Curated OER
Cardboard Weaving
Fifth graders observe artworks of cardboard weaving for their art elements and principles of organization. In this cardboard weaving activity, student create their own and compare artworks of the past and present. Students...
Curated OER
Animals in Art
Learners look at how animals are shown in literature and art as representing emotions, telling a story, or sending a message in this elementary school Language Arts and Visual Arts lesson.
Duluth-Superior Area Educational Television Corporation
Marc Chagall / Magic Realism
Surrealistic painters like Marc Chagall and Wendy Rouse show viewers an expansive world in a small area. Young artists have a opportunity to create their own surrealistic paintings in response to a study of works by Chagall and Rouse.
Curated OER
Robe Design
You can learn a lot from a robe, especially if that robe is from the Qing Dynasty. Examine the beauty and symbolism that covers a functional and piece of clothing entitled Winter Dragon Robe. The class will consider and analyze all...
Curated OER
Finding Meaning in the Badge
Children who are three to five years old study two rank badges from the Qing dynasty to develop an understanding of social rank, language skills, and symbolism. The lesson is discussion-based and requires learners to compare and contrast...
Curated OER
Designing Clay
Maria and Juliana are two of the most famous Pueblo pottery makers of the modern era. The class will learn about pueblo pottery design and the ways that Maria and Julian use traditional designs in a new and innovative way. They will...
Louisiana Department of Education
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe
Compare and contrast popular works of fantasy literature with an in-depth reading comprehension unit. Language arts learners study the theme of good versus evil, fantastical characters and symbols, and the value of a visual...
Curated OER
Warhol and Collaboration
Students view images of Warhol/Basquiat collaboration and discuss them using the questions listed in the lesson. They work in groups to choose a theme or topic relating to American culture and discuss ideas about symbols that could be...
Curated OER
Image as Metaphor
A Dorothea Lange photograph launches this study of metaphors. Using the questions provided, the class examines the image and the title to consider how Lange uses her photo as a metaphor. Class members then select an object they can use...
Curated OER
Native American Clay Pots
Learners explore world culture by conducting an art project in class. In this Native American culture lesson, students identify the types of materials American Indians utilized in their artistic endeavors, specifically clay. Learners...
Curated OER
Making a Basic Clay Animal Sculpture In-The-Round
Learners create a three dimensional animal sculpture. In this sculpting activity, students use white art clay, gloss glaze, brushes, and wooden tools to create an animal sculpture.
Curated OER
Rock On And Carve Off
Sixth graders work in groups of four to create one subtractive relief bust out of clay. Team results are shared and discussed to analyze the degree of planning and skillful manipulation of materials necessary to complete a limestone bust.
Curated OER
Creating a Story Quilt
Students create a quilt to represent an important event in their life. For this visual arts lesson, students research Faith Finggold and her quilts. Students use art supplies to create their own quilt and share the symbolic meaning with...
Curated OER
Water Tank Mural
Students evaluate visual arts by creating a mural on campus. In this symbolism activity, students research famous artists on the Internet and examine the impact their work has had on society. Students create murals around their school...
Curated OER
Painted Balsa-Foam Butterfly
Students research a butterfly and create butterfly art. For this visual arts lesson, students choose a specific butterfly to research and create a Balsa-Foam butterfly of the same species. Students use Balsa-Foam, modeling tools, and...
Curated OER
Celebration and Satire
Young scholars analyze 19th-century paintings that depict celebrations in various ways. In this visual arts lesson, students view samples of paintings during the Industrial Revolution and discuss the effects of that time period on...
Curated OER
Centennial: Symbols of Utah
Fourth graders examine how symbols bring to mind facts, feelings, emotions, and events. They design a new, contemporary flag to promote the state of Utah.
Teaching Tolerance
Identity Self-Portraits
What symbols represent you best? Individuals consider how they would draw peers using symbols about their identities with an interview and art activity. After conducting interviews and portraits, the art makes a great centerpiece for...
Curated OER
My Antonia: Body Biography Book Report
Examine the characters in Willa Cather's My Antonia with a group project. Small groups illustrate their chosen character on a large piece of paper and choose quotes from the text that tell about the character. Where students choose...
Dick Blick Art Materials
Peace Windows
Peace, love, tolerance, faith. Marc Chagall's Peace Window in the United Nations World Headquarters serves as a model for young artists as they create their own peace-themed transparent paintings. A great activity for both SPED and...
Curated OER
Chinese Landscape Painting
Third graders learn about Chinese poetry and landscape paintings, then create their own. They view several examples and discuss the elements of each, then paint their own landscape inspired by what they saw. They then listen to, read,...
Curated OER
Reflections on the Self - Self Portrait
Students produce their own self-portraits and use them to create a book in iPhoto. They explore the visual symbols used by artists to communicate their feelings, interests, and identity.
Arts & Humanities
Make Your Own Flower Garden
Get into art with a little lesson on flower parts. The class reviews basic information regarding flowers and then they use a paper mosaic technique to create visual representations of the lovely plants.
Curated OER
What is a Paragraph? Part Two
Paragraphs are simply visual cues to separate information. Briefly display the different types of paragraph organization with these slides. A good tool for beginning readers and writers.