I think that the best place to start is the beginning. Teaching kids the fundamentals can be a mundane and boring, but the long-term benefits outweigh the whining. I like to start by spending the first 8 weeks studying the elements of art. We do notes and small art activities for each chapter, followed by a week-long project to tie all the concepts together.
I should also mention that we are an AVID school, so I have worked really hard to incorporate those strategies into my classroom. This is why you will see that all of my notes are done Cornell style, and we take time to do a written reflection at the end of each chapter.
For reference we are using Glencoe’s Art Talk textbook. I have found that although it is a 9-12 textbook my 7th & 8th grade students have no problems working with it. You will notice below, that we skip chapters 1 – 3. The elements of art begin at chapter 4, so that is where we begin!
ELEMENTS OF ART UNIT
Chapter 4: Line
- Quiz
- Final Project
- Final Project Rubric
- Final Project Reflection
Chapter 5: Shapes, Forms, Space
- Lesson 1 Notes
- Lesson 1 Activity
- Lesson 2 Notes
- Lesson 2 Activity
- Lesson 3 Notes
- Lesson 3 Activity
- Lesson 4 Notes
- Lesson 4 Activity
- Quiz
- Final Project
- Final Project Rubric
Chapter 6: Color
Lesson 1 & 2 Notes
Lesson 1 & 2 Activity
Quiz
Chapter 7: Texture
Lesson 1 Notes
Lesson 1 Activity
Lesson 2 Notes
Lesson 2 Activity
Quiz
Final Project
