Symbols and Icons in Art Teacher Resources

This is a terrific art analysis worksheet that has kids thinking critically about art, symbolism, and history. They answer several questions regarding basic art elements and then delve into a thoughtful analysis.

The 15th and 16th centuries marked one of the most interesting periods in European art history. The deep symbolism, allegory, rich imagery, and iconography can be found in this extensive and well-organized slideshow. From El Greco to...

Have you ever seen a Mexican yarn painting? They're beautiful! Create a Mexican yarn painting with your class using this lesson plan. Start by discussing Mexico's culture and viewing different yarn paintings. After reading about...

Indian art and architecture is covered from the baths of Mohenjo-daro to the Great Stupa in Sanchi. This presentation shows Indian art as it progressed throughout time but focuses heavily on Buddhist art and architecture that originated...

The works of Juane Quick-to-see Smith are featured in a lesson that asks pupils to consider the role artists play in bringing about social and political change. Scholars examine protest art by Smith and several street artists and...

The early Medieval period began around the 6th century and went until about the year 1100. This image-driven presentation covers those years in terms of art and architecture. From churches to the Book of Kells, this functional,...

The final session in a sequential, three-lesson sculpture study designed by the education staff of the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles has class members using the criterial they developed to critique each others' symbolic sculptures.

Young artists create a series of sketches of ideas for a sculpture, and using the criteria develop in the previous class, critique their sketches. They then choose one of their ideas and create their work of art.

Video 37 in the Crash Course Drama and Theater playlist discusses surrealism, as well as symbolism and dadaism in the world of theater. Playwrights the narrator discusses include Maurice Maeterlinck, Paul Fort, Lugne Poe, and Andre...

Turn your young artists into great marketing specialists with this fun lesson plan! They will turn ordinary soup cans into exciting choices for dinner by recreating the can label. This is a fantastic project to connect art, advertising,...

After learning a bit about symbolism and view the Australian flag, learners make one of their own. They discuss how flags and art can symbolically express ideas or feelings, design three symbols, and construct a flag that represents...

Young art critics consider symbolic protection as it has been used in various cultures around the globe. They view body art from the Marquesas Islands, looking for animals, letter, shapes, and patterns. They compare and contrast body art...

Comparative thinking is one way to build critical analysts. Budding artists discuss symbols and how they represent concepts, beliefs, or ideas. They compare the symbols found on an ancient Egyptian mummy case to those found in...

This activity provides a wonderful scaffold for those learning how to analyze art in a critical and thoughtful way. It describes what art historians do, then requires learners to view and analyze one of the listed works. Twelve questions...

Whether written for Therese, Elisabeth, or for Juliane, young music theory students will enjoy pursuing the clues hidden in music symbols that indicate who wrote "Fur Elise."

Sand has been used as an artistic medium for centuries and can be found in cultures across the globe. The class examines sand art created by the Navajo people. They mix tempera paint and sand to create their colors, and then fill jars,...

Art is a great way to convey or express an idea. Learners choose an idiom, draw it, and use transfer paper to create photograms. They discuss how why they chose the phrase they did, and how they expressed that idea through their...

The Kuna Indians hail from the San Blas Island near Panama. Learners will investigate their culture by creating paper mola collages, just like the ones created by the indigenous Panamanians. They'll focus on understanding the symbolism...

Feast your eyes on some of the most beautiful and important art of the Renaissance, including paintings, sculptures, and architecture. The slides take care to detail the characteristics of each art form, but the presentation really lends...

Pop art food sculptures may look good enough to eat, but don't bite into them! Paying close attention to detail, ninth-graders use modeling clay to sculpt then paint a realistic item of food, reflecting the American popular culture of...

While these worksheets are specific for use while visiting the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, they could be used to guide nearly any museum trip. Questions focus on human activity, symbolism, culture, religion, and society as...

Guernica stands as a masterpiece of anti-war art. The narrator of a short video examines the images in Picasso's massive, complex, and disturbing painting and offers an explanation of what the images may symbolize.

Tenth graders analyze a biographical piece of art by Raymond Saunders. They identify shapes, symbols, and lines that are used, and how the piece relates to the artist's life and modern society. They design and create an original piece of...