Children are captivated with how things work and they like to build things and in many ways, engineering comes naturally for them. Progress does not come from technology alone but from the melding of technology and creative thinking through art and design. There has been a push for STEAM-based curricula to be included in science classrooms and the…

A friendship fence is a wonderful alternative to the standard mural. It provides a fantastic opportunity for children to help design a creative learning environment. In this article, the author describes an art project that involves creating a friendship fence. The author relates that she began introducing her students to Ndebele beadwork dolls…

The authors describe how they started a holiday mural project for students in different grades. They discuss how Gustav Klimt became the inspiration for this project. Klimt is an artist known for his "painted mosaics." The authors decided to use a theme that was decorative and enchanting, containing all of the jewel-like qualities that a holiday…

What is happening in arts teaching and learning in our classrooms? Recent NEMP reports tell us that Year 4 students are not performing well but that there is an increase in scores at Year 8. This new professional development resource builds on research into teacher practice in Years 0-6 classrooms in New Zealand primary schools. It offers new…

Growth in painting ability is dependent on frequent painting experiences, on thoughtful motivation, and on proper guidance and evaluation of progress. This guide includes materials and equipment, motivation, guidance procedures, activities, and evaluation for each grade level. A working space with materials and equipment in the classroom needs to…

Suggests the use of Sumi-e painting with its emphasis upon simplicity as a means of motivating students to explore a new and interesting form of visual expression. Describes an activity which involves a demonstration of this art form. Includes a chart showing the seven basic Japanese Sumi-e strokes. (KO)

In this article, the author describes how artwork can be a vehicle for teaching writing. The author describes how art provides students with ready-made subjects, setting, and mood, creating a platform from which even the most timid writers are willing to dive. The author also cites several reasons why art is such a powerful catalyst for writing.

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…

This book uses Caldecott Award winning books as a resource for classroom teachers to provide students with experiences that combine art with children's literature. The book contains three lessons for each of the 57 Caldecott books from 1938-1994. Lessons examine the key art concepts contained in the illustrations of the Caldecott books. These…

This book emphasizes the teacher's active role in fostering a developmental understanding of painting in children from ages 1+ to 11. The cognitive processes behind children's painting are explored. The book suggests meaningful tasks for each phase of imagery and offers methods for encouraging children to discuss the concepts involved in their…

This manual focuses on visual art and is intended for teachers using the Project Success Enrichment (PSE) program to teach gifted or interested elementary school students. An introduction discusses the PSE art philosophy, including a definition of the components of a complete work of art (subject matter, composition, and content), the study of…

Anna Mary Robertson Moses, popularly known as Grandma Moses, may be the most famous American folk artist. A fortuitous combination of original vision, innate talent, spunky character, and long life, Moses is known for her landscapes that depict nostalgic views of country life. In this article, the author describes an art activity she introduced to…

This teaching resource presents a historical perspective of the alphabet which encompasses a study of major contributions by: (1) "Prehistoric People"; (2) "The Sumerians"; (3) "The Egyptians"; (4) "The Chinese"; (5) "The Greeks"; and (6) "The Romans." Background information, vocabulary study, student activities, a letter history, and a…

This document provides Arizona teachers of elementary school students (kindergarten through grade six) with selected sample lessons which combine learnings for both substance abuse prevention and visual art. The sample lessons are structured to promote decision-making skills and are designed to allow for a variety of student responses leading to a…

The author is always looking for ways to see connections and to adapt experiences across different subjects. Combining art with other disciplines helps keep students engaged, even the really analytical and verbal learners. Aerial perspective is an art technique, a scientific principle, and a vehicle for introducing Chinese painting and…