Students recognize the U.S. penny, nickel, dime, and quarter by design, size, and denomination and that the portraits and other images depicted on the coins were designed by artists. They study common Texas symbols and choose one to draw...

Students study the role of the teacher in various cultures and societies through in-class discussions, literature investigations, and personal reflection. Lesson extensions include a "Living Portraits" activity and a "Student becomes the...

Students use the internet to research Robert Harris' life and art work. Using this information, they write a journal entry from his point of view and share it with the class. They also paint a picture from a scene of their own life...

Young scholars view art by artists of African descent. Using these paintings, they discuss the social history of Africans and focus on specific artists to examine their lives. They also reflect on the Canadian Multiculturalism Act which...

Students explore three topics of elements of art in this seven lessons unit. An overview of light, space, figure, ground, pattern, balance and symmetry are presented in this unit.

Students listen to the book "I like me" by Nancy Carison, or a similar self-esteem book, and then create self-portraitswhile the song "Getting to Know You" is being played. This is an excellent ice-breaker for the beginning of the...

Students create life-size human figures and decorate them in a collage style with torn colored pieces of pictures from magazines. They display them around the school, creating life-size murals.

Students discuss expressionism, techniques in art, and sunflowers and create original works of "Sunflower" art in this Art lesson for all levels and abilities. It is suggested to take the class outside to view sunflowers prior to...

Fifth graders investigate jobs and how people identify with their job.  In this labor lesson, 5th graders create a book from illustrations of various jobs. Students read an article about labor and answer questions about the article....

Art is a form of expression that can be controversial, obtuse, and completely driven by the political and social times. Explore Nouveau Realism and Pop Art, which exemplify the nature of modern thought and expression. This visually rich...

Explore art and revolution that dawned in the mid 20th century. Constructivism, Bauhaus, and de stijl are all covered in this visually stimulating presentation. 

Have your class create their own art exhibit. Learners study the exchange of artwork between the Louvre in Paris and two American art museums, and create an introductory exhibit featuring European and American art from the Renaissance...

Kids consider how the body functions and moves, how each structure has a specific movement and purpose. They apply that idea as they construct a sculptural piece that moves. For inspiration they look to the work of Alexander Calder,...

Energy conservation is a hot topic these days; introduce your kids to the Smart Grid solution through a video clip and several interactive online tools. They discuss areas of household energy consumption, examining a pie chart...

Make 'em, trade 'em, share 'em. Kids create artist's challenge coins to celebrate personal achievements, as mementos, or as encouragement. Originally designed for service personnel, these coins are a great way to recognize achievement.

Create mini books with some of the most beautiful and well-known masterpieces of our time. Learners read short paragraphs about famous artists such as Pablo Picasso, Leonardo da Vinci, and Johannes Vermeer, and create different kinds of...

Introduce your class to one of the most famous artists of the twentieth century. After reading a brief biography of Pablo Picasso, pupils create their own collages on the next page on the theme of music.

Students create "assemblage boxes" displaying representations of themselves and the importance they see in their own lives. This middle school level instructional activity emphasizes the art of American artist Sarah Goodridge who has...

Who was Vincent van Gogh? Most of the questions can be answered in two or three sentences; however, there is at least one essay prompt and one personal response question that require longer answers. Questions call for a good mix of...

Make an impression with a reading comprehension assessment based on Claude Monet. After reading a short biographical paragraph about the famous French painter, readers demonstrate their comprehension skills by drawing inferences,...

The work of Austrian artist Gustav Klimt is used to inspire kids to create their own mixed media works. Although designed for the special education classroom, the activity is sure to inspire all kids.

Here is an activity I'd like to do with my class! They researching the ins and outs of Egyptian culture, hieroglyphs, symbolism, and art, then use what they know to create realistic or stylized Mummy cases. These cases need to include...

Ah, the City of Brotherly Love! Do you know which city I'm talking about? It's Philadelphia. Read this short passage on the city, and have your class complete the questions that follow. Use this to prepare for state-wide testing.