Artists today draw on a range of sources--newspapers, magazines, photographs, film, audio, and of course the Internet--to create artworks that serve as visual "texts" of a specific place and moment in time. Using artworks as sources and understanding how to decode them in the service of "drilling down" into difficult topics can create powerful…

In this article, the author describes a class project wherein preschoolers gained an enriched experience learning art history through engaging in various activities: (1) listening to a storybook; (2) viewing images; (3) doing movement; and (4) producing a masterpiece. The author describes how the children painted their interpretation of Mona Lisa…

Students designed and painted their school's walls in a massive school enlivening project. (Author/RK)

Five projects in the arts, such as drama and facepainting, provide a day's worth of class activities. Detailed instructions for each project, including materials and procedures, are given. (JL)

The article presents ideas for using Van Gogh's painting, "Irises," to teach elementary students about floral still lifes and the use of space, light, and other aspects of composition. It includes a poster of "Irises" along with suggestions and activities for using it to explore the elements of art. (SM)

Discusses the life and paintings of Vincent van Gogh, focusing on "The Road Meanders," and describes how to teach students through the painting (e.g., analyzing colors, discussing feelings it evokes, and writing poems that speak to the people in the painting). A copy of the painting is included. (SM)

Describes a lesson that shows high school students a work of art derived from literature, acquainting them with methods an artist can use to present a story in visual form. Students discuss how Anthony van Dyck controlled and manipulated light, color, gesture, and composition in his painting to depict a moment from literature. (LS)

In an eight-week project, an award-winning children's book author and illustrator helped third grade students create impressive artwork. Children worked in pairs to create collaborative drawings, and they gained confidence in their artistic abilities over time. The project developed strategies for use by classroom teachers. (SM)

Presents art projects to help elementary educators teach their students about seascapes, providing students with basic techniques for portraying texture and mood in art. After discussing seascapes and lines and showing some examples, teachers can help students create seascapes from construction paper alone or with construction paper and…

Involves a creative project in which the students combine art expression and self awareness. (RK)

Presents a lesson plan developed around the work of architectural muralist Richard Haas. Discusses the significance of mural painting and gives key concepts for the lesson. Lists class activities for the elementary and secondary grades. Provides a photograph of the Haas mural on the Fountainbleau Hilton Hotel, 1986. (GG)

Presents a lesson that introduces students in grades K-three to sources of design inspiration in contemporary urban settings. Using Don Eddy's painting of a jewelry store window display, asks students to describe and analyze the interplay of shape, pattern, and color. Suggests studio activities, including an activity in which students build a…

Illustrates the skill and inspiration of master art teacher, Frank Wachowiak, by presenting three lessons for children: "Fruits and Vegetables" or "Leaves" in crayon resist, "X-ray Trees" in crayon engraving and "Angels or Self-portraits" in tempera. Lessons emphasize the use of patterns and textures, as…

Presents the experiences of an art teacher during the first year of teaching art to elementary students. Discusses methods of developing a creatively fulfilling art class, including how the artroom was transformed into the "Paintbrush Palace" and how the teacher became "Queen Paintbrush." (DB)

It is possible to connect art and language arts using traditional Japanese art. After explaining the Japanese art forms of Haiku poetry and sumi-e painting, the article describes a project in which students write haiku on special paper then illustrate their poems with gung and shey strokes. (SM)