Students discuss the advantages and disadvantages of private communities and the lives led by their residents. They design ideal planned communities for people featured in other Class Matters articles.

Ninth graders, while looking and examining a photograph provided to them, write a composition that exemplifies the photograph with at least three of the five composition rules illustrated with 100% accuracy. The composition is the start...

Students discuss methods of building forms with clay (ball and variations, snake, flat sheets). They draw a stick figure of what their sculpture may look like, including correct figure proportion.

Students explore emotions represented in artwork.  In this cross curriculum social studies and art lesson, students explain examples of political and social issues expressed in artwork by Dorthea Lang, Diego Rivera, Dan Eldon, as...

Students demonstrate the ability to draw vertical, horizontal, and diagonal lines, recognize the difference between inside and outside, and create a picture of themselves.

Students identify geometric patterns in quilts. In this geometry activity, students view various types of quilts and identify the geometric shapes. Students construct one hundred patch paper quilts using geometric shapes.

Students recognize how chromatic scales create tension and pentatonic scales create relaxation as compositional techniques used to create tonality. Also, students aurally recognize the use of mixed or alternating meter as a means of...

Students demonstrate three different watercolor techniques using flower pictures and flowers as the inspiration. They work with organic shapes.

Students identify the major folk regions of Louisiana and the relationship between folklife, geography, and ecology. They give deeper thought to what makes their own community unique, what their sense of place actually is. Students...

Learners examine porcelain objects and see how their original use has been changed to create a new decorative object or an object with a new function. In this porcelain objects lesson plan, students observe the objects and then they will...

Students conduct an experiment and complete a chart demonstrating some of the basic properties and components of water via the scientific method. They encompass strategies such as questioning, making predictions, comparing/contrasting...

Fourth graders observe prints and paintings as the teacher discusses various design elements (repetition, variety, texture, pattern, etc.) used by the artist Henri Matisse. They look at and discuss Indian corn and then make a print that...

Students explore three topics of elements of art in this seven lessons unit. An overview of light, space, figure, ground, pattern, balance and symmetry are presented in this unit.

Third graders view examples of previous miniature stain glass designs. After making their own frame out of craft sticks, they create their own design using colored paper. They outline each piece with a black marker and share them with...

Young scholars understand that elements of art are important aspects of certain jobs. In this art/careers lesson plan, students discuss art related careers, listen to guest speakers with art related careers and do internet research art...

Young scholars examine and discuss the many decorative elements in the Japanese garden. They learn about Japanese gardens and lanterns and create their own model out of clay.

Learners explore the responsibilities of people working in advertising. They create a campaign to support the arts including advertisements in several different media. Length of unit depends on number of projects completed.

Fourth graders produce 4 small works of art that be pasted or glued onto the back of the colored construction paper. They choose crayons, watercolor markers, watercolor paints, or colored pencils to produce their designs.

Students choose furnishings and accessories based on color, line, pattern, texture, shape, and mood. They discuss how interiors are affected by furniture arrangements and traffic patterns and examine furniture and make a grouping of...

Third graders complete a graphic organizer to determine what a good story looks and sounds like. Using various forms and conventions, they determine which style to use for different audiences and purposes. They write their own story and...

Young scholars participate in activities that help them appreciate the history of their local community as it celebrates its sesquicentennial year. They construct timelines, maps, interview, and writing. They use technology in a number...

Sixth graders construct a collage using found objects over the surface of a shoe creating an object of art. They use a digital camera to document the process of making the shoes. They create images of "art shoes walking" with the...

Third graders pose questions about the subject of a short story based on the title and cover illustration; then read the story and determine if their questions actually pertained to the story line, and, if so, how the story answered the...

Students decorate bowls designed around a chosen theme. The project is based around Bellvue Museum's Israeli/Palestinian relations exhibit. While the theme may be too sophisticated for younger grades, the theme can be modified as needed.