American Institute of Architects
Architecture: It's Elementary!—First Grade
Build an interest and appreciation for architecture in your young learners with this fun 10-lesson art unit. Engaging children in using their five senses, the class first observes the environment around them, paying special attention to...
Curated OER
Drawing Portraits Using a Grid
A well-developed art lesson plan is always great to have around. This lesson plan on portrait drawing includes a full procedure, modifications, background information on artist Chuck Close, recommended websites, and a few thoughts from...
Curated OER
Looking and Learning in the Art Museum
Have you just visited an art museum? Or can you create a gallery in your classroom to visit? Pupils create an original drawing that reinforces what was learned in a visit to the art museum. They will view original art work and verbally...
Curated OER
Shaded Bottles
Learners draw, and then paint three-dimensional bottles to practice shading which shows shape and perspective. The step-by-step process for creating dimensional still life art is outlined, which makes teaching art an attainable task. Oil...
Curated OER
Pen and Ink Drawing
Learners hone their drawing techniques to create a nature-inspired piece of art. They practice hatching, cross hatching, stippling, and shading. They discuss how each method is better suited for creating specific elements in nature such...
Curated OER
Looking and Learning in the Art Museum
Reflect on the art your class can view at a museum. In this art history lesson, students draw six elements of art. They discuss original art versus reproduction artwork and write about their thoughts of a museum. It would be wonderful if...
Missoula Art Museum
Dance with Your Fingers, Draw with Your Toes
Pair dancing, music, and art into one elementary instructional activity. Using the work of Henri Matisse and Rudy Autio as inspiration, kids spend a few days listening to music that fits the moods of various pieces of art, then work on...
Curated OER
Compare and Contrast Photograph Art
Take a trip down Pearblossom Highway with this lesson about comparing and contrasting. Using David Hockney's Pearblossom Hwy and another image of the same highway (photograph or other image), students compare and contrast the two...
Curated OER
The Elements of Art Through Photography
Fifth graders photograph examples of the five elements of art: line, shape, color, pattern, and composition.
Curated OER
Crayon Etching (Scratch Art)
What to do at a time when we have a little extra time to fill and need an activity that won't take a lot of prep? This art project is simple and can be linked to various other subjects. Learners use crayons to color in their paper, then...
Curated OER
Shapes and Patterns in Art and Oceans
First graders draw, cut out, and design their own fish shapes by cutting out shapes and putting them together. In this shapes and patterns worksheet, 1st graders also construct a stamp and print patterns with stamps to repeat a...
Curated OER
Plein Air Drawing and Painting
Students plein air drawing. In this drawing skills lesson, students follow the provided steps that require them select natural objects and utilize plein air skills to complete their drawings.
Curated OER
Pop-Up Pop Art, Tunnel book
Students study iconic symbols Keith Haring would make in his artwork. They invent a background for the images, and draw the characters. Students create a Tunnel Book and a Pop-Up Book based on their drawings.
J. Paul Getty Trust
Expressing Emotions through Art Lesson 2—Everybody Needs Somebody
Young scholars investigate drawings of couples. In this art history lesson plan, students examine the techniques artists use to convey emotions such as caring, love, and togetherness. Young scholars utilize these techniques to create...
Curated OER
Cave Art Drawing
Students design an environment that resembles a prehistoric cave. They use ancient rock art as inspiration for their own artistic expression. They demonstrate their understanding of the vocabulary, tools, and techniques used in...
Curated OER
Rainbow Fish Drawing
First graders read the book, RAINBOW FISH and view a few pictures of different types of fish. They discuss putting certain shapes together make up objects and talk about and demonstrate straight and wavy lines, thick and thin lines....
Endangered Species Coalition
Endangered Species Day Art
Albrecht Durer created a highly textured stamp or print of a rhinoceros. To better understand which animals are near extinction, upper graders create similar prints of endangered animals they've researched. The six-day lesson includes...
Curated OER
Chinese Folktales: An Illustrating Activity
In need of a really good lesson that incorporates literature, art, and cultural themes? After hearing a traditional Chinese folktale and discussing cultural themes and symbolism, learners create original illustrations for the story. This...
Curated OER
Canvas Folding Screen
Elementary, middle, and high schoolers design canvas folding screens; much like the ones that are so prevalent in Asian homes. Be warned that this art lesson requires a lot of materials, so it will be expensive to implement. However, the...
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
Pop Art Ice Cream Painting
Young scholars develop skills in painting and create a painting of an ice cream cone using Pop Art as in inspiration.
Curated OER
Flexible Thinking- Squiggle Art
Students complete an art creation where they are given a squiggle and have to design a picture around it. In this squiggle art lesson plan, students use flexible thinking, and draw 6 pictures around 6 different squiggles.
Curated OER
Jose Posada - Calaveras Drawings - Line
Students examine and discuss work of Mexican printmaker Jose Posada, and create drawings in the style of Posada that use current subject matter and symbols.
Curated OER
Nature of Chagall - Oil Pastel Drawing - "I and the Village"
By studying the art and style of Marc Chagall, students create a surreal piece of art
representing themselves and their surroundings and illustrating Chagall's quote, "Great art picks up where nature ends".