This document provides instructions for a ceramics unit project where students will create a totem reflecting aspects of their family's culture, history, or genealogy. Students are asked to interview family members to gather ideas and imagery for their totem design. They will construct their totem using hand building ceramic techniques like pinch pots and slabs. The document outlines tasks such as defining key terms, researching inspiring ceramics, designing their totem, and providing a written reflection on the process and their use of artistic elements and principles.

1. CERAMIC -
UNIT FAMILIES
ARE UNIQUE
DESIGNA TOTEM USING IMAGERY TO REFLECT/COMMUNICATE IDEAS
ABOUT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
YOU AND YOUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY
OR
SOME ASPECT OF YOUR FAMILIES GENEALOGY, HISTORY, CULTURAL IDENTITY

2. TASK 1 – DEFINITIONS OF TERMINOLOGY
THIS IS A GROUP TASK: EACH STUDENT RESEARCHES ONE WORD.
DISCUSS FINDINGS IN GROUP AND CREATE AN A3 POSTER.
• FIND 2 DEFINITIONS FOR ‘CULTURE’ (IN REFERENCE TO PEOPLE NOT SCIENCE)
• FIND 2 DEFINITIONS FOR ‘TOTEM’
• FIND 2 DEFINITIONS FOR ‘CONTEMPORARY’
• FIND 2 DEFINITIONS FOR ‘GENEALOGY’
• PRESENT INFORMATION NEATLY ON POSTER
• PUT NAMES OF GROUP MEMBERS ON POSTER
• TAKE A PHOTO OF THIS POSTER AND PRESENT THIS IN YOUR VISUAL DIARY

3. WHAT IS A TOTEM?

4. • A TOTEM (OJIBWE DODAEM) IS A SPIRIT BEING, SACRED OBJECT, OR SYMBOL THAT SERVES AS AN
EMBLEM OF A GROUP OF PEOPLE, SUCH AS A FAMILY, CLAN, LINEAGE, OR TRIBE.
• WHILE THE TERM "TOTEM" IS OJIBWE, BELIEF IN TUTELARY SPIRITS AND DEITIES IS NOT LIMITED TO
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THE AMERICAS BUT COMMON TO A NUMBER OF CULTURES WORLDWIDE, SUCH AS
AFRICA, ARABIA, ASIA, AUSTRALIA, EUROPE, AND THE ARCTIC. HOWEVER, THE TRADITIONAL PEOPLE OF
THOSE CULTURES HAVE WORDS FOR THEIR GUARDIAN SPIRITS IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGES, AND DO NOT
CALL THESE SPIRITS OR SYMBOLS, "TOTEMS".
THERE ARE MANY OTHER TYPES OF TOTEM POLES.
• GENEALOGY (FAMILY HISTORY, LINEAGE) POLES ARE ERECTED IN FRONT OF A FAMILY'S HOME TO
REPRESENT THE OWNER'S CLAN OR SOCIAL STATUS.
• MEMORIAL POLES ARE CARVED IN HONOR OF A DECEASED CLAN MEMBER.
• MORTUARY POLES ARE ALSO RAISED IN HONOR OF THE DEAD AND INCLUDE A SMALL COMPARTMENT FOR
THE ASHES OF THE DECEASED.
• ANOTHER INTERESTING TYPE OF TOTEM POLE IS THE SHAME POLE. SHAME POLES ARE CARVED TO
EMBARRASS AND RIDICULE
SOMEONE WHO HAS DONE SOMETHING WRONG.
• COMMON FIGURES FOUND ON TOTEM POLES INCLUDE THE RAVEN (A SYMBOL OF THE CREATOR), THE
EAGLE (REPRESENTING PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP), THE KILLER WHALE (A SYMBOL OF STRENGTH), THE
THUNDERBIRD, THE BEAVER, THE BEAR, THE WOLF AND THE FROG.

5. TASK 2: CREATE A TITLE PAGE
Families are Unique – Ceramics Unit
Include the following information and images on your title page;
Families are Unique –CeramicsUnit
1 definition for ‘CULTURE’
1 definition for ‘ T O TE M’
1 definition for ‘CONTEMPORARY’
1 definition for ‘GENEALOGY’
4 Images of totems – of which at least 1 should be a historical
totem, 1 a contemporary totem and at least 2 made using clay (ceramics).
Make sure your name and groupappears on the bottom of your title page
in small text
Present on 1 A4 page making sure you have a well-balanced

6. Example
Title
Page

7. TASK 3: Interview family
TOTEM – CERAMIC – FAMILIES ARE
UNIQUE.• SHOW US YOUR STORY USING VISUAL COMMUNICATION.
• IN PREPARATION FOR THE CERAMICS UNIT YOU ARE ASKED TO INTERVIEW MEMBERS OF YOUR FAMILY WITH THE INTENTION OF
LEARNING, DISCOVERING, EXTENDING YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR FAMILY GENEALOGY. (LINEAGE, ANCESTORS,
DESCENDANTS).
• RESEARCH
• YOU WILL NEED TO:
• TAKE NOTES - FOLLOWING INTERVIEW/S OF THE THINGS YOU COULD USE AS VISUAL COMMUNICATION ON YOUR TOTEM
(THESE NOTES ARE TO BE PRESENTED IN YOUR VISUAL DIARY)
• MAKE MIN 2X VISUAL DIARY PAGES OF: RELEVANT SKETCHES, IMAGERY, PHOTOS (TO ASSIST YOU TO MAKE YOUR TOTEM
DESIGNS)
• DECIDE ON THE MAJOR ITEM/FORM TO MAKE AS THE MAIN PINCH POT FEATURE AND PRESENT IMAGES TO ASSIST YOU TO MAKE
THIS ASPECT.
• BIG IDEA
• THIS ARTWORK SHOULD – VISUALLY COMMUNICATE A CHOSEN ASPECT OF YOUR FAMILY CULTURAL HERITAGE, HISTORY AND
STORIES FROM THE PAST AND OR PRESENT.
• YOU ARE SPECIFICALLY TRYING TO IDENTIFY IMAGERY AND SYMBOLS WHICH YOU COULD USE TO VISUALLY COMMUNICATE
SOME ASPECT/S OF YOUR FAMILY HISTORY CULTURE. THESE IMAGES AND SYMBOLS MAY COME FROM CONTEMPORARY AND OR
AND HISTORICAL TIMES.

8. • THE INTERVIEW
• SUGGESTED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS- YOU MAY OF COURSE
MAKE UP YOUR OWN. REMEMBER THE AIM IS TO GATHER
IDEAS FOR IMAGERY YOU CAN USE ON YOUR ARTWORK.
(MIN 2 X PAGES IN YOUR VISUAL DIARY)
• WHERE WERE YOU BORN, WHAT COUNTRY?
• WHAT SYMBOLS OR IMAGES CAN YOU THINK OF
ASSOCIATED WITH THIS COUNTRY?
• WHAT COUNTRIES WERE YOUR PARENT BORN IN?
• WHAT SYMBOLS OR IMAGES CAN YOU THINK OF
ASSOCIATED WITH THIS COUNTRY?
• WHAT COUNTRIES WERE THEIR PARENTS BORN IN?
• WHAT SYMBOLS OR IMAGES CAN YOU THINK OF
ASSOCIATED WITH THIS COUNTRY?
• WHO IS THE MOST INTERESTING RELATIVE YOU REMEMBER?
EXPLAIN WHAT MADE THEM INTERESTING. ARE THERE ANY
IMAGES I COULD USE TO REPRESENT OR DEPICT THEM?
• WHAT WERE THEIR INTERESTS?
• WHAT JOBS DID THEY DO?
• WHAT DID THEY DO IN THEIR SPARE TIME? HOBBIES, SOCIAL
ACTIVITIESETC.
• HAS ANYONE IN YOUR FAMILY ACHIEVED ANYTHING
OUTSTANDING OR OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO YOUR FAMILY
OR THE COMMUNITY? ARE THERE ANY ITEMS OR IMAGES I
COULD GET PHOTOS OF TO USE ON MY TOTEM?
• HAS ANYONE IN YOUR FAMILY RECEIVED ANY AWARDS OF
SIGNIFICANCE?
• IF YOU WERE WRITING ABOUT YOUR FAMILY WHAT SYMBOLS,
HOBBIES, IMAGES CHARACTERIZE YOUR FAMILY? (FOR
INSTANCE: SPORT, RELIGION, FOOD, TRAVEL, MUSIC, CHARITY)
• DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR GREAT-GRANDPARENTS? TELL ME
WHAT WAS INTERESTING ABOUT THEIR LIVES? WHERE THEY
LIVED? ARE THERE ANY SYMBOLS OR IMAGES CAN YOU THINK
OF ASSOCIATED WITHTHEM?
• DID YOUR FAMILY (MOM, GRANDMOTHER, ETC.) MAKE OR EAT
ANY FOODS PARTICULAR TO OUR/THEIR HERITAGE?
• HOW DID YOUR FAMILY CELEBRATE HOLIDAYS WHEN YOU
WERE A CHILD? WHAT SYMBOLS OR IMAGES CAN YOU THINK
OF ASSOCIATED WITHTHESE HOLIDAYS?
• WHAT INTERESTING THINGS CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT YOUR
PARENTS OR THEIR PARENTS? WHAT SYMBOLS OR IMAGES
CAN YOU THINK OF ASSOCIATED WITH THEM?
• ARE THERE ANY IMAGES OR SYMBOLS YOU CAN THINK OF

9. TASK 4: BRAINSTORM IDEAS and RESEARCH INSPIRING
CERAMICS
NOWADAYS THE DNA TECHNIQUE CAN REVEAL WHERE YOUR ROOTS LIE. YOU MIGHT HAVE A
MIXTURE OF CULTURES LOCKED IN YOUR DNA.
AFTER INTERVIEWING YOUR FAMILY YOU WILL HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION TO GET INSPIRED
FOR YOUR TOTEM DESIGN
CREATE 2 PAGES IN YOUR VISUAL DIARY WITH IMAGES, CERAMIC OBJECTS, SYMBOLES,
CHARACTERS, WORDS, ICONS YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO USE FOR YOUR TOTEM DESIGN AND
DECORATION

10. LOOK AT INSPIRING
CERAMICS

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12. Student Examples of Totems with a cultural connection
to Family

13. HERMANNSBURG
POTTERS
IN 1990’S ABORIGINAL PEOPLE: THE
ARRERNTE PEOPLE LIKED TO LEARN
NEW THINGS. THEY WERE TAUGHT
HOW TO DO POTTERY. THEY CREATED
POTS USING THE COIL TECHNIQUE.
THEY DECORATED THE POTS USING
GLAZES. THEIR POTTERY BECAME
WELL KNOWN
Hermannsburg is the name of a town located in the
centre of Australia. It is in the Northern Territory, 130
km west of Alice Springs. It is home to a community of
aboriginal people.
The area is known for its pottery with themes such as
AFL, land based animals, bush tucker and community
themes.

14. TASK 5: TOTEM DESIGN AND
CONSTRUCTION
1X CYLINDER FORM
1X PINCH POT
CONSTRUCTED/MANIPULATED FORM.
TECHNIQUES OF CARVING EMBOSSING
MOULDING AND PAINTING WILL BE USED TO
COMPLETE YOUR ARTWORK.
• BASE FORM OF THE
TOTEM IS THE
CYLINDER
• YOU CAN ADD SHAPES, OR
CUT OUT SHAPES TO
CHANGE THE CYLINDER
• MAKE TWO SKETCHES
FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES
(FRONT, SIDE AND/OR THE

15. TASK 5: DESIGN THE SHAPE OF THE TOTEM
AND TWO DESIGNS FOR DECORATION
ON THE TOTEM
IN VISUAL DIARY

16. CLAY AND POTTERY
TERMINOLOGY

17. X
Task 6 - Revision - Clay and Pottery Definitions
(Preparation for Test)
Clay comes from The ground.
Pottery is the Ceramic act of Making pottery items.
Leather-hard refers to
A clay body that has been dried partially. At this stage
the clay object has approximately 15% moisture content.
Clay bodies at this stage are very firm and only slightly
pliable.
Bone-dry refers to
Clay bodies when they reach a moisture content at or
near 0%. It is now ready to be bisquefired.
Green ware refers to
Unfired objects. When clay is in its most plastic form,
soft and malleable.
Bisque Firing- occurs
When the object is shaped to the desired form and fired
in the kiln for the first time, known as "bisque fired" or
"biscuit fired". This firing changes the clay body. Firing
produces irreversible changes in the clay. It is after firing
that the article or material is called POTTERY.
Glaze fired is
The final stage of some pottery making. A glaze may be
applied to the bisque form and the object can be
decorated in several ways.
Glaze - is a
Liquid GLASSY coating on pottery. The primary
purposes of glaze are decoration and protection. One
important use of glaze is to make porous pottery vessels
IMPERMEABLE (water proof) able to hold water and
other liquids. Once the glaze is applied the object is
"glazed fired", which causes the glaze - glass like
material to melt, then adhere to the object. This is what
makes it ‘IMPERMEABLE’-waterproof.
Bisque Firing also changes The colour of the clay.
There are three main clay types Earthenware, Stoneware and Porcelain
There are three main Hand Building
techniques Pinch Pots, Coiling and Slab construction
HAND BUILDING is Working with clay by HAND using onlysimple tools,
Joining techniques
• Scoring - Making rough scratch like marks on
edges/surfaces of clay to bejoined.
• Transferring clay from one surface to another tojoin
• Slip/Slurry- Clay diluted with water used to join
pieces of leather hard clay. Should have a whipped
cream consistency
Sgraffito Scratching designs on to the surface of pottery.
Vitrify High heat used to harden clay and remove allwater.
Kiln
A furnace that reaches high temperatures (more than 2
higher than a domestic oven) for firing/glazing clay.

18. TASK 7: Reflection: Follow instructions on task
sheet 7
REMEMBER TO USE THE ART TERMINOLOGY YOU HAVE BEEN LEARNING
DURING THE COURSE.
• HOW TO CREATE SHAPE OF
CYLINDER?
• SLAB OF EARTHENWARE CLAY, CALICO FABRIC, CUT
CLAY WITH KNIFE AROUND TEMPLATE, PVC PIPE
WRAPPED IN PAPER
• CUTTING SLOPES (SKI RAMPS) 90
DEGREEANGLE
• ATTACHING SIDES BY SCRATCHING/SCORING &
TRANSFERRING CLAY USING RUBBBER KIDNEY
OR FINGERS
• GENTLY ROLLING THE CYLINDER ON
CALICO
• CUT OUT CIRCLE FROM SLAB TO USE
AS BASE
• DECORATING THE CYLINDER, EMBOSSING
CARVING USING THE TURN TABLE (DOLLY
WHEEL)
• ADDING SHAPES; USING THE SCORING
TECHNIQUEAND SMOOTHENING
• FOR JOINING, EMBOSSING, USE WOODEN
MODELLING TOOLS
• SKETCHING LINES WITH SCORING
TOOL
• CARVING LINES; CLAY LEATHER HARD,
USING THE (LINO)CARVING V-TOOL OR
WIRE TOOLS.

19. DESCRIBE ELEMENTS AND
PRINCIPLES OF ART: USE
ADJECTIVES!!(CHECK PREVIOUS REFLECTION COMMENTS!)
• SHAPE (ORGANIC,
GEOMETRIC)
• LINE (STRAIGHT, ZIG ZAG…)
• FORM (3D, SHAPES
PROTRUDING)
• TEXTURE (ROUGH, SMOOTH,
BUMPY..)
• COLOUR – GLAZE (WARM/COLD,
CONTRASTING, ANALOGOUS,
PASTEL.)
• COMPOSITION OF THE
DECORATIONS ON THE TOTEM
(BALANCED, DIAGONAL, TRIANGLE,
SYMMETRIC..)
• PATTERN (DOTS, LINES,
FLOWERS…)
• UNITY ( THE SHAPE AND
DECORATION GO WELL TOGETHER
AND SHOW UNITY)

20. Task 8: Lucky Dip Strip questions - End of Unit discussion/ Reflection
questions
How connected are you to your artwork?
What will your artwork mean to you in the future?
How does making your ideas visible compare to more traditional ways to
communicate ideas? Is Art a good way to communicate your ideas?
What was the valuable learning that you experienced while planning and making this
artwork? What do you ‘wish’ now you have completed this artwork?
Where do artists get their ideas?
What did you learn during this unit of
work? What are you most surprised
about?
What are you most proud of?
What was the value in making this artwork?
What part of this experience did you enjoy the
most? What is the purpose of an artist?
Why make things?
Is visual communication important?
Do you feel connected to this artwork? Do you value it?

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