Representational Teacher Resources

Tenth graders explore abstract and non-representational art forms through research and artistic expression. They research a free form artist, their work, and abstract sculpture. They then work with pantyhose, chicken wire, plaster, and...

Students research Depression-era art and WPA arts programs. They discuss the purposes of representational art, list topics that would make good representational art today, and produce a work of art representing a current theme.

One must first learn how to analyze art before they can properly respond to it. Here, young analysts examine six abstract pieces in a systematic and formal way. They then respond to one of the pieces in either a poem or an essay. An...

There is a lot to be learned from a horse. Kids analyze a contemporary tribal design found on a large installation piece. Then they create tribal designs of their own that show similarities and difference between cultures and time...

Students paint shapes in pictures using all of the colors in the color wheel. In this colors lesson plan, students learn about primary and secondary colors, and create non representational art with the colors.

Practice the skill of compare and contrast. First, show learners the different pairs of artwork in the project packet (included). Then, each learner chooses one of the pairs and finds the similarities and differences between the...

Before the class makes abstract art, they see contemporary examples and analyze them. They look at art made by abstract artists under the age of 33 then use similar techniques to create an interesting collection of their own. The lesson...

Can art be a mode of communication? You bet it can! Learners explore how colors are used to convey mood in art. First, the class listens to three very unique musical selections that convey three different moods. Then, they compare...

Students use a monochromatic palate, select shades and tints for a selected hue, or select complimentary or analogous colors for a quilt design. They design quilt squares using basic geometric shapes, repetition, balance, and proportion.

Incorporate a research project into your study of Shakespeare and the Renaissance Period. Class members assume the role of an apprentice seeking membership in one of the various guilds that existed during the Renaissance period....

Eighth graders study the role of gender in art. They examine aspects of personal identity. They assess and utilize the properties of a variety of art media and their ability to convey messages and meaning.

Students create a magazine that is circulated in an alternative format. They design each issue in the form of a student-created box. They explore issues relating to experiences of young people in different times and places.

Learners explore different painting techniques. In this visual arts instructional activity, students use various materials to create different textures in their paintings. Learners use wax paper and foam boards to create unique art pieces.

Students view and interpret Dan Howard's artwork entitled, Soliloquium:IV. They write a story of what they think is behind the painting and then paint their own soliloquy.

Humans make art. We do this for many reasons and with whatever technologies are available to us. This essay describes some of the earliest forms of art made by humans.

Explore two of the pieces of artwork by Canadian painter, Maurice Cullen: " Cape Diamond" and " Paris, Winter on the Seine". Read about his life as an impressionist artist who also did landscapes.

Access five lessons that would enrich any curriculum about ancient civilizations and the art produced by those civilizations. Using the PBS documentary "How Art Made the World" as a jumping off point, the lessons ask learners to think...