a. Proficiency Ceramics - Douglas County School District

Ceramics Vocabulary

Students may learn these vocabulary terms:
Processes and Techniques:

APPLIQUÉ
DECORATIVE TECHNQUE THAT INVOLVES ADDING MOLDED

CLAY TO A CLAY SURFACE.

Advanced

KNOW: CAN UNDERSTAND HOW TO USE APPLIQUÉ.

DO: CAN USE APPLIQUÉ IN A VARIETY OF WAYS

Proficient

KNOW: CAN EXPLAIN HOW TO USE APPLIQUÉ.

DO: CAN APPLY APPLIQUÉ.

Partially Proficient

KNOW: KNOWS WHAT APPLIQUÉ IS.

DO: CAN POINT OUT APPLIQUÉ.

BURNISHING
RUBBING LEATHER HARD CERMAIC PIECES WITH A TOOL,

SUCH AS A STONE TO PRODUCE A GLOSSY SURFACE.

Advanced

KNOW: CAN UNDERSTAND HOW TO ADD A BURNISHED
SURFACE TO A CLAY PIECE.

DO: CAN USE DIFFERENT TOOLS TO BURNISH A CLAY
SURFACE.

Proficient

KNOW: CAN EXPLAIN HOW TO USE A BURNISHING TOOL
CORRECTLY.

DO: CAN APPLY A BURNISHING TOOL TO A CLAY SURFACE.

Partially Proficient
KNOW: CAN RECOGNIZE A BURNISHED SURFACE.

DO: CAN POINT OUT A BURNISHED SURFACE.

CLAY FIRING TERMS – KILN, GREEN WARE, BISQUE
WARE, GLAZE WARE, EARTHENWARE, RAKU

CERAMIC STAGES OF PROCESSESING CLAY IN A KILN (KILN
– FURNACE FOR FIRING CLAY, GREEN WARE – HASN’T BEEN

FIRED, BISQUE WARE – HAS BEEN FIRED, GLAZE WARE –
HAS BEEN FIRED WITH GLAZE, EARTHENWARE – LOW

FIRING TEMPERATURE, RAKU –LOW FIRED CERAMICS WITH
SUBTLE COLOR CHANGES.)

Advanced

KNOW: HOW TO PREPARE CLAY FOR DIFFERENT STAGES
OF FIRING, AND KNOWS VOCABULARY ASSOCIATED
WITH CLAY FIRING.

DO: CAN SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATE ALL CLAY
TECHNIQUES AND PROCESSES FOR DIFFERENT STAGES

OF FIRING.

Proficient

KNOW: CAN GENERALLY DEFINE FIRING VOCABULARY.

DO: CAN APPLY CLAY PROCESSES FOR FIRING.

Partially Proficient

KNOW: CAN RECOGNIZE DIFFERENT FIRING STAGES A
PIECE OF CLAY HAS BEEN THROUGH.

DO: CAN POINT OUT DIFFERENCES IN CLAY FIRING
STAGES.

COIL
A ROPE-LIKE FORM OF CLAY.

Advanced

KNOW: CAN UNDERSTAND HOW TO MAKE AND ADD COIL
PROCESSES TO A CLAY PROJECT.

DO: CAN APPLY DIFFERENT FORMS OF COIL MAKING TO
A CLAY PROJECT.

Proficient

KNOW: CAN EXPLAIN HOW TO USE COIL PROCESSES WITH
CLAY.

DO: CAN APPLY A COIL PROCESSES TO A CLAY PROJECT.

Partially Proficient

KNOW: CAN RECOGNIZE DIFFERENT COIL PROCESSES.

DO: CAN POINT OUT DIFFERENT COIL PROCESSES.

DRY FOOT
THE FOOT OF A CERAMIC PIECE THAT HAS BEEN CLEANED

OFF OF GLAZE.

Advanced

KNOW: CAN UNDERSTAND HOW TO MAKE AND ADD A
DRY FOOT TO A CLAY PROJECT.

DO: CAN APPLY A DRY FOOT TO A CLAY PROJECT.

Proficient

KNOW: CAN EXPLAIN HOW TO ADD A DRY FOOT TO A CLAY
PROJECT.

DO: CAN APPLY A DRY FOOT TO A CLAY PROJECT.

Partially Proficient

KNOW: CAN RECOGNIZE A DRY FOOT.

DO: CAN POINT OUT A DRY FOOT.

GLAZE
GLASS-FORMING CHEMICALS WITH COLORANTS ADDED.

Advanced

KNOW: UNDERSTANDS GLAZING TECHNIQUES AND
SAFETY PROCEDURES FOR USING GLAZE.

DO: CAN SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATE GLAZING
TECHNIQUES AND SAFETY PROCEDURES.

Proficient

KNOW: CAN EXPLAIN GLAZING TECHNIQUES AND
SAFETY PROCEDURES FOR USING GLAZE.

DO: CAN APPLY GLAZING TECHNIQUES AND
SAFETY PROCEDURES.

Partially Proficient

KNOW: CAN GENERALLY DEFINE GLAZING TECHNIQUES
AND SAFETY PROCEDURES.

DO: CAN APPLY SAFETY PROCEDURES.

HANDBUILDING
THIS TERM REFERS TO BUILDING POTS USING ONLY THE

HANDS AND SIMPLE TOOLS.

Advanced

KNOW: CAN UNDERSTAND HOW TO USE HANDBUILDING
PROCESSES IN A CLAY PROJECT.

DO: CAN APPLY DIFFERENT HANDBUILDING TECHNIQUES
TO A CLAY PROJECT.

Proficient

KNOW: CAN EXPLAIN HOW TO USE
HANDBUILDING PROCESSES WITH CLAY.

DO: CAN APPLY A SOME HANDBUIDLING
PROCESSES TO A CLAY PROJECT.

Partially Proficient

KNOW: CAN RECOGNIZE DIFFERENT HANDBUIDLING
PROCESSES.

DO: CAN POINT OUT DIFFERENT HANDBUILDING
PROCESSES.

PINCH POT
A PINCH POT IS MADE BY USING TRADITIONAL POTTERY

METHODS. THIS CAN INCLUDE PRESSING THE THUMB
INTO A BALL OF CLAY, AND DRAWING THE CLAY OUT
BETWEEN THE THUMB AND FINGER TO CREATE A POT
(NATIVE AMERICAN TECHNIQUE), OR BY PUNCHING THE
CLAY INTO A CIRCLE AND DRAWING THE CLAY UP WITH

THE FINGERS (AFRICAN TECHNIQUE).

Advanced

KNOW: CAN UNDERSTAND HOW TO USE PINCH POT
TECHNIQUES IN A CLAY PROJECT.

DO: CAN APPLY DIFFERENT PINCH POT
TECHNIQUES TO A CLAY PROJECT.

Proficient

KNOW: CAN EXPLAIN HOW TO USE PINCH POT
TECHNIQUES WITH CLAY.

DO: CAN APPLY A PINCH POT TECHNIQUE TO A CLAY
PROJECT.

Partially Proficient

KNOW: CAN RECOGNIZE DIFFERENT PINCH POT
TECHNIQUES.

DO: CAN POINT OUT DIFFERENT PINCH POT TECHNIQUES.

SCORE AND SLIP
PROCESS OF ADDING THREE DIMENSIONAL FORM TO CLAY.
(SCORE- METHOD OF SCRATCHING CLAY SURFACE, SLIP – A

MIXTURE OF CLAY AND WATER USED TO “GLUE” THREE
DIMENSIONAL FORMS ONTO CLAY.)

Advanced

KNOW: CAN UNDERSTAND HOW TO MAKE AND ADD
MULTIPLE THREE-DIMENSIONAL FORMS TO CLAY USING

SCORING AND SLIPING.

DO: CAN APPLY MULTIPLE THREE-DIMENSIONAL FORMS
TO

CLAY USING SCORING AND SLIPING.

Proficient

KNOW: CAN EXPLAIN HOW TO MAKE AND ADD
THREE_DIMENSIONAL FORMS TO

CLAY USING SCORING AND SLIPING.

DO: CAN APPLY HOW TO ADD THREE-DIMENSIONAL FORMS
TO CLAY.

Partially Proficient

KNOW: CAN RECOGNIZE PROCESSES OF SCORING AND
SLIPING.

DO: CAN POINT OUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
SOMETHING THAT IS SCORED AND SLIPPED AND

SOMETHING THAT IS NOT.

WEDGING
METHOD OF KNEADING CLAY TO GET RID OF AIR POCKETS.

Advanced

KNOW: CAN UNDERSTAND ALL STEPS AND REASONS FOR
CLAY WEDGING.

DO: CAN APPLY ALL STEPS AND REASONS FOR CLAY
WEDGING.

Proficient

KNOW: CAN EXPLAIN HOW TO WEDGE CLAY.

DO: CAN APPLY HOW TO WEDGE CLAY.

Partially proficient

KNOW: CAN RECOGNIZE PROCESSES AND IMPORTANCE OF
CLAY WEDGING.

DO: CAN APPLY CLAY WEDGING STEPS WITH ASSISTANCE
FROM INSTRUCTOR.

Tools and Materials:
BAT

A CIRCULAR DEVICE ON WHICH CLAY IS HANDLED AND
ATTACHED TO HELP BUILD FORM.

Advanced

KNOW: UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF HOW TO
USE A BAT INCLUDING CLEANING AND CARE.

DO: CAN DEMONSTRATE PROPER USE, CARE AND PURPOSE
OF A BAT.

Proficient

KNOW: CAN EXPLAIN HOW TO USE A BAT.

DO: CAN DEMONSTRATE USE AND CARE OF A BAT.

Partially Proficient

KNOW: CAN DEFINE IMPORTANCE OF USING A BAT.

DO: CAN CARE FOR A BAT.

CLAY
A WET SOFT SCULPTURAL MATERIAL THAT IS MADE OF

MUD AND OTHER ADDITIVES. IT IS PERMANENTLY
HARDENED IN A KILN.

Advanced

KNOW: UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF HOW TO
USE AND PROPERLY TAKE CARE OF CLAY.

DO: CAN DEMONSTRATE PROPER USE AND CARE OF CLAY.

Proficient

KNOW: CAN EXPLAIN HOW TO USE AND TAKE OF CLAY.

DO: CAN DEMONSTRATE USE AND CARE OF CLAY.

Partially Proficient

KNOW: CAN DEFINE IMPORTANCE TAKING CARE OF CLAY
PROPERLY.

DO: CAN CARE FOR CLAY.

CLAY TOOLS
TOOLS USED FOR WORKING WITH CLAY TO FORM AND

DECORATE IT. (CUTTING KNIVES, SCORING NEEDLE,
CUTTING WIRE, BURNISHING TOOL, CARVING TOOLS.)

Advanced

KNOW: UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF HOW TO
USING CLAY TOOLS INCLUDING CLEANING AND CARE.

DO: CAN DEMONSTRATE PROPER USE, CARE AND PURPOSE
OF USING CLAY TOOLS.

Proficient

KNOW: CAN EXPLAIN HOW TO USE CLAY TOOLS.

DO: CAN DEMONSTRATE USE AND CARE OF CLAY TOOLS.

Partially Proficient

KNOW: CAN DEFINE IMPORTANCE OF USING CLAY TOOLS.

DO: CAN CARE FOR CLAY TOOLS.

Compositional Elements:
VESSEL

A CONTAINER THAT HOLDS A LIQUID, INCLUDING A VASE
WHICH HAS A NECK AND MOUTH.

Advanced

KNOW: CAN UNDERSTAND VOCABULARY AND
TECHNIQUES OF MAKING A CLAY VESSEL.

DO: CAN APPLY DIFFERENT PROCESSES AND TECHNIQUES
OF MAKING A CLAY VESSEL.

Proficient

KNOW: CAN EXPLAIN VOCABULARY AND TECHNIQUES OF
MAKING A CLAY VESSEL.

DO: CAN APPLY SOME PROCESSES TO MAKE A CLAY VESSEL.

Partially Proficient

KNOW: CAN RECOGNIZE DIFFERENT PROCESSES TO MAKE A
CLAY VESSEL.

DO: CAN POINT OUT DIFFERENT PROCESSES OF MAKING A
CLAY VESSEL AND CAN TELL ABOUT DIFFERENT
PARTS OF A VESSEL.