It is always interesting to observe a wide range of creative results when students begin a project with the same subject and materials. The lesson described in this article on stitching challenges students to design a turkey on burlap using colorful yarns and a small variety of materials. Each feathered Tom emerges with a unique personality, which…

Although the craft and art of bookmaking has a rich history, artworks about books are relatively new. The author teaches in a school that has an international population where a variety of languages and cultures flourish. He took this opportunity to develop a ceramic unit that combined sculptural design, the history of bookmaking, and traditional…

Often we find great ideas around the artroom. One day, the author spotted several pieces of construction paper that had gotten wet near the sink. They had stained the white paper they were lying on. He noticed a design of strong contrast exhibited by the stains. Layers of transparent color had created textural nuances resembling a multicolored…

In this article, the author discusses how many art educators today are expected to make something from nothing and to exist on a bare-bones budget. Innovative art teachers can turn such a limitation into opportunities to explore the world of throwaway materials--materials that can be recycled into rewarding art experiences. Besides using recycled…

Trees burst with color in the northern states. Autumn leaves dust the ground. Painting the fall landscape is nothing new. Teachers have been doing it in classrooms for decades. The approach, however, can make the difference between whether the fall landscape is simply painting for fun, or a real learning experience. Students learn best when they…

Recalling memories from her own third grade art classes, Ann Mueller, recreated an updated version for her students showing her students how to make snow scenes from Ivory Snow flakes. She showed students the video, The Snowman based on Raymond Briggs's book of the same name. Its beautiful images spur the imagination, and the musical score is…

This brief article describes how a Anne Young taught her students to make a monoprint out of a coffee filter. A monoprint is a one-of-a-kind picture. This lesson taught students to use art materials and tools in a safe and responsible manner.

Students get excited when they realize that they can transform a flat sheet of paper into a box. By using different sizes of paper, they can make different sizes of boxes and put a box inside a box, inside a box. These magical boxes within boxes can contain unwanted emotions or special treasures. The project described in this article incorporates…

In many American schools, class size continues to increase while art budget dollars remain the same or, even worse, decrease. Art educators need to become proactive and creative in procuring art supplies for their classrooms. This may necessitate asking for supplemental funds from the PTA or raising money through fundraising. It may also mean that…

In this article, the author discusses how parents can be involved in a developmentally appropriate art program for very young children. "Art Playgroup," a program for children ages two to five and their parents is one suggestion. Operating under the auspices of DTA Center for Learning & Growing, a nonprofit in Ellsworth, Maine, DTA…

In this article, the authors discuss how art educators often find themselves faced with students whose needs are beyond what the art educators feel trained to handle. How can they design lessons so that every student feels successful? Because art educators are also art therapists, school colleagues often ask them for help in working with students…