Why Do Art?

Travel back in American history to the era of slavery and abolition. After reading about the Underground Railroad, young historians examine a painting depicting the event, and write a narrative from the point of view of a person in the...

What do farmers have to do with voting on Tuesdays? Eighth graders learn more about the electoral system in America with an informative reading selection about the history of Election Tuesday. After they finish a short passage, they...

Why do artists create? To solve a problem, of course. Young artists work individually and then in groups to create observational, imaginative, and narrative drawings in response to an assignment that requires them to employ all 16 Habits...

Young scholars discuss symbolism in art, examine various images of compassion in Buddhist tradition, analyzing components of the concept, and then produce their own images of compassion through art.

How did the tradition of collecting and displaying interesting items to the public begin? How have museums evolved over time? Offer your young historians a fascinating look into a cultural pastime we so often take for granted in the...

Explore the influence of African-style masks on Western art. Learners create individual masks using construction paper. They discuss and explore the techniques used to create these types of masks. The resource includes links to...

How do we come to view objects and artifacts as art? What terms and ideas do we associate with craft instead? The distinction between art and craft may be subtle, but has profound roots in art history and the development of western...

Do kids use problem solving skills when they create scrap art? You bet they do! After examining the art of Mary Katherine Lamb, they create their own pieces using recycled products and vintage art techniques. They watch a video about the...

Imagine stepping into museums across the world right from the comfort of your own classroom, and analyzing artwork in greater detail than you ever thought possible. Google Art Project has made this possible! Amit Sood briefly introduces...

Learners discuss the life and death of both Elaine De Kooning and the president she painted, John Kennedy. They learn how Kooning chose to describe President Kennedy through abstract expressionism and why her choice of color and shape...