This 8-week, elementary art course is a taste of art with heart for young, beginning artists.  There are no live meetings for this course; rather, students learn independently from interactive video lectures on Edpuzzle, instructional videos, and museum websites for kids. During this course, each week learners will explore artworks, learn and practice a new skill, and make an artwork.  No art experience is required for this course.

Topics We Will Cover:   Each week, we will explore a theme in art including self, family, friendship, community, friends, pets, and the natural world.  As we study art from many cultures and time periods, the unity of human experience is an overarching theme.  Cross-curricular content in foreign languages, history, geography, science, and math appear in every lesson.  Learners will be making drawings, paintings, collages, and sculpture using their own ideas.

Week One:  Self
Week Two:  Play
Week 3: Families
Week 4:  Community
Week 5:  Places
Week 6: Pets and Other Animals
Week 7:  The Sun
Week 8:  Friends

What to Expect Each Week:  Every week begins with a student-centered discussion in the classroom around a set of artworks.  Using the Visual Thinking Strategy, learners interpret art on their own first, developing confidence and visual literacy.  I share the story behind the artworks during a brief lecture, followed by a skill-learning and practice session. These include guided drawing and experimenting with media and tools.  I use a document camera so learners can easily follow along. 

We tie the theme and our new skills together in the final project for each class.  These are open-ended visual problems, encouraging choice and individual expression.  I provide options for artists who want more specific directions, and ones who are more independent.  Learners will share photos or videos of their finished works and discuss them in our classroom.  Each week, I will share enrichment and extension activities.

My Teaching Style: I am a friendly, compassionate teacher and I respect student artists’ varying skill levels and communication preferences.  Learners may choose to engage in discussions, respond using chat, and/or share their artworks. Learners are encouraged to communicate in a way that is best for them.  Art is all about individual expression!