Curated OER
Tall Tale Rollers
Students explore American tall tales. For this tall tale lesson, students discover the six characteristics that are included in tall tales. Students survey their class to find each student's favorite tall tale character and organize the...
Japan Society
Japanese Architecture for High School Students
Japanese architecture is rich in symbolism and culture. Critical thinkers engage in three activities intended to expose them to the beauty of Japan. They read through the book, Praise of Shadows by Junichiro Tanizaki and watch the...
Curated OER
Deconstructing Disney
Tenth graders analyze animated Disney movies. They demonstrate their awareness of how the artful use of language can affect and influence others. They evaluate how both genders and cultures are portrayed in mass media.
Dick Blick
Mardi-Gras Mask
Celebrate Mardi Gras in style with beautiful sparkling masks! Class members use provided materials to create their own Mardi Gras masks and then don their costumes for a fun masquerade.
Teaching Tolerance
Collage of Concerns
A picture can speak louder than words. An interesting lesson introduces the themes of social justice and diversity to young learners by having them create artwork. Scholars create collages from a variety of sources to showcase what...
Curated OER
Colored Pencil Repoussé
Artists employ a basic metalworking technique by embossing lines and textures into a soft metal. They look for examples of embossed metals in historical and contemporary examples. This fascinating process has been used by many cultures...
Curated OER
Exploring Louisiana's Land Down Under - The World of Kate Chopin's The Awakening.
Visit 19th century Grand Isle, Cheniere Caminada, and New Orleans! Meet the inhabitants, learn about their history and culture, and view landmarks and industries! After reading Kate Chopin’s The Awakening, class groups research the...
Curated OER
All About Me
Students identify personal traits. In this autobiographical art lesson, students read the book Whoever You Are and use art supplies to create a body cut-out of themselves. Students include physical characteristics on their cut out.
Curated OER
Talking Rocks
Artists imitate the symbols used by tribes of the Southwest or use their own word pictures that communicate something about themselves. This lesson is a perfect blend of visual art and social studies. Students create a beautiful piece of...
Curated OER
Neon Signs
Middle schoolers study a commercial art form and explore its historic and social meaning. They apply linear color to a shape, bending and forming the lines in much the same way a sign artist would form glass tubing. They design their own...
Addicted2Salsa
Pocket Salsa
Master the art of salsa dancing in the comfort of your own home (or classroom) with a high-quality and easy-to-follow series of videos. An instructor and his partner demonstrate all the basic steps, and a whole rhythm section gives...
Curated OER
How Poets Evoke Social and Historical Representations
High schoolers explore how poems represent the social, historical, and cultural times that they were written in. In this poetry lesson plan, students compare and contrast poems with music of the time and explore implications of writing...
Curated OER
Houses, Beach Shacks and Cultural Habitats
Students create a unique habitat by applying the methods of hand building. They draw their idea in their sketchbook. They create the form with expressive variations. They create the decorations using glazes, underglass, stamps and...
Curated OER
Art Lesson: Doll Making
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...
Curated OER
Identify the Element of Line
Learners explore the element of "line." In this beginning art lesson, students listen to the book Harold and the Purple Crayon, then describe the types of lines Harold drew. Learners identify straight lines, jagged lines, curvy...
Curated OER
EXPRESSIONIST ART LESSON
Sixth graders design and compose a picture that conveys a specific emotion or feeling, and recognize the use of emotion in a variety of artworks using crayons and/or pastels. They experiment and manipulate elements of art including, line...
Curated OER
The Talking Stick
Young scholars examine the lives of the Aboriginal peoples of Saskatchewan. For this talking stick lesson, students discover dance, art, music, and traditions of the First Nations people. Young scholars design and create a talking...
Curated OER
The Affect of Music on Visual Images
Eighth graders consider cross-curricular connections between social studies, singing, and current events. They listen to the song, "I Can't Cry Hard Enough." view scenes from September 11, then create presentations using images, a...
Curated OER
Expressions - Activity 1
Students create wax sculptures of a full body using mathematical calculations and information gathered from a video in this excellent art project. The lesson can be used along or within the unit provided.
Curated OER
Imagining China through Words
When Europeans first came back with tales of China, they provided vivid written accounts and minimal visual imput. This resulted in art rendered mostly from descriptive language. Learners explore this phenomena by listening to...
Curated OER
Textured Metal Boxes
Discuss the art process called repousse with this lesson. Learners discuss the history of this artistic method, talk about the technique, and create their own examples. They use boxwood tools, paper mache boxes, and sandpaper to create...
Curated OER
Siesta Pillow
Middle schoolers investigate the culture of Mexico through the medium of visual art. They conduct research using a variety of resources. The information is used as inspiration for creating their own pillows with the use of fabric markers.
Curated OER
Celebrating St. Patrick's Day with Dance
Celebrate St. Patrick's Day by teaching your class how to do an Irish jig. This type of dance is very fast. Break it all down and teach each section of the dance thoroughly. There are plenty of hops, kicks, toe touches, and stomps in...
Curated OER
Carnival Celebrations: Masks and Vejigantes
Learners explore Carnival. In this Puerto Rico Carnival activity, students discover the history of the cultural celebration as well as the significance of the elaborate masks worn for the festivities. Learners create their own Carnival...