In this lesson, students observe and discuss realistic and abstract portraits, and compare and contrast the differences. Students will then create a whimsical, abstract self-portrait in the style of Cubist artist, Pablo Picasso.

Students will take on a mystery, Sherlock Holmes style, to uncover the secrets, history, and deeper meanings of Moyo Ogundipe's painting Soliloquy: Life's Fragile Fictions.

Students will be able to: explain why Ogundipe used particular colors, patterns, and images for his painting; discuss what the snakes and birds symbolize in the picture; and express in their own words at least three reasons the different elements of the painting are a treasure.

Students will use their animal sketches and notes from the last art class to generate ideas and create a 3-D paper hand puppet of the animal they chose to study. Teacher will demonstrate a variety of paper sculpture and folding techniques. Students will use these paper sculpture techniques and choose contrasting colors/shapes to create an expressive hand puppet with big, bold, and expressive elements of art. Some recycled papers will be used to teach recycling and conserving of our paper resources. Fraction folding techniques/terminology will integrate math into this art lesson. This lesson was developed by Nancy McGuire as part of their completion of the North Carolina Global Educator Digital Badge program. This lesson plan has been vetted at the local and state level for standards alignment, Global Education focus, and content accuracy.            

Students will put on their 'detective hats' and use magnifying glasses to find evidence that supports attributing the paintings in the Molleno Altar Screen to one artist and one piece. They will work in small groups and present a case to share with the entire class. They will also explore what would need to be different for them to prove that the pieces do not belong together.

Students will be able to: describe what an altar screen is; state that Molleno painted the scenes for this particular altar screen; develop and support a theory or hypothesis using details and logic; and share what they think and have learned with other students and the teacher.

Students will learn and apply the concepts of visual stimulus and watercolor resist as they draw and paint organic shapes they have photographed while on a nature walk. Students will incorporate their understanding of science skills in applying their knowledge of plant parts their original creations.

Students will learn the concept of and procedure for changing color value. They will then apply these new understandings as they create their own abstract scribble design and use a monochromatic palette to paint their design with watercolor paint.

Students will brainstorm a list of adjectives to describe two early photographs called "cyanotypes." Next they will create their own cyanotype photograph. Students will then write original poetry using the previous list of adjectives to describe their own nature-inspired cyanotype photograph.

Students will construct their own "pieces of the pie" using concepts of primary, secondary and intermediate color.

This free website provides more than 600 adaptable lesson plans written by teachers in collaboration with the Denver Art Museum for more than 130 objects from the museums world-class art collection. Lesson plans and resources focus on inspiring students to think and problem-solve creatively. Organized in an easy way so that teachers can pick the topic they would like to explore or enhance, then use works of art to teach that subject.

High resolution images are included. Museum visits are not necessary to implement lesson plans. Includes professional and student development tools such as teacher workshops and webinars, virtual classroom courses, career videos, educator blogs and creativity tools. Easy for teachers in language arts, social studies and visual arts to provide a curriculum rooted in the arts while also meeting 21st Century Skills.

Students will learn the value of and how to incorporate symbolism as a means of expressing personal meaning as they create an original family tree which represents their family and culture. They will incorporate language arts skills through expressing their personal story in writing a composition, as well as history as they orally express the ideas they have set forth both in their symbolic rendering as well as their writing composition.