Lesson Plan
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Celebration and Satire- Beginning Level

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students examine art elements in a late-19th-century self-portrait painting. In this visual arts activity, students analyze the painting "A Centennial of Independence" and identify the color, shape, and symbols in the art piece. Students...
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Putting a Spin on Current Events

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students examine the symbolism on a 17th-century cabinet. In this symbolism lesson, students view samples of a 17th century cabinet and identify it's symbols. Students create their own cabinet by using various art supplies and paint...
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Putting a Spin on Current Events

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discover propaganda.  In this Greek mythology lesson, students discuss meanings of ancient art work with their class.  Students investigate the dishonesty behind propaganda.  
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Contemporizing Myths

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students examine Rembrandt's "Abduction of Europa." In this Greek art lesson, students discuss how the artist has taken an ancient Greek myth and contemporized it. Students read origin myths and choose a scene to illustrate in a...
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A Bug's Journey

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students research the art of John Baldessari. In this art history lesson, students examine Baldessari's drawing of a beetle and discuss the characteristics of these bugs. They write a story from a bug's perspective and create their own...
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Chariot of Triumph

For Teachers K - 2nd
Young scholars examine the tapestry "Chariot of Triumph." In this symbolism lesson, students analyze the symbols in the tapestry and what they represent. Young scholars create their own design for a tapestry by using various symbols that...
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Elements of Myth

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students read and act out myths. In this world mythology lesson, students read and analyze myths from various cultures and then recognize their attributes as they prepare presentations of myths that explain natural phenomena.
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A Rose Is a Rose

For Teachers 4th - 5th Standards
Flowering learners explore the concept of figurative language as it relates to poems, songs, or creative written expression. In this creative writing lesson, they complete several phrases using similes, metaphors, and...
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Ceramics: A Vessel Into History

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students examine ceramic vessels from different time periods. In this ceramic vessel instructional activity, students work in small groups to look at images of ceramic vessels from a number of time periods. They identify the...
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Composition and Line

For Teachers K - 5th
Learners examine the use of composition and line as they create original drawings.  In this composition and line lesson, students recognize the art vocabulary associated with line and composition.  Learners illustrate the shape...
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Portrait of Nadine Dumas

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students explore a portrait and then create their own portrait as a gift.  In this bust art activity, students use model techniques to create a three dimensional bust portrait.  Students analyze the elements of the design...
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The Changing Landscape

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars examine the evolution of landscape painting in France from the 17th to the 19th century. They study and compare three landscape paintings, emphasizing space, depth, and the concepts of foreground, middle ground, and...
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Sacred Places: California Missions from Different Perspectives

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students create a project poster displaying photos, drawings, and journal writings that incorporate the major themes of California's missions, and use perspective and point of view both visually and in writing.
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Life of a Navajo Weaver

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Students explore Native American weaving patterns and dance movements. In this Native Americans lesson, students view examples of weaving patterns on the Internet and compare the patterns to a Native American dance. Students demonstrate...
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Create an Illuminated Alphabet Word Book

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students create a class alphabet book. In this letter recognition lesson, students use line and color to draw an object whose name begins with a specific letter. Students use adjectives to create a sentence describing the object or...
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Giants of the Past

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students create a paper sculpture based on ancient Greek statues. In this visual arts lesson, students read the book, The Mysterious Giant of Barletta and use cardstock to create their own statue. Students write a narrative story told...
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Funky Illuminated Fairy Tales

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students create their own fairy tale.  In this book making lesson, students write a fairy tale and turn it into a book. They use decorated initials and borders to make it look like an illuminated manuscript.
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Looking At Illuminated Manuscripts: Exploring an Illuminated Manuscript Page

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Learners investigate illuminated manuscript pages from the Medieval period. In this illuminated manuscript lesson plan, students examine 13th century pages and compare them to modern printed works. They describe the details of an...
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Masks and Aesop's Fables

For Teachers K - 4th
Students study and perform Aesop's fables. In this Aesop's fables lesson, students read and/or listen to a number of the famous fables. They make masks based on the characters and perform a fable using the masks. They write about the...
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Molas from South America

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders research world geography by creating a class presentation. In this South American lesson, 3rd graders read assigned text regarding the customs and traditions of different Indian communities in South America. Students...
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Counting Crows

For Teachers K - 4th
Students discuss the fable, The Crow and the Pitcher. For this literature lesson, students read the fable and create a crow sock puppet. Students use their puppets to dramatize the fable.
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Dali & Desnos

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore surreal art and poetry. In this visual arts lesson, students examine works by André Breton, Robert Desnos, Salvador Dalí, and Joan Miro. High schoolers then apply the techniques in the works they analyze to their...
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Giving Voice to History

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Learners examine the plight of Japanese Americans during World War II. In this World War II lesson plan, students participate in a mock evocation simulation, research primary and secondary documents about internment camps, and share...
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The Monkey Dance: Exploring Balinese Culture

For Teachers 4th - 6th
Students explore Balinese culture. In this Balinese integrated fine arts instructional activity, students listen to a podcast of "The Monkey Dance," taking notes about important features of the dance. Students participate in a jigsaw...