Curated OER
Artists Teach Us to See the World through Visual Symbols
Tenth graders analyze a biographical piece of art by Raymond Saunders. They identify shapes, symbols, and lines that are used, and how the piece relates to the artist's life and modern society. They design and create an original piece of...
Curated OER
Silent Symbols Speak Loudly: Icons, Brands & You
Students view and discuss visual symbols around them every day, analyze symbols on United States one dollar bill, explore variety of meanings of same symbols depending on context and culture, and create their own money with symbols that...
Curated OER
Borrowing from the Greek Debt
Use political cartoons to help your class understand the European Debt Crisis and visual symbolism. This analysis handout includes two cartoons depicting the crisis and prompts learners to consider possible symbols and allusions to best...
Curated OER
The Power of the Image: Understanding Symbols in Buddhist Art
Students discuss symbolism in art, examine various images of compassion in Buddhist tradition, analyzing components of the concept, and then produce their own images of compassion through art.
Curated OER
Symbols and Trading Cards
A silk rank badge was a symbolic emblem worn by high officials during the Qing Dynasty. Your class will get a chance to examine the details, symbolism, color, and design of such a badge as they make their own symbolic trading cards....
Curated OER
Visual Art: Independence Days Around the World
Students research patriotic holidays from around the world. After reading about their own country's independence day, they choose another country and examine the traditions and symbols associated with it. Using cardboard, ribbon, and...
Olympic Museum
The Olympic Symbols
Get into the Olympic spirit with a resource about the values and symbols of the Olympic Games. With sections about prominent images of the Olympics, including the flame and the interlocked rings, the packet supplies engaging information...
Curated OER
Egyptian Symbols: What story do they tell?
Students create a stele to represent what symbols are the most important to them. In this symbols lesson plan, students learn about Egyptian symbols, and then put their own important symbols into model magic clay according to their size...
Curated OER
Creating a Personal Symbol
Students inquire about visual arts by creating an artistic etching. For this symbolism lesson, students identify the work of Keith Haring by researching the web and analyzing images. Students utilize linoleum or wood to create an etching...
Curated OER
Northern Renaissance Art
The 15th and 16th centuries marked one of the most interesting periods in European art history. The deep symbolism, allegory, rich imagery, and iconography can be found in this extensive and well-organized slideshow. From El Greco to...
Curated OER
Signs and Symbols
Sixth graders carefully analyze a triptych of the nativity, paying close attention to the lines, shapes and symbols included in the artwork. They explore the role of the Catholic church in society at the time the piece was created and...
Curated OER
Collage and Photomontage
Tenth graders discuss collage and photomontage techniques and artists, and how the art form can convey cultural or current issues. They research a collage artist, then design a topical or personally symbolic collage. Present their...
Curated OER
All Americana
Fifth graders research American landmarks and symbols. In this United States history lesson, 5th graders create a KWL chart about the symbols of America and take notes during a PowerPoint presentation. Students complete the rest of the...
Curated OER
The Function of Music
Explore concepts of audience, purpose and symbols in this lesson from Media Smarts that asks students to consider all the functions of music. Through a series of discussions and activities, your class will brainstorm possible functions...
Denver Art Museum
Communicating with Symbols
Before kids analyze a Chinese dish filled with amazing images, they research the meanings of various plant and animal symbols. They use their research to decode the meaning of the expressive artwork on the dish and then use symbolism to...
Curated OER
Situation of America, 1848
Students explore 19th century American artwork. In this cross curriculum New York history and art appreciation lesson, students view a reproduction of the painting "Situation of America, 1848," and identify visual symbols and...
Curated OER
Lesson: More Than a Dollar's Worth of Meaning
The Chinese, Dish with the Eight Buddhist Emblems contains symbols and visual references for learners to explore. They search for Buddhist symbolism on the dish and then they use their observation skills to locate and explore...
Curated OER
Symbols of Culture
Learners discover artistic symbols from cultures around the world. In this cultural murals lesson, students observe different murals on-line, and select two to write about on their student blog. The learners investigate the murals and...
Curated OER
Symbols of Canada
Sixth graders investigate the link between Canadian symbols and identity, offering various perspectives of what Canada means to Canadians. They explore the natural world around them and choose an image to sketch.
Curated OER
Greek and Roman Symbolism
Students explore Greek and Roman symbolism in art. In this visual art lesson, students draw portraits of ancient leaders based on the written descriptions they read about them. Students also design campaign posters using Greek or Roman...
Curated OER
Symbols of America
Third graders choose an American symbol and write a poem about it. In this American symbols lesson plan, 3rd graders view and discuss the purpose of some American symbols and then write at least 5 lines in a poem about it.
Curated OER
Artistic Symbols
Students compare and contrast symbols used in African and Plains Indian art. In this visual arts lesson, students compare symbols of 2 cultural groups found in their art. Students write a description of what items might have been left...
Curated OER
Symbols and Signs
Students investigate the significance of various signs and symbols. They view and discuss the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of U.S. liberty, listen to the book "The Story of the Statue of Liberty," and create a class book of signs and...
Curated OER
United States Symbols
First graders identify symbols that represent the United States on a worksheet. In this United States symbols lesson plan, 1st graders identify 5 symbols on the sheet.