Contemporary Arts Center
Sultan and Donovan Printmaking: The Collargraph
As part of a study of printmaking, class members study the works of Tara Donovan and Donald Sulta. They go on to build a printing plate using glue, textured paper, and found objects.
Curated OER
Terrific Tessellations
Pupils explore tessellations that are found in nature and everyday objects. They observe the works of M.C. Escher. Students create their own tessellations using pencil and paper.
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Marshmallow Figures
Learners enjoy making 3-D figures while learning about rectangular prisms, pyramids, vertices, edges, and faces. After a lecture/demo, students use marshmallows, toothpicks and a worksheet imbedded in this lesson to create 3 dimensional...
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New Forms From Old
Students examine porcelain objects and observe how their original use has been changed to decorative objects. They choose everyday objects and re-create them into new objects that can be functional or entirely decorative.
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Where in the World is Tacky the Penguin?
First graders complete activities related to they story they are reading in class. Through art and measurement activities, 1st graders relate a story from the "Tacky the Penguin Series" to everyday objects and ideas they encounter.
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A World of Symmetry: Math-Geometry
Define and identify the three basic forms of symmetry translation, rotation, and glides with your class. They cut out and arrange paper pattern blocks to illustrate symmetry, create a Cartesian graph, and design a rug with a symmetrical...
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Narrow It Down
Ever played 20 Questions? A similar game helps young learners practice asking and answering yes-or-no questions. Spread out several objects, preferably all similar with slight variations (buttons or coins would work well). A leader...
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Then and Now: Life in Early America, 1740 - 1840
Young scholars complete a unit of lessons that examine life in early America from 1740-1840. They compare items with similar objects we use today, explore various websites, create a paper doll, try and guess the function of various...
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Recognizing the Importance of Sight
Students discover the true value of their senses. In this sight lesson, students discover the difficulty of life without sight by performing everyday activities without the help of their eyes. The students examine their results and the...
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Stories in Quilts
Have your class analyze the narrative art in quilts. They identify elements in this domestic art and the stories they tell. They define a story quilt, view an example, and analyze the work of Harriet Power. This is a great instructional...
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Understanding Symmetry Through Visual Art
Have your class explore symmetry, radial balance and fractional parts in natural and man-made objects in their environment. Learners list examples and identify symmetrical and asymmetrical designs. Pupils are given a box of crayons and...
Dick Blick Art Materials
Art Journal
Here's a prescription for creativity—keep a daily art journal. Words, images, shapes, objects, all can be used as prompts that exercise the creative imagination. Set aside a couple of moments each day for this engaging activity.
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Right Angles in the Classroom
In this finding right angles learning exercise, students look around the classroom and draw any right angles they see. Students then "tick" any right angle in 6 geometric shapes.
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Class of Cards
Pupils create patterns using images of everyday objects, shapes, or colors and four logos for use in a House of Cards. In this design lesson, students examine the work of Charles and Ray Eames and become familiar with the elements and...
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Shapes are Everywhere
Second graders gain an understanding of geometric shapes and spatial reasoning. They learn the attributes of solid shapes in everyday activities. Students compare geometric shapes to everday objects, finding things that serve a purpose...
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Proper Perspective
Students consider what makes a famous painting realistic, then examine a theoretical debate about how Renaissance masters created their true-to-life images. They create their own realistic drawings.
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Paper Folding to Make Cubes
Examine patterns of figures composed of six-squares and predict which of the twenty presented could be folded to make a cube. They then fold large-scale patterns of these figures to confirm their hunches.
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Fractions and Measurement
Using a Smart Board, or a plain ol' white board or chalkboard, the teacher pulls up a grid and demonstrates how squares and rectangles can be divided up into equal parts. The class will get their own graph paper to draw shapes and divide...
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So Many Cats!
First graders listen to the book, So Many Cats, and discuss the number of cats in the story. They demonstrate simple addition problems using cat counters and a work mat in the shape of a house.
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Ovals, Rectangles, Squares, and Triangles
Students identify geometrical shapes displayed in photographs of everyday objects in a metropolitan setting.
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When Dinosaurs Ruled the World
Students graph the varying sizes of dinosaurs. In this math and dinosaur lesson plan, students view dinosaur models and compare the different shapes and sizes of the dinosaurs. Students complete a dinosaur math activity, read The...
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Tri this Angle!
First graders draw and describe various types of polygons. they investigate their own environments for examples of polygons. After reading the book, The Greedy Triangle, they discuss everyday objects that are polygons. They create shape...
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Fold and Cut 2
Second graders make, name, and describe, using their own language and the language of geometry, everyday shapes and objects. They create and discuss geometric patterns which repeat (show translation), or which have rotational or...
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Tessellating Tiles
Second graders Make, name and describe, using their own language and the language of geometry, everyday shapes and objects. They create and talk about geometric patterns which repeat (show translation), or which have rotational or...