Curated OER
And Then What Happened?
Students analyze paintings by using verbs, adjectives, and nouns. In this visual arts instructional activity, students view a painting of a storm and a calm sky. Students use various verbs and adjectives to discuss the characteristics of...
Curated OER
Leaf Prints
Creating art from nature teaches learners how to appreciate the world around them while allowing them to practice artistic techniques. After observing and choosing fall leaves from outside, they create leaf prints. They press the painted...
Curated OER
Rhythm in Motion
Any age of elementary student can demonstrate their understanding of the connections of elements of art and music by creating their own slit song. You will investigate and study the Melanesian Slit Song with Kindergartners through Junior...
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
Origami Ducks: Geometry, Listening, and Following Directions
Make origami ducks with your class to reinforce geometry concepts and vocabulary; develop fine motor and visual translation skills; and enrich study of Japanese culture, the pond habitat, or migration. Create a whole group "worksheet"...
Curated OER
Performance Art and The Waste Stream
Students research local waste management services, discuss findings, give opinions about what they have found, offer solutions and ideas, and create performance art, design art works, and fine art works to convey information on waste...
Curated OER
Ellis Wilson: An Elementary School Art Lesson
Students 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.
Curated OER
Monkey Puzzle
Third graders analyze the life and work of Keith Haring. In this art criticism instructional activity, 3rd graders view images of his artwork, produce an anthology of his life's work and discuss his achievements. Students will recreate...
Federal Reserve Bank
Glo Goes Shopping
Making decisions can be very difficult. Show your class one way to evaluate choices with this instructional activity, which is inspired by the book Glo Goes Shopping. Learners practicing using a decision-making grid with the content of...
Curated OER
Picture a Character
How would Jean-Etiénne Liotard paint the characters from "The Little Mermaid?" What would the main character from "The Little Match Girl" look like from Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes' point of view? After examining various paintings...
Curated OER
Combating Corrosion
Study corrosion on bronze statues with a hands-on lesson. As pupils place a penny in water with salt, they observe the changes in the penny throughout a period of a week. They then analyze the pre-conservation and the...
Curated OER
Native American Clay Pots
Learners explore world culture by conducting an art project in class. In this Native American culture lesson, students identify the types of materials American Indians utilized in their artistic endeavors, specifically clay. Learners...
Curated OER
Indian Basket Weaving
Students explore Indian Basket designs, experiment with weaving materials and create their own baskets in this 5-day Arrt lesson for the early-elementary classroom. The lesson includes scoring guides and illustrated directions for students.
Curated OER
The Wild Things Like it Quiet
Students read Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. They visualize what is happening in the book and then identify the main points of the story. Students write a summary of the book and draw a picture of what they visualized...
Curated OER
Decorating Objects....And Re-Decorating
Students decorate cups or bowls with thematic designs that represent Chinese culture. In this decorating lesson plan, students will decorate their cups or bowls and then “sell” these works of art to partners role-playing as French...
Curated OER
A Chair For My Mother
Students create art inspired by literature. In this literature lesson, students read A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams and then design cards and draw gifts they would present to new neighbors.
Curated OER
J. Paul Getty Museum
Students read mythological Greek and Roman stories. In this mythological lesson plan students read mythological stories about Greek and Roman times. As they read, they compare the written story to the visual art of the story.
Curated OER
Arts of Asia in Reach
Students visit the Allen Memorial Art Museum to view Asian works of art and read the story Kogi's Mysterious Journey by Elizabeth Partridge. They discover the history of Gyotaku and its transition into an art form. They then examine the...
Curated OER
Medieval Natural Resources
Students identify and research natural resources used in art. In this Renaissance art materials lesson, students look at examples of illuminated manuscripts and learn what materials were used to create the books. Then, students are...
Curated OER
Putting a Spin on Current Events
Students examine the symbolism on a 17th-century cabinet. In this symbolism lesson, students view samples of a 17th century cabinet and identify it's symbols. Students create their own cabinet by using various art supplies and paint...
Curated OER
Animals in Motion
Students draw and sculpt animals in motion. In this artistic drawing lesson, students are introduced to art depicting arrested motion, then observe and sketch animals in motion and use the drawing as they create a balanced sculpture.
Curated OER
Composition and Line
Students examine the use of composition and line as they create original drawings. In this composition and line lesson, students recognize the art vocabulary associated with line and composition. Students illustrate the shape...
Curated OER
Portrait of Nadine Dumas
Students explore a portrait and then create their own portrait as a gift. In this bust art instructional activity, students use model techniques to create a three dimensional bust portrait. Students analyze the elements...
Curated OER
Sacred Places: California Missions from Different Perspectives
Students create a project poster displaying photos, drawings, and journal writings that incorporate the major themes of California's missions, and use perspective and point of view both visually and in writing.