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Year 7

The humble pot

I can investigate pottery and experiment with different shapes and texture to create a pinch pot.

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New
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Year 7

The humble pot

I can investigate pottery and experiment with different shapes and texture to create a pinch pot.

Download all resources
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Share activities with pupils
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Pottery has been around for thousands of years and is a job within the creative industries.
  2. Pottery can take various forms and has multiple uses and functions from practical uses to artistic storytelling.
  3. Contemporary artists use the pot in different ways to convey ideas and meaning.

Keywords

  • Pottery - objects made from clay that are shaped and then baked until hard.

  • Form - The shape or 3D structure of an object that has height, width, and depth.

  • Function - The practical use or purpose of an object.

Common misconception

Pottery is only used for making practical items like bowls and pots, and it doesn’t have any artistic or cultural significance.

While pottery is often associated with functional items like bowls and vases, it has been used throughout history and in contemporary times as a medium for artistic expression and storytelling.

Prepare the clay in advance by dividing it evenly into ball shaped pieces. You may need to spray lightly with water to maintain moisture or cover with a damp towel.
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Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

Clay, hessian or canvas (to prevent clay from sticking to tables), clay tools (including objects for making texture), water, sponge (optional), battons (for levelling clay if desired) rolling pin.

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on
Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What job description best fits the role of a potter?
Designing and sewing clothes for a fashion collection.
Correct answer: Shaping and firing clay to create objects like pots, bowls, and sculptures.
Building and carving furniture out of wood.
Painting landscapes on canvas for art exhibitions.
Q2.
Pottery is the art or craft of making objects from ...
Correct Answer: Clay
Q3.
What role do hands play in the process of creating pottery?
They are used solely for cleaning up the workspace
Correct answer: They are a potter's main tool and the best means of shaping clay
They are a reminder of the passage of time
They are used as a symbol in pottery
Q4.
What does the word organic mean when describing a shape?
A shape that is perfectly symmetrical and man-made
Correct answer: A shape that is found in nature, with curves and irregularity
A shape made from metal or plastic
A shape that is geometrically perfect and straight
Q5.
Match the 2D shapes with their corresponding 3D forms:
Correct Answer:circle,sphere
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sphere

Correct Answer:square,cube
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cube

Correct Answer:triangle ,pyramid
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pyramid

Correct Answer:rectangle ,Rectangular Prism
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Rectangular Prism

Q6.
Which of the following is the correct definition of a pattern?
Correct answer: A repeated design or arrangement of shapes, colours, or elements.
A shape that only appears once in a design.
A surface quality or feel of a design.
A technique to achieve depth and shading.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Put the steps of the pottery making process in the correct order:
1 - Preparing the clay
2 - Forming the clay
3 - Drying out the clay
4 - Firing in a kiln
5 - Glazing (optional)
6 - Glaze firing (optional)
Q2.
What is "form" when discussing pottery?
The texture of the clay
Correct answer: The 3D structure of the pottery
The colours used in the design
The weight of the clay
Q3.
How do contemporary artists use the pot in their work?
To make pots for purely decorative purposes.
To make exact replicas of traditional pottery.
Correct answer: To use the pot in different ways to convey ideas and meaning.
To focus only on functional uses like holding water or food.
Q4.
How can textures be added to pottery?
Correct answer: By using clay tools or objects to carve or stamp patterns into the surface
By painting the pottery after it has dried
By using only smooth surfaces
By adding water to make the clay shiny
Q5.
Match the pottery-related term to its description:
Correct Answer:Form,The overall shape or 3D structure of an object.
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The overall shape or 3D structure of an object.

Correct Answer:Texture,The surface quality of a material.
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The surface quality of a material.

Correct Answer:Pottery,A type of craft made by shaping and firing clay.
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A type of craft made by shaping and firing clay.

Correct Answer:Clay,A material that can be shaped and fired to create pottery.
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A material that can be shaped and fired to create pottery.

Correct Answer:Pattern,A repeated arrangement of shapes, lines, colours, or textures.
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A repeated arrangement of shapes, lines, colours, or textures.

Q6.
Pottery can be decorated by adding texture and to the surface of the clay.
Correct Answer: pattern, design, decoration, markings

Additional material

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