Lesson Plan
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Symmetry in Relief

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students explore radial symmetry.  In this 3 dimensional art and geometry lesson, students identify examples of radial symmetry in everyday objects. Students create an imprint using radial symmetry on clay tiles.
Lesson Plan
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Origami Ducks: Geometry, Listening, and Following Directions

For Teachers 2nd - 4th
Make origami ducks with your class to reinforce geometry concepts and vocabulary; develop fine motor and visual translation skills; and enrich study of Japanese culture, the pond habitat, or migration. Create a whole group "worksheet"...
Lesson Plan
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Design a Colonial Garden

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students explore botany by completing an art design activity in class. In this gardening history lesson, students identify the plants and crops utilized in the Colonial era for both food and medicine. Students utilize geometry to create...
Lesson Planet Article
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Getting to the Heart of Valentine's Day With Art Lessons

For Teachers 1st - 12th
Valentine's day inspires not just love, but art too! Teachers can find ideas for Valentine's Day activities for all grade levels.
Lesson Plan
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Ancient Aztecs

For Teachers 8th Standards
Is it a calendar? A religious symbol? A political statement? One thing for certain is that Aztec sun stone designs remain an important symbol in Mexican cultural art. Young artists craft their own Aztec Sun design incorporating ideas...
Lesson Plan
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The Task of the Mask

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students discover historical value and use of different African masks through research and literature. Students also relate different customs and traditions of ethnic groups to the masks.
Lesson Plan
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If These Walls Could Talk

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students compare Neoclassical objects from the Getty collection to American civic architecture of the time. They discuss the moral and political ideas of the Enlightenment and articulate how these art forms influenced democratic thought...
Lesson Plan
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If These Walls Could Talk

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students explore Enlightenment and Neoclassical art.  In this visual arts instructional activity, students compare and contrast images of architecture from both styles. Students create visual art designs that feature the ideals of...
Lesson Plan
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If These Walls Could Talk

For Teachers 7th - Higher Ed
Young scholars investigate the influence of the Enlightenment on American society and government. In this Enlightenment lesson, students work cooperatively in groups to define the principles of the Enlightenment,...
Lesson Plan
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Create a Resist Painting

For Teachers K - 8th
Students examine the development of resist dye techniques in Japan, Indonesia, and West Africa. They discuss textile decorations and patterns, view examples of batik and dye resist art, and create an original resist painting.
Lesson Plan
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A Teacher's Guide to the Holocaust: Shemini Atzeret-Simhat Torah

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore Jewish traditions through Jewish art. In this interdisciplinary lesson, students research art by Moshe Rynecki, Chaim Goldberg and Emmanuel Levy. High schoolers replicate the artistic styles in their own pieces.
Lesson Plan
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Making the Connection With Quilts

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders engage in a lesson which integrates the study of the Underground Railroad in Indiana with a Language Arts unit on quilts. They write a book report on one of the quilt books read in class and design a quilt block for the...
Lesson Plan
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T H E P O W E R O F A R C H I T E C T U R E

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Young scholars arecognize the architecture of another culture, how the architecture of a people records their history, explore artistic elements, explore and use geometric concepts of shape, pattern, and symmetry.
Lesson Plan
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Keeping Us in Stitches Activity: Whole Cloth Quilt Design

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students examine how decorative motifs are adapted to other types of objects by craftsmen and artists. They examine photos on the Illinois State Museum website, discuss design elements, adapt a motif to a line drawing, and transfer a...
Lesson Plan
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African Ceremonial Masks

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders examine and discuss the purposes and traditions of African ceremonial masks. They design and create African ceremonial masks using various materials.
Lesson Plan
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Designing a Quilt Pattern

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students create and color a one-patch quilt design based upon a regular hexagon. They examine quilts and photos of quilt designs, read a handout, and complete their quilt design on a worksheet.