Curated OER
Modern Mona
Students use contour drawings of the Mona Lisa. Students turn the drawings upside down and cover 3/4 of the drawing with a sheet of construction paper. They "erase from their minds" what the drawing is, and complete the quarter section...
Curated OER
Highlights of Modern American Family Art and Literature
Students develop imagery in literary and art works. They discuss Jacob Lawrence's painting, the "Tombstones, 1942", which conveyed overcrowded tenements and families living in Harlem (New York, New York). They design picture stories...
Curated OER
Look Before You Think: How To Appreciate a Painting
Students develop an elementary understanding of the history of art. They study the basic elements of a painting including perspective, composition, color, light and symbolism. They look at each selected painting and analyze it, moving...
Curated OER
Depression Era Art: The Federal Arts Project
Students research Depression-era art and WPA arts programs. They discuss the purposes of representational art, list topics that would make good representational art today, and produce a work of art representing a current theme.
Curated OER
Greek Mythology: Cultures and Art
Students examine literary arts. For this Greek mythology lessons, students read Greek myths and select characters from the myths to study. Students create watercolor illustrations of the characters, write short stories about the...
Curated OER
Art and War
Students analyze the war art of Pablo Picasso. In this art analysis lesson, students define political art and explore Picasso's response to war in his art. Students complete image based discussion and two related activities.
Curated OER
Modern and Contemporary Art at the Art Institute
Pupils view and discuss Modern and Contemporary Art at the Art Institute of Chicago. Students interpret works by Miro, Oldenberg, Cornell and de Vlaminck and discuss how they feel when viewing the pieces.
Curated OER
Facial Tattoos or Face Painting
Students use a grid-like method to create a life-size self-portrait from a 3X5 black and white photo. They explore the different customs and rituals surrounding face painting from ancient through modern civilizations. Students create a...
Curated OER
Modern Landscapes
Students analyze the artistic responses to the changing landscape during the interwar period. In this art analysis lesson, students analyze landscape images and consider the ways artists depicted the changing landscape. Students complete...
Curated OER
Visual Art and Music
Students examine how pop art compliments music. In this arts lesson, students explore the elements of pop art and replicate those elements in their own piece of art.
Curated OER
Japanese Abstract Art And The Impressionist Movement
Learners study several examples of Japanese abstract art and how this style impacted the Impressionist movement of the 19th century. This lesson includes ideas for student-created sketchbooks.
Curated OER
A Sign of Their Times
Students identify the social climate that created the terms Degenerative Art and Fascist Aesthetic. They also identify how and why certain artists' artwork fell into these categories. Students recognize and discuss the Expressionist...
Curated OER
Write a Short Story
Young scholars compare two paintings, depicting urban life in America in the 1940's, answering a series of questions, then create a short story about the paintings' characters. They compare 'Nighthawks' and 'Nightlife.'
Curated OER
Painting with and Learning From Art History - Extend the Composition
Students create a painting based on an artist from a chosen period in history. They research a modern artist and write a critique.
Curated OER
Open Your Eyes To Art!
Students help create a colorful bulletin board for classroom art displays in this short instructional activity for the early elementary classroom. The instructional activity, which can use a variety of items, includes product ideas and...
Curated OER
Theorem Painting
Young scholars examine the many types of folk art at a museum. They create their own theorem painting by following the steps given to them.
Curated OER
Modern Day Mona Lisa
Students create a portrait of a woman from our current era. They discuss what they would include in a portrait for our era in the U.S., list current trends and styles, and create a modern-day "Mona Lisa" portrait.
Curated OER
Art and Visual Aids in Literature Classes
Incorporating visual art into your literature lessons will "add color" to your program.
Curated OER
Art Nouveau
Art Nouveau lessons and activities can provide a way for students to compare and contrast different artistic styles.
Curated OER
Heartfelt/Handmade Activities: Genre Painting
Students 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...
Curated OER
PAINTING COLORFUL STORIES INFLUENCED BY JACOB LAWRENCE
Students research the background of Jacob Lawrence and study the music, poetry, and spirit of the Harlem Community that was present during Jacob Lawrence's formative and subsequent art productions. They create a piece of artwork...
National Endowment for the Humanities
Jacob Lawrence's Migration Series: Removing the Mask
Describe, analyze, compare and contrast poets from the Harlem Renaissance. Critical thinkers analyze the imagery, characterization, tone, symbolism, and historical context of Jacob Lawrence, Helene Johnson, and Paul Laurence Dunbar. A...
Curated OER
Neo-Classicism
Taking students from the origins of Neoclassical art, architecture, sculpture, painting, and decorative arts to the "sunset" of the artistic movement, this slideshow provides ample infomation and examples of the art form. The slides...
Curated OER
Portrait Parody
Eighth graders use modern materials and technology to create a modern portrait modeled after a Renaissance picture.