The third graders at Jefferson Intermediate School learned in their Enrichment class about pottery, then and now. They learned that the Native Americans took pride in creating their pottery by hand using the methods of pinching and coiling. Archeologists have found many of these primitive pots over the years. In the past pottery was created for practical uses rather than the artwork of the piece.
The students learned the basic method for making coil and pinch pots. The clay we used came from Endicott Clay. The students learned about where and how it was gathered in much the same way the Native Americans gathered their clay from the earth. However, the Native Americans would try to make their clay stronger by mixing other materials into it like sand, plants, or shells. The students learned the clay needed to be kneaded to remove air bubbles. They had to roll the clay into ropes or coils and building them up on top of a round base to make the coil pots. The Native Americans would usually pinch their coils until they blended together so that the pots had smooth surfaces. The students like many artists left their coils to add to the decorative look of the pottery.
The Native Americans would then put their pottery in a fire pit and heat it to around 1,500 degrees. The students clay pots were glazed and sent up to the high school to be fired in a kiln after they air dried. The clay pots were done just in time for Christmas. Most of the students will use their clay pots for gifts.
