A lesson led by adult ideas, rubrics and formulas, conducted in a shrine dedicated to adult artists, demonstrates that children's art does not carry much weight in the art room. Art lessons need to speak of why and how artists do what they do. Art lessons also need to express the freedoms in drawing, instead of the search for the "proper way." In…

Many people have seen "The Kiss" (1907-08), an iconic artwork by Austrian Symbolist Gustav Klimt (1862-1918), but know little about its background. Since its creation, the sensual subject matter and lush golden patterns have been this culture's example of romantic love. The painting exemplifies Klimt's brand of Art Nouveau. Acceptance often eluded…

Describes an art activity that (1) began with students interpreting slides of artworks by Chicago (Illinois) artists and (2) led to students creating artworks directly on slides. Explains that students included descriptions and meanings of their works. (CMK)

Presents an art lesson for elementary students using painter Claude Monet as an introduction to Impressionism. Discusses Monet and his artwork. Explains that the students copy Monet's painting "The House of Parliament, Sunset" in order to draw the contour or outline of the buildings. (CMK)

Discusses a six-week art program developed for kindergarten students where they learn about various artists with a focus on the work of Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Describes an art project where the students create collages in the style of Hundertwasser using the watercolor-resist technique. (CMK)

Presents an art lesson in which kindergarten and first-grade students learn about Henri Matisse and his art work. Explains that the students use "Model Magic" to create Matisse style face refrigerator magnets. Discusses in detail how to create the magnets. (CMK)

Presents a fifth-grade art history lesson that begins with discussion about a group of Canadian artists called the Group of Seven. Explains that the students create their own landscapes following an activity on warm and cool colors. (CMK)

Describes an art activity in which elementary students create collages similar to those of Julian Schnabel, learning to appreciate his work's meaning. Students select a symbol to represent an event or experience in their lives. Collages are created with acrylic paint and broken plates. (CMK)

Discusses a painting unit for kindergarten that focuses on color mixing and brush stroke techniques. Students paint a picture of their favorite animal. Describes the unit, listing the materials needed and including sample paintings. (CMK)

Presents an activity in which elementary students reproduce the artwork, "The Goldfish Bowl," that was originally created by Henri Matisse. Explains that the students utilize the same art technique that Matisse used: decoupage. Discusses the process of creating the artwork in detail. (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)

Describes an art lesson in which first grade students learned to reproduce the three-dimensional world on two-dimensional paper, creating a landscape through a telescopic perspective. Explains that students first learn about landscapes. Discusses the process of making telescopic drawings. (CMK)

Describes a four week artist-in-residence program called "Reflecticons: Trees of a City." Using handmade paper, the children of Kaukauna (Wisconsin) explored the heritage, development, and growth of their community from the 1700s to the present. (CMK)

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 an art project that was used with first grade students in which they learn about Vincent van Gogh's style of painting. Explains that the children learn to create circles and straight lines and how to fill in with color. (CMK)