I collaborated with my mentor teacher at my high school student teaching placement to create a choice-based unit around slab building for Ceramics I and II courses. We came up with core slab building skills we wanted to teach students. Those skills included: rolling out slabs with a rolling pin, rolling out slabs using the slab roller, hard slab vs. soft slab construction, combining forms, darting, adding texture, beveling/joining sides, etc. Once students had success with a skill, they moved onto the next one, all the while developing their tool box of slab building skills.

​

After all the skills were introduced, students were tasked with using their slab building knowledge to create a functional object for a specific purpose. The importance of the creative process was emphasized and students sketched at least 3-5 different ideas. Among the end results were a jewelry box to hold special items, a vase for mother's day, a candle holder, and a bathroom organizer for a messy friend. 

​