Curated OER
Interior Design - Space Unit
Students review the elements of design with a focus on space.  During a lecture, they complete a listening guide and ask any questions they might have.  Individually, they are given paper to design the classroom in regards to placement...
Curated OER
View Finder Painting
Creative thinkers create a paper "view finder." They place it on a magazine picture in different ways until they find an image to paint. They do this until they have drawn and then painted an entire paper filled with found art. 
Consortium for Ocean Science Exploration and Engagement (COSEE)
Ocean Acidification: Whats and Hows
Open this instructional activity by demonstrating the production of acidic carbon dioxide gas by activated yeast. Emerging ecologists then experiment with seashells to discover the effect of ocean acidification on shelled marine...
Curated OER
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...
National Endowment for the Humanities
The Glass Menagerie as Expressionist Theatre
The first lesson plan in a three-part unit has high schoolers examine The Glass Menagerie as an example of expressionist theatre. After reading a short article about expressionism, scholars list expressionist techniques in Tennessee...
Curated OER
Color - Interior Design
Students review the principle elements of design along with the sequence of colors on the color wheel.  In groups, they assign a feeling or mood to each color and share it with the class. To end the instructional activity, they use the...
Curated OER
Civil War Literature Circle
Historical fiction can be a valuable asset when learning about the past. Integrate several novels written about the Civil War into your social studies unit, with groups of four working collaboratively to comprehend the novel from...
Curated OER
Repeat Design Project
Students design an individual rubber stamp and use this design to create a simple repeat pattern. This Art lesson is for the high school level and includes a possible lesson extension.
Curated OER
Embossed Rose Window Designs
Students, after researching the history and foundation of Renaissance rose windows, access ArtEmboss to create an original window design. They employ a basic metalworking technique utilizing a soft metal. The design created incorporates...
Curated OER
Understanding the Complexities of Setting with Where the Lilies Bloom
After reading Where the Lilies Bloom and researching the wildflowers and herbs mentioned in the novel, class members create a mural that reflects the setting of the novel. Groups design the background, the houses of the characters, the...
Curated OER
Art Smart!
Here is an amazingly thorough, and detailed, lesson plan on elements of art and art appreciation. Designed for third graders, this series of lessons should open up the eyes of your charges to the wonderful world of art that is all around...
National Endowment for the Humanities
“House by the Railroad”: A Painting and a Poem for the Common Core
Introduce your class to ekphrastic poetry with an exercise that asks them to examine Edward Hooper's painting House by the Railroad and Edward Hirsch's poem "Edward Hopper and the House By the Railroad." After a close reading...
Curated OER
A Differentiated Art Lesson Plan Based on the Work of Andy Warhol
While this lesson isn't incredibly extensive, it does provide a base on which one can build a differentiated learning experience. Video, discussion, and visuals are used to assist learners in understanding the elements of art and design...
Texas Education Agency (TEA)
Roman Architecture
Design an office fit for the gods. Individuals view a PowerPoint presentation on Roman architecture, its key elements, and famous structures. In groups, they design an office building incorporating the elements of Roman architecture. 
ARKive
Marvellous Mini-beasts – Design a Species
Here is a creative activity that teaches kids how species evolve different characteristics for survival. The lesson plan begins as the class discusses and examines the adaptive traits of mini-beasts or insects. Then, in small groups,...
Curated OER
Pennies of My Life Part II
Youngsters write and construct their own autobiographies based on The Hundred Penny Box by Sharon Bell Mathis. They engage in pre-writing steps, narrative writing, and peer editing. This is the second part of a two-part project lesson.
Curated OER
Lord of the Flies
Ninth graders compare events in the story "Lord of the Flies" to real life events in our world. They create a manual and text describing the elements of survival. They create a poster of a conch shell that includes the scientific name, a...
Curated OER
Mixed Media Landscape Design
Seventh graders create mixed media representations of landscape designs in Africa and Asia.  The lesson is great for cross-curricular projects with the Social Sciences and/or Literature, or can be used as a self-contained project. ...
Curated OER
Business: Designing Business Cards
Students design and create business cards using Adobe Photoshop. Once they have applied techniques of typography and layout design, students identify redesign aspects and its importance in the design process. In a slide show, completed...
Curated OER
Design a Book Cover
Students explore character, plot, setting, symbolism, and conflict for a book that they are reading. Sample book covers are provided and students apply what they have learned by designing a book cover.
Curated OER
Interior Design Final Project
Students are introduced to the requirements for their final interior design project.  In groups, they compare and contrast the characteristics of floor plans to the needs of families living in the houses. Individually, they design their...
Code.org
Multi-screen Apps
Scholars continue their study of event-driven programming by creating a multi-screen app in the fifth lesson of the series. They incorporate previously learned elements and events in the mini-project.
Curated OER
Lesson New Museum: Exploring the Building
Explore the possibilities of buildings, public spaces, and architectural design. Learners examine the work of SANAA architects Sejima & Nishizawa through background information, images, and guided class discussion. This instructional...
Scholastic
Presenting Persuasively (Grades 9-12)
As a review of persuasive techniques, groups develop a one-sentence slogan designed to entice others to purchase a produce or adopt a point of view. The group then craft a storyboard for a commercial for their product.