MDE k-12
Lesson 5: The Journey Becomes Larger Than Life!
Many muralists throughout history have focused on using their art to represent aspects of their culture or community. After thoroughly researching several muralists, budding artists will create a larger than life mural that contains...
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Revive, Contemplate, Integrate
Students recognize flags as a symbol through writing and imagery. In this artifact lesson, students investigate Tibetan prayer flags and their significance. Students create personal prayer flags and write about their life experience of...
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Art Lesson: My Symbol
Students explore and brainstorm the concept of symbols in real world applications and create a poem describing themselves. They design and paint a symbol that represents him/herself utilizing the technique of simplification to express...
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Money and Business (Art)
Third graders investigate world currency by creating their own coin art. In this government lesson, 3rd graders examine the characteristics of different coins and create their own design for a new one. Students discuss and...
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Making Art That Matters
Students plan and execute a mural, in small groups, that attempts to protest or persuade. They focus on effective definition of shape, use of symbols, and impact on their intended viewers.
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Numbers in Art
Students choose a number from one to twelve and tell a number story about it. They listen to the teacher read "Numbers in Art" by Lucy Micklethwait. Students choose three numbers from one to twelve and view works of art while looking for...
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Learning Empathy Through Art
Students create poems based on the Haiku form and research about WWII. Class discussion and classroom readings of student work finish this lesson. Emphasis is placed on Standards in the Arts.
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Geometry in Art
Young scholars examine mathematical symbols and formulas included in works of art. They analyze quilts for shapes and they each make their own quilt from squares using geometric shapes.
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Psychedelic 60's
Learners examine the Pop Art of the 1960s. Using the internet, they become experts on the subject through research. They compare and contrast the literary work to the art work during this same period and examine how the culture of the...
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Symbols and Signs
Students investigate the significance of various signs and symbols. They view and discuss the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of U.S. liberty, listen to the book "The Story of the Statue of Liberty," and create a class book of signs and...
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Remembrance Through Public Art
Pupils discuss the purpose of public art, in the form of memorials. They research the design and planning of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C., then plan their own memorial and construct a 3D model.
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Geometry in Art
Pupils recognize and measure geometric shapes within abstract art. They examine quilts for shapes and they each make their own quilt from squares using geometry and measurement.
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Black and White Still Life
There isn't a lot to this lesson, but it could provide some guidance. It outlines a five-day drawing lesson where learners view a presentation on the importance of drawing in art history, practice pencil skills, and compose a black and...
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Calligraphy: Symbols & Signs - Visual Arts
Students research the forms and significance of calligraphy in traditional and contemporary Chinese society. They design a mixed media scroll on paper, developing symbols for use as calligraphic images. Students describe how selected...
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VISUAL ARTS LESSON-Missal Stand/Lectern
Sixth graders investigate a work of art from Mexico. The role of the art in the history of Mexico is researched to help evaluate the meaning of the artwork. The art creates a context for students to make a creative project.
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Personal Peace Symbols
Eleventh graders produce a work of art that symbolizes peace and their experiences with it. In this peace symbolism lesson, 11th graders sketch symbols associated with peace view art examples of peace images. Students complete a...
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Power of Symbols in West African Art
Students examine and analyze symbols used in the Asante community of Ghana and look at the history of power struggles in West Africa. They discover how to express meaning and power as they create their own symbols and short stories...
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Joaquin Torres Garcia Art
Students analyze the art of Joaquin Torres Garcia in 'Composition.' In this art analysis lesson plan, students read about the artist's work and the artist. Students answer discussion and follow-up questions.
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Symbols of America
Third graders choose an American symbol and write a poem about it. In this American symbols lesson plan, 3rd graders view and discuss the purpose of some American symbols and then write at least 5 lines in a poem about it.
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Rock art
Students study rock art they use art materials, colored photographs and rock art examples to: differentiate between symbol, petroglyph, pictograph, and rock art. They interpret rock art to illustrate its importance in the cultural...
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Frida Kahlo Art
Students analyze Frida Kahlo as an artist and her artworks. In this art analysis lesson, students review the art of Kahlo and her self-portrait. Students make their own self-portrait.
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Telling Stories About Ourselves
Students discover how visual images communicate meaning. They create costumes that tell personal stories and perform dances wearing the costumes.
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Draw What You Feel in the Bag: Art Game
Here is a great game to play on a rainy day or as a warm up. Kids feel an object in a paper bag, they do not attempt to identify it, they simply draw what they feel. This results in a contour drawing based on line, feeling, and texture....