Photography is often overlooked in schools. Elizabeth Sio secured a grant to pay for disposable cameras and processing so she could introduce students to photography and the multiple viewpoint photographs of David Hockney. This article describes a lesson in which student would become an expert in one area and then impart that knowledge to their…

Matisse's use of bright colors and strong pattern is an instant motivator for elementary students. He effectively balances colors and simple shapes. This lesson, designed for 3rd graders, is an example of how art studio experiences for young students can draw upon art history. Sections include: (1) Discovering Patterns; (2) Planning Special…

The Jigsaw Mural Project provides a way for young children to work on a large-scale and permanent mural, in a manner that allows them to work on the floor and without the use of ladders. It is also a chance for art educators to work with students as teacher and collaborator in one. This project took place with preschool children ages two through…

Have you ever had an experience too good to be true; one that you could not wait to share with your friends? In this article, the author describes such an experience that she had last summer when she was a part of the "Passport to Discovery" tour offered by CRIZMAC Art and Cultural Education Materials, Inc., and led by founder Stevie Mack and…

In this article, the author describes a classroom lesson relating to still life and the artist, Ralph Goings. While students painted, they discussed about how Ralph Goings shows that everyday, household items can be visually appealing. To give everyday objects a new, unintended purpose is a powerful way to rediscover the world. In younger…

The author describes a lesson she did on abstract art with her high school art classes. She passed out a required step-by-step outline of the project process. She asked each of them to look at abstract art. They were to list five or six abstract artists they thought were interesting, narrow their list down to the one most personally intriguing,…

This article describes one classroom's experience with a unit of study that helped students connect their artistic experiences with their understanding of prehistoric times. The unit, culminating in a performance, involved three sixth-grade classes. The components of the thematic unit reinforced an understanding of the elements and principles of…

This article is a description of the artist Claude Monet. The article describes the life and art of Claude Monet, focusing in on his work, Rocks at Bell-Isle, Port-Domois. A brief discussion of the significant elements of the painting is provided. The article also includes a list of discussion questions and suggested classroom activities.

This brief article describes artist Henry Farny's oil on canvas painting, "The Last of the Herd." It highlights the most notable historical, cultural, and artistic elements in the painting. The article also describes significant details of the artist's life and provides questions to consider.

This brief article describes the historical, cultural, and artistic elements of Vincent van Gogh's oil on canvas "Undergrowth with Two Figures" of 1980. The article concludes with questions for students to consider in relation to these aspects of the painting.

There are many interpretations for the symbols that are seen in rock art, but no decoding key has ever been discovered. This article describes one classroom's experiences with a lesson on rock art--making their rock art and developing their own personal symbols. This lesson allowed for creativity, while giving an opportunity for integration…

Students analyze common characteristics of visual arts evident across time and among cultural/ethnic groups to formulate analyses, evaluations, and interpretations of meaning. One challenge in teaching tenth grade students who come from very diverse backgrounds is how to introduce them to a variety of artists within a five-month semester system.…

About 15,000 BC, the bison and other animals roamed the land and cave people, in their spare time, found colorful, chalky rocks with which to play. Over the course of time, they found that the chalky rocks would rub off on the cave walls, thus cave paintings and the pursuit of art was born. This article describes one fourth-grade classroom's…

This article describes a project that introduces students in grades K-8 to new artistic styles, giving them an appreciation for an artist's work, as well as teaching them some art history. The teacher introduced this lesson to each grade by presenting examples of the artist's works either from posters or books. They discussed the distinctive…

In many American schools, class size continues to increase while art budget dollars remain the same or, even worse, decrease. Art educators need to become proactive and creative in procuring art supplies for their classrooms. This may necessitate asking for supplemental funds from the PTA or raising money through fundraising. It may also mean that…