’t work the first time through are more willing to listen and follow directions the second time if you make them wait for you. I first have all of those students whose whistles did not work ball them up and throw them back into the clay bucket. They must take more clay (newly kneaded or have them knead it) and follow your step-by-step directions again. Those students whose whistles worked the first time may make another.

2. Have students put their initials into the whistles, loosely wrap them in plastic, and carefully put them aside. It is important that the whistles dry just a little overnight (loosely wrapped in plastic) so that they are not destroyed in the process of transformation into creatures.
   
   TIP: I keep a plastic, rectangular basket that is numbered on each table for this, then put the baskets in a cabinet for safekeeping. This makes it easy to give out ceramic pieces by putting the basket on the table. Fewer students handle the clay and there is usually no loss or breakage.
    
3. Using the Internet or other resources, show students the variety of animals that have been created that are whistles.

Links to Animal Whistle Pictures

4. Using your demonstration whistle(s), demonstrate the areas where limbs cannot be attached, as they would interrupt the flow of air in the whistle. [I usually also draw a diagram on the board so they can refer to it while they work. This also provides an opportunity to demonstrate how air blowing across the wedged edge of the whistle splits into two streams and creates the sound.]
    
5. Depending on your class, you may have them do sketches of their animals before beginning to add clay to the whistle. This is an opportunity to go over additive and subtractive methods of sculpture if you want to elaborate on the lesson..
    
6. Once the whistles are made, they should be allowed to dry fairly slowly. If dried too quickly, added pieces may pop off. Drape a piece of plastic over each box and check them each day. Of course, students will have to go on to other projects during this period.
    
7. Once all of the whistles are dry (they should air dry for a few days with no plastic covering them), fire them. After firing, have students paint their whistles with primer (be sure they keep their initials visible or write them on).
    
8. When the primer is dry, students can get palettes, paint and brushes and paint their animal. A coat of clear acrylic varnish seals them and adds a glossy shine.
    
9. As students complete their animal whistles, use the rubric to grade them. If you have a digital camera, set up a photo station and put a couple of students in charge of taking digital pictures of the animals from different angles. Students always enjoy this and it gives them real practice in composition.