Art Lesson Plans-The teacher's Guide

Art Lesson Plans

Drawing Lesson Plans

A MONSTER'S WORLD
Using texture, the student will create imaginary monsters.

A UNIQUE DRAWING EXPERIENCE
Students (and teacher) will see how with just one set of directions, everyone in the classroom will come up with very unique works of abstract art.

BEAUTIFUL NUMBERS
This art activity focuses on the shape of numbers. A good tie-in to math for younger students.

BLIND CONTOUR DRAWING
Contour drawing is an excellent way to train the eye to draw what it really sees rather than what it thinks it sees.

CHALK AND GLUE
A great lesson submitted by Leon Ruder - Artist and Teacher, St. Ignance area schools, St. Ignance, Michigan, USA.

CHALK AND STRING DESIGNS
Create wonderful works of art using string and, well chalk of course.

CRAYON ETCHING
Younger students will enjoy exploring this activity while older students should be encouraged to investigate detailed images and patterns.

CRAYON RESIST
A paint and crayon lesson plan for all ages.

CREATIVE PRINCIPLES
A series of simple design exercises to further understand of the Principles of Design and how each can be developed within a structured composition. From Ruth Hand.

FILL A JAR
Making the ordinary - extraodinary.

GLUE FISH
A great lesson submitted by Karen Larmour - Teacher, Salem Baptist Christian School, Winston Salem, North Carolina, USA

MIXED MEDIA DRAWING (& PAINTING)
A mixed media still life "happy accident" art lesson that is a great introduction to pen & ink, watercolor and pastels.

NAME ALIENS & MONSTERS
Fun, weird and creative. Who could ask for anything more? From Melisa McCurley.

SEE IF YOU CAN DRAW
Students will use their imagination and creativity by solving art problems in this art game. From Judy Walsh.

SHADOW PICTURES
An activity that teaches students about light, shade and shadow.

STAINED GLASS DESIGNS
Using white glue for lead and chalk pastel for glass, you can create wonderful stained glass designs.

SUNFLOWERS
Expressionistic sunflowers in oil, acrylic or pencil crayon.

WANDERING INK DRAWING
Students will learn to "go with the flow" as they allow their materials to take on a life of their own.

WET CHALK PAINTING
By dipping your chalk into wet paint, you can create wonderful works of chalk art that won't smudge like regular chalk.

WHAT'S OUTSIDE THE WINDOW?
A drawing lesson that gets the creative juices flowing.

Painting Lesson Plans

A BLOTTO FUN
The most fun you can have creatively, is when you make something by accident. This lesson will help you do just that make a happy accident.

CREPE PAPER BLOTS
Making beautiful designs with wet paper.

CREATURE PAINTING
A wonderful activity that will bring out a child's imagination.

EMOTION PAINTING
Students will gain an understanding of how much of a role emotion plays in artmaking.

FISH BANNER
Animals that live underwater can provide parents and educators with an enormous amount of teaching inspiration.

FOIL ETCHING
Who knew you could make such wonderful art using aluminum foil and soap?

GRAFITTI
Students will explore line shape and colour as they work both individually and as an artistic unit. By: Catherine Bamess

HAPPY ACCIDENTS
Take it from us, mistakes can be beautiful.

MAGNIFICENT FLOWERS
Making wonderful flowers with Michele Rivera.

MIXED MEDIA PAINTING
A mixed media still life "happy accident" art lesson that is a great introduction to pen & ink, watercolor and pastels.

MONDRIAN STYLE PAINTING
Make a painting in the style of artist Piet Mondrian & try your hand at a "virtual painting" courtesy of Richie Bielak

PAINTED SHOES
Canadian artist Theodore Dragonieri paints, collages and reconstructs old shoes to represent great artists of the 20th century.

SEASHELL PAINTING
Seashells make wonderful palm-size canvases for seascape paintings.

SPIN ART
A great lesson on color, color mixing and abstract art from Judith Walsh.

SPONGE PAINTING
Finding fun with materials under the kitchen sink.

SPRAY PAINT MURAL
An outdoor, warm weather activity that teaches young children about colour mixing.

SUNFLOWERS
Expressionistic sunflowers in oil, acrylic or pencil crayon.

TISSUE PAPER PAINTINGS
The illusion of paint using paper, glue and imagination

WATERCOLOR RAINBOWS
A wonderful "welcome spring" lesson submitted by Gena Becerra - April Lane School, Yuba City CA

VAN GOGH'S PAINTING STYLE
A great painting and art history lesson submitted by H. Bachman, an art educator from Maryland, USA

VIEWFINDER PAINTING
Students will learn to look at the different ways of laying out a painting.

WINTER RESISTS
Crayon resist is a technique that usually combines crayons and dark paint or ink. Snow scenes can be created using white tempera instead of black.

Sculpture Lesson Plans

CLAY HEADS
Creating sculptural works with clay.

FABRIC ASSEMBLAGE
What to do with scraps of burlap & canvas.

GARGOYLES AND GROTESQUES
Create your own gargoyle using self hardening clay. From: Joann Trimarco.

HAVE IT YOUR WAY SANDWICH COLLAGE
Learning about collage from Deb Barone of Myerstown Elementary School, Myerstown, PA

KITES
Have your students use different art techniques in one fun art project, from Jennifer Nilsson.

MARACAS & SHAKERS
Maracas were originally made from the dried shells of gourds with beads or beans inside.

MEDIA COLLAGE
Take a close look at print advertising and product packaging.

MORE MARACAS
Lillian Foxx's maraca making lesson results in the pleasure of discovery and accomplishment.

PAINTED SHOES
Canadian artist Theodore Dragonieri paints, collages and reconstructs old shoes to represent great artists of the 20th century.

PAPERCLAY® FISH ORNAMENTS
Creating relief sculpture with an undersea theme. From the Creative PaperClay® Company.

PEBBLE PICTURES
Add another dimension to paintings using pebbles found at the beach.

PLASTER AND WIRE MOBILE/SCULPTURE
A project in Problem Solving, Balance and Creativity by Anitra Redlefsen

PLASTER FACE MASK
Making masks with Anitra Redlefsen

PUMPKIN SEED MOSAIC
Mosaics are made of tiny colored pieces of stone, pottery, glass or other materials, arranged together and set in plaster or cement to make patterns and images.

RAINSTICKS
Legend has it that the Chilean Indians invented the rainstick to make rainy weather.

RELIEF FOIL SCULPTURE
A shining example of what you can do with aluminum foil. From Kimberly Hutts.

ROCK AND WIRE MOBILE
A Project in Problem Solving, Balance and Creativity. A Life Lesson by Anitra Redlefsen

STAINED GLASS PAPER SCREEN
Observing the shapes and lines that make up a stained glass window.

Multicultural Art Lesson Plans

MASKS
an easy way for your students to make false faces.

COFFEE CAN DRUM
drums are an important part life and ceremony in many cultures.

PAPIER MACHE MASKS - MASKMANIA
artistically, masks are among the most remarkable objects created by traditional civilizations.

Africa

DRUM
make a dumbek or conga drum with materials from your garden shed.

Mexico

YARN PAINTING (OFRENDAS)
the Huichol Indians of Mexico are known for their yarn paintings, otherwise known as Ofrendas.

PAPER BAG OR FABRIC PONCHO
perfect for a cinco de mayo festival.

North America

NORVAL MORRISSEAU - OJIBWA PAINTER
a medicine man or shaman, Morrisseau developed a style which has since evolved and been used by many Native artists.

MINI TOTEMS
totem poles are tall, carved posts that were created by important men among certain tribes of British Columbia and Alaska

SAND PAINTING
Navajo Indians created sand paintings as a way of chasing away evil spirits.

INUIT CARVING
A wonderful 3-dimensional art lesson plan (in clay) from Pat Higgins.

Drawing: Emotion Commotion