American Institute of Physics
African American Inventors in History
A two-part lesson plan introduces young historians to the work of famous African American inventors. Groups first research and develop a presentation of an inventor that includes biographical information and information about one of...
National Gallery of Canada
Tantalizing Tessellations!
Examine repeating and intricate patterns with a study of M.C. Escher and a related art activity. Pupils view and discuss the artwork before creating their own tessellating patterns. Step-by-step instructions for creating a template are...
Annenberg Foundation
Geometry 3D Shapes: Platonic Solids
From polyhedrons to platonic solids, here is a lesson that will have your classes talking! As an introduction to platonic solids, scholars cut and fold nets to create the three-dimensional solids. They use an interactive component to...
California Academy of Science
Fish Forms
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, you can add art to any lesson! While little learners are discovering why fish have specific body parts such as, scales, fins, and gills, they start making three-dimensional fish forms. Children...
Annenberg Foundation
Geometry 3D Shapes: Euler's Theorem
How do you get a theorem named after you? Euler knows what it takes! The third lesson of five asks pupils to use an interactive activity to compare the faces, vertices, and edges of seven different three-dimensional solids. They use...
Perkins School for the Blind
Baseball
Baseball is an American pastime, super fun to play, and can be made accessible to learners with visual impairments. Instead of taking to the ball field, your class can learn the rules of the game by playing a small three-dimensional...
Curated OER
Paper Bag Butterfly Puppets
Whether you're using it to tell stories, explore the letter b, or during a life science lesson plan, these butterfly puppets will be a hit. Youngsters use crayons, tissue paper, and paper bags to create butterfly puppets.
Curated OER
Collage to Writing
Practice expository and creative writing with your class. Pupils use magazines to find pictures, cut them out, and create a collage. This work of art is then used as a writing prompt. They describe the collage in either a creative or...
Curated OER
Ocean Exploration: Shapes and Patterns Under the Sea
So many shapes in our vast oceans. Young explorers can discover new shapes in a variety of ways in this lesson. One way is having free exploration with a pattern shape kit handed out by the teacher. Another is by viewing a...
National Gallery of Canada
Panoramic Landscapes
Combine landscape with collage to create unique art pieces. Class members examine works of art before creating their own pieces with photos of a special place. Learners create a panoramic image and add in figures.
National Gallery of Canada
Taken Out of Perspective
Art does not always have to look perfectly realistic. Play with proportion and shape by stretching images. Pupils study works of art by Picasso, Cézanne, and Monet before selecting a photograph to adapt. They use a distorted grid to...
National Gallery of Canada
A Unity Wall Drawing
Build class community with an art project. Learners first examine and discuss works of art. They then contribute to a class mural by tracing their hands and decorating them in relation to their own cultures. The final mural...
Curated OER
Design a Colonial Garden
Young scholars explore botany by completing an art design activity in class. In this gardening history lesson, students identify the plants and crops utilized in the Colonial era for both food and medicine. Young scholars utilize...
National Gallery of Canada
The Roots of My Family
Represent family history visually by requiring your young artists to create family trees that express balance and symmetry. Pupils examine works of art, research their family histories, and put together large family tree posters.
Curated OER
Designed to Scale
Seventh graders construct a three dimensional model of a constellation. In this constellation activity, 7th graders make a blueprint for a scale model of the constellation and create their models. They present their models to the class.
Curated OER
Instructors Lesson Plan for Casting Shadows
Students create quilts with shadow effects, that create three dimensional effects that make the pieces appear to float right off the surface. They use several techniques to create the shadows such as; color and value, piecing, applique...
Curated OER
Wonders of the World
Third graders examine two-dimensional objects and create a 3-D image of the object. They make models of the Taj Mahal and buildings in Delhi.
Curated OER
"Jiffy" Person
In this art / literacy learning exercise, students learn to create a two-dimensional "Jiffy Person." Students view a colorful scarecrow "Jiffy Person" as a reference point. This template can be used for units on autobiographical and...
Curated OER
The Fun Art of Pasta!
Interesting shapes make noodles and other pasta a creative medium for children’s art
Curated OER
Watching Wheatstacks
Students explore basic shapes in Monet's paintings Wheatstacks, Snow Effect and Morning. They study about light and shadows through reading and experimenting with three-dimensional models and flashlights.
Curated OER
Portrait of Nadine Dumas
Students explore a portrait and then create their own portrait as a gift. In this bust art instructional activity, students use model techniques to create a three dimensional bust portrait. Students analyze the elements...
Curated OER
If I Had a Robot
Students study writing. In this creative writing lesson, students write a story about having a robot and make a three-dimensional robot to accompany their writing.
Curated OER
Vasarely Was A Colorful Fellow
Eighth graders create artwork inspired by the work of Victor Vasarely. For this op art lesson, 8th graders explore color theory and color mixing. Students create ten shapes to use in their artwork and over the course of two weeks,...