Cooperative learning is in many ways a more effective learning method than individual and competitive learning. In this study, the effects of cooperative learning on the abilities of the preservice art teacher candidates to plan lessons were emphasized. For this purpose, 32 art teacher candidates were selected for the experimental group, and 32 art teacher candidates were selected by random sampling method. An evaluation rubric was developed to evaluate the lesson plans that the art teacher candidates prepared. Points that increased two by two from 0 to 10 were included in the rubric. A cooperative learning program was developed for application in the experimental group. Samples of lesson plans were taken for a pre-test purpose before starting the program. The program lasted for three weeks, and four hours each week; and at the end of the program post-test works were taken from the candidates. The rubric was scored by three people, including researchers. Cooperative learning method was applied to the experimental group, and traditional learning method was applied to the control group. The candidates of both groups were requested to focus on planning a lesson. The results of the research shown that there was no significant difference between the pre-test points (P>0.05), however, there was a significant difference between the post-test points in favour of the experimental group (P<0.05). It was observed that the results of this research were similar to those of other research.