Curated OER
Pear-Shaped Bottle
Young scholars describe the designs on this Chinese ceramic bottle and analyze and discuss the shape of the piece. They describe how art from China arrived in Mexico during the viceregal period. Students create their own blue...
Curated OER
Daily Life in Ancient Egypt
Students explain how artwork can inform about a culture and its traditions. They pretend to be archaeologists who have just opened a tomb. They interpret the past based on what they discover.
Curated OER
Gaining Ground
Young scholars explore African-American art by researching, preparing and presenting reports on particular artists. They analyze what they have learned through the lens of modernism.
Curated OER
Tools For Discussing Haring's Work
Students examine artwork by Keith Haring and discuss his drawing techniques and process. They write a group story as an interpretation of one of Keith Haring's drawings, and create their own posters.
Curated OER
Cyclical Psychology in Japanese Culture
Learners create artistic representations of various cyclical patterns after analyzing the importance of cyclical psychology in Japanese culture. This lesson can be done in an Art class or as part of a unit in a History or Language Arts...
Curated OER
Scenes from Cameroon
Students examine art by a Peace Corps volunteer in Cameroon. Using the artwork, they identify three physical land features. They use sand and other materials to create their own day or evening scene in Cameroon. They share their...
Curated OER
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words
Students examine the cultural and historical significance of certain artists. They use the internet to perform research and prepare a report of analysis of artistic works looking for cultural influences. Students also tie in the...
Curated OER
Decisions! Decisions! What Will I Do?
Young scholars demonstrate formats of opportunity cost. Students illustrate this concept by choosing two pictures and analyzing them for color and cost. They write a short paper explaining their findings.
Curated OER
VISUAL ARTS LESSON-Missal Stand/Lectern
Sixth graders investigate a work of art from Mexico. The role of the art in the history of Mexico is researched to help evaluate the meaning of the artwork. The art creates a context for students to make a creative project.
Curated OER
Edward Hopper's House by the Railroad: From Painting to Poem
Students analyze Edward Hopper's painting and Hirsch's poem to explore the types of emotion generated by each work. In this literary and art analysis activity, students discuss how Hopper establishes tone and analyze Hirsch's use of...
Curated OER
Painting Modern Life
Students analyze two works by Pablo Picasso and how he represents female figures. For this art analysis lesson, students analyze the female figures in the two artworks and discuss them. Students research a topic of social importance and...
Curated OER
All About Trees
Second graders examine and explore how trees are an integral part of daily life. They analyze works of art by Robert Harris, read studenT literature, and create their own artworks.
Curated OER
That's Entertainment
Second graders examine forms of entertainment in artwork by Robert Harris. They analyze toys and games from long ago by creating graphs, puppets, posters, and organizing a games fair.
Curated OER
The Envelope Please
Students research an animal of the rainforest. They create a computerized claymation to present their research.
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Propaganda - 9/11 and the War on Terrorism
Propaganda is an important topic that most high school social studies teachers address. Here, learners compare and contrast methods of public persuasion during WWII with those used in the contemporary War on Terror. Research, discussion,...
Curated OER
Art Criticism: Understanding Wayne Thiebaud's Salads, Sandwiches, and Desserts
Analysis consists of an understanding and interpretation of evidence and elements found in any number of expressive mediums. Upper graders critique the work of American Realist Wayne Thiebaud through a series of excellent guided...
Curated OER
Lesson: Skin Fruit: Ideas of Empathy in Janine Antoni's Work
Kids get artistic as they explore the impact of art materials, sculpture, and performance. They discuss the work of Janine Antoni and then create a performance piece that reflects social or global issues they feel strongly about. The end...
Curated OER
Place Value & Picasso
Place value to the millions is the focus of this math lesson. Third and fourth graders investigate multiple ways to represent a number. They examine place value while studying factual information about Pablo Picasso. Resources are provided.
Curated OER
Art as Advocacy for Social Change
“Humanscape No.65” by Melesia Casas and Ester Hernandez’s “Sun Maid Raisins” launch a study of how works of art can advocate for social change. After examining these two works and discussing the human rights issues raised, class members...
Incredible Art
Historical Narrative Using Silhouettes
Connect art and history with a series of activities inspired by the work of contemporary artist, Kara Walker. After watching an Art 21 video about Walker and examining the images in a PowerPoint presentation, class members use...
Curated OER
Art: Faith Ringgold Story Quilts
Twelfth graders examine the impact of African American culture on the United States by inspecting Faith Ringgold's story quilts. Working in groups, they create a collective story quilt about current cultural issues. They research their...
Curated OER
Lesson: Mathias Poledna: Crystal Palace
Film analysis takes critical thinking, connections, and context. Upper graders look at the film installation, Crystal Palace in terms of the film makers choices, presentation, and perspective of truth. After an analytical discussion of...
Curated OER
Seven Poems, Seven Paintings: A Teacher's Guide to Selected Holocaust Poetry
Seven poems paired with seven original works of art provide learners an opportunity to draw connections between literary and artistic interpretations. Designed to augment a study of the Holocaust, each pair is accompanied by discussion...
KERA
Matisse and Picasso
Discover Modernism through the eyes of artists. Over the course of six well-thought-out lessons, learners examine works by Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse while completing a range of collaborative and hands-on activities. A great resource!