'Summer Learning Loss', or 'Summer Slide' as it’s also known, is not just an issue for ‘at risk’ students. All students need to practice their academic skills to keep from falling behind over summer vacation. The year I taught 2nd grade I experienced firsthand how much students can forget over the summer. We wasted much valuable time that fall doing remedial work…. re-learning … [Read more...]
20 Interesting Facts about the Sistine Chapel
If you're reading this post, you're probably a person who enjoys learning about art and the artists who create it. Yet we all know people who don't share this interest, and may even find art history to be dry and boring (gasp!). Well, art history is anything but dry and boring if you know the stories behind the paintings! From DaVinci's Mona Lisa to the diverse works … [Read more...]
Illustrations with Surrealism
What better way to celebrate April Fool’s Day than with an image of Salvadore Dali caught in the act of pulling a prank??! Surrealism is a cultural, artistic, and literary movement which began in the early 1920’s. Founded by French writer and poet Andre Breton as a ‘revolutionary movement’, Surrealism is probably best known as a style of art featuring photorealistic images of … [Read more...]
Recycled Assemblage Sculptures Inspired by Louise Nevelson
Louise Nevelson (1899-1988) was one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century. Born in Russia, she emigrated with her family to the United States in 1905. Her unique artistic style was influenced by the cubist movement, co-founded by Pablo Picasso, and the found object sculptures of Marcel Duchamp. Calling herself “the original recycler”, Nevelson is most famous for … [Read more...]
Mona Lisa – Fact or Fiction? 50 Fantastic Things to Know!
My students became experts on all things Mona Lisa the year we ‘adopted’ the Mona Lisa as our Art Class Mascot! For generations, the Mona Lisa has captivated the imaginations of young and old alike. Her mysterious smile hints that there is much we don't know about this painting, and the woman in it. But there is also a lot we do know... or at least we think we know! I was … [Read more...]
Valentine Color Mixing – Paint 100 Hearts!
With Valentines Day (and the '100th Day of School') just around the corner, I thought I’d post this heart-themed version of my 'Mixing 100 Colors’ lesson! Mixing the colors and then painting hearts requires a little longer attention span, so I’ve found that 4th grade and up does best with this version. But younger students can also do this if they just work a little larger and … [Read more...]
My New Favorite Art Ed Blog…
When I first started writing my 'Teach Kids Art' blog back in 2008, I had no idea that blogging would become such a big thing! I started my blog as a way to share what I’d learned about teaching art to kids, with the hope that more kids would get to experience art as a result. At the time, I only knew of one other art teacher with a blog: Kathy at 'Art Projects for Kids'. Not … [Read more...]
5 Lessons I’ve Learned from My Students
As teachers, we spend most of our time focused on what we teach our students. But sometimes it’s worthwhile to step back and reflect on what our students are teaching us. While all of my students have shaped me as a teacher and as a person, a few of my former students have left an indelible mark on my heart. The lessons they taught me are not new, but there’s something about … [Read more...]
Basic Japanese Notan Designs for 1st Grade & Up
Are you looking for an easy project that will give your youngest students more practice with scissors? This very basic Japanese Notan lesson is perfect for working on cutting and gluing skills, and kids will love the striking designs they create! Notan is a type of Japanese art that uses the contrast of light and dark to make an eye-catching composition. (Pronounce it just like … [Read more...]
Illustrate a Proverb or Verse Inspired by the Fante Asafo Flags of Ghana
Seeing a variety of Fante Asafo Flags from Ghana will inspire your students with ideas for this project. Students in grades 5 and up will enjoy creating their own personal flag to illustrate a proverb or verse that's meaningful to them. Kids love the tactile experience of working with felt and embroidery floss as they use graphic symbols to tell a story, convey a concept or … [Read more...]
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