Tips and Tools for Teaching

Extend arts learning in your classroom with these activities, lesson ideas, and lesson planning guides.

Guides to Building Visual Arts Lessons


Lesson Building by Grade
Understanding Formal Analysis

Art Activities


Bring visual art into your classroom with these illustrated step-by-step art-making instructions. Try each independently, or incorporate them into longer lesson plans that connect to a variety of disciplines.

Drawing Insects with Organic Shapes and Lines (PDF, 1.61MB)
Related Lesson: Insect Anatomy and the Scientist as Illustrator (Beginning Level)

Exploring Value to Create Form (PDF, 930KB)
Related Lesson: Insect Anatomy and the Scientist as Illustrator (Intermediate Level)

Making Paint (PDF, 143KB)

Watercolor Techniques: Depicting a Landmark (PDF, 317KB)
Related Lesson: Historical Narratives: Picturesque Views (Advanced Level)

Create a Camera Obscura (PDF, 270KB)
Related Lesson: The Poetry of Architecture
(Advanced Level)

Draw an Early Roman Temple Using Two-Point Perspective (PDF, 256KB)
Related Lesson: Architectural Elements in Art (Intermediate Level)

A Classy Cardboard Lyre (PDF, 618KB)
Related Lessons:
  • The Art and Ancient Tradition of Storytelling (Beginning Level)
  • The Art and Accessibility of Music (Intermediate Level)


    • Create a Quick Gesture Sketch (PDF, 254KB)
    Related Lessons:
  • The Art and Ancient Tradition of Storytelling (Intermediate Level)
  • The Art and Depiction of Dance (Beginning Level)
  • Illustrating Similes


    • A Cup for a Modern-Day Symposium (PDF, 387KB)
    Related Lesson: The Art and Accessibility of Music (Intermediate Level)

    Paper Theater Masks (PDF, 505KB)
    Related Lesson: The Art and Influence of Theater (Beginning Level)

    A Simple Sketchbook (PDF, 219KB)
    Related Lesson: The Art and Depiction of Dance (Beginning Level)

    Tracing Paper on a Budget (PDF, 230KB)
    Related Lesson: The Art and Depiction of Dance (Beginning Level)