National Gallery of Canada
Reading Symbols
Introduce your upper-elementary young scholars to printmaking. Class members view prints, select and research symbols in a piece, and create their own sets of prints using styrofoam trays. Pupils can wash off the paint on their trays to...
Curated OER
Indian Art
Indian art and architecture is covered from the baths of Mohenjo-daro to the Great Stupa in Sanchi. This presentation shows Indian art as it progressed throughout time but focuses heavily on Buddhist art and architecture that originated...
Curated OER
Many Ways of Seeing
Investigate themes and issues in art such as the concept of originality, interpretation of visual language, symbolism, and examination of the categories of fine art and folk art.
Curated OER
Lesson Plan: Finding Treasures Within
Sherlock Holmes had fantastic skills of observation. Your super sleuths will examine the pattern, rhythm, texture, and color of a painting to uncover the symbolism beneath. A great lesson plan, that incorporates observation, art...
Curated OER
Visual Arts- 3D Self-Sculpture
Students construct three dimensional self-portraits. In this visual arts lesson, students use clay to create a self-portrait. Students make the clay and discuss their self-portrait.
Curated OER
Artists Teach Us to See the World through Visual Symbols
Tenth graders analyze a biographical piece of art by Raymond Saunders. They identify shapes, symbols, and lines that are used, and how the piece relates to the artist's life and modern society. They design and create an original piece of...
Curated OER
Water: A Source of Life and Culture
Students explore water as a feature of culture. In this visual arts instructional activity, students consider the necessity of water in every culture. Students select water symbols and use their artistic skills to create water symbol...
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Creating a Personal Symbol
Students inquire about visual arts by creating an artistic etching. In this symbolism lesson, students identify the work of Keith Haring by researching the web and analyzing images. Students utilize linoleum or wood to create an etching...
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Picturing America: Images and Words of Hope from Romare Bearden and Langston Hughes
A carefully crafted three-day lesson integrates poetry and visual art. By analyzing and comparing Langston Hughes' poem "Mother and Son" and Romare Bearden's collage "The Dove," readers explore the theme of hope. The lesson activates...
Curated OER
Egyptian Symbols: What story do they tell?
Students create a stele to represent what symbols are the most important to them. In this symbols lesson plan, students learn about Egyptian symbols, and then put their own important symbols into model magic clay according to their size...
Curated OER
Greek and Roman Symbolism
Young scholars explore Greek and Roman symbolism in art. For this visual art lesson, students draw portraits of ancient leaders based on the written descriptions they read about them. Young scholars also design campaign posters using...
Cleveland Museum of Art
Japanese Folktales (Asian Odyssey)
The Cleveland Museum of Art presents this interdisciplinary model unit that asks class members to explore how the same themes are presented in the folktales and art of several cultures.
Curated OER
Virtual Art Student: Sculpture
This is a big project, but lucky for you, the materials, steps, and additional notes are at-the-ready to make it a classroom possibility. Your class will sculpt a life-sized artist using steel brackets, plywood, chicken wire, and...
Curated OER
Flower Symbolism
Fourth graders identify flowers as symbols in art forms. They focus on the Victorian era and create their own flower design for use in visual art or literary forms.
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Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas
Art is a great way to convey or express an idea. Learners choose an idiom, draw it, and use transfer paper to create photograms. They discuss how why they chose the phrase they did, and how they expressed that idea through their...
Curated OER
The Power of the Image: Understanding Symbols in Buddhist Art
Students discuss symbolism in art, examine various images of compassion in Buddhist tradition, analyzing components of the concept, and then produce their own images of compassion through art.
Curated OER
Looking at French Decorative Arts: Symbols in Marquetry
Students study symbols on a French cabinet. In this architectural design lesson, students examine the symbolism of the door panel on the "Cabinet on Stand." Students create their own unique design based on a symbol from another country.
Curated OER
Integrating Social studies and the Visual Arts: "Learning to Look" Strategies
Students observe and interpret artwork through conducting a variety of activities. In this lesson students will learn how to analyze art work in order to gain a better understanding of it.
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Symbols and Trading Cards
A silk rank badge was a symbolic emblem worn by high officials during the Qing Dynasty. Your class will get a chance to examine the details, symbolism, color, and design of such a badge as they make their own symbolic trading cards....
Denver Art Museum
Communicating with Symbols
Before kids analyze a Chinese dish filled with amazing images, they research the meanings of various plant and animal symbols. They use their research to decode the meaning of the expressive artwork on the dish and then use symbolism to...
Curated OER
Symbols and the Choices we Make
Upper elementary and middle schoolers recognize symbols that influence the choices that we make consciously or unconsciously in everyday life. They look at the symbols and choices that others make. They identify and apply knowledge of...
Curated OER
The Great Gatsby: Symbolic Story Representation
The themes of The Great Gatsby are embodied in the images F. Scott Fitzgerald creates. To encourage reader interaction with the text, individuals create a symbolic representation of themselves, place themselves in the story,...
Curated OER
Creating Your Own Rock Art
Eighth graders look at early art. In this visual arts lesson, 8th graders investigate the attributes of rock art, examine rock art, and create their own examples of rock art. Analysis and instructional worksheets are included.
Curated OER
Basic Visual Language Ii: How To Analyze a Visual Text
Students identify techniques used to communicate visually. They compare and contrast different visual techniques found in mass media. They apply their understanding by creating photographs that use a variety of visual literacy techniques.