Art is about thinking. It requires persistence and a willingness to explore many options for solving problems. These are not quantifiable measurements but, more significantly, they rely on students' increasing development of the ability to learn through exploration, experimentation, self-questioning, and self-assessment. Using paper, scissors, and…

A ballerina, a gladiator, a camper, a baseball player, a surfer, and a shopper; these are just a few of the amazing monkeys that the author's seventh graders created from papier-mache. This project provided an opportunity for students to express themselves through the creation of sculptural characters based on their own interests, hobbies, and…

There is a wonderful community of art educators connecting a once-isolated profession through blogging. Art educators around the world are sharing ideas and communicating with their peers through this amazing resource. In this article, the author describes the bottle cap mural at Tulip Grove Elementary School which was inspired by this exchange of…

The purpose of the "Identity Pole" was to explore the big idea of identity. Students would confront issues of personal and cultural meaning, and draw upon interdisciplinary connections for inspiration. The author chose to present totem poles of the Northwest Coast Native Americans/First Nations of Canada, as well as school, state and national…

In this article, the author describes a project which gave students a chance to explore the idea of using "extreme" materials in a sculpture. While the process was, at times, challenging and stressful for teacher and student alike, the results proved that, with proper planning, even young students can independently demonstrate multiple solutions…

The approach in this book extends somewhat beyond comprehensive art education to embrace a more interdisciplinary character, through an emphasis on big ideas the overarching notions that reach beyond any particular discipline. Each chapter in the book focuses on one component. Chapters in the book are: (1) "Big Ideas and Artmaking"; (2)…

This booklet describes 14 student art projects to be used in science classes. Creative skills involved in the process of artistic expression seem to translate very well into the problem solving world of technology. Even in the elementary level it can help build confidence, as well as the development of abstract skills that so often lead to…