Have you ever listened to a song that had a deeper political meaning to it? Every examined a work of art with layers of meaning? Pupils analyze the drawings of Arthur Szyk. They research the deeper meaning of several artistic cartoons...

Explore Pablo Picasso. For this art history and face drawing lesson plan, read a brief biography of Pablo Picasso. Draw a self portrait following guided instruction by the teacher.  Paint a self-portrait and practice adding white...

Students study facial expressions and create a face jug. In this facial study lesson, students look at images of face jugs through history before drawing thumbnails of facial images. They use the coil method to make a jug, and use a...

Sixth graders examine the use of slavery in the United States. Using a map, they draw the route of the Tecora and Amistad voyages. Individually, they write an essay describing their opinions on whether the Africans on the ships should be...

Students examine the issues facing children in society. In groups, they participate in a simulation to discover the lack of connection between child-support and how it affects the children and society as a whole. To end the lesson,...

The artistic choices Art Spiegelman made in his graphic novel, Maus, are the focus of an exercise that asks class members to compare classic comic book forms with Spiegelman’s panels and frames. Directed to specific pages and guided by a...

Students reflect on a personally meaningful live performance and the circumstances necessary to create art. They study about the current leadership crisis facing the Met, Carnegie Hall, and the Public theater. In groups, students...

Dorothea Lange’s photograph, Migrant Mother, and The Paycheck by Rick Nahimias, provide learners with an opportunity to practice their document interpretation skills. After a careful study of the images, class members develop a detailed...

Students are introduced to the applied arts and focus on the applied art of architecture. They examine how architecture communicates messages about the people in a community who use a building. Students study the facade of their school...

Who says you need a human to be your valentine on Valentine's Day? Give your dog-loving readers an inspiring perspective on how a sister givdes her brother a valentine from the family dog. They then answer 10 questions thatd involve...

Students examine paintings by Thomas Cole and Jasper Francis Cropsey as windows into American frontier life. They consider the pioneer's relationship with nature and the role of Native Americans in the pioneer's lives and settlements.

Students create miniature portraits of George Washington using a primary source image, watercolor pencils, colored pencils and white drawing paper. This Art lesson can be used as an introductory lesson on George Washington in a U.S....

Boggle, Jot Thoughts, Trading Cards, Commercial Breaks, Snowball Fight, Bingo, Draw it! Here’s a bunch of review games that would make a great addition to your curriculum library. The games can be easily adapted to address the Common...

Middle schoolers learn about Japanese culture and make a mask. In this lesson about Japanese mask-making, students use research and art to explore the Japanese culture. Middle schoolers research Japanese masks. Students design their own...

Students examine various types of prehistoric art. In groups, they research the purpose of the drawings and use the internet to research the various ancient human groups. To end the lesson, they draw animals compared to the prehistoric...

Students listen to the song "Scarecrow" by Melissa Etheridge and draw what they think the song is about. They discover the song is about a man who was attacked. They again express their feelings about the song through drawing. Finally...

Students examine the challenges that faced the United States as a new nation, especially those related to exploration, expansion, and international affairs. They study the chronology of events related to the expedition of Lewis and Clark.

Middle schoolers read about the history of Labor Day in a newspaper article. They discuss difficulties American employees of the past had to face, learn about labor rallies, and conduct Internet research. Part of the intention of this...

Students use Lewis and Clark's journals to identify the forms of non-verbal communication they used. They discover the problems they faced on their journey and how they overcame them. They practice using the non-verbal language of the...

Students investigate the hardships related to pioneer life and the Wagon Train. They listen to an excerpt from the book "Little House on the Prairie," and discuss the hardships faced by pioneers travelling west. In small groups...

Students engage in a host of activities during an examination of early Medieval Europe. They draw coats of arms, make collages of architectural designs, and create posters of knights, serfs, and castles. Students role-play as sons of...

Fourth graders read about homes in Utah over time and design models of the homes.  In this homes of the west instructional activity, 4th graders draw and label five homes that existed in the west. Students research each home and...

Third graders explore American history by researching Native Americans. In this American settlers lesson, 3rd graders research the Native American Woodland Indians and define the actions they took when faced with the European settlers....

Students read David's story, paragraph by paragraph, in order. At the end of each paragraph, have students identify the bullying behavior. They draw where David is on the scale so students can see David getting more unhappy with each...