Fourth Grade Face Pots

In fourth Grade every year we discuss North Carolina pottery. Students are most entertained with face pottery and get super excited when they get to make their own. Prior to activity we looked at a power point presentation of NC face Jugs and other various examples of NC pottery. We discuss why and where face jugs were made hundreds of years ago, how they originated in the North Carolina, and what purposes are they for made today.

This year I decided to give my students the choice to leave the pot up or lay it over so the lid could serve as the mouth. Some choose to make human funny faces and others made animals.

• My classes first started with a ball of low fire white clay and created a pinch pot.


• using needle tools and wet clay they scored and slipped their facial parts on.


• pots were left to dry several days and then bisque fired at a cone 04.


• Next class period we glazed with Speed Ball glazes and glazed fired at a cone 05.


• Some classes glazed with color glazes and others used clear glaze only. Both results were fabulous.

Bone dry and ready to fired in the kiln

They all anxiously wait..to be heated.

This cat pot has been glazed with clear glaze

All pots are glazed and waiting for the final firing.

This pot was fired with clear glaze

I Just had to take a profile picture of this pot. This student used a tool, almost like something used with play dough, to extrude clay strands for the hair. Again this was done in clear glaze

These pots below were made sitting up so they could be used more functionally. These girls also decided on animals for their inspiration. I love them both.