Learners familiarize themselves with some of the competing philosophies underlying architecture. They explore structures as a form of artistic expression as well as a practical undertaking.

Students create collages using the irregular-shaped and sized pieces, decorative stitching, and applied or painted motifs that reflect the Crazy-Quilt style, and explain how and why their design fits into that style.

Students take digital pictures of themselves before using a stylus pen on to trace their facial features on a graphic pad. Using an Internet gallery of body drawings they complete a caricature of themselves. In two other activities, they...

Third graders identify secondary colors that are created by mixing primary color paint combinations, and make paintings of their own.

Students study rock and roll with the music of Bruce Springsteen.

Fourth graders read a Cherokee myth about the origin of strawberries. After reading the story, they add another chapter to it and read their additions to the class. Or, as a group activity, they each write a few sentences and then pass...

Students create brochures about the humor of Mark Twain. In this literature-analysis lesson plan, students read "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" and other short stories by Twain. Students write analytical paragraphs and...

Learners examine a system of critical analysis for describing, interpreting, and evaluating portraits which focuses their attention and yields information about the artwork.

Students create self-portraits using prior artistic knowledge and personal experiences. Emphasis is placed on the works of Albrecht Durer, Vincent Van Gogh, Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Romare Bearden, and Chuck Close for inspiration.

Students demonstrate the ability to draw vertical, horizontal, and diagonal lines, recognize the difference between inside and outside, and create a picture of themselves.

Eighth graders study and analyze the elements of color by creating an personalized color wheel. Emphasis is placed on constructive criticism of student work by others for assessment. Students create short poems for their color wheel...

Students explain the impact that the media may have in shaping their intellectual and emotional responses to current events. They examine broadcast and Web-based news sites to find subtexts through the use of language, audio, and visual...

Third graders create visual poems using crayons, making a connection to an important aspect or event in their lives.

Students write a poetic analysis on a poem by Carl Sandburg. They take their previous knowledge of poetic devices and apply them to a piece of writing that displays their knowledge on a specific poem. They explain what they know about a...

Learners compose a piece of poetry modeled after the poetry of Carl Sandburg and share their poem(s) with their colleagues. They use a cluster diagram to organize their thoughts and brainstorm their ideas.

Students express the meaning of the Star-Spangled Banner. In this American history instructional activity, students read through the national anthem and complete an activities from a list of choices. Some choices include: writing the...

Students create a larger than life modified contour drawing of hands in an expressive situation. Hands have linear value, contain a object, and have a patterned background.

Students examine and display the differences between literal, and non-literal movement and abstraction using a creative project in movement. This project originates as an individual item, culminating in a small group performance.

Learners examine porcelain objects and see how their original use has been changed to create a new decorative object or an object with a new function. In this porcelain objects lesson plan, students observe the objects and then they will...

Students recognize Theme through the use of simple, short stories. Using Pro Quest, students begin by researching the literary element, theme, and how it can be identified. They then identify the themes in Aesop's Fables and...

Students create 3D self-portraits using various sculpture materials that convey different meanings and emotions.

Learners examine the meaning of genre, and specifically investigate the musical genre of grunge. They view and discuss photos, watch the video, "VH1 Storytellers: Pearl Jam," answer discussion questions, and paraphrase the lyrics to a...

Students assess the impact of music to portray emotions and tell stories. Examples are taken from the life of Rosa Parks and a piece of band music called "A Movement for Rosa". Evaluation is accomplished through in-class participation...

Students discover the life and work of an American author, either Samuel Clemens or Louisa May Alcott. In this study of visual and written portraits lesson, students take a look at the authors through four different sources: a portrait,...