This is my first year teaching at this school, and one of the traditions is for the second graders to make canopic jars in art class as part of their history curriculum. Normally, they are just solid sculptures that look like the jars--Something about this just bothered me.
I like things to be functional. So I had them make little hollowed out places in the clay by having them scoop some clay out with a spoon. Inside of the hollow they will be able to put the corresponding "organ" that they make for each egyptian god whose head is on top of the jar.
Following are the pictures of my examples. This is my interpretation of second grade level canopic jars.
This project is fairly simple if you split the class up so 4 or 5 students are each doing one type of head.
Duamutef--(Jackal) stores the stomach
Hapi--(Baboon) stores the lungs
Imsety--(person) stores the liver
Qebehsenuef--(hawk) stores the large intestine
Backs of heads. The jackal and the person have the extra line around the top (left).
The baboon and the hawk do not (right).
Details on How To
Three 50 minute class periods with one adult volunteer to help. (15 students)
Day 1: Bases and Organs
Day 2: Heads
Day 3: Glazing (In this case the home room teachers will be helping them glaze.)
Supplies Needed
Clay
Foam Cups
Plastic Spoons
Pencil / Pencil like tool
Water / Water containers
Foam/plastic Plates / non porous disposable work surface (Not paper)
Knife
Tip: Pre-roll balls of how much clay students will need for the bases and for the "heads" and put them in separate labeled gallon ziplock bags.
Bases-
Difficulty Scale of ***** Medium
(50%--55% of class requires some one-on-one instruction.)
For the base, cut foam cups down to the height that you want and have students stuff them with clay, pressing firmly to minimize air bubbles. They should completely fill the cups then level them off with their fingers (or a tool).
Draw a circle with a pencil in the surface of the clay as a guide for them to know how much to scoop out. Have them take a plastic spoon (can be dipped in water), and scoop out this area then go back with a wet spoon and smooth out the hollow area. Have them set aside the scooped out clay. *
Have an adult cut off the foam cup carefully. (I cut the cup in 1/4's down the side so it looks like a banana about to be peeled.) Carefully remove the cup.
Organs-
Difficulty Scale of ***** Low
(10%--25% of class requires some one-on-one instruction.)
While adult(s) are removing cups: Have students make their "organ." They should take 1/4 to 1/3 of the *clay that they scooped out (a ball about 1" in diameter) and roll it into a ball then pat it once or twice in their hands making a fat hamburger shape. Continue with the steps below for individual organs.
Stomach (Jackal): Pinch one end of the hamburger shape and bend it slightly in one direction.
Lungs (Baboon): Wet tool and cut hamburger shape in half. Pinch one end of each half slightly.
Liver (Person): Pinch both ends of the hamburger shape then draw a "Y" in the middle.
Large Intestine (Hawk): Pinch firmly past the middle of the hamburger shape (see photo with hawk). This will offset the clay, leaving a thin bit of clay between your fingers. Remove any clay left between your fingers. Tip: This is better than forming a cylinder and bending it because students will struggle with making the cylinder thick enough and when they bend it it's likely to crack.
Have students set their organ aside.
Place the base upside down and instruct students not to pick it up. Have them wet their finger and smooth out the bottom and sides of the base without picking it up.
Heads-
Difficulty Scale of ***** Medium
(50%--55% of class requires some one-on-one instruction.)
Prep Work: Draw a circle on your surface, using an upside down cup (same size used for base). Pre-roll large potato sized clay "ovals." Each potato will be two jar "heads." 30 min-1hour before class, cut each potato in half. Then, using a pinch pot method, make it fit into the circle that you drew. (This will make the jar "head" the same size as the base.) Depending on the type of clay, you may need to cover the prepared pieces with saran wrap until students arrive.
Teaching Tip: While you are showing one group of students how to sculpt their jar head, have the other students stand up and watch. This keeps them from having to "twiddle their thumbs," and gives them the opportunity to learn how to do the other jar heads.
Jackal: With a pencil, lightly draw a rectangle where the nose will go. Have the student push down firmly with their thumb on each side of the rectangle so that it is sticking out. Then have them push down the rest of the face area so that it's even and just the nose is sticking out.
To form the ears have them make a big pinch with their index finger starting on the middle of the top of the jackal's head and their thumb down on the side of his head. Do the same thing on both sides, leaving his ears "hamburger thick." (Stress that they have to be thick.)
Draw the jackal's eyes, nose and mouth as shown in photo, poking in the eyes with a pencil.
Draw a line like a girl's headband from one side of his face, up behind his ears and down the other side of his face for his "head dress." Add lines on the back of his head that you see in the "Backs of heads" photo. The jackal follows the example on the left.
Baboon: With a pencil, have students draw eyebrows onto his face and poke the pencil in pretty deeply under each one for his eyes. Then they can draw a curvy "M" shape for his nose and poke the pencil in for his nostrils. Next they should draw a broad straight line across his face for his mouth (leaving room above and below it) then draw an oval or rounded rectangle around it for his lips. Have students make an impression on both of his cheeks with their thumbs.
Draw a line like a girl's headband from one side of his face, up above his face and down the other side of his face for his "head dress." Add lines on the back of his head that you see in the "Backs of heads" photo. The baboon follows the example on the right.
Person: Draw a triangle lightly with pencil where his nose will be. Have the student push down firmly with their thumb on each side of the triangle so that it is sticking out. Then have them smooth down any ridges. Have them draw on eyebrows then generous football shapes for the eyes. Scoop out clay to form the long pupils with the pencil. Guide them in drawing the large lips.
Draw a line like a girl's headband from one side of his face, up above his face and down the other side of his face for his "head dress." Add lines on the back of his head that you see in the "Backs of heads" photo. The person follows the example on the left.
Hawk: With a pencil, lightly draw a circle where the nose will go. Have the student push down firmly with their thumb all around the circle so that it is sticking out. Then have them push down the rest of the face area so that it's even and just the beak is sticking out. Have them barely pinch the beak so that it's a little pointed. (Remind them it has to stay thick.) Draw two circles for the eyes then push the pencil fairly deeply into the middle of each. On the beak they can carefully and very lightly make an upside down V shape (see photo) and nostrils on top. Draw in a headband shape from one side of his face, up above his face and down the other side of his face for his "head dress." Add lines on the back of his head that you see in the "Backs of heads" photo. The hawk follows the example on the right.
Optional: If the student wants to, they can add the two lines that make the triangle area above the eyes (see photo).
Finishing: Have an adult mark/initial each piece that students created so that it can be identified easily. Put all of the pieces in a safe place to dry. Have fun cleaning up with the kids! Clay projects are soooo messy. :P
