A primary goal of substantive art education is to communicate visually--to decipher art for meaning and to construct meaning through images and objects. Strategies available to engage students are the interdisciplinary activities found in performance, visual and written forms of creative expression, and related disciplines such as ethnography,…

This book details the Guggenheim Museum's classroom-tested, inquiry-based approach to learning. This user-friendly guide provides teachers (grades 2-8) with strategies and resources for investigating art to enhance student learning across the curriculum. "For the classroom teacher", Art Investigation provides an exciting way to study contemporary…

Many of the paintings of 20th-century American artist Philip C. Curtis defy clear classification. Curtis's artworks often show dreamlike and fantastical qualities and are therefore frequently pigeonholed as Surrealistic. While this classification is not completely erroneous, it fails to acknowledge some subtle differences between Curtis's artwork…

When artists are inspired to travel in Europe to study art and history of the Western world, Italy is a good place to start. With its ancient architecture, rich cultural heritage, and superb works of art, Italy has been the quintessential center of Western art history for centuries. It was the good fortune of Alabama-based artist and teacher…

To be effective and relevant in twenty-first-century learning, art needs to be more inclusive. In this article, the author discusses how teachers can find a good example in Leonardo da Vinci for building an art program. His art, design, and curiosity are the perfect foundation for any art program, at any level. (Contains 3 resources and 3 online…

At Portledge School in Locust Valley, New York, ninth graders in their upper school study art history for one semester. The visual arts department has created a vigorous new syllabus culminating in an hour-long mock art auction. The department selects several art movements (e.g., Post-Impressionism, Cubism, Abstract Expressionism, Social Realism,…

In this article, the author describes how her intermediate art class used silhouettes expressively and interpreted ancient and contemporary silhouettes in a personal way. The students analyze relationships of works of art to one another in terms of history, aesthetics, and culture, justifying conclusions made in the analysis, and using such…

Based on concepts of discipline-based art education, this instructional resource presents art experiences which use a variety of media to integrate art across the curriculum. Basic concepts of art are introduced in the first five lessons. The remaining 14 lessons are aimed at developing knowledge and skill bases in art processes, skills, media,…

These activity/workbooks use drawings done in the style of great women artists in order to promote a knowledge of female art history through a variety of educational experiences. Volume 1 and 2 present 26 women artists (one for each letter of the alphabet) that can be used as an entire year's curriculum. Volume 1 features artists whose names begin…

These student materials and teacher lesson plans focus on presenting the fundamental knowledge necessary for mastering basic drawing skills. The devises that create the illusion of reality are introduced as concepts critical to the development of accurate, high-fidelity drawing. These structured materials encourage students to learn to draw…

This 5-part video lesson deals with discipline-based art education in the elementary school. The video features a university professor who is a specialist in methods and the integration of art into the elementary classroom; each part of the video lesson is 30 minutes in length. First defining discipline-based art education as an approach, not a…

This publication contains proceedings of a seminar structured around five basic themes: (1) cultural diversity in education; (2) discipline based art education (DBAE) and cultural diversity; (3) how cultural diversity has affected practices in art history, aesthetics, criticism, and art making; (4) experiences in other disciplines which effect…

Most students in America can graduate from high school without ever analyzing a piece of art. Perhaps these students will take an art history or an art appreciation course in college that may incorporate a few references to literature and history. Math or science connections will most likely remain entirely absent. Why do we treat art analysis…

This teacher's resource guide is designed to accompany resource packets that include fine art reproductions. The resource introduces students to the accomplishments and contributions of eight 20th century women artists: Isabel Bishop; Jenny Holzer; Kathe Kollwitz; Maya Ying Lin; Mary Ellen Mark; Maria Martinez; Alice Neel; and Faith Ringgold. This…

The art lessons presented in this teaching guide are concept-centered and integrate the four disciplines of art: art production, art history, art criticism, and aesthetics. Individual units are organized by the elements of art (line, value, texture, color, shape, form, and space) and the principles of design (balance, emphasis, contrast, variety,…