Curated OER
Australian Travel Adventure
Seventh graders are introduced to the states and territories within Australia. Using the internet, they bookmark sites and take notes on what they want to share with their classmates. They also complete a map study on the country to...
A&E Television
History.com: How Cats Became Divine Symbols in Ancient Egypt
Along with hieroglyphics, obelisks and geometric patterns, cats feature prominently in ancient Egyptian art, reflecting the animal's unique status among the people who dwelled along the Nile River. The animals were initially adopted as...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Arts and Humanities: Art of Asia
A landing page for a course on the art history of Asia.
Cool Fire Technology
Brain Bank: Art Movements and Periods
This website alphabetizes and briefly describes all the major movements in the history of visual arts. Good for use as a general reference for Art History studies and the study of historically based painting and art.
Other
Color Theory and Mixing: 16 Lessons in Color Theory
Complete site on using color in art. Includes the history of color, psychology of color, color perspective, and how color changes depending on the medium used. Includes activities to help understand how to use color in your art.
Other
Medieval Bestiary: Animals in the Middle Ages
Bestiaries, illustrated volumes of animals and birds, were an expression of the intersection of the natural and religious worlds in medieval art and science. At this large database on the subject, you can learn about the symbolic content...
PBS
Pbs: Murals (A Lesson Plan About Local History, Culture, and Events)
A lesson for exploring the history of mural art and the visual symbolism portrayed in murals, with instructions for leading students through the design and creation of a mural that reflects or symbolizes local history, culture, and events.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: America in Class: The Airplane as a Symbol of Modernism
Through art and text, lesson explores Modernism through the airplane as a symbol in the 1920s. Content includes questions for analysis and discussion, follow-up, and guide for discussing art.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Neh: Edsit Ement: Cave Art Discovering Prehistoric Humans
By studying cave paintings, young scholars learn about prehistoric cultures and the stories and ideas they wished to communicate to others through art. The lesson plan presented on this website aims to show young students the...
Other
Jinta Desert Art: Aboriginal Iconography
A site that shows Australian aboriginal icons and their meaning as related to the art. Site information and symbol paintings provided by Janet Long Nakamarra.
The National Gallery (UK)
The National Gallery, London: Teacher's Notes Holbein
These notes provide useful background information about the featured painting 'The Ambassadors' and the artist as well as some suggestions on using the painting in the primary classroom, ideas for activities and cross-curricular links.
Canadian Museum of History
Canadian Museum of History: Gallery
This article is easy to navigate for students of all ages. Provides examples of Chinese artwork: plants and flowers, birds, mammals, landscapes, portraits, semi-realist landscapes, symbolic art, and abstract art.
Other
Mayan Culture: Maya Weavers
Explore the world of Mayan weaving with this colorful site! Provides photos of this ancient art, as well as links to more information on symbols, weaving techniques, materials, and more.
Smithsonian Institution
Chant Avedissian: A Contemporary Artist of Egypt
When we think of Egypt we typically think of ancient mummies and hieroglyphics. This contemporary artists mixes both the ancient art of Egypt with modern everyday life. See his work and the symbols he likes to use.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Velasco, the Valley of Mexico
"The Valley of Mexico from the Hillside of Santa Isabel" by Velasco represents an important period in the development of Mexico's national identity and an important chapter in the history of Mexican art. Velasco's landscapes became...
Other
Embassy of Honduras in Washington, d.c.
This is the official website of the Embassy of Honduras in the United States. Has an abundance of information on tourist destinations and general facts on country-specific topics including art, geography, climate, government, history,...
The British Museum
The British Museum: Ancient India: The Buddha
Richly illustrated life of the Buddha, told in a click-through storybook format with an embedded glossary. Includes an interactive tour of the stupa of Amaravati, an early Buddhist shrine, and a matching game designed to instruct players...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Sacred Space & Symbolic Form at Lakshmana Temple Khajuraho (India)
The Lakshmana temple was the first of several temples built by the Chandella kings in their newly-created capital of Khajuraho. View some of the sculpted friezes contained within this temple.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Origins of Rock Art in Africa
Personal ornamentation and engraved designs are the earliest evidence of art in Africa and are inextricably tied up with the development of human cognition. View pictures and read about prehistoric art in Africa.
A&E Television
History.com: What Prehistoric Cave Paintings Reveal About Early Human Life
Some of the oldest known art may hint at the beginning of language development, while later examples portray narratives with human and animal figures. What does the oldest known art in the world tell us about the people who created it?...
Stephen Byrne
History for Kids: Ancient Indian Art
Reference material on the art of ancient India talks about the mysteries and religious symbolism embedded in the art and architecture of ancient river valley civilization.
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Minneapolis Inst. Of Arts: Navajo Ketoh (Wrist Guard)
Provides a brief history of the Navajo, along with text of a Navajo creation story, and a photograph of a ketoh, a wristguard worn by Navajo archers. Includes a discussion of the symbols in the ketoh, and how they reflect Navajo culture...
PBS
Pbs: Nova: Lost Treasures of Tibet: Deciphering Buddha Imagery
Interactive presentation explains the many ways that the Buddha is represented in art. Discusses the symbolic nature of his appearance as well as the Buddha's characteristic hand gestures, or mudras.
Emory University
Emory University: Odyssey Online
Odyssey Online is a resource for both students and teachers as they explore world mythology in reading, writing, history, and art classes. Providing sections on Near Eastern, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and African mythology, Odyssey uses...