Grade 4 Coil Pots

4th grade just finished a clay unit. They learned that people have been making coil pots for over 10,000 years. They were the world’s first refrigerators and storage containers. They are built by rolling long coils (or snakes) then attaching them by scoring (scratching) the clay and adding slip (clay mixed with water), then smudging pieces together. A famous artist that created coil pots was Maria Martinez, who was from the San Ildefonso Pueblo in the Mesa Verde region of the American Southwest. 

Maria Martinez making a Coil Pot

Pot by Maria Martinez

4th Graders created their pots using grey clay. They spent several classes rolling coils, as well as adding other designs (like spirals and dots) with the clay. They learned to attach parts, they have to scratch (score) and attach (with slip - wet clay). 

Once the pots were built, students then let the pots dry and become bone hard (greenware).  The pots were fired in the kiln, painted them with glaze and they were fired again. 

The results are beautiful! Enjoy these coil pots made by 4th grade!!

Angie, 4 Cropper

Giovanni and Daniel, 4 Henry

Ethan, 4 Henry

Leyla, 4 Henry

Sarah, 4 Henry

Gabrielle, 4 Cropper

Julia, 4 Cropper

Remi, 4 Cropper

Max, 4 Cropper