Getting to Know
Shape and Form in Art
Introduce youngsters to the important role shape and form play in art with this extensive collection of activities and projects. From teaching first graders how to create mandalas to engaging third and fourth graders in the design of...
National Gallery of Canada
My Treehouse
If you could build your own treehouse, what would it look like? Using a piece of contemporary art as inspiration, learners draw their own treehouses and add geometric and organic shapes. The lesson plan touches on Visual Thinking...
Spring Branch Independent School District
Elementary Art Curriculum Guide
Get crafting with hundreds of pages of art lessons! The plans are organized into topics, which include clay, drawing, composition and design, mixed media, painting, printmaking, and paper.
Curated OER
Tour + Workshop = DESIGN: Shape
Ask elementary students to explore shapes in everyday objects. They will discuss the elements of design and describe the shapes they see in visual images. Students will then design and "build" a new 3D shape. Finally they will show and...
Curated OER
Match Shapes in Compositions
Third graders draw shapes that are congruent with each other and identify other congruent shapes. In this congruency lesson plan, 3rd graders also apply specific colors from the color wheel in their shapes.
Curated OER
Elements of Art
Third graders discover elements in visual art. In this visual art lesson, 3rd graders explore the use of line, shape, and color in visual art. After reviewing works of art, students create unique art pieces. Technology resources provided.
Curated OER
Ellis Wilson: An Elementary School Art Lesson
Learners study the life of Ellis Wilson. They examine the use of simple shapes when drawing human figures. They examine how to incorporate pattern into a background setting.
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...
Curated OER
Symmetry in Relief
Learners explore radial symmetry. In this 3 dimensional art and geometry activity, students identify examples of radial symmetry in everyday objects. Learners create an imprint using radial symmetry on clay tiles.
Curated OER
Ripped Paper Art - Snowmen, Mountains and Evergreens
Students discover depth in photographs or paintings by creating a picture from scrap paper. In this art analysis lesson, students practice creating depth by placing different elements higher or lower on a picture. Students utilize torn...
Curated OER
Get in Shape with Geometry
Using geoboards, computer programs, and hands-on manipulative materials, elementary schoolers engage in a study of two and three-dimensional geometric shapes. This lesson is chock full of good teaching ideas on the subject, and the...
Curated OER
Summer Shorts
Want to use sequence maps in your narrative writing unit? Young writers work to create personal narratives about their summer vacation. They write a narrative of their vacation and create a display using summer clothing shapes made from...
Curated OER
Start at the Very Beginning
Students explore ocean ecosystems. In this cross curriculum art and oceans lesson, students create a collage featuring three-finger algae using sand paper, tissue paper, and construction paper.
Curated OER
Christmas Tree Shaped Poems
Students think about ways in which they can spread joy during the holiday season. They create poems in the shape of a Christmas tree. Pupils use formatting tools in Microsoft Word to format the text of the poem. Students discuss ways...
Curated OER
Planning a Story: Bug Graphic Organizer
For this story planning worksheet, students fill in a graphic organizer in the shape of a bug. Students read the short prompts on the legs and arms of the bug and fill in details about what their story elements will be.
Curriculum Corner
Area and Perimeter
Get third graders excited to work find area and perimeter of unit squares, rectangles, and irregular shapes. A 36-page packet comes with task cards, graphic organizers, practice worksheets, printables with squares, exit tickets, and word...
Curated OER
Line and Pattern Design Paper Sculpture
The students create patterns and repeat colors for unity. They explore organic shapes and demonstrate awareness of design principles and art elements. They then create 3-D paper relief from a 2-D surface and demonstrate the difference...
Curated OER
The Great Art of Henri Matisse
Students discover the artistic works of Henri Matisse, and examine what his work means. In this art lesson, students observe the different paintings/collages of Henri Matisse, eventually creating works of their own based on his style.
Curated OER
Introduce Vocabulary: I Am Planet Earth (Marzollo)
Explore the world's beauty with Jean Marzollo's colorful book I Am Planet Earth, the context of a vocabulary study focused on the following in-text words: globe, jungle, paddy, planet, and valley. Discuss the text briefly and introduce...
Teacherfiles
Plot Graph
Any story can be mapped onto a plot graph. This particular chart includes the mountain shape of a traditional plot graph. Each element of plot is labeled on the page and surrounded by a box to make the words stand out. Learners write in...
Curated OER
Essential to Autumn: Line, Shape, Color, Texture, Pattern, Rhythm, Emphasis, Movement, Balance, and Unity
Students explore the environment by learning about nature. In this art instructional activity, students go on a walk and find objects to help in creating a picture, or collage representing whatever season is being discussed. Students...
Curated OER
Web Graphic Organizer for Charlotte's Web
In this literature activity, students use the web shaped graphic organizer to record details about the book Charlotte's Web.
Curated OER
Symmetry and Symbols
Students identify symmetrical and congruent elements in folk art. In this art and geometry lesson, students examine pictures of Masonic Plaque in the Form of a Royal Arch Tracing Board for evidence of congruent and symmetrical elements....