Curated OER
An Introduction to the Relationship Between Composition and Content in the Visual Arts
High schoolers investigate how artists create a story that provides a message or provokes emotions in a single image. The ways in which the composition of a painting contributes to telling the story or conveying the message is examined...
Curated OER
Ancient Gold Working
Students create a sculpture inspired by the masks, pendants, or human and animal forms found in ancient Indian art of the Americas. They focus on the techniques of metalworking, especially repousse.
Curated OER
Compare and Contrast Photograph Art
Take a trip down Pearblossom Highway with this instructional activity about comparing and contrasting. Using David Hockney's Pearblossom Hwy and another image of the same highway (photograph or other image), students compare and contrast...
National Gallery of Canada
One Look Is Worth A Thousand Words
Facial expressions can communicate complex emotions. Examine expressions in several hyperrealistic works of art before beginning a project. Learners will create their own clay faces that show an emotion using either photos or their own...
Polk Bros Foundation
American Presidents
Emanuel Leutze's painting Washington Crossing the Delaware. Alexander Gardner's photograph of Abraham Lincoln. What do these works of art tell us about the character of these American Presidents? After examining the techniques the...
National Gallery of Canada
Urban Scenes
Select a theme together to guide and inspire works of art. Class members view images of art and discuss the images of cities. After choosing a theme, individuals create posters that reflect and contribute to the theme. They can use paint...
Curated OER
The Royal Art of Benin
Students investigate how the king of Benin used brass plaques to project an image of power to the people of Benin. They locate Benin on a map, explore various websites, and create a paper wall plaque that conveys symbols of power.
Curated OER
African Ecology and Art
Explore Samburu culture as young scholars examine art work by many artists and compare and contrast their styles. They view Kenyan images and find Kenya on the map. Students identify conflict in the animal world and draw animals and...
Curated OER
Lesson: Expressing the Inner Life of Things
Found metal objects were welded together to create an inspiring African sculpture. Learners consider the use of objects and the inspiration of African art seen in Picasso's work. They then find and create a scrap art sculpture, as well...
National Gallery of Canada
Artful Emotions
Blue is sad, and red is angry, but why is that? Young artists explore the expression of emotions through art by observing and creating artwork. Starting with a questioning session about images of art, this plan moves into a sculpture...
Margaret Bearden
Chuck Close
The work of American portrait artist Charles Thomas "Chuck" Close is featured in a 22-slide PowerPoint. Although a wide variety of his work is featured, the pieces are not titled or dated, and no script is included.
EngageNY
Creating a Visual Component for the Speech: End of Unit Assessment Preparation and Practice
Eye contact, volume, pronunciation. Working with partners, scholars practice presenting their speeches about the best food chain. Additionally, they choose a visual component to support their end-of-unit speech.
Curated OER
The Art of Illustrator Eric Carle
First graders use two-dimensional and three-dimensional media and techniques to communicate ideas, experiences, and stories in works of art. They use media and tools in a safe and responsible manner
Curated OER
Splat! Boom! Pow! the Influence of Cartoons in Contemporary Art
Students relate abstract expressionism and cultural influences on 1960's art. They use images appropriated from comic books to create a painting in the abstract expressionist style by changing the scale of the comic and reducing content...
Curated OER
Intro to Art
Students explore illusions by drawing and viewing images in class. In this art perspective lesson, students analyze a skeleton outline drawing which demonstrates the ability to draw in a two point perspective. Students utilize the...
Curated OER
Recycling With Art
Pupils create works of art from recyclable materials. In this visual arts lesson, students investigate works of art created from recyclable materials. Pupils choose an emotion to convey and then create an art piece from materials provided.
Curated OER
A Work Of Faith
Students study about different types of religious art; they then select representative works from different faiths to create their own exhibit. They research a specific religious art tradition and create an exhibit of works of art from...
Poetry Society
Imaginary Words
Oh, what fun! Young logophiles and neologists create a dictionary-sounding definition for imaginary words and try to fool their classmates.
Dream of a Nation
Creating Awareness through Action Oriented Writing and Research
Middle schoolers aren't too young to feel strongly about politics, social issues, consumer rights, or environmental problems. Demonstrate the first steps toward social change with a project about action-oriented writing. Eighth graders...
Curated OER
INTERPRETING A WORK OF ART THROUGH CREATIVE WRITING
Students create a story based upon their interpretation of a work of art. The story displays students' knowledge of writing conventions, elements of a short story, literary conflict and use of descriptive text.
Curated OER
Spot the Leaf: Identifying Plants in Works of Art
Students explore the leaf as a design motif in art. They conduct Internet research on leaf and tree symbolism, view and discuss artwork, and create an original work of art featuring a leaf or leaf motif.
Sargent Art
Destination Art: Paper Mola Collage
The Kuna Indians hail from the San Blas Island near Panama. Learners will investigate their culture by creating paper mola collages, just like the ones created by the indigenous Panamanians. They'll focus on understanding the symbolism...
Curated OER
Creating Children's Books
Students collaborate to create a children's book. In this visual arts instructional activity, student study the components and procedures that go into making a children's book including the shape, size. layout, biographical information...
San Francisco Symphony
Instrument and Visual Appreciation of Art
There are a lot of great ideas to be found here. To better understand the connection between art and history, learners research several music and art pieces, then relate them to major social events. They study the lives and works...