Art Teacher Toolbox
It's easy to get overwhelmed with the teaching resources available on the Internet, libraries, and with colleagues. To simplify your art planning, I suggest choosing a few artists that you enjoy and teaching 1-5 lessons related to a favorite painting or art piece. (See the Art Concepts page for a list of art elements and skills to teach related to your chosen artist.)
This approach allows students to see the historical and cultural context for an artwork, to appreciate the problem solving aspect to art, to build their visual vocabulary, and to practice analyzing and critiquing artwork.
This is not a new idea at all. As part of their training, most artists throughout history and across the globe looked to previous artists' work for inspiration and technique. Many of us use a similar approach with writing, looking to published authors for lessons in writing.
The Art History Lesson Plan Pages are not lesson plans in a strict sense. Instead, they are to be lesson inspirations. In each page, you will find the following:
an art image
to share with students for discussion and project inspiration.artist notes
Information about the artist and art movements that will help provide context for the art image. It's best to share this information with students after they've had time to digest, discuss and hypothesize about the art image.painting notes
Observations about the painting are offered to assist the teacher during the student discussion. The information here should not be read to the students, but instead used to create more guiding questions and/or respond to student questions or comments.discussion questions
Examples of the kinds of questions that you may want to ask the students to help them engage with the painting. Please remember, it takes a few moments for one's eyes to "warm up" to art work. Don't be afraid of a little silence.Some general suggestions: start with open-ended questions, ask students to explain their reactions (Why do you say that?), ask more specific technique questions toward the end (e.g. Why did the artist use such dark lines here?).
art concepts
Art concepts (elements of art, skills, techniques) that are easy to discuss or practice in relation to the particular art image. Several are presented with a brief description of the artist use of that particular element, skill, or technique was used. Although you may end up discussing many or all of the concepts, it's important to focus on only 1 to 3 during the art project.project ideas
Summaries of projects inspired by particular artwork. All projects can be adapted for any age or ability level. They are presented to get your ideas flowing.Keep in mind that it is important for students to have some sort of model--a photo, an object, etc. to be drawn or painted--for any art project, whether or not it is stated in the project description. The featured artist provides the style. They can often have the freedom to change it, or use only part, but it gives them a starting point.
media suggestions
Media (paint, pencil, etc.) options that lend themselves to the chosen style of artwork.links
to sites about the featured artist.
My hope is that after seeing how a famous artwork can be used to create lessons with content, structure, and freedom, you will be inspired to create lessons from your own favorite artists--lessons that fit your interests as well as your students.
©2001 Jennifer MacLeod