Curated OER
Reading Stories in Art
Students study how artists tell stories using visual images by identifying and comparing elements of narrative (setting, characters, and plot) in a painting and a Greek vase.
Curated OER
Storytelling and Drawing
Learners orally retell the Yosemite Miwok legends and design accompanying artistic depictions. They discover the various storytelling elements, such as plot and theme.
Curated OER
Communicating Feelings through
Sixth graders use subjects, themes, and symbols to communicate meaning in their own works of art. They describe the origins of specific images and ideas and explain why they are of value in their artwork and in the work of others.
Australian Centre For the Moving Image
Dreamworks Animation Character Design
Dive into animation creation using Dreamworks® animated films. Compare and contrast characters, wonder and ponder why the plot is so important, and think of background and themes as your creativity unrolls onto paper.
Library of Congress
The Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance brought forth many American art forms including jazz, and the writings of Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes. Using a carefully curated set of documents from the Library of Congress, pupils see the cultural...
Rowland High School
The Catcher in the Rye Projects
What really knocks me out about this project list is that when you're done reading about the projects, you wish you could do them all. I'm not kidding. There are 16 terrific ideas and that doesn't happen very often.
National Gallery of Canada
Self-Portrait, Mirrors and Metamorphosis!
Using M.C. Escher's Hand with Reflecting Sphere as inspiration, learners create their own set of self-portraits using various reflective surfaces. The lesson begins with a discussion about portraiture and ends with a presentation of work...
Curated OER
Three-Dimensional Ceramic Sculptural Forms Inspired by the Paintings of Wassily Kandinsky
Students analyze / deconstruct elements of design used in Wassily Kandinsky's paintings in order to synthesize the elements into a three-dimensional form. Works may be functional or non-functional.
Curated OER
Cracking the Mirror of the Past
Young scholars compare and contrast two pieces of artwork in regards to their nastalgic elements. Using the internet, they research local religious institutions in their area and note their function in society. They also compare and...
Curated OER
Letter from the Chateau
Students write a friendly letter based on their observations of a painting by Poussin.
Curated OER
Guernica: Testimony of War
Students analyze artistic decisions (use of visual elements, composition, symbolism) They determine how Picasso's choices affected the communication of a powerful anti-war message
Curated OER
Visual Elements in the Giant Kites of Guatemala: Shape, Rhythm, and Color
Students view pictures of and discuss geometric shapes included in kites from Guatemala. They discuss the repetition of shapes and how that creates a motif. Students draw three concentric arches across their paper. They create a design...
Curated OER
Looking at Photography Lesson 1: The Elements of Photography
Students explore and discuss the process of taking a photograph.
Curated OER
Quick-Sketch Artist Tips on Mind Mapping the Urban Landscape
Students interpret maps. They also create mental maps of regions in which they are studying. Students then explain the historical or cultural significance of map features orally or in written form. Students take a walking field trip...
Curated OER
Artists as Explorers
Students brainstorm a list of famous explorers from the past. In groups, they complete a worksheet analyzing the art of Karl Bodmer and how one could view him as an explorer as well. They answer discussion questions to end the lesson.
Curated OER
Artists, Architects, and Architecture
Students are introduced to the concept of architecture and how it has changed over time. In groups, they discuss how the places people have built reflects their values and needs. They use the internet to research the history of...
Curated OER
Seeing Life Through An Artist's Eyes
Students examine how art can change the way they look at their lives. After being read a book, they discuss the importance of art in their world and what would happen if it were taken away. They create a watercolor painting and shares...
Curated OER
Informal Group Portraits
Students explain one artist's approach to the Impressionist's use of art elements and design principles. They create an Impressionistic painting that contains two figures.
Curated OER
I Dig Your Art, Man (or Woman)
Twelfth graders write a thesis regarding a modern artist of their choice for a 15-20 multi-media presentation. In this instructional activity students create a Power Point, video, or some other visual representation studying an artist or...
Curated OER
Painting with and Learning From Art History - Extend the Composition
High schoolers create a painting based on an artist from a chosen period in history. They research a modern artist and write a critique.
Curated OER
Tessellation Design And Construction
Students study the basic elements and concepts of the visual art's perceptual component - such as shape, line and color. They create tessellations that foster problem solving and reflective thinking.
Curated OER
Digital Portfolios
Students determine how to use a digital camera, edit the photos using PhotoShop Elements, and how to make a PowerPoint presentation. They use the PowerPoint as a digital portfolio which is an archive of their work. Finally, they write a...
Curated OER
Politics and Portraiture
Students examine the art of artists who use portrait drawing to make a political statement. For this art analysis lesson, students discuss the elements of a portrait and view the portraits as political expressions. Students complete...
Curated OER
Power of Color on Emotion
Fifth graders utilize resources to select, analyze, and journal about a particular artist's expression of mood and feelings. They produce paintings that demonstrate the use of color mixing and schemes that show a variety of emotions.