This on-going course will provide a new art unit each class with art projects targeted for upper elementary students (third and fourth grade).  Each unit will cover a different artist, art movement, and/ or art culture and will teach students how to manipulate various art media, both 2D and 3D, better preparing students for upper elementary art.  

At the start of each class, students will learn a famous artist, art movement, and/ or art culture.  Students will then complete a final project based upon the art history while also learning how to manipulate major art media like drawing, painting, and clay.  To complete each artwork, I will demonstrate each step of the project on the screen as students follow along and complete the steps just like they would if they were in an art classroom.  Students will hold up their artwork to the screen between steps and/ or when they need extra help completing the step.  

In addition to modeling each step, I will provide a printable PDF which contains photos of each step as well as written directions.   Projects sometimes may be started in class but finished outside of class while other times projects will be finished by the end of class.  After completing each project, students will be encouraged to post a photo of their finished project on the class page and will be given a review activity and/ or review questions to answer as well as a sneak peak of the next week's project. 

Below are the projects that will be completed in this course.  A prerecorded, self-paced version of this course is also available in two parts.

September 16
Minion self-portrait- a self-portrait minion style to decorate portfolios.  Needed supplies include white paper, a pencil and eraser, colored pencils or crayons, and a black pen or marker.

September 23
Uchiwa- a mixed media design of a Japanese fan.  Needed supplies include white mixed media or sketch paper, a pencil and eraser, scissors, crayons or colored pencils, watercolor paint, a paintbrush, and a water cup.

September 30
Romanticism atmospheric perspective collages- a paper collage of a fantasy landscape.  Needed supplies include construction paper, scissors, glue, and a pencil and eraser.

October 7 & 14- no class, fall break
October 21
Wayne Thiebaud Cupcake- a painted clay cupcake sculpture.  Needed supplies include air-dry clay, a container of water, paint and paint supplies after the project has dried, and a spoon, fork, and knife to use as clay tools.

October 28
Winslow Homer action ovals- a paper collage of a figure in a sports pose.  Needed supplies include white paper, construction paper, a pencil and eraser, scissors, and glue.

November 4
Book illustrations- a mixed media project combining computer programs and hand-drawn illustrations.  Needed supplies include white paper, a pencil and eraser, and the coloring tools of the artist’s choice.

November 11
Egyptian portraits- a self-portrait painting in the style of Egyptian art.  Needed supplies include white mixed media or sketch paper, a pencil and eraser, paint with painting supplies, and a black crayon or oil pastel or marker.

November 18
Clay buddies- a clay animal sculpture made after learning about the different types of sculptures.  Needed supplies include air-dry clay, a container of water, paint and paint supplies after the project has dried, and a spoon, fork, and knife to use as clay tools.

November 25
Prehistoric art- a chalk drawing copying the style and art of prehistoric cave paintings.  Needed supplies include black or brown paper, a pencil and eraser, oil or chalk pastels (or crayons), and access to a printer.

December 2
Mixed media cityscapes- a mixed media drawing where one draws a city with linear perspective.  Needed supplies include white paper, a pencil with an eraser, a ruler, colored makers, and crayons or colored pencils.

December 9
Tape mold- a casting sculpture made with plastic and tape.  Needed supplies include a simple hard object about the size of one’s hand to cast, tape, plastic wrap or a plastic grocery bag, and scissors.

December 16
Pablo Picasso guitars- an oil pastel drawing of a stringed instrument cut up and glued onto a cubed background to resemble Cubist paintings.  Needed supplies include white paper, a pencil and eraser, oil pastels or crayons or colored pencils, scissors, and glue.

December 23 & 30- no class, winter break

January 6
Pop Art sculpture- giant candy bar wrapper painted and stuffed to resemble sculptures of Claus Oldenburg.  Needed supplies include construction paper, an image of one’s favorite candy or candy bar, paint with paint supplies and/ or colored markers, scissors, and glue.

January 13
Walking feet- a detailed drawing of one's feet walking through a scene based upon the detailed oil paintings of the Renaissance.  Needed supplies include white paper, a pencil and eraser, a black pen or marker, and colored pencils or crayons.

January 20- no class, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

January 27
Pop up animals- an Australian animal painted with dots and glued on an abstract dot design made to resemble the dream paintings of the Aborigine, the indigenous people of Australia.  Needed supplies include access to a printer, construction paper, scissors, glue, cotton swabs/ q-tips, and acrylic or tempera paint on a plate or palette.

February 3
Jazz instrument illustrations- pastel drawings of jazz instruments drawn after studying both musical and visual artists of the Harlem Renaissance.  Needed supplies include white paper, a pencil and eraser, and oil pastels or crayons or colored pencils.

February 10
Hands and feet portrait- a self-portrait drawing in which both the hands and feet are traced, the face and body and drawn in-between, and clothing and hair texture are added.  Needed supplies include white paper, tape or glue, a pencil and eraser, a black pen or marker, and the coloring tool of the artist’s choice.

February 17- no class, President’s Day (U.S.)

February 24
Contrast mixed media- a gradient under a black silhouette made after studying contrast in famous art works.  Needed supplies include white paper, colored pencils or crayons and/ or colored markers, and black paper with scissors and glue or a black marker.

March 3
Donald Judd paper sculptures- paper sculptures that will use tape and flashlights to mimic the box sculptures of Post Modern artist Donald Judd.  Needed supplies include white and construction paper, scissors, glue, tape, and a light.

March 10
Agamographs- two drawings cut and glued together, so each drawing can only be viewed from one angle made after learning what makes a good composition after studying famous painting.  Needed supplies include white paper, a pencil and eraser, crayons or colored pencils, and a black marker.

March 17 & 24- no class, spring break

March 31
Action painting design- a painting series made to resemble the various styles of action painters like Jackson Pollock and Franz Kline.  Needed supplies include white mixed media or sketch paper, watercolor paint, a paint brush, and a water cup.

April 7
Coil bowl- a ceramic bowl made using only coils based upon the early pottery of various art cultures.  Needed supplies air-dry clay, a container of water, paint and paint supplies after the project has dried, and a spoon, fork, and knife to use as clay tools.

April 14
Kente cloth- a drawing turned into sculptures based on the Kente cloth of Ghana.  Needed supplies include white or construction paper and oil pastels or crayons.  Optional supplies include scissors and glue.

April 21
Collage silhouette- a collage series utilizing positive/ negative space after studying space in famous art works.  Needed supplies include white paper, a pencil and eraser, scissors, glue, and construction paper or magazines/ brochures.

April 28
Relief animal face- a relief sculpture of an animal face made out of cardboard based upon the relief sculptures of the Ancient Near East.  Needed supplies include easy-to-cut cardboard, scissors, a pencil and eraser, glue, acrylic or tempera paint on a palette or plate, and paint brushes.

May 5
Jungle cat face drawings- pastel drawings of a wild cat's face surrounded by vegetation based upon the famous jungle paintings of Henri Rousseau.  Needed supplies include white or black paper, a pencil and eraser, and oil pastels or crayons.

May 12
Illuminated initial- a mixed media design of the first letter in one's name, made to resemble the illuminated manuscripts of the middle ages.  Needed supplies include white paper, a pencil and eraser, and the coloring tools of one’s choice.

May 19
An eye for Magritte- a drawing series of the inside of an eye, featuring a dream-like scene based upon the Surrealist painting of an eye by Rene Magritte.  Needed supplies include white paper, a pencil and eraser, colored pencils or crayons, and a black pen or marker.

Click here or copy the URL to see picture examples of each project:  
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1zSSJ9qU9M7BW2su4QjsIlOoBKPY80hp5?usp=drive_link