Teaching Elementary Art

Art is a very worthwhile subject, no matter what the age of the student. It encourages free thought, individualism, self-expression, and creativity. Art is a conduit to teaching many other subject areas, from history and international relations to science and engineering. Teaching art to young children is a very rewarding experience. Children are natural creators and art is a wonderful activity which children can express themselves. What’s more, given that young children are drawn to art allows for the integration with a variety of other subjects, historical time periods, and global cultures and concepts in a very visual and fun way. However, keeping the attention of young children can be a challenge, for children need the constant creation of new, innovative and fun art plan lessons. As a result, finding such lesson plans for grade levels Kindergarten (K) through 6 can be at times challenging.

In an ongoing effort to provide the best elementary education resources, compiled below is a collection of art lesson plans and activities for use in the classroom. This resource is meant to provide art lesson ideas for teachers, students, and parents.

Elements of Basic Art

In order to work with children using art as a medium, the basic core elements of art must first be learned. The concepts of lines, tones, shapes, patterns, colors, textures, values, forms and spaces are critical to art creation and development. Below is a list of art element lesson plan resources.

Principles of Basic Art

Basic art principles should also be the foundation of an early art education. The concepts of balance, proportion, variety and/or harmony and/or emphasis, patterns and/or rhythms, and overall unity are key principles that must be learned. Below is a list of art lesson plans that focus on basic art principles.

Fun Activities

The creation of art can be a very fun undertaking. Art can be used to create fun activities that challenge the students, develop motor skills, and encourage shared play and socialization. Below is a list of links to fun art-related classroom activities.

Miscellaneous Online Art Resources

  • California State University, Chico, offers K-6 Arts Lesson Plans, including K-6 Visual Art Lessons.
  • K6ArtLessonPlans.com has art lesson plans for teachers.
  • Proteacher.com offers lesson plans by grade level, including Pre-K/K and Elementary school levels.
  • Kids.gov offers a listing of government websites that offer art-related activities for children at grade levels K-5 and 6-8, including history, activities, and museum education.
  • Huntsville City Schools offers Elementary Art Lesson Plans.
  • Princeton Online offers numerous art lessons under the following Categories: grade level, art period, medium, artist, subject, and integration.
  • Saskatoon Public Schools’ Online Learning Centre has Art Ideas for Teachers that includes an index of art sites for grade levels K-6.
  • TeacherVision offers Art Resources for Teachers that includes art lesson plans, printables, and activities for grade levels K-6.
  • Deep Space Sparkle is an art lesson resource for kids of grade levels K through 6.
  • DiversityCouncil.org offers multicultural lesson plans that include an art focus.
  • The Imagine Project is a program dedicated to the use of the performing arts to inspire creativity in children.
  • Artmuseums.com offer free art lessons, project ideas, and art resources.
  • The Denver Art Museum offers a Creativity Resource for Teachers that includes art images, lesson plans, and other resources.
  • About.com offers Art Lesson Plans K-8 on Canadian Art.
  • Crayola offers numerous resources for teachers and parents, including coloring pages, games, and craft ideas.
  • KinderArt.com features art lessons, craft ideas, seasonal ideas, printables, and teaching kits for educators, as well as contests, preschool lessons, and a newsletter.
  • SitesForTeachers.com has an Art resource that includes both classroom activities and lesson plans.