Scarecrows can sometimes be frightening to little ones, so to ensure a happy audience, I bring out my big, stuffed scarecrow that I purchased at a craft store. Typically, these... Learn More
This lesson checks off many standards; children learn about artist Paul Klee, identify warm and cool colors, understand watercolor resist and follow a directed line drawing. My favorite part of... Learn More
Whenever you introduce a new way to create art, children are eager learners. Paul Klee’s painting Castle and Sun is composed of thin horizontal, vertical and asymmetrical lines. These combine to form... Learn More
Painting Splat is simple…so quick in fact that the order in which you present this project is a bit backwards. Start by reading the book. It’s delightful and entertaining. Point... Learn More
Inspired by American artist George Rodrigue and his book Are You Blue Dog’s Friend? children draw and color their own expressive Blue Dog. The lesson plan will walk you through the set-up, collecting of... Learn More
Mr. Tiger Goes Wild is a great book to illustrate emotions through expressions. Mr. Tiger is quite a serious fellow, wearing his very proper clothes and living in a very proper city... Learn More
Hop on Pop is my personal favorite of all Dr. Seuss’ books. I read this to my children over and over again. It doesn’t take long to read and it... Learn More
This is a fantastic drawing lesson that is best suited for children in grades 2-4 but younger children will be able to draw this with a bit more guidance. Choose... Learn More
The Shape of My Heart by Mark Sperring and illustrated by Alys Paterson is a great alternative to a typical “Valentine’s Day” picture book. It’s a gentle story with colorful illustrations that... Learn More
Looking for a creative way to teach symmetry and color value? This beautiful art project teaches young children how to create a symmetrical heart and paint using tints. Full color photos... Learn More
Part directed-drawing, part free-expression, this lesson offers an easy American history art activity to celebrate Lincoln’s Birthday, Independence Day or President’s Day that covers the concepts of form, promotion and... Learn More
Inspired by Valentine’s Day, I pulled out my file on Jim Dine and created this multi-step collage project for my second graders. I used a station-method of attack with this... Learn More
Perspective might be the hardest lesson to learn in elementary art. I know I rack my brain to come up with interesting ways to teach perspective. This lesson emphasizes a unique... Learn More
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, this colorful bouquet will be admired by all. Mixed media techniques, collage, shape, texture, still life are some of the important concepts addressed in... Learn More
It’s hard to find a Valentine’s picture book that is perfect for the art room. The story has to resonate with many age groups. The illustrations need to be inspiring... Learn More
The watercolor Snow Globe project is best for grades second through sixth. It combines drawing with geometric shapes to create a snow globe and proportional snowman and using the watercolor... Learn More
This lesson has been a reader’s favorite since I first posted it in 2012. Based on the book, Pie in the Sky and Snowballs by Lois Ehlert, I combined my... Learn More