Students define and create an abstract art work. They introduce the artist Piet Mondrian and review geometric shapes (rectangles & squares), straight , angular lines, color.

Take poetry off the page and put it into terms of movement, physical space and, finally, music with this series of three lessons from the Smithsonian Institution. This resource introduces students to two poetic forms that originated as...

Before any of us can learn to enjoy a trip to an art museum, we need to learn how to behave. This list of activities describe the behavior expected on a trip to an art museum. Each behavior comes with an activity intended to demonstrate...

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 lesson to...

Students investigate shapes in art. In this visual arts lesson, students examine the ancient Panamanian "Plaque" and identify the geometric shapes in the art piece. Students combine basic shapes to make an artistic picture of their own.

Elementary schoolers study the symbolism and influences found in advertising. First, they learn about the history and cultural significance of the Summer Official's Hat that was a symbol of status in ancient China. Then, they access...

Here is an art lesson that combines visual arts and language arts into one very nice package. In it, youngsters study a fascinating painting called Painting of Bear and Sun Dances. They begin to understand the importance of...

Dig into some prehistoric vocabulary in Bob Barner's informative book Dinosaur Bones. This works best if you introduce the primitive words before reading the story. These are the focus terms in the text: ancient, climate, extinct,...

Kids get up and act! To promote inventiveness, timing, and clowning, they pair up and act as though they are looking in a mirror. Child A does a move while child B attempts to mimic it as closely as possible. This is a fun activity that...

Young scholars investigate the history of cabinetry and furniture, specifically the Renaissance period.  In this art history lesson, students investigate photographs of the Renaissance Revival/Aesthetic Cabinet, and examine the...

Students explore English by completing an interactive language history activity. In this word recognition lesson, students discuss word formations and the phonetic relationship between letters. Students identify the origin of individual...

Your class can create colorful book boxes with recycled boxes. Versatile and fun, this project can be adapted to various lessons: book reports, history projecs, science collections, and more!

Explore a 1900s lunch pail. In this oral language and 1900s history lesson, students view a photograph of an old-fashioned lunch pail. Students describe the object and make predictions about what it is and its possible uses. Students...

Using Styrofoam trays, kindergartners carve and create their own prints. They create an image in the Styrofoam, ink it up, and then use it to create prints. It would be great to mention and show how ink blocks or block prints have been...

Students discuss, analyze, and interpret "Portrait of a Dutch Family" by Fans Hals and then create subject specific projects for assessment. This cross-curricular lesson is well-suited for Language Arts or Visual Arts classrooms and...

An art lesson plan involving fish can accent a wide variety of subjects. Here are the steps needed to create a fish banner with paint, shapes, cardboard, and paper. This would be a nice way to start or finish a unit on fish or underwater...

Students study Earth Art Sculpture and its historic perspectives. They study important Earth Art sculptors, notably Andy Goldsworthy and view works of important Earth Artists. They explore the basic use of digital cameras and journal...

Students explore Aboriginal culture by participating in an art activity. In this First Nation history lesson, students utilize the Internet to research images and designs from Native American culture. Students create images on quilting...

Learners use Web technology to access immigration history and develop an understanding of the concept of immigration. Then they develop oral history writing skills, including note-taking and conducting an interview and read for detail....

Students explore women's rights by viewing cartoon images. In this women's history lesson, students view several images depicting women in a certain way while discussing the meaning of the imagery among their classmates. Students write a...

Students explore U.S. Geography by analyzing a map. In this state vs. country lesson plan, students utilize a U.S. map and locate the state of Kansas before researching the history and customs of the state. Students collaborate as a...

Students discover the identities of their classmates.  In this tolerance lesson, students create individual posters showcasing their identity, history, and family background.  Students examine the posters to get a better...

Students read and discuss the main characters and supporting characters in the African folktale, "Tiger and the Big Wind." They highlight the physical features of the animal that makes them unique and transfers those same qualities to...

Young scholars visit the MacArthur Memorial to find clues to a treasure hunt. They explore the history of Norfolk from 1830 to the present and view American, Japanese and Philippine art.