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Proposed Use of Grant Funds <br /> Creating in Clay: Launching a Ceramics program for Orange Charter School <br /> When 1 began teaching elementary art at Orange Charter School two years ago, <br /> there had not been a formal art program for the students. I took this opportunity to <br /> create an art program as a learning experience for both me and my students. With <br /> limited supplies I began educating the Elementary students about the elements of art. <br /> With this basic art knowledge and introduction to all the different materials and <br /> processes we could craft with, I began integrating their classroom studies into our art <br /> projects. As the third graders learned about the rivers of the world we painted mud <br /> cloths and learned the Andrika symbols of West Africa. Second graders created <br /> Chinese dragon robes with pastels and watercolors. While the fourth graders explored <br /> North Carolina from the mountains to the sea, I introduced them to the pottery traditions <br /> found in our great state. I wondered how I could comprehensively teach the students <br /> about pottery without the hands on experience of building with clay, glazing, and firing <br /> their creations. I decided to go forward with my face jug lesson by using air dry clay. I <br /> had used this material earlier in the year for the students to make pinch pots and learn <br /> how to make a coil pot. The air dry clay does allow for the students the opportunity to <br /> experiment with form, space, and three-dimensional art forms. It does not however <br /> become a timeless keepsake for the child and parent because the clay becomes very <br /> brittle and tends to break very easily. After all of my students, grades K-5, had the <br /> experience working with clay and numerous other mediums I decided to give them a <br /> survey. I wanted to know out of all of our projects and the mediums they used, what <br />