Can art play tricks on your eyes, and can a still painting really appear to vibrate? The second activity in a four-part series discusses the way our beautiful brains translate visual images. It highlights the style of optical art and...

Do words change or add meaning or interest to a work of art? The final lesson in a four-part series on the beautiful brain as a work of art focuses on art analysis. Scholars write a story about exploring art from the inside. Reflections...

Cast paper sculptures have been around since the time of Ancient China. Young artists learn about history through this art form and how it has evolved throughout the years, and then make a mold and cast paper sculpture of their own. This...

Seventh graders examine different pieces of Dutch Art. They identify its social and political meanings by using cultural and historical information. They examine maps of the time period as well.

Delve into the history of textile art using this resource. Learners discuss the history of molas, a type of textile art made in Panama and Columbia, and talk about the importance of this process in the Kuna culture. Then, they create...

Learners practice the techniques of weaving and braiding in this introductory lesson on family traditions and visual art. The lesson includes a video and other resource links.

Students discuss the connection between culture and art and why people create art. Students discuss Mt. Rushmore, The Sphinx, the goddess Athena, Roman columns, The Great Wall of China, The Buddha, and use tools and techniques to create ...

Students investigate the use of Milagro charms in different cultures. They conduct research using a variety of resources. Students create a shape that is meaningful to them and then copy the charm of magic and explain its significance to...

After reading a Native American legend about dreamcatchers, why not make some. This resource provides several good links that explain the legend of the dreamcatcher and step-by-step instructions for making them with the class. Tip: If...

Upper graders view the animated short, "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and analyze how the music score was chosen to express the scene. They create an animation as they listen to a classical recording to experience the connection between...

Music has been used to convey thoughts, feelings, and the human condition for thousands of years. Your class will analyze several songs hear in the animated classic, "Charlie Brown." They will listen to several jazz pieces from the show,...

Few aspects of life make better fodder for a comedic play than politics. A study guide introduces George Bernard's Shaw comedy Arms and the Man. Along with summaries of each scene and brief biographies of the main characters, two lesson...

Laissez les bons temps rouler! Create your own festive Mardi Gras masks with a lesson that provides background information on the celebration and instructions about constructing the masks.

When you engage learners in creating symmetrical objects you are also building their vocabulary and math sense. Kids discuss key words such as, asymmetrical, symmetrical, balance, tint, and shade. They use these elements of design to...

Maria and Juliana are two of the most famous Pueblo pottery makers of the modern era. The class will learn about pueblo pottery design and the ways that Maria and Julian use traditional designs in a new and innovative way. They will...

Engage little learners in this moderately developed three-lesson unit on the composer Camille Saint-Saens and his piece "The Carnival of Animals." Each lesson includes a listening, discussion, and an art project to engage your class in...

Your advanced class will paint a picture of a particular weather condition. In this painting instructional activity students describe elements of art in pieces of artwork. They analyze the weather and seasons in the artwork. The students...

Students improve motor skills through careful folding, a discipline necessary in the practice of origami. They develop multicultural awareness by exploring Japanese history.

Students create an African mask. In this African art lesson, students use Balsa-Foam and acrylic paints to construct an African mask. Students carve out the facial features and seal it with a coat of Gesso.

Fourth graders create self-portraits using artistic elements found in Hispanic culture and, specifically, the art of Frida Kahlo. The lesson can be adapted for any culture/country and requires an outside person with cultural knowledge.

Students examine African masks and headdresses, and create their own.

Students explore the music from Burundi, Zimbabwe, and Pygmy cultures. They listen to and discuss music from the African cultures, analyze the musical elements, write a song, and perform music.

Students explore the world of art and culture, including the works of M.C. Escher. They identify and create original tessellations. Students use a wealth of interactive multimedia applications. They explore the artistic representations...

Fourth graders use regional rock art symbols or their own symbols to cooperatively create a rock art panel. They examine their feelings about rock art vandalism and discuss ways to protect rock art and other archaeological sites.