Curated OER
Coil Pots
Children learn by doing. Here, they discuss cultural uses of containers, coil and slab techniques, functional aesthetics, and the principles of art and design. The entire process for making a coil pot is fully described here to make the...
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CREATIVE PRINCIPLES
Jr. high learners review the basic principles of design (balance, unity, movement, rhythm, pattern, contrast and emphasis) by watching a video by Gerald Brommer. Then they provide "aerobic exercise" for the right side of their brains by...
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What is Art?
Students become familiar with the art and architecture and history of the Chicago World's Fair. In this public arts project lesson, students compare and contrast fine art and public art through a study of the exhibits at the...
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Pastel Drawing like Vincent Van Gogh
Learners discuss the elements of art and design found in a series of flower paintings by Vincent Van Gogh. They explore art, shading, and color as they create mirrored representations of the master's art, using oil pastel.
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Design Your Own Building
Students explore the use of design principles in the real world. They evaluate how problems can be solved using design principles. In groups, students design the floor plan for a building of their choice.
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Our Client Is The Cincinnat Art Museum
Learners design various commercial products for the Cincinnati Art Museum using on-line sources, past designs, and creative educational software. This lesson has excellent project ideas for various student levels including: K-2, 3-5,...
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Studio Art Lessons Based on Latin American Arts
Study three of the basic principles of design: l) designs should create a rhythmic pattern made up of related shapes, 2) colors should be repeated so as to not force the eye to remain with a single part of the composition, and 3) a...
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Pop Art Pins & Magnets
Learners examine cereal and snack boxes and then create magnets and/or pins using the Pop Art demonstrated in these pieces. This multi-level lesson emphasizes the differences between commercial art examples and fine art examples.
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Mexican Metal Tooling
Metal work can be a wonderful way to expose learners to Mexican folk art. This resource provides all the necessary steps for creating Mexican metal tooling with your art class. Images, web links, recommended books and products make...
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The Art Box
Sixth graders create a 3-D Art Box in this design-oriented art project for the 6th grade. Rubric is included for grading purposes. The elements of design are covered and applied (includes line, form, texture, shape, value, color, and...
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Garbage or Art?
The three R's are, reduce, reuse, and recycle. Third graders use recycled materials to design and create an environmentally themed piece of art. They discuss and examine major art works that were created using recycled materials, then...
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Drawing Portraits Using a Grid
A well-developed art lesson is always great to have around. This lesson on portrait drawing includes a full procedure, modifications, background information on artist Chuck Close, recommended websites, and a few thoughts from the...
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How to Draw Caricatures
Caricature drawing is fun, and can help learners explore the principle of design and content specific vocabulary. They view a video and books that use character drawings, discuss vocabulary such as exaggeration, proportion, and symmetry,...
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Interpreting Lao Design: Painting
Students examine Lao art techniques and practice replication and modification of Lao designs. Maintaining a symmetrical image, they embellish designs with imagery and background color. They discuss the students' works and note the...
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Tiles, Blocks, Sapphires & Gold: Designing a Treasure Map
Young cartographers in groups hide treasure at school and then create a map to find it using pattern blocks and tiles. They make paintings with clues to create a visual representation of the location of their treasure. Groups present...
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If Paintings Could Talk: Art and Language
Middle schoolers learn about the artist Canaletto, play a vocabulary game, and create a landscape using collage technique. Background information on the artist is provided along with instructions for the game and vocabulary words to...
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Sports Action Figure
Fourth graders identify art elements and design principles in art such as movement, unity, space and color planning.
Dick Blick
ArtStraw Architecture
While architects and engineers don't often build with plastic straws and foam board, the same principles still apply. Challenging both the creativity and critical thinking of students, this engaging design project is perfect...
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Art Attraction: Researching the Great Masters and their Works
Students fill out worksheets where they analyze and provide information about different artists, visual art, art techniques, design, and more. For this art lesson plan, students complete 8 worksheets.
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Art Careers: Interior Decorator
Pupils redesign specific areas of their school using interior design techniques, magazine ideas, and cooperative learning groups in this middle and high school level instructional activity. Emphasis is on examining the career...
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Stop Signs, Musical Notes, Letters & Logos: Designing Symbols
Students develop an awareness of environmental print, such as signs, logos, brand names, and other print and non-print items that the children see and read in their neighborhood each day. They then engage in active problem solving as...
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Book Cover Design
Students design book covers. In this graphic design lesson, students are introduced to designing book covers. Students develop skills on how to promote their designs to clients. Students then create their own book covers.
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...
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Exploring Weather Conditions Through Painting
Your advanced class will paint a picture of a particular weather condition. In this painting lesson students describe elements of art in pieces of artwork. They analyze the weather and seasons in the artwork. The students use paper,...