Lesson Plans

A Ribbon Around a Bombshell - A Glimpse into the Life and Art of Frida Kahlo -- Explore how Frida Kahlo expressed her Mexican heritage and physical disabilities through her art and have your students create a PowerPoint presentation about their own heritage by using this lesson plan
Subjects: Art, Language Arts, Social Studies
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12

Africa - African Arts and Music -- In this lesson, students will gain an overview of the art and music that represent the diverse regions of Africa. They will read picture books, listen to folk tales, and research the history of Kente cloth.
Subjects: Art, Foreign Language, Health, Language Arts, Social Studies
Grades: 3, 4

Arts Careers -- This ARTSEDGE lesson exposes students to several careers in the visual arts. Students move through three different "art stations," where they can explore and create in the medium using art supplies.
Subjects: Art, Language Arts
Grades: 1, 2, 3, 4

Art in the 21st Century - Characters & Caricatures -- Caricatures have been a popular vehicle for political satire, celebrity lampooning, or cartoon commentary. This lesson will have students consider how and why caricatures are constructed and how they are distinguishable from literary characters.
Subjects: Art, Language Arts
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12

Chinese Calligraphy and Ink Painting -- In this ARTSEDGE lesson, students experience the art and culture of Chinese calligraphy and Chinese ink painting through watercolor painting and Chinese instrumental folk music. They learn basic calligraphy strokes for the creation of Chinese writing.
Subjects: Art, Social Studies
Grades: 1, 2, 3, 4

Color Me Happy: Color, Mood, and Tone -- In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from EDSITEment on the use of color in the visual arts, students are introduced to the ways artists use color to set the tone of a painting or to convey a particular mood to the viewer.
Subjects: Art
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12

Creating "AB" Patterns -- In this ARTSEDGE lesson, students recognize AB patterns in nature and man-made objects. They learn the meaning of the words "pattern" and "repetition." Then students construct patterns using visual arts designs and math manipulatives.
Subjects: Art, Math
Grades: 1, 2, 3, 4

Dear Theo -- Your class has been chosen to become archivists and explore the life of Vincent van Gogh by reading letters from him to his brother, Theo.
Subjects: Art, Language Arts
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12

Do You See What I See -- The cultural significance and unique symbolism of art is explored in this lesson on Asian culture. In the NTTI lesson, Do You See What I See, students explain how civilizations ued sybmolism in art to teach and spread cultural values.
Subjects: Art, Educational Technology, Religion, Social Studies
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12

Landscape Painting with James Palmersheim -- In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from ARTSEDGE, students are introduced to the art of painter James Palmersheim and create their own landscape paintings.
Subjects: Art, Science
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12

Repeat After Me: Repetition in the Visual Arts -- In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from EDSITEment, students learn about repetition, one of the techniques artists often use to highlight important elements within a painting's composition and to move a viewer's eye around the canvas.
Subjects: Art
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12

Seeing Geometry in Art -- In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students explore the geometric figures Wassily Kandinsky used in his art.
Subjects: Art
Grades: 3, 4, 5

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Student Activities

A Celebration of Neighborhoods -- Using Thinkport’s Build Your Own Museum tool, students will create a museum exhibit that highlights some aspect of the neighborhood in which they live. Students may choose to select a concrete topic such as animals, people, buildings, etc.
Subjects: Art, Language Arts
Grades: 7, 8

Early Christian Architecture -- What is architecture? What does some of the early architecture look like? In this lesson, eighth grade students will use the computer and Internet to learn and explore early christian architecture.
Subjects: Art, Social Studies
Grades: 6, 7, 8

Extraordinary Exhibits -- Students take on the role of junior curator for a world-famous museum. They will compete for a senior curator position by designing a world-class exhibit that inspires the public to visit the museum.
Subjects: Art, Language Arts
Grades: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Islamic Art in History -- There are many different types of art. In this lesson, students will explore the New York Metropolitian Museum of Art's Web site to learn about Islamic art.
Subjects: Art, Social Studies
Grades: 8

Sylvester Campbell -- This video activity features Sylvester Campbell, a world renowned mentor and model for African Americans in the world of classical ballet. After learning how Campbell gained his status students write a paragraph about a challenge they overcame.
Subjects: Art, Physical Education
Grades: 6, 7, 8

The Blue Period of Picasso -- How did Picasso use color to express his emotions? Introduce your students to Picasso’s blue period and have them create their own artistic project response to Picasso’s “The Tragedy.”
Subjects: Art, Language Arts

What's in a Painting? -- How can an artist use a painting to tell a story? In this lesson, students will learn how the artist, Jacob Lawrence told stories through his paintings.
Subjects: Art, Language Arts
Grades: 7, 8

What's in the Print? -- How are posters and prints made today? How might they have been made without the use of modern technology? In this activity, students will learn how posters and prints were created during the Renaissance.
Subjects: Art, Language Arts
Grades: 7, 8

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Video

American Music and Arts (RealVideo)
At the American Music and Arts Festival, Marylanders come together and celebrate a variety of traditions in music, art, and dance. Walt Michael, Artistic Director for Common Ground on the Hill, discusses ways in which the arts celebrate an assortment of American traditions, helping people find common ground.

Claire McCardell (Windows Media)
In this short, learn about Claire McCardell, a Frederick-born fashion designer known as the creator the modern look of women's sportswear. With a fashion career extending through the 1950's, McCardell's design innovations include comfortable and affordable casual sportswear for women, mix and match separates, open-back dresses, and spaghetti straps.

Glass Blowing (Windows Media)
Glass-working is one of the many fine arts taught at Salisbury State University. Danny Marder, SSU Art Professor, describes the process through which molten glass is shaped and crafted. Marder explains that this art is similar to photography. In both, you freeze an image at the moment when it precisely reflects your vision.

Kinetic Sculpture Race (Windows Media)
In the kinetic sculpture race of Baltimore, all-terrain human-powered vehicles are the main event in which engineering collides with art.

Paper Cutter (RealVideo)
Yoomi Kim Yoon, an artist whose skill and talent lie in paper cutting, explains that paper cutting involves design, symmetry, decoration, and function. This segment highlights some of her elaborate work, including silhouette landscapes and stencil patterns. Also see, in close-up, the precision used to measure and cut small shapes.

Young Picasso Part I (RealVideo)
Learn about Pablo Picasso's childhood years and see some of his earliest works. Also discussed is his early interest in El Greco.

Picasso in Barcelona Part 2 (RealVideo)
Discussion of Picasso's arrival in Barcelona and his involvement in an avant garde artist group in the Spanish city. Also, a look at a Lautrec-inspired painting, as well as Picasso's foray into Impressionist style.

Picasso in Paris Part 3 (RealVideo)
This clip discusses Picasso finding work from a friend and an interesting look at Picasso painting over his original paintings. Also, with a friend's death, Picasso enters a new period.

Picasso's Blue Period Part 4 (RealVideo)
A brief look at Picasso's blue period, from 1901-1904, including his self-portraits.

Picasso Settles in Paris Part 5 (RealVideo)
Picasso settles down in Paris and shifts tone and color in his art. He soon gains fame, and changes his style continuously.

Picasso’s Portrait of Gertrude Stein Part 6 (RealVideo)
A detailed look at Picasso’s portrait of his friend, writer Gertrude Stein, and a later self-portrait that presents him as a confident young man.

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