Lesson Plan
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Looking at Portraits: Thomas Jefferson

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Young scholars examine works of art that have influenced images of our founding fathers still in use today, and discuss influences from antiquity on Houdon's sculpture.
Lesson Plan
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Dripping Paint [Action Painting]

For Teachers K - 12th
Students create examples of American Abstract Expressionism after studying the art of Jackson Pollock in this Art lesson plan for all levels. It is suggested to work with small groups of students if this lesson plan is done with a...
Lesson Plan
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Q-tip Pointillism

For Teachers K - 12th
Students discover artist Georges Seurat and his technique of Pointillism and create Pointillist examples using Q-Tips and watercolors in this exciting multi-level art lesson plan. This lesson plan can be adapted for various grade levels...
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Shamrock Fun

For Teachers K - 2nd
Students create small shamrock replicas using green and white paints, paper, bubble wrap, and gold glitter. This lesson intended for the early-elementary classroom is ideal for celebrating St. Patrick's Day or spring-time in general.
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Paper Maracas

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students create paper maracas using basic art supplies, paper plates, beans, and decorative materials in this Art and Music lesson for the 1st and 2nd grades. The lesson includes resource links, a vocabulary list, and a short historical...
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Class of Cards

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students create patterns using images of everyday objects, shapes, or colors and four logos for use in a House of Cards. For this design lesson, students examine the work of Charles and Ray Eames and become familiar with the elements and...
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Flat Shapes in Three Dimension

For Teachers 3rd - Higher Ed
Students explore sculpture. In this instructional activity about finding sculpture ideas in movement and rhythm, students make 3-dimensional shapes. Students create a sculpture paying attention to balance, rhythm and repetition. Students...
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Creative Glass Casting

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Learners carve clay and create glass art. In this glass casting lesson plan, students use a kiln to fire up clay and make glass into the clay sculpture they created.
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Capturing the Moment in 3-D

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Students analyze the sculpture "Rearing Horse" by Adriaen de Vries. In this visual arts lesson, students examine the sculpture and then draw and sculpt animals from life, trying to capture a moment frozen in time.
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What's Your Impression?

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students paint landscapes. In this Impressionism lesson, students explore the history behind the Impressionist Movement in art and paint their own impressionist piece inspired by a nearby landscape.
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Charles R. Savage Lesson Plan Ideas

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore works by English photographer Charles R. Savage. In this visual arts lesson, students investigate photography by Savage as they discuss the use of perspective, space, color, and texture.
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The Red Studio Turns 100!

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Learners observe the art of Henri Matisse and discuss the ideas and feelings his art brings about. In this Henri Matisse lesson plan, students look at many of his artistic paintings and discuss and write in a journal the point of view...
Lesson Plan
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Main Ideas Of Artists

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students explore the main idea and stories behind paintings. In this art lesson plan, students discuss how paintings tell stories and take tests based on details of paintings. The tests are embedded in the plan. Links that students...
Lesson Plan
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Cubism a Fractured Reality - Still Life With Collage Elements

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students gain an understanding and awareness for the cubist style of artists. They create a multi-media composition showing multiple views of various objects and a variety of textures.
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Inked Geometric Mandalas

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders gain an appreciation for mandalas in many cultures. Compare and contrast designs from many cultures. They see geometric design in mandalas and become aware of symmetrical balance and radial balance. They create a mandala...
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Heartfelt/Handmade Activities: Genre Painting

For Teachers K - 8th
Young scholars examine genre painting. They explore the Illinois State Museum website, identify how genre paintings were composed, analyze the activities of an Illinois farm in the 1850s, and create a genre painting of current everyday...
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Expressive Mixed Media Collage

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students create a collage that expresses color, symbols, and collage techniques. They view and discuss paintings, create a collage book that communicates their interests, and write a question about each collage in the class.
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Face It!

For Teachers 5th - 8th
Students experiment with proportions and drawing in this excellent Art lesson plan for grade 5-8. The lesson plan includes a PowerPoint slide show and requires the use of the educational software entitled "MatchWho". Students are...
Lesson Plan
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The Humanitarian Side of Architecture

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students explore the role that architects play in rebuilding communities after natural disasters. They investigate the aftermath of the 1906 California earthquake and fires, and current day efforts to rebuild communities after natural...
Lesson Plan
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Finger Fun

For Teachers K
Students study the art forms of printmaking and pointillism. They create a picture using their hands and fingers to create shapes and sizes. They add detail to create characters. They discuss their pictures as a class.
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Paper Bag Puppets

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Learners create "paper bag puppets" using basic art supplies, construction paper, and their imagination in this awesome early-elementary Art activity. The lesson includes a resource link and suggests teaching a short history of puppetry...
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Paper Puppet

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students create hand puppets using basic art supplies, paper cups, cotton balls, and yarn in this 1st and 2nd grade Art instructional activity. Emphasis is placed on the history of puppets and puppetry. The instructional activity...
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China Rocks! Chinese Calligraphy on Stone

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students explore the art of calligraphy through writing Chinese characters. They view a Power Point as an introduction to Chinese calligraphy and practice writing Chinese characters. In groups, they visit centers to explore the history...
Lesson Plan
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A New Approach to Developing Images on Clay

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students make story telling plates or tiles based on David Stabely's technique. They are shown slides of original work contemporary artists who are using nontraditional approaches to the clay surface. Students are shown work that David...