Oil pastels offer many advantages. They come in a large range of hues, intensities and values, and they lend themselves to blending and shading in a unique way that no other art medium offers. They can be worked and reworked from day to day by the students without the large mess and cleanup time that oil paints require. An artist whose works are a…

Some people only think about conservation on Earth Day. Being in the "art business" however, this author is always conscious of the many products she thinks get wasted when they could be reused, recycled, and restored--especially in a school building and art room. In this article, she describes an art lesson that allows students to paint…

Presents a unit on clay that is centered around sign language in which students explore the slab method of working with clay. States that each student picks a letter of the sign language alphabet and fashions a clay hand to depict the letter. (CMK)

Describes an art lesson that focuses on the technique "repousse." Explains that the lesson teaches students about art concepts, such as rhythm, repetition, pattern, and design. Discusses in detail how the students use this method and includes materials and learning objectives. (CMK)

Describes a second and third grade art activity in which students used celery cores to create pictures in the style of Georgia O'Keefe. Explains that the students learned about O'Keefe's artwork and describes how the students created their prints. (CMK)

Offers a lesson for sixth-grade students where they study crystals in a science class; after looking at different types of crystals through a magnifying glass and microscope, the students sketch crystal formations in their science logs. Focuses on different repeating patterns enabling students to draw a repeated design of crystals from their logs.…

Describes a two-part art activity in which second-grade students first create self-portrait puppets of themselves as band members and then create another portrait puppet in the Cubist style of Pablo Picasso. Explains that the activity enables students to compare realistic and abstract styles. Includes learning objectives. (CMK)

Describes a unit on lighthouses, originally a social studies unit, in which students participate in two art projects: (1) a lighthouse printmaking activity and (2) a scratch-etch activity using lighthouses. Describes the steps for printmaking and the process of creating scratch-etch drawings. (CMK)

Presents an art activity inspired by a workshop "Surrounded by Silk" given by Susan Skvoe in which the students create silk paintings. Explains that the students first sketch their floral design on paper, trace the design on the silk's surface, and apply liquid dye for color. Provides an easier activity for younger students. (CMK)

Explains that relief sculpture is three-dimensional and flat along the back with forms and figures projecting from the front. Describes an art activity for first- and second-grade students and another for middle school students to make relief sculptures focusing on the theme of architecture, and specifically, houses. (CMK)

Describes an art lesson achieved with a Very Special Artist (VSA) in residence for sixth- and seventh-grade students in which they created wire sculptures. Discusses how the VSA taught the students. Includes a list of art materials and characteristics of wire. (CMK)