Evaluated the effectiveness of a drawing program called "negotiated drawing" with children aged 5-7 years. Compared drawings of children using this program with those of children given normal drawing lessons. All the children improved their drawings, but the children using the negotiated drawing program improved more than the children…

Describes an artists workshop, parallel to a writers workshop, that integrated student choice of topic and media, reading, art, and writing. Outlines the workshop routine, discusses the artists' notebooks kept by the students, and explains how writing as an essential element of the workshop reveals the thinking, planning, and discovering that…

This article discusses how art activities can be adapted for students with visual impairments, focusing on textural art, sculpture, sound art, smell, taste, kinetic art, dioramas and maps, and computer art. Suggestions for adapting visual arts are also offered, by using good contrast in projects or by enlarging or simplifying pictures. (JDD)

Identifies and responds to criticisms of discipline-based art education (DBAE). Shows how it is an all-inclusive program that responds to the needs of all students. Analyzes factors that relate to self-esteem and demonstrates how DBAE enhances it. Describes a typical lesson and case studies to support this argument. (KM)

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)

Investigates the difference between children's drawings from two- and three-dimensional models, specifically, the influence of color and line, the difference between multicolor and monochrome material, and gender differences. Finds that children's drawings present detailed information about the subject first, then simple proportions, and finally…

Looks at individuality, in the sense of a personal expressive idiom or style, in children's art production. Shows that early stylistic differences manifest in children's art making correspond to basic cognitive/affective learning processes. Outlines implications for ideas about child development. (DSK)

Addresses the argument that the arts can empower education reform through two means: (1) teaching all children the arts and (2) teaching the arts as central to all learning. Conveys that by concentrating on aesthetic literacy and the nonuniversality of children's artistic development, arts educators will gain support for teaching the arts in…

Discusses an art activity that has students create pictures in which they first trace a chameleon pattern and then add camouflage to conceal the chameleon. Explains that different materials and techniques are used for students in grades k-1 and 2-5. (CMK)

Describes a unit on clay casting that introduces students to relief sculpture. The unit takes three 45 to 50 minute class periods three weeks apart. Discusses each class session in detail: (1) creating the casting; (2) turning out and rinsing the casting; and (3) enriching the surface with color. (CMK)

Describes constructive play and its importance to child development. Outlines the developmental changes in constructive play in young children, and identifies the benefits of this type of play for young children. Discusses the learning experiences of constructive play with art materials in early childhood settings, and describes strategies for…

Recognizes the importance of children's art made at home and focuses on having children express themselves through handmade art. Gives examples of different types of handmade art, such as making room accessories and furnishings, constructing "portable" artworks, and building figures in different mediums. (CMK)

Describes an art project for second-grade students where in over five class periods, they create fired clay dinosaur sculptures with dioramas as the background. States that this project, the culminating activity for a sculpture unit, teaches students many art terms and uses of different media. (CMK)

Describes an art activity in which the students created art-paper collages of salads. Explains that before making the collages there was a discussion on healthy eating habits and the benefits of a well-balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Identifies the materials needed for the collages. (CMK)

Presents a torn-paper and gadget-print activity for younger students, specifically pre-kindergarten to first grade, that can be done any time over the school year or at Halloween. Discusses how the students create their funny faces and lists the materials needed. (CMK)