Pottery

High school (ages 12+)
Making & Design

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/pottery

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the earliest known ceramic artifacts?Upper Paleolithic period, East Asia, over 20,000 years ago
2. What is the primary function in early societies?Storage, cooking, and transport of food and water
3. What is pottery and why is it important?Pottery is made from clay that is shaped and fired to become strong and useful. It helps people store food, cook, and show art.
4. How did people first make pottery?Early humans pressed clay by hand and accidentally fired it in hot places, creating simple pots over 20,000 years ago.

Paleolithic Period: The earliest period of human history, characterized by the development of stone tools.
Vitrification: The process by which a substance is heated to a high temperature, becoming glass-like and insoluble.
Flux: A substance added to a glaze that lowers its melting point, allowing it to fuse more easily.