Interested in learning about current perceptions of success held by high school students, we carried out a qualitative research study in order to examine what adolescents identify as success in different contexts. Through discourse analysis, we found that the students' artworks served as a means to communicate their current challenges, values, and…

Sustainability defined as ecological restoration and stewardship (Blandy, Congdon & Krug, 1998; Garoian, 1998), environmental justice (Hicks & King, 2007), and politicizing arts and arts education practices (jagodzinski, 2007) is expanded in this article by articulating the consumption and production dialectic and the resulting forms of waste as…

In science class, fourth graders investigate the structure of plants and leaves from trees and how the process of photosynthesis turns sunlight into sugar proteins. In this article, the author fuses art and science for a creative and successful clay slab project in her elementary art classroom. (Contains 1 online resource.)

A strictly enforced dress code in an all-girls high school tends to create in students the desire to express their individuality. During the transition from childhood into adulthood, when adolescents struggle to establish an identity, they often define themselves through their appearance. When they are required to wear a uniform,…

Almost everything people have ever done has involved materials. Historical evidence indicates that "engineered materials" have been available and utilized for the benefit of humankind since the Neolithic period, beginning about 10,000 BC. Some of these materials have been in existence for thousands of years. At first, materials consisted of wood,…

Formal ceramics art education is becoming a fundamental requirement for professional practice in ceramics in Nigeria. Considering the ample resources available for ceramic practices in the country with a teeming population of over 140 million people, there is a promising future for the art, in spite of the effects of globalization and…

The author was surfing the Internet and stumbled upon some amazing and surprisingly beautiful microscopic structures of living organisms. The colors and shapes of these individual forms of life were beautiful, textured, and intricate. In this article, the author describes how her eighth-grade students made tiles inspired by these microscopic…

Russia is a very large country, spanning across the two continents of Asia and Europe. It has a rich folk-art tradition. In old Russia, among peasants, "Matryona" or "Matriosha" was a very popular female name. The Latin root "mater" means "mother." This name was associated with the image of a large,…

For several years, the author has taught a six-week ceramics course to students in grades six through eight. This is an elective class, so only interested and passionate students sign up. In past years, she has given three different assignments using slab, coil, and pinch construction techniques, which allowed for individual creative expression.…

The Egyptians were known in the ancient world as experts in many applied chemistry fields such as metallurgy, wine and beer making, glass making, paper manufacture, paint pigments, dyes, cosmetics, perfumes, and pharmaceuticals. They made significant developments in the extraction of metals from their ores, especially copper and gold. The…

Gargoyles, grotesques, and chimeras are scary, mythical (and sometimes humorous) creatures that have functional, decorative, and spiritual significance in medieval architecture. In this article, the author describes how her ceramics students created contemporary versions of gargoyles, chimeras, and grotesque faces. (Contains 1 online resource.)

Clay is one of the most satisfying mediums for children to work with. It's relatively inexpensive, and the texture and changes that take place with the clay during firing make it irresistible. Molding clay from rolled-out slabs of clay is an easy way to make simple, shallow vessels or display pots. In this article, the author describes how her…

The Jolly Green Giant. Robin Hood. The Bamberg Cathedral. Tales of King Arthur. Ecology. What do they have in common? What legends and ancient myths are shrouded in the tales of the Green Man? Most often perceived as an ancient Celtic symbol as the god of spring and summer, the Green Man disappears and returns year after year, century after…

Why do glaze tests? For a number of reasons. With so many glazes and underglazes being manufactured by different companies that label and number them differently, it can be confusing. Though some of the properties are similar, many are different. Glazes can be influenced by the cone or temperature they are fired to, the clay body they are placed…

"Proceedings of International Conference on Studies in Education and Social Sciences" includes full papers presented at the International Conference on Studies in Education and Social Sciences (ICSES) which took place on November 11-14, 2021 in Antalya, Turkey. The aim of the conference is to offer opportunities to share ideas, to…