California Academy of Science
Fish Forms
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, you can add art to any lesson! While little learners are discovering why fish have specific body parts such as, scales, fins, and gills, they start making three-dimensional fish forms. Children...
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Here Comes Winter!
Students investigate winter behaviors in animals. They describe winter and write about the characteristics of the season by drawing and labeling a winter picture. Students then conduct research on a chosen animal and create a chart. ...
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Oaxacan Animals
Learners explore the wood carving techniques and artistic capacity of the Zapotec Indians and create a whimsical creature based on the wood carvings. The creature is made from newspaper and designed using paint pens.
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Paper Sculpture Headdress
Students examine African masks and headdresses, and create their own.
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Four-Legged Creatures In Amaco Cloud Clay
Young scholars create a creature using Amaco cloud clay. In this sculpting lesson, students use clay, toothpicks, and clay modeling tools to create a unique clay creature. Young scholars shape the clay into a four-legged animal.
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Medieval Art
Sixth graders study Gothic architecture on the Internet and create a mug with a gargoyle figure on it.
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Creating a Cranimal
Students design their own mix and matched animals. They reinforce their literacy by working with pieces of animal names to invent a new animal. They use their drawing skill using a lesson framework that emphasizes transformation.
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The Adoration of Shepherds
Students create bas-relief sculptures of themselves after studying the principles of bas-relief sculpture.
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Wire Circus
Second graders examine the life and work of Alexander Calder. They create a wire sculpture on a cirucs theme of their choice. They work on these projects in groups. They utilize telephone wire, or any thin wire cut to manageable lengths.
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Drawing as a Foundation - Activity 1
Students create sketches of animals in preparation for canvas paintings in this introductory lesson on Drawing. This week-long lesson includes a video and research ideas for students.
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Houses, Beach Shacks and Cultural Habitats
Young scholars create a unique habitat by applying the methods of hand building. They draw their idea in their sketchbook. They create the form with expressive variations. They create the decorations using glazes, underglass, stamps and...
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Japanese-Inspired Sea Animals
Learners explore the Japanese influence on Cincinnati artist Maria Longworth Nichols Storer, by examining her metal works, Basket and Chalice. They research a sea creature using nonfiction books or Internet resources. Students write a...
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Reading Art
Students compare and contrast different works of Asian sculptural forms and use visual clues to analyze those works. Evaluation for this lesson is done on the second class day with each student creating a drawing of an American sculpture.
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Cranimals in 3D
Students design their own mix and match animals, using lesson framework that emphasizes transformation, explore differences between clay and model magic, experiment with clay, and shape their animals into 3D sculptures.
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How Grandmother Spider Stole the Sun
Students explore U.S. history by reading a Native American tale in class. In this cultural storytelling lesson, students read the story How Grandmother Spider Stole the Sun and discuss the characters and themes of the Native American...
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The Power of Images
Students explore emotions represented in artwork. In this cross curriculum social studies and art lesson, students explain examples of political and social issues expressed in artwork by Dorthea Lang, Diego Rivera, Dan Eldon, as well as...
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Capturing the Moment in 3-D
Students analyze the sculpture "Rearing Horse" by Adriaen de Vries. In this visual arts activity, students examine the sculpture and then draw and sculpt animals from life, trying to capture a moment frozen in time.
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Baga Drum
Learners draw and design a musical instrument that incorporates a human figure or animal. In this musical lesson plan, students will discover the differences between African drums. This lesson plan is designed for elementary, middle,...
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Tread Lightly: Visualizing Footprints
The student reflects on concepts of ecological footprints and climate changes. In this Art lesson plan, students will produce a visual representation showing understanding of how ecology and climate affects the world.
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Learning About Animals' Bodies
Students research different animals (mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects, birds, fish) and create books, murals, dioramas, puppets, and sculptures to illustrate the necessity of various body parts for overall survival. In this animal...
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Paper Maché Mancala Game Boards
Seventh graders create three dimensional works of art from two dimensional plans, develop skills in papier-mach?? technique, utilize elements and principles of design to create 3-D form, and develop math/strategy skills in playing the...
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Netsuke
Students identify different objects from Japanese culture and their purpose. They read Japanese folktales and discuss common themes. They create a sketch and clay sculpture of a character or animal in one of the folktales.
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Meet a Creature From Ancient China
Students view an image of a Chinese chimera and complete a chart describing what they see and understand about the creature. They compare funerary customs today to those of ancient China. They compile a list of items that might be...
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Animals in Japan
Students compare and contrast common animals children love and have as pets in Japan and America in this early elementary lesson. The culminating project is an original work of art by each student depicting an animal of their choice.