Curated OER
An American Scene Painter
Students study the work of American scene painter Charles Burchfield. In this visual arts lesson, students research the nature paintings of Burchfield and then paint their own watercolor scenes in his style.
Curated OER
Palace Adventure
Young language arts learners write and illustrate a short fantasy story based on the book Corduroy. First, learners need to develop a character. Then, through their writing and illustrations, they take their characters on adventures...
Curated OER
Textured Metal Boxes
Discuss the art process called repousse with this lesson. Learners discuss the history of this artistic method, talk about the technique, and create their own examples. They use boxwood tools, paper mache boxes, and sandpaper to create...
Curated OER
Fiber Fusion
Create works of art using fabric. Learners use fabric, tissue paper, acrylic gel, and paint to create a unique and interesting piece of work. They discuss the different techniques that can be used to create works of art and evaluate...
Curated OER
Silk Dragons - Activity 1
Students investigate and discuss Japanese art and culture through an online video and a KWL chart. This lesson is an introduction to Japanese art with two supplemental lessons provided for further activities.
Curated OER
Native American Story Necklaces
Combine a study of Native American history and art in this lesson. Learners discuss the importance of fetishes in Native American culture, the history of necklaces, and create their own works of art. Your class will find this to be both...
Curated OER
Monoprint Screams on Clay
Using a famous painting as a model, have your class create their own works of art. Learners take a look at the painting "The Scream" by Edvard Munch, discuss their thoughts on it, and use a similar process to design their own art. What a...
Curated OER
Hands-On Ways to Engage Students during Youth Art Month
Enjoy an artful departure from spring fever through creative art lessons.
Curated OER
Pastel Scratch Portrait
A great cross-curricular project for any art classroom, this activity encourages young artists to consider color, pattern, texture, shape and line in their depiction of a historical figure. After researching a historical figure of their...
Curated OER
Chatty Cherry Stories
Young artists will respond to reading children's literature, by engaging in original storytelling and representing their own images through the visual arts. Then they orally describe details of people, places, and things in their stories...
Curated OER
Visual Arts: Clay Pots
Learners plan and create spiral-built pots. Once they designs are complete and shaped, they are fired, painted and wrapped. Students decorate paper and wrap pots to present as gifts for various holidays.
Andrea Mulder-Slater
Happy Accidents Painting
A person can see a lot of different things when he looks at the amorphous clouds. The same is true when you let your watercolor paints do as they please. Little artists create haphazard art with watercolors, then use ink or marker to...
Art Institute of Chicago
Send a Postcard
Using Claude Monet's On the Bank of the Seine as inspiration, young artists create their own postcards. During the lesson, learners discuss the techniques used in Monet's painting, as well as the woman in the painting, and...
Curated OER
Art Is More Than Just a Pretty Picture
Students create unique art piece from litter. In this visual art lesson, students learn the importance of recycling and create a unique art piece. Students construct collages.
Curated OER
Water Bottle Flowers
Students create recycled art. In this visual arts lesson, students follow the provided steps to create their flowers made from recycled water bottles.
Curated OER
Make Something Beautiful
Students create an art piece using recycled objects. In this environmental lesson, students collect and sort recycled objects and create a three dimensional art piece.
Curated OER
The View From Here
Study the beauty of the landscape around you with an innovative art lesson. After discussing the foreground, background, and middle ground of landscape art, kids work on making their own piece of landscape art. The lesson provides...
San Diego Museum of Art
Tapa-Inspired Pattern Painting
Middle schoolers are encourage to try their hand at traditional Oceania tapa art by crafting their own cloth using brown paper bags. Included in the resource is background information about the cultures of Oceania and their art.
Earth Day Network
Conserving Water Through Art!
Having fresh, clean drinking water is a privilege many people take for granted. Help raise awareness about the scarcity of water and the importance of conservation by discussing different ways water is used in everyday life. Brainstorm...
Curated OER
Middle-East Reflections
Practice symmetry and patterns with this Mid-Eastern art project. Your class will create beautiful, reflective mosaics that will brighten up the classroom! A list of necessary materials is included.
Curated OER
Blick Liquid Watercolor
Introduce this abstract art to your class; they must chose ordinary classroom objects and shapes to paint with watercolors. The overlapping effect will create a fun, abstract piece of art!
Curated OER
Project-Based Learning and the Arts
What's so great about Project-Based learning? Read to learn how projects can help kids apply higher-order thinking skills, conduct thoughtful investigations, and make cross curricular connections. This short article includes five...
Dick Blick Art Materials
“Gawu” — African-influenced Tapestry
Here's a great way to combine environmental science with art. Kids use recycled materials to create their own Gawu, a tapestry made of discards. Although designed for special education classrooms, the activity is sure to engage all...
Dick Blick Art Materials
Peace Windows
Peace, love, tolerance, faith. Marc Chagall's Peace Window in the United Nations World Headquarters serves as a model for young artists as they create their own peace-themed transparent paintings. A great activity for both SPED and...