The best lesson ideas often derive from childhood recollections. When brought to class, play memories and art mementos from the teacher's childhood paint a powerful homage to children's art. A survey of a child's room in the dark, or with lights on, discloses interesting hanging sites, means of attachment and unusual items drafted for hanging, all…

The author and his third graders personalized their classroom by wrapping the tables and chairs in paper and decorating each one. (SJL)

Presented are techniques that elementary and secondary art teachers can use to help students evaluate their own works of art. These include mapping and diagramming, tracings, coverings, cutting apart and placing together, estimating, framing, enlarging and reducing, simplification and elaboration, projecting, playful tools, celebrations and…

According to Hanes and Schiller (1994), "The student teacher experience is the traditional transition from theories of the university to practical realities of public schools. It is in this experience that critical changes occur and determine the manner of practice that preservice teachers tend to adopt for their future classrooms" (p. 218). The…

Contends that children's playfulness with flashlights is an artform suitable to the art classroom. For example, flashlights can become drawing tools or a means of sculpting with forms and light. Discusses works by "flashlight artists" and considers flashlight art history in the classroom. (CMK)

Discusses the use of wheels in children's art. Focuses on collecting wheels, ideas for decorating different artworks with wheels, and objects that can move on wheels. Sees wheels as an inspiration for children's art, reflecting on the use of this object in the art classroom. (CMK)

Discusses the use of the chalkboard as a surface for creating art and enabling young students to express their creativity. Explores different ways that art teachers can use chalkboards, such as for taking attendance, for use during a child's time-out, or a place to rehearse an artwork. (CMK)

Explores children's fascination with creating their own unique games as an art form. Focuses on different games, such as chess, checkers, pogs, and monopoly. States that observing children playing games offers a firsthand lesson in how children create. Discusses what it means to be an art teacher who promotes creative play with games. (CMK)

Discusses how experiences with water provide children with opportunities to be artists. Describes different types of water play for children. Believes that experiences with water introduce children to the principles of painting. (CMK)

States that paying attention to the mail children receive, the items that are contained, and how children prepare and send mail is an excellent lesson for art teachers interested in advancing the "mail arts" as an authentic form of child's art. Describes mail art as created by children. (CMK)

Discusses the importance of designing settings for children that encourage hands-on creativity through play. Suggests the designs are art forms requiring a participatory art teaching style. Describes the technique and provides proven design ideas. (CMK)

Focuses on children as "wrapping artists," stating that a child's wrapping art includes elements of ritual: finding a special object, selecting and customizing the wrapper, and participating in the unwrapping event. Discusses surface decorating, the exploration of form through wrapping, and collecting wrapping-art. (CMK)

Contends that art supplies can be obtained from discarded materials in the school, items from home, and other places. Maintains that students' creative supplies are what they save, what they wish for, and what they play with. Presents suggestions for creating art education supplies from a variety of everyday items. (CFR)

Presents a lesson plan constructed around several color plates of the artwork of George Szekely. Szekely suggests a playful and open approach to his work and recommends various ways of interpreting and experiencing his art using a variety of senses. His recommendations include slide projectors, word games, and role playing. (MJP)