Asian Art Museum
Japanese Architecture for Elementary School Students
Art and architecture go hand-in-hand. Kids watch clips from the Hayo Miyazaki film Spirited Away to better understand Japanese customs and architecture. The discussion questions included are very good, and will help you lead the class in...
San Francisco Symphony
Dear Mr. Copland and Mr. Ellington
After a teacher-led demonstration on the lives and music of Aaron Copland and Duke Ellington, learners write a letter to them which shows their understanding of how a person's life experiences can be reflected in a composer's music. They...
National Gallery of Canada
The Roots of My Family
Represent family history visually by requiring your young artists to create family trees that express balance and symmetry. Pupils examine works of art, research their family histories, and put together large family tree posters.
Curated OER
A Soldier's View of the American Civil War
Study and research the American Civil War in this explanatory writing lesson plan. Middle schoolers complete six activities to learn about the American Civil War and soldiers' views of the war. The lesson plan includes several options to...
San Francisco Symphony
Mr. Lincoln Through the Eyes of Aaron Copland
Use Aaron Copland's symphonic piece, "Lincoln Portrait" to engage learners in a cross-curricular experience. They'll listen to the piece, watch a video, read the Gettysburg Address, and write a series of fact or opinion sentences. An...
University of Minnesota
Beautiful Brain: Brain Inspiration
"Neuroscientists consider Cajal as important to their discipline as Einstein is to physics." The first of four lessons has scholars view Santiago Ramon y Cajal's drawings of neurons. They reflect and respond to the art through writing...
National Gallery of Canada
Build a City of the Future!
Tap into your pupils' imagination by asking them to design futuristic, ideal cities. They must discuss and take scale and size into account, looking at some model pieces of art for inspiration and analysis. The final product for each...
Curated OER
Reverse Pastel Paintings
Create a unique spin on reverse painting with oil pastels and acetate. The combination results in a beautiful and vibrant art piece. This is a great project to introduce your class to oil pastels.
Curated OER
Let's Discuss Current Events
Investigate articles from the daily news and share opinions with classmates. Using current events, learners view a news program without sound and predict what news is being discussed by analyzing the visuals. Then they read news articles...
Curated OER
Cardboard Weaving
Fifth graders observe artworks of cardboard weaving for their art elements and principles of organization. In this cardboard weaving activity, student create their own and compare artworks of the past and present. Students...
Curated OER
Tibetan Monk Sand Paintings
Students complete an art project. In this sand paintings lesson, students learn about the history of mandalas and then create a sand painting of their own. Extensions include writing a story or poem about their sand painting, study of...
Curated OER
Careers in Music
Fifth graders conduct research on various careers in music. They role-play planning group tours for music organizations, researching music entertainment, prices, and cultural events in the city their simulated group is visiting.
Curated OER
East Meets West: The Art of Simplicity
Fifth graders examine the influences of Japan on American life through this three lesson unit. Feudal Japan with its traditional arts and culture is contrasted with current developments of the country.
Curated OER
Korean Dance
Young scholars examine the various types of dancing present in Korea. In groups, they discover the history and cultural purposes of the dances and how society influenced the role of dance in its culture. They answer discussion questions...
Curated OER
Japanese Fan
Students discuss Japanese culture and the functional and artistic uses of fans and create paper fans using watercolors, popsicle sticks, and tape in this Art lesson for the elementary classroom. Can be used as an introduction to...
Curated OER
Norval Morrisseau
Students investigate the art of Norval Morrisseau and create "x-ray paintings" using styles and symbols related to his work in this one or two day art lesson for third grade through twelfth grade. Emphasis is placed upon creative...
Curated OER
Your Attention Please: Iatmul Orator's Stool
Students investigate art by observing historical sculptures from New Guinea. In this art history lesson, students observe pictures of the "Orator's Stool"from Papua New Guinea, while identifying the small details that make it unique....
Curated OER
Making a Basic Clay Animal Sculpture In-The-Round
Learners create a three dimensional animal sculpture. In this sculpting activity, students use white art clay, gloss glaze, brushes, and wooden tools to create an animal sculpture.
Curated OER
A Master Production
Students create an "art garment" incoporating personal writings and found quotes with images of life and dreams on a disposable or recycled garment. This lesson includes scoring rubric.
Curated OER
MAKE YOUR OWN BOOK OF THE DEAD
Learners study the Book of the Dead and its importance to Ancient Egyptian culture, identify with ancient Egyptians through reading about their culture and religion, and use scroll-shaped paper and colored pencils to create their own...
Curated OER
In Daddy’s Arms I Am Tall Teacher’s Guide
Young scholars read the book I Am Tall and complete several reading response activities relating to the poems in the book. For this reading response lesson, students focus on the subject of fathers and make speculations about what the...
Curated OER
Let's Find a Good Time in Art!
Fifth graders make a Hyperstudio presentation based on their study of different time periods in art history. They complete a timeline using a teacher made template to complete the project.
Curated OER
The Civil War in Art and Literature
Students examine art related to the Civil War. They participate in activities that allow them to write poetry and drawings. They create their own journal and collect their work in a binder.
Curated OER
Global Peace Lesson Plan
Fifth graders recognize the characteristics of poetry. In this poetry lesson, 5th graders listen to poetry by Dionne Brand and discuss the meaning of the poems. Students construct their own poems and present them as an assessment.