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The Changing Landscape
Students 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 background.
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Neoclassical Influences
High schoolers analyze neoclassical art. In this art history lesson, students listen to their instructor present a lecture regarding the details of the art produced during the Enlightenment.
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Writing about Art:Comparing Portraits
Students compare and contrast an academic and Impressionist portrait. In this art history lesson, students look at two different styles of painting and write a paragraph as if they are the subject in the painting. They compare and...
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Breaking the Chains, Rising out of Circumstances
Students research, write, and draw about Roman versus American slavery. In this slavery lesson plan, students look at the Roman portraits of slaves, its influence on Western European art, and compare Roman slavery to American slavery.
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Putting a Spin on Current Events
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
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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Portrait of Nadine Dumas
Students explore a portrait and then create their own portrait as a gift. In this bust art instructional activity, students use model techniques to create a three dimensional bust portrait. Students analyze the elements...
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Sculpting a Message: From the Counter-Reformation to the Present Day
Students discuss persuasive messages in art. In this art history lesson, students research 17th- century European sculptures to find the messages given. They create their own sculptures and write press releases to explain their art.
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Imagining China Through Words
Middle schoolers create a drawing from a written description to examine images of China in European art. In this art analysis instructional activity, students create a visual image from a written description of an object. Middle...
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A Bug's Journey
Students research the art of John Baldessari. In this art history lesson plan, 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...
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Comic Theater
Students explore stock characters and pantomime. In this comic theater lesson, students examine an ancient Greek statuette depicting a comic actor and an ancient Roman lamp decorated with a comic mask. Students pantomime short scenes and...
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Chariot of Triumph
Students examine the tapestry "Chariot of Triumph." In this symbolism lesson, students analyze the symbols in the tapestry and what they represent. Students create their own design for a tapestry by using various symbols that represent...
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Referencing the Classical Past
Students explore the concept of myths conveyed through art. In this art history lesson, students examine "Three Goddesses" and discuss the state of the world at the time that Nollekens created the sculptures as they analyze the pieces.
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Picture a Character
How would Jean-Etiénne Liotard paint the characters from "The Little Mermaid?" What would the main character from "The Little Match Girl" look like from Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes' point of view? After examining various paintings...
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Language Arts: Conversing with an Object
Students sharpen their creative writing skills by writing dialogues with unfamiliar objects while visiting local museums. They select an object in the museum, such as a painting, and create conversations between the people or animals...
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Funky Illuminated Fairy Tales
Students create their own fairy tale. In this book making lesson plan, 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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Paper Making
Sixth graders create and design paper as an exploration of the history in making paper from pulp. Students will work in pairs or alone to create a piece of paper from raw materials.
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Sacred Places: California Missions from Different Perspectives
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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Seasoning the School Year
Learners observe the changes a class tree goes through as the seasons change and record observations in journals. They investigate changes in the weather, changes in the length of the day, and how that affects people. They create...
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Teen Immigrants: Five American Stories
Learners watch the PBS program "In the Mix" about teen immigrants. They discover the number of immigrants in America and their problems moving to this country. They answer questions as the film plays.
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Life of a Navajo Weaver
Young scholars 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. Young scholars...
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Getting to Know You
Students participate in tactile and visual exploration. For this tactile and visual exploration lesson, students listen to John Archambault's, Grandmother's Garden, and sing the song, "Friends Are Like Flowers." They participate in ice...
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Composition and Line
Students 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. Students illustrate the shape...
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Create an Illuminated Alphabet Word Book
Young scholars 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. Young scholars use adjectives to create a sentence describing the...