Curated OER
Primates
Students explore different primates. In this primate instructional activity, students examine the various primates by engaging in crafts, dramatic play, singing songs, and games.
Curated OER
Ice Breakers and First Day Activities
Build rapport and engage students with get-to-know-you activities
Curated OER
Hooray For Heroes
Students identify and interpret what heroes are by researching various American heroes of the past. Students select several school heroes and interview them, as well as their own personal hero and write a story about them. Students...
Curated OER
Historical Witness - social Messaging
Students examine and develop artwork that shows women's roles during different eras. In this women's role instructional activity, students look at artwork that shows women at work during the mid-nineteenth to early twentieth century....
Curated OER
Totem Transformations
Students are introduced in the Humanities class, as they explore the origins of Totems in Native American folklore. In the computer lab, students read Totem stories and explore the meaning and symbolism behind the myths using various Web...
Curated OER
Sonya Clark
Students make a hat that symbolizes special things about them after they explore hats from around the world and see those created by Sonya Clark.
Curated OER
All About Trees
Second graders examine the artwork of Robert Harris and discuss how trees are an important part of their lives. In groups, they discover how people's use of the environment has changed over time and describe the climate and vegetation...
Curated OER
Queen Victoria: Royal Family Values
Fifth graders explain how Queen Victoria's reign defined an era and helped Britain reach the status of world power.
Curated OER
Controversial Columbus
Seventh graders examine the controversial role of Christopher Columbus. In this Christopher Columbus lesson plan, 7th graders determine what Columbus was like and what his motivations were as they research print and Internet sources.
Curated OER
Käthe Kollwitz: Never Again War!
Students explore Kathe Kollowitz and other Holocaust artists.
Curated OER
Illustrated Letters
Learners role play the role of a famous artist living during the 1800s. They write a letter to their friend explaining the impact of this artist on others. In groups, they read primary source documents to examine life during the 1800s.
Curated OER
Eye of the Icon
Students examine various examples of artwork and identify icons. In groups, they discuss the role of special interest groups and media in promoting icons in society. They create a bust of an icon in the Victorian style and share them...
Curated OER
Symbols on Coins: U.S. Coins Evolved from Ancient Times
Learners explore the evolution of coins, and create their own coin, using the various features that have been carried over into modern times.
Curated OER
Honoring Leaders
Students design and compare monuments that honor an imaginary Roman emperor and a future American president. They explain how the monuments reflect the attributes of the person being honored.
Other
Art Teacher on the Net: Portrait Drawing
Seven lesson plans with unique approaches to drawing the human face. Web site also includes many other links to art related topics.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: Eye Contact: Modern American Portrait Drawings
Portraits in the collections of the National Portrait Gallery can be seen and understood with excellent gallery notes that also survey the history of portraiture in American art leading up to the modern period.
ArtsNow
Arts Now Learning: Self Portrait Drawing [Pdf]
In this instructional activity, learners will explore self-portraiture by looking at classical portrait paintings, such as Diego Velazquez's La Infanta Margarita or Raphael's Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione. A close look at these...
Kinder Art
Kinder Art: Drawing (Lesson Plans)
Forty creative lesson plans on drawing for young scholars of all ages! Each one gives an example, a list of materials, and step-by-step directions. Many of the activities also provide a list of books, vocabulary, extensions, and more!
ArtsNow
Arts Now Learning: Self Portraits With the Touch of a Finger [Pdf]
For this lesson, students will explore self-portraiture by looking at classical portrait paintings, such as Diego Velazquez's La Infanta Margarita or Raphael's Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione. A close look at these works reveals...
ArtsNow
Arts Now Learning: Mona Mesa: What Is Your Opinion? [Pdf]
In this activity, 1st graders look at a print of "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo DaVinci and talk about what they see, searching for visual clues to help them form an opinion. They discuss the importance of portrait paintings during the...
Marilyn J. Brackney
Imagination Factory: Draw a Portrait
In addition to providing suggestions for drawing the perfect portrait, Kids at Art looks at Leonardo da Vinci and his ideas about depicting the human figure.
Smithsonian Institution
National Portrait Gallery: A Brush With History
Exhibition of portraits of American heroes, statesmen, writers, artists, scientists, and historical figures draws on the paintings in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery to consider the story of America. View portraits from...
ArtsNow
Arts Now Learning: Self Portrait Collage [Pdf]
In this lesson, students look at how non-human images can be used in a self-portrait to portray aspects of a personality.