This mixed methods study assessed the emotional impact of therapeutic art techniques in reducing subjective anxiety by comparing three options for drawing a self-portrait: literal self-portrait, mandala, and free drawing. Undergraduate college students (n = 60) were provided with a mood induction procedure and then randomly assigned to a drawing…

The unprecedented onset and extensive spread of COVID-19 has affected the lives of citizens around the globe. Children, in particular, have been thrust into modified and new learning environments. Although the global lockdown has confined so many, it also has connected people from different but shared experiences. One program that supported such…

The concept of a learner's identity in mathematics is complex and multifaceted. Based on a review of the relevant research, the authors believe most factors that influence one's mathematical identity fall within these four categories: (1) past mathematics experiences; (2) personal beliefs and efficacy; (3) future self-representation and belonging;…

Civic engagement is not just concerned with identifying societal and political structures. It is also concerned with how young people understand themselves as civic agents capable of starting and sustaining change. Seeing students as change makers is a civically engaged goal supported by literature surrounding the aims of art education in K-12…

The self-portrait is a reflection of the personality in a visual, physical sense, as a concrete form, a summary of the external characteristics of the artist, but also in a psychological sense, when the self-portrait becomes a mediator of communication with the self, a medium of self-investigation. In this way, the self-portrait exists as a means…

In this article, the author writes about her early years as an elementary school art teacher. In her early years, students received a formalist, discipline based art education. Every lesson began with students, pK-3, viewing a thoughtfully selected collection of paintings created by a famous artist. After viewing this carefully curated selection…

The main aim of the current research was to fill the absence of STEAM activities for primary school students in Turkey. Accordingly, a study in which STEAM activities were implemented was conducted with the primary school students. There were four activities during STEAM implementation. The activities were these: Students recognized circuit…

When art classes are short and infrequent, it is always a challenge to meet required state and national standards. A unit comparing and contrasting Peter Max's Pop art portraits with the realistic style of Gilbert Stuart's presidential portraits provides an opportunity to address a huge number of these requirements. Focus can change with the age…

Once, in the author's continual quest for unique and varied art projects, she was inspired by a colorful Kleenex[R] box which was covered with faces in a variety of sizes, ages, shapes and colors. What a fun idea to have her class create their own portraits using only construction paper, glue and one's fingers. As she shared an examplar rip-art…

Sepia tones range from pale neutral cream, tan, and amber all the way to deep chocolate brown; some even have dark green undertones. Sepia tones are used primarily by photographers. Photographers opt to print their photos in sepia because of the warmer, almost old-fashioned look it has. Art is considered "anthropomorphic" when an object or an…

Simply put, a portrait party happens whenever two artists draw each other. In the classroom, portrait parties are a fun and versatile art game. They can be used to introduce students to a wide variety of artists and art skills. With practice, they are adjustable to any class period, and are appropriate for all ages. All one needs to start a…

There is a lot of creative energy between students and their art materials. In this lesson, the author discusses materials an artist may use to create a work of art--paint, a paintbrush, a palette, crayons, markers, pastels, and so on. Each student sketched a picture of themselves holding some tools that can be used in art. The objectives of this…

Altruism is recognized as "a cultural behavior, well beyond instinctive behavior, and even beyond adaptive social behaviors with respect to evolutionary processes" (Wilson, 1998, p. 29) Yet, if artmaking is a cultural behavior it is one that does not appear at first "to contribute to the survival of the species" (Wilson, 1998,…

When the author was training to be an art educator, she was employed as a sixth-grade English Language Arts (ELA) teacher. When the author moved into the art teacher position at the very same school, she borrowed her cooperating teacher Kim Donovan's ELA project, in which students will design an 1800s-style "wanted poster," and transformed it into…

In this article, the author describes how students can create a stunning as well as economical mosaic utilizing fall's brilliantly colored leaves, preserved at their peak in color. Start by choosing a beautiful fall day to take students on a nature walk to collect a variety of leaves in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Focus on collecting a…