When I taught K-8 Art at a small private school, my budget was always, “Spend as little as possible”. But I found ways to make it work and give my students great art experiences despite the shortage of funding. If you're in a similar low-budget (or no-budget!) position, I hope some of these ideas will work for you, too. Here are my 10 favorite ways to save money on … [Read more...]
Make a Sunflower for Ukraine
Make a colorful sunflower for Ukraine to show your support! Kids in grades 2 and up enjoy making these expressive oil pastel sunflowers. You might even want to make one yourself! You can find a free download to guide you in my TPT store. The sunflower is the national flower of Ukraine, and has been a symbol of peace for many years. The sunflower's bright yellow petals set … [Read more...]
4 Keys to Success with School Auction Art Projects
School auction art projects are an ideal way to get students involved in your next school-wide fundraiser! School auction art projects help your art program to thrive With all the funding cuts in education these days, programs like art and music are forced to compete for an increasingly small share of their school's budget.... if they make it into the budget at all. In many … [Read more...]
Crayon Resist Snowflakes with Watercolor
One of the many fun ways to combine art and science is by making crayon resist snowflakes with watercolor. Students as young as kindergarten love learning how to draw snowflakes. And it's even more fun when you draw them with a white crayon so they magically appear when painted over with watercolor! Before you draw or paint... Begin this lesson by sharing some … [Read more...]
7 Secrets to Success for Using Oil Pastels with Kids
Your K-8 students can create stunning works of art by following these secrets to success for using oil pastels. Kids love the clear, bright colors of oil pastels and their creamy consistency. They can cover a large area quickly, which makes them ideal for the shorter attention spans of early elementary students. Parents and teachers love that oil pastels are … [Read more...]
Abstract Art Project Inspired by Joan Miró
Kids of all ages enjoy art history when you teach it through projects inspired by the work of famous artists. Abstract art is especially fun for kids because it removes the pressure that can come with trying to achieve "realism". This project is inspired by the Surrealist movement and the work of Spanish artist Joan Miró. Joan (pronounced "Djo-ahn") Miró was a painter, … [Read more...]
Oil Pastel Flowers Inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe
Elementary students are sure to feel successful with this Georgia O'Keeffe-inspired art project. This lesson is ideal for grades 3-5, although you can adapt it up or down depending on your needs. Oil pastels are the key to achieving this rich and expressive, painterly effect... and kids love using them. They are vivid and bright, easy to work with and yield stunning … [Read more...]
Monarch Butterflies for K & Beyond
Each fall, one of our local State Parks becomes home to almost 100,000 migrating Monarch butterflies. The Monarchs gather in a eucalyptus grove that provides shelter from wind and harsh weather, while they wait for spring to arrive. On chilly days, the Monarchs cluster together in the trees for warmth. But on warm days, they flutter about like colorful confetti in the … [Read more...]
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Parents often tell me about the artwork their kids did with me that they have framed and hanging in their home. And this is the project that most often earns a permanent place on the wall! While there's nothing like adding new lessons to keep your curriculum fresh and exciting, we all have projects that we go back to year after year because they are so successful and are so … [Read more...]
Day of the Dead – Ofrenda Painting
The popular Mexican holiday, Day of the Dead (or Dia de Los Muertos), gives us many opportunities for colorful art lessons combined with learning about another culture! True confession time.... when I moved from a small town in upstate New York to go to college in California, I had no idea what Day of the Dead was.... I had never even heard of it. I (wrongly!) assumed it was … [Read more...]
