Curated OER
Navajo Sand Paintings
Research the use of sand paintings in the Navajo tribe. Your learners work together to design their own sand painting. They share their creation with the class describing what the symbols mean.
Sargent Art
Glass Jar Sand Art: Inspired by Navajo Sand Painting
Sand has been used as an artistic medium for centuries and can be found in cultures across the globe. The class examines sand art created by the Navajo people. They mix tempera paint and sand to create their colors, and then fill jars,...
Curated OER
Lesson Plan: A Bird's Tale
Who wouldn't love to get a letter from a blue bird? Elementary art enthusiasts analyze the social and historical context of Ason Yellowhair's Navajo piece, Bird and Cornstalk Rug. They examine the construction and images on the rug...
Curated OER
Sand Painting
Students explore Navajo traditions and art. In this sand painting lesson, students discuss Navajo rituals and traditions prior to designing a sand painting that is representative of the Navajo ideal of the hozho.
Curated OER
Inspired Innovation
Throughout time, innovators have taken basic ideas and changed them into creative and cutting-edge designs. Kids tackle the topic of innovations in relation to traditional or creative objects. They discuss traditional Navajo pottery then...
Curated OER
Life of a Navajo Weaver
Students explore Native American weaving patterns and dance movements. In this Native Americans lesson plan, students view examples of weaving patterns on the Internet and compare the patterns to a Native American dance. Students...
Curated OER
Navajo Poetry
Students listen to Navajo poetry and create various responses to what they have heard. Students may create an illustration for the poems, create an original work of poetry, or write about how the poem relates to Native American culture.
Curated OER
Rock Art
First graders create and share their own rock art. They listen and read stories: "Mathematics from Many Cultures" and "The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush."
Curated OER
Sand Painting
Students design and create Navajo Sand Paintings using sand, powdered tempera paints, and basic art supplies in this Art lesson for elementary classrooms. The history behind sand paintings can be included with this lesson for a complete...
Curated OER
Rock Art
First graders create and share their own rock art based on Navajo and Hawaiian rock art.
Curated OER
Should Art Be for Art's Sake?
Students examine how European-America aestheticians (philosophers of art) do not all agree about the value and definition of art. students examine how some cultures do not have a distinct word or definition for art.
Denver Art Museum
Putting Images into Words
Engage your class in art analysis of Indian Look-Alike by Melanie Yazzie. Using this work of art as inspiration, writers compose a poem or short story. After a peer review session, the teacher conveys information about the work of art as...
Curated OER
National Gallery of Art: Jackson Pollock
Students paint a picture in the style of Jackson Pollock. In this painting lesson, students learn about Jackson Pollock and the method that he used to create his famous pieces of art. Students use objects other than paintbrushes to...
Curated OER
Descriptive Character Analysis
Students visualize a character or event and personalize it through drawings.