Curated OER
Graph Paper Patterns
Young artists divide a piece of graph paper into sections using rectangles, squares, and triangles. They then fill each section with patterns of shape and color. Elementary graders describe how their patterns are organized. Secondary...
Curated OER
Northwest Native American Art
Eighth graders first study the art of the U.S. Northwestern Coast Native American peoples. They select an image or make their own and make a drawing and then make a 6-inch linoleum block print.
Curated OER
The Power of Mental Images: Visualizing Literature
Looking for a powerful reading comprehension method? Try visualization! Learners use this strategy to increase comprehension of a chapter book selected by the teacher. As an assessment, individuals or small groups draw pictures of the...
Curated OER
Fusing Furniture and Asian Art
Students design furniture. In this visual arts instructional activity, students examine French, Chinese, and Asian art pieces. Students compare the lacquer art and apply the motifs to their lacquer panels and furniture pieces.
Curated OER
Values Practice Activity
How many values can one colored pencil create? This is the question your budding artists are going to find out. They choose three colored pencils, use the provided boxes to create a light-to-dark value strip, and then answer three...
Endangered Species Coalition
Endangered Species Day Art
Albrecht Durer created a highly textured stamp or print of a rhinoceros. To better understand which animals are near extinction, upper graders create similar prints of endangered animals they've researched. The six-day lesson includes...
Curated OER
Soft Sculpture Birds
Art can mimic life, and animals are always interesting subjects. Learners create large soft sculptures (stuffed) birds using paper, paint, and other basic collage materials. They view images of birds, and discuss bird traits and shapes....
Curated OER
Georgia O'Keefe - A Unit for Grades 9-12
SStudents view examples of O'Keef's work and watch a video about her life. They use colored pencil to create a 6" x 6" reproduction of a 2" x 2" square cut from a magazine picture, finding and using the most interesting shapes in the...
Curated OER
Shaded Bottles
Learners draw, and then paint three-dimensional bottles to practice shading which shows shape and perspective. The step-by-step process for creating dimensional still life art is outlined, which makes teaching art an attainable task. Oil...
Curated OER
Purple Color Shade Matching
In this color worksheet, students analyze an example of a target color wheel of 5 shades of purple. On the blank target, students try to match the shades of purple as closely as possible using crayons, colored pencil or watercolor.
Curated OER
Looking and Learning in the Art Museum
Students practice looking skills as they reflect upon the differences between viewing original works of art and reproductions. In this art viewing lesson, students interpret a work of art using formal analysis and research done for...
Curated OER
Figurative Slot Sculptures
Middle schoolers create 3-dimensional works of art in the form of slot sculptures. I love this lesson plan, because it exposes students to a completely different form of art. Everything you need to do to successfully-implement this...
Curated OER
Abstract Planes in Paper Sculpture
High schoolers create maquettes of abstract sculptures utilizing the elements of art; line, shape, value, color, space and texture and the principles of design; balance, emphasis, contrast, rhythm and movement, pattern and unity. These...
Curated OER
Self-Portraits
Eighth graders create self-portrait showing value and emotion, and gather information about color and emotion through different handheld applications.
Curated OER
Clay Wipe Away: Ceramics
Discuss Pre-Colombian South American art with your class, then get out the clay and create some. Pupils practice using the wipe-away technique to create a ceramic tile similar to those made by the Maya. Great web links and a...
Curated OER
Good Readers Visualize
Students explore reading. In this visualization lesson, students practice, creating images in their minds while listening to the story The Vegetables Go To Bed, by Christopher King. They listen to the story and then draw what they...
Curated OER
Find the Pictures
Uncover the hidden pictures. There are two sets of shapes here, and each has a CVC word inside. Beginning readers follow directions by coloring all the shapes with words that rhyme with a given sound (in for the first and ug for the...
Sargent Art
Kandinsky - Inspired by Music
Who is Wassily Kandinsky? Introduce your young artists to the wonders of abstract nonobjective art through music. They'll listen to music as they cut, paste, and paint emotional works of art. The activity suggests the use of soothing...
Dick Blick Art Materials
Ball Point Engravings
Turn simple pencil sketches into colorful engravings. After first creating hand-drawn pictures, young artists then trace over them will ball point pens, etching the images into cold press illustration boards, before rubbing crayons over...
Curated OER
Yellow Days: Studying Vincent van Gogh's Painting
Students examine the painting, "Sunflowers," by Vincent van Gogh noting the use of the yellow color, the wiggly lines, and the "globs" of paint used to create the picture. Pictures are painted using van Gogh's image as a model.
Sargent Art
Rainforest Mural
Whether you are an art teacher or a teacher looking for a great project to finish off a unit on the rainforest, this instructional activity is for you. Here are some great teaching tips and instructional practices that can help you and...
Curated OER
Sand Crabs
Students identify shapes to create sand crabs, and make colored sand for texture.
Curated OER
Seeing Feelings
Learners create pencil drawings of assigned items and then, study painting by Vincent Van Gogh. They discuss how different colors make them feel and are then assigned a mood to express by adding color to their line drawing.
Dick Blick Art Materials
No-Fire Nouveau Tiles
Kiln-glazed ceramics not an option? Kids can create their own art nouveau tiles using ceramic bisque tiles. The packet includes a video to prepare and inspire your artists, as well as detailed directions for various age groups, a...