Glitter Meets Glue

15 Engaging Latin Heritage Month Art Projects for K-8

Amie Bentley — Tue, 30 Sep 2025 03:39:20 +0000

Latin Heritage Month art projects are a chance to celebrate culture, identity, and representation in elementary and middle school art. Seeing artists who share their background builds pride and connection. Meeting artists from other cultures encourages empathy and curiosity.

As art teachers, we know kids are hard to engage these days. Therefore, these projects are meant to be approachable, hands-on, and flexible. And the best part? They highlight living and historic Latin voices that bring fresh ideas into your art lessons! But if you need suggestions for Hispanic artists, I have a lot of thoughts on that topic, too.

Bring Latin heritage artists into the art room with these K–8 project suggestions!

15 Contemporary Latin Heritage Month Lesson Ideas for Elementary and Middle School

These Latin Heritage Month art projects are artist-led and kid-approved. I’ve centered this post on artist of Latin heritage who lean into identity, culture, and voice. I’m spotlighting artwork with bold hues, playful media, and pop-culture ties to pull kids in fast.

Specifically, these artists come from Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Venezuela. Importantly, including Latin heritage painters, sculptors, and muralists beyond October keeps your art curriculum fresh and relevant.

1. Romero Britto

Romero Britto is a Brazilian pop artist known for his vibrant palette, thick black outlines, and playful patterns. He’s one of my favorite Latin Heritage Month artists because art projects are any easy muse. His canvases and sculptures often mix Cubist shapes with cheerful subjects like hearts, flowers, and animals. Britto’s artwork can be found on everything from murals to consumer products.

I feel that Britto’s style is perfect for elementary kids, especially in grades 2–5. Younger kids connect with the bright colors and cartoon-like outlines, while older children enjoy experimenting with overlapping shapes and patterns.

Art Project Ideas

Compose a patterned heart or animal with bold outlines and fill each section with stripes, dots, or checks in bright hues.
Create a Pop Art self-portrait by tracing a simple face outline, dividing it into sections, and adding strong colors and patterns.
Make a collaborative mural where each student colors a square in Britto’s style.

2. Carlos Cruz-Diez

Carlos Cruz-Diez was a Venezuelan Op artist best known for optical and kinetic art. Specifically, he created large-scale immersive installations of lines and color strips that seem to move as you move. He believed color wasn’t just decoration—it was an experience you could step into. As a result, his installations and paintings shift as you walk by, revealing new hues depending on your angle.

In the classroom, Cruz-Diez’s art is a great fit for middle schoolers who love puzzles and optical illusions. For instance, his ideas work well for teaching color theory, contrast, and how spacing and line direction affect perception.

Art Project Ideas

Create an optical stripe design with evenly spaced lines and alternating warm and cool colors to make a vibrating effect.
Make a “color corridor” by lining a hallway with paper strips in different color families so the colors shift as kids walk past.
Design an agamograph paper sculpture by cutting a drawing into strips, mounting on an accordion, and adding a second image to reveal as viewers move.

3. Tarsila do Amaral

Tarsila do Amaral was a Brazilian modernist painter often called the “mother of modern art in Brazil.” Specifically, she combined Cubist shapes with Brazilian folk themes to create paintings that felt both local and international. Her canvases often featured simplified figures, bright pigments, and dreamlike landscapes. When you think of art projects for Latin Heritage Month, Do Amaral should definitely come to mind.

Do Amaral’s work fits well in both elementary and middle school settings. For example, younger kids enjoy her playful shapes and bold hues Meanwhile, older students connect with themes of cultural identity and how style can express national pride.

Art Project Ideas

Draw a surreal landscape with oversized plants, animals, or figures in bold colors and simple shapes, like Do Amaral.
Create an “Abaporu-inspired” figure with exaggerated features — big feet, long arms, small head — in a background of personal symbols.
Make a collaborative mural where each student adds a surreal figure, plant, or animal. Assemble them into a patchwork mural.

4. Joaquin Torres Garcia

Joaquín Torres-García was an Uruguayan painter, sculptor, and teacher who developed “constructive universalism.” Specifically, he used grids filled with symbols for everyday life, Latin culture, and community. These icons—boats, suns, houses, people—sit in geometric layouts. In other words, simple shapes become a visual language with big ideas.

In the classroom, his paintings are especially approachable for elementary. Moreover, upper elementary kids can invent symbols and place them in a grid. Meanwhile, kindergarten and first grade can explore primary colors with dynamic lines. Garcia’s work is a great example of approachable Latin art.

Art Project Ideas

Design a personal symbol grid with simple icons representing hobbies, foods, or traditions, arranged in bold lines and flat primary colors.
Make a class mural of community symbols by combining student-made squares into a large grid that tells the story of the group.
Create a “symbol story” collage by arranging abstract shapes and invented icons to show how simple forms can carry meaning.

5. LeDania (Diana Ordonez)

LeDania is a Colombian street artist from Bogotá known for her large, chromatic murals. Specifically, her art features animals, insects, mythological figures, and fantasy imagery. She mixes Latin symbols, patterns, and vibrant palettes to create dreamlike, almost magical scenes. In addition, she works in photography, graphic design, and decorative art.

LeDania’s art is a natural fit for Latin Heritage Month for both elementary and middle school. For example, younger children connect with her bright Latin-infused palette and animal imagery. While older students enjoy exploring symbolism and layered meaning. Overall, her artwork is a strong entry point for talking about street art, identity, and how murals can bring positivity to a community.

Art Project Ideas

Draw a fantasy animal with bold outlines and fill it with repeating symbols or patterns inspired by LeDania’s murals.
Design graffiti-style lettering of a student’s name or a positive word using bright, layered colors.
Draw a layered spirit mask on black paper with smudged soft pastels for glowing color fields. Add lines, eyes, and symbols with white/metallic gel pens and acrylic paint markers.

6. Marisol Escobar

Marisol Escobar was a Venezuelan-born sculptor who became known simply as “Marisol.” Specifically, she created wooden, figurative sculptures that often mix painting, drawing, and found objects. Her portraits can be playful or satirical and sometimes critical of society and politics. As a result, her sculptures blur the line between fine art and pop culture.

In the classroom, her work fits well with middle schoolers ready to think about identity and art as commentary on their world. For example, upper elementary can enjoy the bold, blocky look by building simplified portrait projects. Overall, it’s a friendly way to introduce portrait-as-sculpture and social ideas.

Art Project Ideas

Build a 3D portrait from cube and rectangular prism paper templates, adding drawn or painted details in Marisol’s style.
Create a family or friend group sculpture by combining several blocky figures decorated with everyday materials.
Make a portrait box using cardboard boxes where each side shows a different mood or role a person plays.

7. Gonzo247 (Mario Enrique Figueroa Jr.)

Gonzo247 is a Mexican-American graffiti artist based in Houston, Texas. Specifically, he’s known for punchy lettering, large-scale murals, and Latino community-focused street art projects. His work combines striking fonts, layered pigments, and playful energy that celebrate identity and pride. In addition, he’s a vocal advocate for graffiti as a positive force in the Latino community.

Gonzo247’s style works for both elementary and middle school. For example, younger kids love the letter art and color play, while older children can try tags, throwies, and bubble letters. Overall, it’s an easy way to talk about voice, place, and public art.

Art Project Ideas

Draw bubble or wild-style letters of a child’s name, filling them with bright patterns and outlines.
Design a positive word poster in graffiti style, spreading messages like “hope” or “kindness.”
Create a class graffiti wall on butcher paper where each child contributes a tag or design.

8. Suely Blot

Suely Blot is a Brazilian–French painter who is self-taught and works primarily with acrylics and pigments on large canvases. Color drives her process—sometimes bold and saturated, sometimes soft and pastel. Additionally,she often combines painted passages with written/gestural marks. Alongside pure abstracts, she also paints floral still lifes with energetic brushwork. As a result, the work reflects her dual Brazilian–French identity and a love of experimentation.

In the classroom, Blot’s artwork fits middle school when you want students to loosen up, layer materials, and lead with color choices. For example, it’s great for units on color families and expressive mark-making. Meanwhile, her floral still-lifes are perfect for practicing observation without getting stuck on tiny details.

Art Project Ideas

Paint a seasonal color study with thin layers, then add quick gestural lines and words on top.
Create an expressive floral still life from a bouquet or photo. Block in large shapes first, then add energetic marks to suggest petals and stems.
Make a mixed-media texture panel by laying down acrylic color fields, scratching into wet paint, and finishing with pastel or pencil marks for contrast.

9. Farid Rueda

Farid Rueda is a Mexican muralist known for painting animals filled with bright hues and intricate patterns. Specifically, his murals often feature jaguars, owls, and other symbolic Latin-inspired creatures tied to Mexican heritage and folklore. He uses repeating motifs and vivid hues to represent cultural identity and pride. Overall, his work appears on walls across Mexico and internationally.

In the classroom, Rueda’s art resonates with both elementary and middle school. For example, younger students love the animal imagery, while older kids connect to the cultural symbolism. Overall, his style is great for teaching color families, patterns, and the idea of art as storytelling.

Art Project Ideas

Draw a symbolic animal and fill it with repeating patterns in bright hues, similar to Rueda’s murals.
Design a mask inspired by Mexican culture, using strong outlines and vibrant patterns to represent personality.
Make a class mural of animals where each student contributes a patterned creature that reflects community pride.

10. Mart Aire

Mart Aire is an Argentine muralist who, at age 12, painted train cars in Buenos Aires alongside Latin graffiti writers. Today, he paints surreal, dreamlike scenes with fine, loose strokes of spray and latex paint—all done freehand. In these works, human figures float among patterns, plants, and imagined spaces. As a result, the colors feel lush and energetic, and the mood is playful and otherworldly.

In the classroom, Mart’s murals are best for middle school, with options for upper elementary. For example,students can mix realism with fantasy in safe, scaffolded steps. Overall, it’s a solid bridge to symbolism and personal storytelling.

Art Project Ideas

Draw a surreal self-portrait on a bike in Mart’s style of floating shapes, patterned skies, and bold, dreamy hues.
Compose a dreamscape mixing figures, plants, and patterned skies.
Make a layered collage combining magazine elements and hand-drawn details.

11. Eamon Ore-Giron

Eamon Ore-Giron is a contemporary Peruvian-American artist who paints geometric abstractions that are rhythmical in nature. His canvases use repeated shapes, crisp edges, and warm–cool contrasts. Ore-Giron draws upon Latin American textiles, deities, and goldwork for inspiration. Many of his canvases feel musical and meditative.

His style suits middle school and touches upon math concepts like shape, symmetry, and pattern. And in that sense, it can be viewed alongside Kandinsky’s work to discuss how geometry and color creates a sense of rhythm.

Art Project Ideas

Create a geometric composition using two color families and repeating forms.
Design a paper “quilt” of cut shapes arranged into rhythmic patterns.
Make a mural panel that combines simple geometry with a personal symbol.

12. Aliza Nisenbaum

Aliza Nisenbaum is a Mexican-born painter known for large, colorful portraits. Specifically, she paints friends and community members with patterned settings and attentive detail. Her artwork centers dignity, care, and everyday stories. As a result, the canvases feel intimate and welcoming.

These portraits fit both elementary and middle school. For example, younger students can paint a classmate with a patterned background. Meanwhile, older students can discuss representation and why it matters. Overall, it’s a strong unit for community connections.

Art Project Ideas

Paint a partner portrait with a patterned fabric or wallpaper background.
Create a group portrait showing classmates in a shared space.
Compose a “community helper” portrait that honors someone local.

13. Eduardo Kobra

Eduardo Kobra is a Brazilian street artist famous for massive, rainbow-colored portraits. Specifically, he blends geometric patterns with realistic faces to striking effect. His murals appear on city walls in Latin American and around the world; in addition, many celebrate cultural icons and shared history.

Kobra’s approach works well for K–8. For example, elementary students can color portraits with bold sections and patterns, while middle schoolers tackle value, scale, and layout. Overall, it’s a strong way to talk about public art.

Art Project Ideas

Create a Kobra-style portrait. Print a black-and-white photo of the student, then add bold geometric color blocks and patterns on top with markers or paint. Keep key facial features visible.
Make a collaborative portrait mural in the style of Mount Rushmore using photos of student faces painted with washes of acrylic or tempera paints.
Design a famous-figure portrait using geometric blocks, bright hues, and high contrast.

14. Mono González (Alejandro González)

Mono González is a Chilean muralist known for bold outlines, flat hues, and graphic forms. Historically, his work grew alongside social movements and community projects in Latin America. Many murals speak to memory, pride, and collective identity. Additionally, he creates drawings, engravings, woodcuts, and silkscreen prints.

González’s style is friendly for K–8. For example, younger children can focus on clear shapes and color blocks, while older students design posters about community values. Overall, it’s a natural fit for art-and-activism lessons.

Art Project Ideas

Draw a side-view portrait with thick black outlines and flat, bright color blocks in Mono’s style.
Design a bold poster for a community value using simple shapes and 2–3 strong colors.
Make a class mural panel showing a figure surrounded by unity symbols; combine panels into one graphic wall.

15. Elliot Tupac

Elliot Tupac is a Peruvian lettering artist and printmaker known for neon-bright typography. His posters and murals use bold words, gradients, and high contrast. The style comes from Latin “chicha” poster traditions and street culture. Messages often feel upbeat and empowering.

I feel Tupac’s artwork fitting for upper elementary and middle school. Kids love learning unique ways to draw letters, especially their name or empowering words. But I’d also consider using him as a muse for any digital art projects for Latin Heritage Month, too! Use them to teach graphic design, layout, and positive messaging.

Art Project Ideas

Design a positive word poster with bold hand lettering and gradients.
Create a name design using outlined letters and high-contrast fills.
Make class message panels where each student contributes one word.

What are good one-day Latin Heritage Month activities for elementary students?

While I’m not a big fan of one-day projects in general, sometimes time and supplies are short. In that case, keep it simple.

A printable Romero Britto coloring page is ok for a quick art activity.
Build an Abaporu inspired by Tarsila do Amaral using play dough.
Paint a simple fish design using primary colors in the style of Joaquin Torres Garcia.
Create an easy Suely Blot abstract composition with a soft pastel background and words drawn with black tempera paints.

What are good middle school Latin Heritage Month art projects?

Go deeper with artist-led, choice-heavy projects.

For example, try Cruz-Diez/Soto optical or kinetic builds, a Torres-García symbol grid about identity, or an Angel Otero paint-skin collage using torn painted papers.

Alternatively, run a Kobra portrait by layering color blocks over a black-and-white photo, or a community portrait in the spirit of Aliza Nisenbaum; typography fans can tackle Elliot Tupac posters with bold lettering and gradients.

Can I use these art lessons outside of Latin Heritage Month?

Yes! Teach Latin artists all year, not just in one month. It keeps representation real instead of a “one-and-done” unit. Their work fits tons of core lessons: color, portraiture, abstraction, murals, and community art. Plus, kids connect to living voices and family stories, which bumps up buy-in and effort.

In the end, it’s important that children see themselves reflected in every aspect of the learning process.

How do I handle cultural sensitivity with young students?

I start with the artist’s own site or museum page, keep the bio short, and make sure I’m saying names correctly.

I skip stereotypical crafts and let kids pick their symbols, colors, and stories so no one feels labeled. When I’m unsure, I ask, “Does this honor the artist and our community?” If a student isn’t comfortable, I offer an opt-across (same skills, different subject) and end with a quick reflection about what their choices say.

How Will You Honor Latin Heritage Month in Your Art Room?

And that’s the list—Latin artists with big color, clear ideas, and kid-friendly entry points. I’m excited to design a few new Latin Heritage Month art projects this year. I’ll keep the artist credit visible, give kids real choice, and let their symbols and stories lead.

Use what fits your grade level and your community. For example, maybe it’s a Kobra-style portrait, a Torres-García symbol grid, or a Nisenbaum partner portrait. Mix and match. Importantly, teach these Latin artists past October so representation stays real, not a one-and-done unit.

So, art teachers—what’s your plan? Which Latin artists and art projects are you bringing in first for Latin Heritage Month? What did I miss that your students love? Drop a comment and share your best ideas!

The post 15 Engaging Latin Heritage Month Art Projects for K-8 appeared first on Glitter Meets Glue.

17 Engaging Hispanic Heritage Month Art Projects for K-8

Amie Bentley — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 04:17:36 +0000

Hispanic Heritage Month art projects are a great way to highlight Hispanic artists and Hispanic culture. They give elementary and middle school students a chance to see themselves in the art room. Learning about Hispanic visual artists introduces kids to powerful voices, big ideas, and colorful styles. These lessons inspire creative risk-taking through art — something worth sharing all year long.

Bring Hispanic heritage artists into the art room with these K–8 project suggestions!

In my own classroom, I like to share artists like Fernando Llort, Marta Minujín, Enrique Pichardo, and Amelia Peláez. They use bold hues, pattern, and storytelling in their artwork. Kids love the energy in their art. It encourages them to make projects that reflect their own heritage, culture, interests, and ideas.

These lessons work for grades K–8. They invite children to construct something meaningful while learning about artists from Mexico, Cuba, El Salvador, Argentina, and more.

17 Contemporary Hispanic Heritage Month Art Projects for Elementary and Middle School

Here are 17 contemporary Hispanic artists and Hispanic Heritage Month art projects that would be fun to teach. These are perfect for elementary and middle school art classes. Their artwork is colorful, creative, and full of themes and subjects kids connect with.

I’ve also included art project suggestions for each artist that work well for both elementary and middle school. These Hispanic heritage projects aren’t just for September — they fit beautifully any time of year when you want children to make meaningful, personal art.

5th Grade Pablo Picasso Drawing

1. Fernando Llort

Fernando Llort was from El Salvador and known for Folk Art paintings, murals, and crafts. He used vibrant, simple forms and often depict everyday life, nature, local people, and his community. His style was very accessible, joyful, and rooted in local culture and symbols. Fernando Llort trained the people of La Palma, a small farming village, to reproduce his art so they could earn a living.

Llort’s art is especially wonderful for younger elementary children (grades K-3). It can also be used with upper elementary when discussing community, local culture, and symbolism. He’s one of my favorite Hispanic Heritage Month art projects to teach because his style is so approachable.

Art Project Ideas

Draw and paint a bird using Llort’s style — strong outlines, bright hues, and simplified shapes.
Make a mural on paper with repeating community symbols like animals, plants, and houses.
Design a set of folk-art tiles, each showing a symbol or scene from their life — like favorite places, pets, foods, or hobbies. Students can arrange them together to tell a bigger story about who they are or what matters to them.

2. Marta Minujín

Marta Minujín is from Argentina and is known for her bold, experimental art. She arranges large participatory events (“happenings”), installations, and pop-art inspired artworks that invite the audience to join in. She uses playful materials like mattresses, cardboard, and even neon lights to create chromatic, eye-catching pieces. Some of her art is designed to be temporary, turning everyday objects into surprising works of art.

Minujín’s large-scale, interactive pieces are inspiring for both elementary and middle school kids. Her artwork is perfect for a collaborative Hispanic Heritage Month art project that gets children working together. Middle schoolers enjoy thinking beyond traditional art boundaries and being part of art themselves. Alternatively, I like using her to teach 1st and 2nd graders about warm and cool colors!

Art Project Ideas

Craft a collaborative mural on black roll paper. Use fluorescent soft or oil pastels to design something that feels like a glowing neon room.
Weave or layer eye-popping colored strips of paper into a large collaborative wall piece. Capture Minujín’s playful, immersive style.
Paint with neon or fluorescent hues to turn a favorite place, object, or pop culture icon into a glowing piece. Students can pick something meaningful — like a favorite snack, a video game character, or a landmark — and make it pop against a dark background.

3. Amelia Pelaez

Amelia Peláez was born in Cuba and is known for vibrant, modernist works, ceramics and murals that mix ornamentation, pattern, and Hispanic architecture. Her artwork often features lively hues, decorative interiors, and Cuban flora and objects. She blended these with colonial architectural details and European modernism.

Peláez’s style is perfect for elementary Hispanic Heritage Month art projects. Her paintings mix architecture, pattern, and bright hues — all things kids can personalize. Upper elementary kids can focus on simple landscapes or still-life works. While younger children can explore color schemes like primary, secondary, warm, and cool colors.

Art Project Ideas

Paint an expressive picture of a place students love — school, favorite hangout, or skate park. Use Peláez-style outlines and patterns to make it vibrant and decorative.
Create a faux stained-glass window by gluing tissue paper behind cut-outs in black construction paper. Let kids choose objects that matter to them like favorite snacks, pets, or sports gear.
Assemble a patterned collage inspired by tile work. Encourage children to include figures or logos that connect to their own culture, hobbies, or favorite brands.

4. Victoria Villasana

Victoria Villasana is a Mexican artist known for combining photography with textiles. She often uses a rainbow of embroidery or yarn over black-and-white images to explore themes of heritage, culture, identity, and imperfection. Her pieces often leave threads visible, extending beyond the frame. This gives them a dynamic, textured, and slightly unfinished look.

I think Villasana’s artwork would appeal to middle school kids and upper elementary too. It’s tactile, visually rich, and good for discussing identity and pop culture. And very much out of the box as far as Hispanic Heritage month art projects goes.

Art Project Ideas

Print a black-and-white photo of a celebrity, musician, or personal hero. Add colorful yarn, thread, or drawn embroidery lines to highlight their personality or message.
Construct a portrait of a friend, family member, or favorite character. Decorate it with lines or scrap fabrics that represent their identity, mood, or story.
Design a mixed-media collage using pop culture images like magazines, comics, or album covers. Add hand-drawn or yarn embellishments to give it a modern twist.

5. Blanka Amezkua

Blanka Amezkua is from Mexico City and is inspired by Hispanic folk traditions, popular culture, and everyday objects. She often works with painting, collage, and installation. In addition, she loves involving the community in her projects. She has even turned her own home into an art space. There, neighbors make art together, share meals, and exchange stories.

Amezkua’s artwork is a wonderful fit for upper elementary and middle school students, who enjoy exploring culture and working on collaborative projects.

Art Project Ideas

Collect everyday objects and arrange them into a collaborative art piece with classmates.
Create a collage using images from magazines mixed with folk-art patterns and radiant hues.
Host a mini “gallery” walk where children share stories about their art with peers. This mirrors Amezkua’s community projects.

6. Pablo Picasso

Pablo Picasso was a Hispanic painter from Spain and is considered one of the most influential 20th century artists. He composed thousands of artworks in many different styles over his long career. These included paintings, drawings, ceramics, and sculptures. Picasso is best known for co-founding Cubism, an art style that breaks objects into geometric forms to show them from many angles at once.

Picasso’s many styles work well for upper elementary. They are great for teaching kids how to break objects into shapes or experiment with portraits in a new way.

Art Project Ideas

Cut and rearrange magazine faces to make a Cubist portrait showing multiple viewpoints at once.
Draw a portrait in oil pastel that combines a side profile and a front view on the same face. This mimics Picasso’s signature style.
Assemble a mixed-media still life with paper shapes inspired by Picasso’s collage techniques.

7. Carmen Herrera

Carmen Herrera was born in Cuba and was known for clean, minimalist abstract paintings that used dramatic forms, strong lines, and blocks of pigment. Her artwork often played with geometry and simplicity. She used basic forms and color contrasts to make powerful visual statements.

Herrera’s art is best for upper elementary and middle school classes. Use it to explore form, line, and color, and to show how simple shapes can make something striking.

Art Project Ideas

Compose a composition using only straight lines and two or three bold hues. Have students choose colors that represent their mood or personality.
Cut and arrange large geometric shapes from colored paper. Create a minimalist design that lets kids experiment with balance and symmetry.
Design a collaborative class mural where each child contributes one simple geometric shape. Arrange them into a shared composition that highlights variety within a strict color palette.

8. Stanley Bermudez

Stanley Bermudez is a Hispanic fine artist from Venezuela and is known for his radiant, hard-edge paintings that explore culture, history, and identity. His artwork often combines bright, geometric forms with portraits or symbols to talk about political and social issues. Bermudez’s art is influenced by both Latin American culture and his experiences living in the United States.

Bermudez’s art is well suited for middle school students, who can explore how color, shape, and personal imagery work together to tell a story or share a point of view. I’ve successfully done mixed media projects based on his unique style.

Art Project Ideas

Design an abstract composition using painted paper strips of eye-catching hues and overlapping geometric shapes.
Design a pop culture–inspired abstract painting. Have children turn a favorite character, celebrity, or object into a composition of graphic forms and color blocks.
Assemble a series of panels that combine personal or cultural symbols with geometric color fields. Display them together as a collaborative gallery wall.

9. Fernando Botero

Fernando Botero was from Colombia and was famous for his paintings and sculptures of exaggerated, rounded figures (people, animals, objects) in a style often called “Boterismo.” His rotund forms could be humorous, critical, or celebratory, depending on the piece.

I feel Botero’s compositions are perfect for teaching upper elementary and middle schoolers about exaggeration in art. His figures make us notice certain details or think differently about the subject.

Art Project Ideas

Draw a loved one, pet, or object with exaggerated, rounded proportions in Botero’s “inflated” style.
Sculpt a clay figure with extra volume to explore how form and mass change its personality.
Choose a pop culture character, celebrity, or icon and “Botero-ize” it by exaggerating its shape and proportions.

10. Joan Miro

Joan Miró was a Hispanic painter from Spain and was famous for his abstract oils and gouaches full of cheerful colors, stars, moons, and playful shapes. His artwork felt dreamlike and imaginative, as though the pictures were coming from a child’s sketchbook. Miró loved to combine sharp lines with soft, floating forms to simulate a sense of motion.

I feel Miró’s playful style is a hit with all primary students who love vibrant hues and simple shapes. I’ve had success with using mixed media to create interesting elementary art projects for Hispanic Heritage Month.

Art Project Ideas

Paint an abstract mixed-media portrait filled with stars, moons, and playful shapes. Use bright primary colors and black outlines to finish the design.
Invent a set of whimsical creatures or characters by combining simple form and lines into imaginative forms.
Draw a collaborative mural where each child contributes a floating shape or symbol. Combine them to build a shared “dream world” inspired by Miró.

11. Abel Barroso

Abel Barroso is from Cuba and is best known for turning serious concepts into playful works of art. He creates woodblock prints and sculptures that talk about borders, migration, and technology. Many of his pieces are interactive, encouraging viewers to think about how we connect—or are kept apart—from each other.

Because of the themes he explores, Barroso’s sculptures are a great fit for middle school students. They are ready to think about global issues and human connections.

Art Project Ideas

Carve simple relief prints from foam or soft linoleum to explore big concepts like community or borders.
Construct a small 3D object from cardboard that represents travel or connection between two places.
Design a “low-tech” phone or tablet out of cardboard. Decorate the screen with symbols or messages about how technology connects people.

12. Enrique Pichardo

Enrique Pichardo is a Hispanic painter from Mexico and is known for vivid, colorful paintings full of playful forms and symbols. His art is inspired by his Mesoamerican roots. Pichardo also looks towards European artists like Miro, Picasso, and Klee. Many of his paintings mix bold patterns with hidden meaning.

Pichardo’s lively use of color and pattern works well for all elementary grades. Middle school kids can dig deeper into the cultural symbols in his paintings.

Art Project Ideas

Draw a series of abstract faces using one continuous line. Encourage kids to let the line wander and overlap as they draw expressive shapes. Then use acrylics to complete it.
Paint an abstract portrait in bright colors and playful shapes inspired by Pichardo’s artwork.
Layer patterns and images in a mixed-media piece to tell a story or capture a personal memory.

13. Ana Tiscornia

Ana Tiscornia is from Uruguay and creates art that explores memory, identity, and space. Her sculptures often looks like pieces of architecture or maps that have been taken apart and rearranged. She uses painting, printmaking, and sculpture to show how we remember places. Her art also explores how moving from one place to another changes us.

Tiscornia’s conceptual artwork is best suited for middle school students, who can reflect on concepts such as place, memory, and belonging. And who might have a better skillset for arranging and gluing many layers of pieces as she does.

Art Project Ideas

Create a collage that reimagines your school or neighborhood. Cut apart and rearrange buildings, maps, and pathways to build the new design.
Build a 3D paper sculpture using figuress that represent important places in childrens’ lives.
Draw a one-point or isometric perspective cityscape. Cut apart the drawing and rearrange the pieces to create an abstract composition.

14. Ana Serrano

Ana Serrano is a first-generation Mexican-American artist from Los Angeles. She is known for building colorful, small architectural sculptures and cityscapes. She uses cardboard, acrylics, and other everyday materials. Her art celebrates the creativity and character of urban neighborhoods.

Serrano’s art is especially engaging for upper elementary kids. They can build simpler versions using familiar materials and themes.

Art Project Ideas

Construct the facades of houses or buildings. Use acrylics or temperas to design colorful patterns and details.
Collaboratively assemble a large cardboard town or city. Each student contributes one building to represent the community helpers in their neighborhood.
Draw a favorite building and add imaginative elements like signs, plants, or murals to make it unique.

15. Teresa Burga Ruiz

Teresa Burga Ruiz was a Hispanic sculptor from Peru and was known for her experimental art — mixed media, installations, and works that question everyday life, systems, identity, and how information or structures shape us. She used geometry, info, diagrams, and conceptual pieces.

Her experimental style is best for middle school kids, who can handle abstraction and more conceptual thinking. But I can also see a modified version of her blocks being a great art lesson for lower elementary.

Art Project Ideas

Build cube-shaped paper blocks. Paint each side with brilliant colors and patterns, and simple icons. Rearrange the blocks into different combinations to create new designs.
Make a mixed-media collage that uses numbers, shapes, or charts to tell a story about identity.
Develop a series of drawings that break a portrait or object into data-like parts and labels.

16. Luis Esquivel

Luis Esquivel is a Hispanic artist from Mexico and is known for pop-art portraits that remix celebrities, classic cartoons, fashion logos, and music references. His sculptures and digital works use neon hues, bold outlines, layered patterns, and hand-lettered words to compose high-energy, graphic images.

Esquivel’s art is a good fit for middle school, where students can appreciate fantasy plus symbolism, and experiment more freely with imaginative composition.

Art Project Ideas

Design a pop-art portrait that remixes a public-domain image or an original photo. Use neon colors, strong outlines, and hand-lettered words to finish the look.
Create an original cartoon character in a flat, high-contrast palette. Layer patterns, symbols, and onomatopoeia around it to make the design pop.
Build a “brand mash” poster using invented logos and slogans. Use markers and collage to comment on trends or consumer culture.

17. Ines Alvidres

Inés Alvidres is from Chihuahua, Mexico. She creates “friendly abstract” art filled with bright hues, forms, and emotion, often inspired by the people, culture, and landscapes of her childhood among the Tarahumara, the Indigenous people of northern Mexico, and her experiences after moving to the U.S.

Alvidres’ art works well for elementary and middle school kids, who can appreciate both the visual joy of color and shape and also explore how an artist’s background shapes what they make.

Art Project Ideas

Compose a colorful desert landscape featuring cacti or bright flowers. Encourage students to choose plants from their own environment and use vivid, expressive colors.
Layer bright oil pastels over a painted or blended background. Scratch floral or abstract patterns into the surface to create a vibrant sgraffito design.
Design a collaborative mural where each kids contributes a shape, plant, or pattern inspired by their cultural background or personal experiences. Combine them into a colorful, shared abstract work.

What are good Hispanic Heritage Month art projects for elementary students that take one day to complete?

If you only have one class period, you can still make a meaningful project. Here are some Hispanic Heritage Month art projects that work in 40–50 minutes:

Luis Esquivel Pop Art Portraits: Take quick black-and-white photos of students, print them, and let kids decorate them with neon markers, bold outlines, patterns, and words.
Joan Miró Abstract Drawings: Use markers or crayons to draw floating shapes, stars, and playful lines to build a dreamlike scene.
Pablo Picasso Half-Face Portraits: Draw a profile on one side of the paper and a front-facing portrait on the other, trace with Sharpie, and color with crayons or markers.
Fernando Llort Folk Art Animals: Draw a favorite animal or plant in Llort’s simple, bold style and color it with crayons or markers.
Amelia Peláez Tissue Paper Windows: Glue colorful tissue paper behind a pre-cut black paper “window frame” to make a bright faux stained-glass design.
Marta Minujín Neon Sketches: Use black paper and fluorescent pastels to sketch favorite places or objects so they look like they glow.
Quick Cultural Crafts (Optional): Paper plate suns, simple paper molas, or mini Ojos de Dios are fast options if you want a traditional craft.

These one-day projects keep things simple while introducing students to meaningful artists and encouraging personal expression.

Which Hispanic artists should I teach during Hispanic Heritage Month?

There are many wonderful Hispanic artists you can introduce to your students, but I like to focus on a mix of contemporary voices that kids connect with. Here are some of my favorites to share during Hispanic Heritage Month:

Fernando Llort (El Salvador): Known for joyful folk-art style paintings and community murals.
Marta Minujín (Argentina): Famous for colorful, interactive installations and pop-art inspired events.
Amelia Peláez (Cuba): Combined Cuban architecture, pattern, and bright color into modernist paintings.
Victoria Villasana (Mexico): Adds colorful embroidery to black-and-white photos, mixing old and new.
Blanka Amezkua (Mexico): Uses painting, collage, and community participation to create collaborative art.
Pablo Picasso (Spain): Co-founded Cubism and created thousands of works in many different styles.
Carmen Herrera (Cuba): Created striking minimalist paintings with bold geometric forms.
Stanley Bermudez (Venezuela): Uses hard-edge painting and bright color to explore culture and identity.
Fernando Botero (Colombia): Known for paintings and sculptures of round, exaggerated figures.
Joan Miró (Spain): Filled his paintings with playful stars, moons, and floating shapes.
Abel Barroso (Cuba): Creates interactive sculptures and prints about borders, migration, and technology.
Enrique Pichardo (Mexico): Combines color, pattern, and symbols inspired by pre-Hispanic culture.
Ana Tiscornia (Uruguay): Explores memory and space with architectural and map-like artworks.
Ana Serrano (USA/Mexico): Builds colorful cardboard cityscapes inspired by her Los Angeles neighborhood.
Teresa Burga Ruiz (Peru): Uses geometry, charts, and diagrams to make conceptual art.
Luis Esquivel (Mexico): Paints pop culture icons, cartoons, and logos in a neon, graphic style.
Inés Alvidres (Mexico): Creates “friendly abstract” paintings full of bright colors and shapes inspired by her childhood in Chihuahua.

Each of these artists can inspire projects that are colorful, personal, and meaningful — and many can be adapted for both elementary and middle school.

How can I make Hispanic Heritage Month art projects meaningful and not just crafts?

The key is to move beyond one-off crafts and give students a chance to connect personally with the art and artists. Here are a few ways to make Hispanic Heritage Month projects more meaningful:

Share the work of contemporary Hispanic artists so students see how living artists use color, pattern, and symbolism to tell stories.
Let them pick a subject, color palette, or symbol that reflects their life, interests, or culture. Every lesson doesn’t have to be about mimicking someone else’s art.
Talk about why the artist made the work — and ask students what message or feeling they want their own piece to share.
Include artists from different countries, backgrounds, and styles so kids see that Hispanic art isn’t just from one or two countries.

When students see their own culture, interests, or personality reflected in what they make, the project becomes more than just a fun activity. It becomes a way to express who they are!

What are some good Hispanic Heritage Month project for middle school art?

Middle schoolers are ready for projects that go a little deeper and let them make personal choices. Here are some Hispanic Heritage Month art projects that work well for grades 6–8:

Luis Esquivel Pop Art Portraits: Students remix their own photo with neon colors, bold outlines, and patterns to create a high-energy portrait that reflects their personality.
Victoria Villasana Photo Embroidery: Print black-and-white photos and let students add yarn, thread, or drawn embroidery lines to highlight themes of identity and heritage.
Stanley Bermudez Symbol Panels: Have students design panels that mix cultural symbols with geometric color fields, then hang them together as a collaborative wall display.
Marta Minujín Neon Murals: Work as a class to make a glowing mural on black paper using fluorescent pastels.
Pablo Picasso Half-Face Portraits: Teach students about Cubism by having them combine a profile and front view in one portrait, then add bold color with oil pastels.
Abel Barroso Low-Tech Devices: Build cardboard “phones” or “tablets” and decorate them with drawings or messages about connection and communication.

These projects balance fun with depth, encouraging middle schoolers to explore identity, symbolism, and culture — all while giving them room to make the art their own.

What Hispanic Heritage Mont projects are good for elementary art?

Elementary students do best with projects that use simple shapes, bright colors, and easy-to-follow steps — but still let them be creative. Here are some Hispanic Heritage Month art projects that work well for grades K–5:

Fernando Llort Folk Art Birds: Students draw simple animals, plants, or houses using bold outlines and fill them with bright colors.
Joan Miró Shape Drawings: Use crayons or markers to draw floating stars, moons, and playful lines to create a dreamlike scene.
Amelia Peláez Tissue Paper Windows: Pre-cut black construction paper frames and let kids glue tissue paper squares to make a stained-glass effect.
Ana Serrano Cardboard Buildings: Have each student make a small, colorful building to combine into a class cityscape.
Marta Minujín Neon Doodles: Draw favorite foods, pets, or objects on black paper with fluorescent pastels so they look like they glow.
Quick Crafts: Paper plate suns, simple molas, or mini Ojos de Dios are fast and engaging for younger students.

These projects keep things age-appropriate while introducing students to real Hispanic artists and giving them freedom to personalize their work.

Bringing Hispanic Heritage Month Artists Into the Art Room Year-Round

Including Hispanic art in your elementary and middle school lessons helps students see that modern art comes from many places and points of view. This list of artists includes names from Mexico, Cuba, El Salvador, Argentina, Spain, and Colombia. It gives kids a chance to experience many voices, styles, and stories.

Whether you use one or all of these Hispanic Heritage Month art projects, they’re perfect for elementary and middle school and work any time of year. They give kids space to connect with culture, try out bold techniques, and make art that feels personal and meaningful. Use them during September or any time of year to bring Hispanic heritage art and culture into the classroom.

The post 17 Engaging Hispanic Heritage Month Art Projects for K-8 appeared first on Glitter Meets Glue.

ChatGPT Art Teacher Action Figure Prompts

Amie Bentley — Sun, 13 Apr 2025 23:38:09 +0000

Who else is totally loving this ChatGPT action figure trend? I mean, who wouldn’t want a digital mini me? When I decided to create my own ChatGPT action figure of an art teacher, I was excited—but I quickly realized there weren’t any clear prompts or step-by-step instructions out there for art teachers.

So in this post, I’ll show you how I customized a basic prompt with lots of details to get exactly the look I wanted. I’ll also walk you through how to turn your finished figure into a short video clip!

Blister Pack Vs. Window Box Packaging

First things first: let’s talk packaging. There are two main styles people are generating right now—window box and blister pack.

Window Box – Think Barbie-style packaging: a rectangular box with a clear plastic window, so you can see the figure and all the accessories inside.
Blister Pack – More like what you’d see with action figures or even pill packaging: the plastic is molded around each item and sealed to a backing card.

I’ll show you how to create both. Decide which style you want to try—or better yet, try both ChatGPT action figure prompts and see which one creates the best art teacher clone of you.

Window Box ChatGPT Action Figure

This is a window box action figure which is what a typical Barbie doll would come in. It’s like a shadowbox but with a mini you inside!

First, start by finding a couple of clear headshots of yourself. Make sure the lighting is good, your face is well-lit, and the image has crisp edges.

Personally, I didn’t have much luck uploading a full-body photo. ChatGPT initially rendered me as a chubby, brown-haired, brown-eyed woman, which… is not what I look like. So, stick with a headshot for best results.

If you’re not sure how to upload photos, just click the ( + ) button in the lower-left corner of the chat window. Then select the image files from your device.

Next, copy and paste the prompt below into Google Docs, Microsoft Word, or a .txt file—basically anywhere that makes it easy to edit the text before dropping it into ChatGPT.

Here’s the exact prompt I used to design my elementary art teacher action figure. All the bolded sections are specific to me. So be sure to tweak those parts to match your own look and personality. You might want to change up the colors, fonts, outfit, or accessories—whatever makes it feel like you:

Window Box ChatGPT Prompt

You can see this version of the action figure has a stylistic aesthetic to it, kind of like a Barbie doll. The shading on the face feels very warm-toned similar to a Bitmoji even.

Use these photos of me to create a 3D action figure of myself in a high-end, limited-edition window box toy packaging design with a (bright pastel rainbow background) like a premium collectible toy. The packaging should have the text “insert your name here” in large letters and a subheading of “Elementary Art Teacher” below it.

PACKAGING DESIGN:

Color palette: bright pastel rainbow colors like pink, peach, lemon yellow, mint green, sky blue, and lavender

Typography: Bold “AMIE” text in a Barbie-style cursive font and “Elementary Art Teacher” subtitle in a sans serif font

Barbie-inspired window box style: action figure and doll pieces are set inside a box with a transparent window

FIGURE DETAILS:

3D, realistic, doll-like action figure version of Amie who is a slender blonde haired, big blue eyed woman.

Outfit: white shirt, bright pastel rainbow skirt, pink cardigan, black slip-on shoes, chunky necklace

Confident pose, sleek straight hair that ends just past the shoulders, light skin with no imperfections with a beautiful smile.

ACCESSORIES (attached to the back of the window box surrounding Amie on both the left and right sides):

Paintbrush

Paint palette

Small wooden mannequin

Blue tube of oil paint

Dripping can of pink paint

Sketchbook

Pencil

Green marker

Purple Crayon

PRESENTATION NOTES:

Lighting should emphasize the glossy texture of the window box and the detailed sculpting of the figure and accessories that are set inside the box.

Blister Pack ChatGPT Action Figure

I rendered this image a few times to adjust for clothing, body size, and the included accessories. I’m super loving how all the colors coordinate. The only thing I would call out – should I want to re-roll this – is the text has 3 letters of the same color.

This prompt is similar to the window box version, but I’ve adjusted the language to better match the blister pack style.

You’ll also notice the accessories are smaller here. Because of the blister packaging, the accessories are smaller. So when deciding what to include, take that into consideration.

Also, if you include a lot of items, they tend to be jumbled together like this example here. But with fewer items, you’ll see each accessory comes in its own compartment.

Lastly, other than changing the style of the packaging, I also used verbiage like “hyper-detailed” and “photorealistic.”

While it doesn’t quite look like me, it’s not far off! Don’t like the photorealistic look? Just keep it simple and use “3D action figure” to describe it.

Blister Pack ChatGPT Prompt

Use these photos of me to create a hyper-detailed, photorealistic full body collectible action figure of Amie posed confidently in high-end, limited-edition packaging. Amie is a slender, blonde haired woman who parts her hair on the left side and has blue eyes.

The packaging features:

PACKAGING DESIGN:

Color palette: white background with a rainbow

Typography: sticker-style “AMIE” text in bright rainbow colored bubble letters

Blister pack style: Clear plastic bubble molded to the figure and accessories.

Hangsell hole punch at the top of the packaging.

FIGURE DETAILS:

Realistic, 3D doll-like action figure version of Amie.

Outfit: bright Memphis style knee-length dress, a blue cardigan sweater, and matching slip-on shoes

One hand on the hip and the other hanging down, sleek straight hair that ends just past the shoulders, light skin with no imperfections with a beautiful smile

ACCESSORIES SECTION (right side in separate blister compartments):

Paintbrush and paint palette

Small wooden mannequin

3 tubes of oil paint

Dripping can of blue paint

Sketchbook and pencil

Tabletop easel

Presentation Notes:

Items are all visible and labeled inside the clear packaging.

Lighting should emphasize the glossy texture of the blister pack and the detailed sculpting of the figure and accessories

Modifying Your Art Teacher Action Figure Using ChatGPT

I modified this by uploading 2 images of boho patterns to give ChatGPT an idea on how to design my ceramics art teacher action figure. I called out a color palette using “muted, earthy tones, soft casual hand-drawn shapes, and cute embellishments along with a boho rainbow graphics that matches the one I uploaded.”

If you really want to personalize your ChatGPT action figure, consider making some of these custom tweaks:

Rock a theme – Add patterns or designs to the toy box or cardboard background itself
Add details – Include freckles or facial moles
Be creative – Customize t-shirt designs with text or graphics such as your art room mascot
Change fonts – Play around with serif vs. sans-serif typefaces
Accessorize – Add jewelry, hats, handbags, scarves, or even your favorite art-centric picture book!
Change colors – Call out specific colors using hex codes (you can find these by uploading an inspiration image to sites like Image Color Picker)
Adjust the pose – Try a peace sign, crossed arms, or holding a pencil or paintbrush
Add speech bubbles or stickers – Include your favorite sayings like “Werk it!” or “Use your imagination!”
Add fun fonts or badges – Include fun subtitles like “Chaos Coordinator” or “Glitter Boss” on the box

And don’t worry if, after rendering your image, something doesn’t quite look like you. You can simply ask ChatGPT to revise the design and make whatever changes you need—it’s super flexible.

I’ve asked it to re-render and make me thinner, swap out a color in my outfit, and even change the part in my hair.

Not sure how to describe your clothing? Just upload a picture of an outfit you love, then ask ChatGPT to describe it for you. Use that exact description in your prompt—it’s that easy to personalize your own art teacher action figure!

Animating Your Art Teacher Action Figure Using Kling AI

Ready to take your AI image to a whole new level? Let’s animate it using Kling AI! They give you a bunch of free credits to start with—enough to experiment and create several short animations.

This is the first one I created. The prompt for this was:

“The person grabs the sketchbook and pencil while it is stepping out of the box and walking forward with realistic body motion. All other elements remain stable. The camera pulls back.”

As you can see, it was somewhat successful. Instead of actually grabbing the sketchbook, it just appeared in her hand—which, honestly, still worked just fine.

But what really surprised me (in the best way) was that Kling added a bunch of colorful art materials to the foreground of the video. My prompt never called for those, so it felt like a happy little bonus!

Kling AI Animation Directions

Go to Kl i ng AI.
Click on the “Video Generation” icon on the left side of the screen.
Click on the Click/Drop/Paste window.
Locate your action figure image on your device. It will appear in the window once it uploads.
Scroll down to the “Prompt” window. Type your prompt.
Click on the green “Generate” button on the bottom of the screen. You should see a quick pop-up saying “submitted successfully.” Wait until the video appears in the right-side window.
Download your animation by clicking on the “download” icon below the video preview window.

Here are two other ones I created along with their prompts. Again, I was mildly successful but still pleased that this is even possible to do.

For this one I used the prompt, “The figure breaks through her packaging and begins walking forward with realistic body motion. All the other elements remain stable. The camera pulls back.”

The prompt for this one was, “The figure steps through her packaging, grabs a paintbrush behind her, and begins walking forward with realistic body motion. All the other elements remain stable. The camera pulls back.”

How to Use Your Action Figure in Your Art Room

Can you guess who this action figure was inspired by? I uploaded a pattern and asked ChatGPT to create the packaging in its likeness. It’s not exactly the same. But it definitely captures the pattern’s personality.

OK, so you’ve made a cute action figure and maybe you even created a few short animation clips with Kling AI. Now what? Here are some ideas for implementing it in your art room.

Start the year by playing the animated clip of your doll stepping out of the box, then introduce yourself in real life. Kids will love the surprise!
Use it to explain classroom routines or rules—“Mini Mrs. Bentley says put the caps back on your markers!”
Use speech bubbles to rotate weekly reminders or motivational quotes: “Be brave with your art!” or “Try a new material today!”
Add the walking-out-of-the-box animation to the start of your student-facing tutorial videos as a fun intro.
Dress your figure up in different styles (Pop Art, Impressionist, Ancient Egyptian) to introduce new units. You could make alternate “Mini Mrs. Bentley” variants! And you don’t need to include the box. Try rendering an image without it. Then add it to your PowerPoint slideshows.

If you have other ideas, I’m all ears. Drop a comment below. This could be loads of fun!

How do I use ChatGPT to create a teacher action figure?

Start by asking ChatGPT to help you design your teacher action figure step by step. Give it details about your personality, favorite teaching tools, and classroom style.

For example, you might say, “Design a teacher action figure that wears a paint-splattered apron, carries a sketchbook, and loves teaching kids about art.” ChatGPT can generate a detailed description you can turn into a character sketch or 3D design.

How long does it take ChatGPT to make a teacher action figure concept?

The brainstorming part takes just seconds! ChatGPT can instantly create a description of your action figure, from hairstyle to accessories.

The longer part is turning that idea into something physical—whether you sketch it, use AI art tools to generate a picture, or 3D print it. If you’re just looking for a fun teacher action figure ChatGPT concept, you can have one in under a minute.

What should I ask ChatGPT if I want it to design a doll or figurine?

Be as descriptive as possible. Try prompts like:

“Create a description of a quirky middle school art teacher doll with paintbrushes in her pockets.”
“Design an art teacher action figure that comes with a mini easel and art posters.”
“Describe a doll version of me that kids would find inspiring.”

The more details you give—about style, colors, and personality—the more unique and fun the result will be.

Have You Tried Making Your Own Art Teacher Action Figure with ChatGPT?

For this, I uploaded a Keith Haring-inspired pattern and asked it to describe the pattern. Then, I added in words like “playful but edgy black and white window box with a Keith-Haring inspired pattern” and a “black and white Pop Art knee-length dress.”

I can’t scroll Instagram or Facebook these days without seeing tons of these collectible toy designs—each one totally unique and full of personality.

What I love most is how they capture the essence of someone. It’s such a fun and creative way to tell your story visually.

I made one just for me and included a cat, a paint palette and brush (I’ve been deep into watercolors lately), a seashell (my forever muse), a fancy blue drink, and a dumbbell. If you asked me to sum up my life in a toy box—that’s it right there.

So now it’s your turn! What would your action figure look like?
Drop a comment below and tell me which accessories you’d include. I’d love to hear what makes your art teacher toy uniquely you.

The post ChatGPT Art Teacher Action Figure Prompts appeared first on Glitter Meets Glue.

11 Bite-Sized Learning Art Lesson Ideas

Amie Bentley — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 03:04:41 +0000

When I ask fellow elementary and middle school art teachers about their biggest challenges, I often hear, ‘behavior‘ and ‘listening.’ And it’s true. Our students’ attention spans have definitely decreased, while the number of distractions has skyrocketed. That’s where Bite-Sized Learning can be a game-changer! And as you’ll see, art lessons are a natural fit for microlearning.

What is Bite-Sized Learning in Art?

Bite-Sized Learning(tm) is an educational approach that breaks down content into small, easily digestible pieces. By microlearning various art tools, techniques, and concepts, kids can retain information more easily.

And because you’re delivering bite-sized nuggets of knowledge, it’s much easier to keep their attention. It’s also less overwhelming, too.

Most of the time, the content is delivered digitally through ebooks or video. But that’s not a hard and fast rule. Or, even feasible in some art rooms due to a lack of technology.

Simple art worksheets, exit tickets, bellringer journals, and even brief articles about artists are all examples of Bite-Sized Learning in art. The key is to provide short activities that are geared towards teaching a very specific piece of content.

So let’s look at some ideas that you can implement easily!

11 Quick Bite-Sized Learning Art Lesson Ideas

1. Elements of Art & Principles of Design

The elements and principles are a natural fit for Bite-Sized Learning. Each element or principle can be broken down into a list of key concepts which can be taught one bite at a time.

For example, simply defining or demonstrating each element and principle is a short activity. So is creating a simple, 5-point value scale, drawing examples of free-form shapes, or listing reasons why a piece of art shows symmetry.

Teaching the elements of art and principles of design doesn’t need to encapsulate an entire class period. Short activities like defining and illustrating them can be enough to achieve a basic understanding.

2. Art Vocabulary Quick Draw

Give middle school students an art term and its definition, like “contrast” or “pattern,” and ask them to create a quick sketch that illustrates the term. This visual reinforcement helps build their vocabulary and comprehension but gives them autonomy in their creation process.

An alternative to giving them an art vocab word is to make playing cards they can randomly pick from. Hand each table their own deck in which they pick from the top of the deck.

3. Bite-Sized Art History Lessons

For middle school classes, introduce a famous artist or art style in a few sentences, and show a few examples of their work. Then, ask students to create a small, but quick drawing inspired by that artist or style. For instance, you could do “5-Minute Van Gogh-inspired skies” with markers.

Creating art history lessons using the Bite-Sized Learning approach can be tricky. We art teachers tend to turn them into lectures. Resources for microlearning in art should focus on the “less is more” approach.

Rule of thumb: if it takes more than 5 minutes to read and review a basic handout or slide deck, then that’s already too long. Make it quick and to the point. Use bullet points to make it scannable.

4. Simple Directed Drawings

Directed drawing activities are another fantastic way to incorporate microlearning in elementary art. These simple, step-by-step exercises are great for bell ringers or fast finishers. And, they’re perfect for building confidence while learning in bite-sized amounts, too!

Be sure to use directed drawings with few steps so they can be completed quickly. Also, they don’t need to take up an entire page in a sketchbook. Remember, these are just warmup sketches, not final artworks.

I love using directed drawing activities to teach observational skills. Plus, they’re self-guided. So they require less adult assistance!

5. Color Mixing Challenges

Have a lot of leftover paint from the last class? Have students mix paints to create new colors within a time limit. This helps them understand color theory through hands-on experience, and they end up with personalized colors to use in projects.

Bonus points for letting kids name their new colors!

They may only get 1 or 2 colors created in 5 minutes. And that’s fine. Stash the worksheet away in an art folder or student portfolio until the next available time.

Mixing discarded paint colors is about as fun as it gets for kids to microlearn color theory in art class.

6. Quick Sketchbook Prompts

You may already be doing this. But some sketchbook prompts are designed to be fast and easy. And they’re a perfect fit for Bite-Sized Learning lessons in art.

Skip long, detailed, esoteric prompts. Aim for ones that are clearly defined and can be implemented quickly. Be sure to give a finite amount of time to work on them (3 – 5 mins.) The goal isn’t completion. It’s participation in the drawing process.

Some examples might be:

Draw your favorite snack
Create a doodle using only circles
Draw your first name in bubble or block letters

As stated earlier, there’s no need to use an entire sketchbook page for these bite-sized drawing activities. Consider having your students divide up the page into 4 boxes to save on paper and time.

7. Bite-Sized Art Technique Lessons

Try teaching a specific skill, like shading, blending colors, or using cross-hatching for texture, in 5-10 minutes. Students can apply this technique immediately or in future projects to reinforce their learning.

Bonus points for creating a private YouTube channel with a series of mini art technique videos for random student consumption. I think you’ll find middle school kids prefer microlearning art techniques through video rather than in-person lectures.

I love asking my classes, “How and where would you use this in your own personal art?” Open-ended questions get kids thinking about how to make meaning from what they learned all on their own.

8. Texture Rubbings & Drawings

Hand out crayons and paper and let your elementary classes explore the different real textures. They can create texture rubbings, which helps them understand texture in art while giving them a fun, sensory experience.

If you’re on a cart, you can glue textured items like sandpaper and lace to pieces of cardboard to make passing them around easier. Allow kids to take turns creating texture rubbings to learn different tactile textures.

Alternatively, your students could simulate as many visual textures as possible in 5 minutes. For this Bite-Sized Learning activity, first brainstorm textures such as bumpy, wavy, rough, fluffy, and cloudy. Write the words on the board. Then have them quickly draw out as many as they can.

If you’re doing a project using texture, consider having kids draw different visual textures at the start of every lesson. It’ll keep them engaged while you set up the lesson.

9. Pattern Practice

Give students markers or colored pencils and have them draw patterns in their sketchbook or on a small piece of paper. This can teach rhythm and repetition as elements of design. The idea of using an indelible tool helps cut down on their desire to draw and erase repeatedly.

For upper elementary and middle school, consider showing them a few patterns to start with. Then, teach them how to freewheel off the idea. Ask, “How can you use the elements and principles to change this pattern into your own idea?” This teaches kids how to think creativity and take ownership of their learning.

This sketch shows two different pattern concepts that have been changed to create new, related patterns with a similar style.

10. Bite-Sized Art Critiques

Art critiques work well for both individual or small group activities where kids can pick up new vocabulary words from their peers.

To that end, display a famous artwork or a peer’s work. Ask students to spend 2-3 minutes analyzing and discussing it using art vocabulary. This bite-sized critique builds visual literacy without requiring a full critique session.

Alternatively, you could post a list of art vocab words on the board and have students choose words from the list to include in their discussion.

For a microlearning style art critique, I’d stick with a verbal replies only for 4th grade and below. 5th grade should be able to jot down a single sentence or bullet points quickly.

11. 5-Minute Portraits or Self-Portraits

Give middle school students a small mirror and ask them to make a quick self-portrait in a unique style. This helps them improve observational skills. But it also teaches them to think out of the box. Creating self-portraits works well as a bell ringer activity, too.

I like the idea of having students create a portrait of themselves in different styles doing things they like. You know, so they have “buy-in.”

What is bite-sized teaching?

Bite-sized teaching is breaking lessons into small, focused chunks that students can complete in just a few minutes. Instead of one long lecture or project, you deliver one idea or skill at a time.

In the art room, this might look like a five-minute drawing warm-up, a quick color-mixing demo, or a single step-by-step drawing prompt. This approach helps students stay engaged and absorb information without feeling overwhelmed.

What is bite-sized learning theory?

Bite-sized learning theory comes from the idea that our brains process and retain information better when it’s delivered in short bursts. It’s related to microlearning, which is widely used in professional training and online education.

In an art class, bite-sized learning might be a mini-lesson on shading techniques before students practice them, or a short critique session at the end of class. The goal is to make learning more digestible, memorable, and practical for students.

How can I use bite-sized learning in the art room?

Start by breaking your lessons into 5–10 minute chunks. Teach one concept at a time, then let students apply it right away.

You could introduce a new element of art each day, do a quick collaborative doodle, or use exit tickets to review what students learned. This works well for short class periods and keeps students moving forward even if you’re interrupted by assemblies or half-days.

Why is bite-sized learning effective for elementary and middle school students?

Short lessons match kids’ natural attention spans. Elementary students especially benefit from quick, hands-on activities that give them a sense of accomplishment before moving on. B

Bite-sized lessons also reduce frustration—students can focus on mastering one skill, like blending colors or drawing a contour line, instead of juggling several new ideas at once.

Conclusion

Those of us with decades of teaching experience know that long, drawn-out lessons can leave students bored and disengaged, leading to art room challenges.

Bite-Sized Learning offers a solution by keeping lessons short and focused. By breaking down complex concepts into manageable chunks, you can grab your students’ attention, reduce behavior issues, and make learning both fun and effective. Start small, and watch your students thrive!

I’d love to hear your ideas for turning your art curriculum into bite-sized chunks. Do you have plans for implementing a microlearning approach into your art lessons? Drop a comment below!

The post 11 Bite-Sized Learning Art Lesson Ideas appeared first on Glitter Meets Glue.

5 Art Rubric Grading Tips for Student Artwork Assessment

Amie Bentley — Sat, 02 Nov 2024 03:41:00 +0000

As an art teacher, you’ve designed the perfect project, but now you’re stuck figuring out how to create an art rubric for grading your students’ artwork. You’re unsure of which criteria to include or how many performance levels to target. Don’t worry, I’ll walk you through it all step by step. By the end, you’ll be creating your own grading rubric template for elementary and middle school art projects with ease!

What is a rubric for art?

An art rubric is a scoring guide that outlines what excellent, satisfactory, and poor work look like for a project. It breaks down expectations into categories (like craftsmanship, creativity, and use of media) and assigns points or descriptors to each level.

Using a grading rubric for art projects keeps grading consistent, transparent, and objective while showing students how they can improve.

What are the five main criteria in an art rubric?

Most art grading rubrics, especially for elementary and middle school, include five core criteria: craftsmanship, creativity, following directions, use of art concepts, and effort/work habits. Some teachers swap “following directions” for “completion” or “participation,” but these five areas give a balanced way to grade art projects fairly.

A clear art grading rubric template that lists these categories helps students understand expectations before they begin.

How do I create a grading rubric for art projects?

Begin by identifying what matters most for the project. For instance, if you’re grading a clay project, you might prioritize craftsmanship over creativity. Next, select 3–5 criteria, such as craftsmanship, creativity, effort, and use of art vocabulary. Then, write a brief description for each performance level (e.g., Excellent, Satisfactory, Needs Work) and assign a point value.

You can save time by starting with an art project grading rubric template and customizing it for your lesson. I have different set-ups for my elementary and middle school lessons.

What is a basic art grading rubric?

A basic rubric for art is usually a one-page chart with 3–4 performance levels across the top (such as “Exceeds,” “Meets,” “Approaching,” “Needs Improvement”) and 3–5 criteria down the side (like craftsmanship, creativity, following directions, effort). For elementary, they would circle and emoji face to represent how they feel they did in each criteria of the project.

This makes it quick to fill out and easy for students to read. Many elementary teachers use a simple art grading rubric as a checklist so students can self-assess before turning in their work.

What is an Art Grading Rubric?

An art rubric is a scoring tool that defines specific criteria for evaluating a student’s artwork. Rubrics outline what you expect in areas like craftsmanship, art concepts, creativity, and completion of the project’s objectives. Unlike exit tickets, which serve as formative assessments, rubrics are used at the completion of a project.

They also help art teachers deliver objective feedback quickly. When I use a grading rubric in art, I look for evidence that the student has met the objectives. If they haven’t, I note this in the comments to explain the reasoning behind the grade.

To that end, art rubrics in upper elementary and middle school help give clarity to grades.

Fast track your way to creating art rubrics for elementary and middle school art class. Check out my Editable Art Rubric Template resource on Google Slides! Perfect for grading artwork quickly.

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This video explains how to create a visual art rubric template for art projects:

Why Use an Art Rubric in Elementary and Middle School?

Grading artwork can be challenging due to their subjectivity, making it hard to assign fair scores that reflect students’ effort, creativity, and craftsmanship. Without a clear evaluation system, students and their parents may express distrust.

Art rubrics not only clarify expectations but also make grading artwork faster and more efficient. In large classes, grading can become overwhelming. Without clear rubrics, students or parents might question fairness, leading to frustration.

In my 20 years of teaching art, I’ve managed anywhere from 80 to 950 students a year. If you spend just one minute per project, grading 600 students would take a staggering 10 hours!

A well-designed rubric simplifies grading.

Self-assessment rubric targeting craftsmanship, creativity, following directions, work habits, project goals, and clean-up. I use it for many upper elementary and middle school art projects.

Lastly, art rubrics aren’t just for teachers! Have students use them to evaluate their own or a peer’s work. Using a self-assessment rubric for art projects builds critical thinking skills and encourages them to view their art more objectively.

How Can I Create My Own Art Rubric Template?

Are you ready to write your first rubric for art? First, to design an effective grading rubric template for an art project, you’ll need to focus on 2 essential elements:

3-5 Objective Criteria (e.g., creativity, craftsmanship, work habits)

3-5 Performance Levels (e.g., advanced, proficient, developing, basic)

Let’s look at both.

Use PowerPoint or Google Slides to design your art rubric template into rows and columns.

Essential Criteria for Evaluating Artwork

After reviewing numerous visual art rubrics for both elementary and middle school, here’s a list of all the most common criteria. And some thoughts on how myself, and other art teachers, use them in assessments:

Art Concepts

Clean Up

Craftsmanship

Creativity

Completeness

Focus, Time Management, or Work Habits

Following Directions and Expectations

Project Goals

Safety

Grading rubric template for artwork targeting expectations, craftsmanship, work habits, creativity, and clean-up. This one includes performance levels and points for each criteria.

Art Concepts

This criterion refers to the elements of art and principles of design. Your art rubric may target a specific element or principle, or address them in general. For instance, if your lesson focuses on analogous colors, you’ll want to assess whether students effectively incorporated these colors into their projects.

Clean Up

This one’s pretty self-explanatory. For art teachers using the Studio Habits of Mind framework, assessing cleanup can be particularly significant. That’s because taking care of tools and materials is a function of being an artist, which is what the Studio Habits strive to teach.

In my art room, I emphasize teamwork with the motto, “If you make the mess, you help clean it up.” Consider whether students participated in cleaning up their workspace and offered assistance to their peers.

Craftsmanship

Craftsmanship refers to the neatness and skill demonstrated in using art materials, often described as media skills. You may be assessing either direct or indirect media skill acquisition.

In painting lessons, craftsmanship might involve how students control their brushstrokes, while in drawing, it could focus on shading techniques.

Think about all the different craftsmanship skills your lesson targets. Your criteria might touch upon 3 modalities like drawing, painting, and even collage, depending on the project.

It’s also essential to consider students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and how they might impact grading. Be aware of which students have IEPs and the physical challenges they may face that could affect their craftsmanship skills. Adjust your expectations accordingly to ensure a fair and equitable assessment.

Creativity

Every art lesson presents a problem to solve, and each student should approach that problem in their own unique way.

I typically avoid showing numerous example projects, sometimes opting not to show any at all because students often perceive these as “the right answer” and may resort to copying. Some may also copy their peers, making originality harder to trace.

Instead, we focus on discussing how to take inspiration from existing ideas and combine or refine them to create something original. This process of exploration and personal expression is what I assess in their work.

Completeness

Ideally, projects should be finished to their logical conclusion. However, there are instances when they may inadvertently extend into another marking period outside of your control. In such cases, I assess the project based on the amount of work completed relative to the expectations for that marking period.

Focus, Time Management, or Work Habits

All 3 of these are closely related concepts in the art classroom. If you’re using the Studio Habits of Mind, you can target the habit called, “Engage and Persist” in your lessons.

Regardless, all of these concepts basically refer to “time on task.” It’s essential to assess if your students dedicated their entire class period to their project. Or did they spend all period in off-topic conversations?

Focus, time management, and work habits are very similar ideas. Did the student focus on their work and use their time wisely? How would you describe their work habits overall?

It’s important to clarify that time management is not assessing a student’s behavior. The goal is to evaluate whether students are actively working on and discussing their projects. Any specific, off-task comments should not factor into this assessment (see Tip #2 for more on this).

Following Directions and Expectations

This criterion assesses a student’s ability to observe, listen, read, and execute demonstrated instructions.

Each teacher has a different set of expectations for the lesson. Reflect on yours. Be sure to define them clearly for students.

Some students may excel at grasping the steps conceptually but struggle to apply them due to limited creativity or media skills. I firmly believe that assessing how well my students can follow directions, I’m able to better credit their learning process (i.e. they understand the steps to making a reductive print), even if their final project isn’t aesthetically pleasing.

Project Goals

Project goals are the learning objectives or skills students are expected to achieve by the end of an assignment. These objectives align with your lesson plan and may emphasize artistic techniques, conceptual understanding, or personal expression.

Project goals can also involve smaller, supporting tasks like sketchbook drawings, brainstorming exercises, or worksheets that help students develop their ideas and meet the overall assignment requirements.

Safety

Some art projects involve materials or tools that require careful handling, such as special inks, dyes, or sharp tools. In these cases, it’s helpful to assess students’ adherence to safety guidelines as part of the art rubric.

For example, when working with plaster in 4th and 5th grade, I emphasize the rule, “Don’t blow the dust.” Plaster dust is harmful if inhaled, especially for students with respiratory conditions. By assessing safety, you promote responsible behavior, ensuring a safer environment for all students.

Understanding Art Rubric Performance Levels

Decide whether you want to assign points (e.g., 1-4), use descriptive levels (e.g., “Exceeds Expectations” vs. “Needs Improvement”), or a combination of both.

Self-assessment rubric for an elementary art project with 3 performance levels (gold, silver, and bronze). You may have more buy-in if you use creative labels for each level.

As far as how to label them, some examples might include:

Exceeds… / Meets… / Approaches… / Missed Expectations

Advanced / Proficient / Basic / In-Progress

Extraordinary / Above Average / Average / Below Average / Poor

Excellent / Good / Fair / Poor

Outstanding / Satisfactory / Needs Improvement / Unsatisfactory

Mastery / Developing / Emerging / Beginning

Expert / Apprentice / Novice

Of course, if you want to appeal to the Gen Z and Gen A crowd with playful language, you could go with:

Fire / Drip / Mid / Cringe

Lit / Vibe / Chill / Sus

Gen Z and Gen A kids are a challenge, huh? Lots of unique vocabulary that’s all bombastic side eye, right? Meet them where they’re at! Try using their language in a fun way to increase buy-in.

For the youngest learners, these might be engaging:

Rockstar / Solid / Getting There / Not Yet

Gold / Silver / Bronze / Try Again

Wow! / Nice Work / Keep Going / Needs More

I would stick with 3 levels for lower elementary, and 4 – 5 levels for 3rd grade and up. Any of the ideas above can be reduced to just 3 performance levels.

5 Art Rubric Grading Tips for Assessing Student Artwork

Now that you have an idea of what’s included on an art rubric, here are some additional thoughts on creating them.

1. Keep It Simple for Lower Elementary

For young learners, minimize the text. Use straightforward criteria labels like craftsmanship, creativity, and clean-up. But skip lengthy definitions or criteria descriptions.

Limit your rubric to 3-4 criteria with a matching number of performance indicators.

For upper elementary and middle school, you can include more text. But keep the language simple and concise.

Keep It Simple Silly applies to elementary in a big way. Limited criteria and few performance levels will help them adopt the concept of an art rubric much quicker.

Today’s students (and let’s be honest, most of us) are content scanners. When you landed on this page, did you quickly scan for the key parts?

Students do the same. More text doesn’t equate to better understanding, especially if it includes unfamiliar terminology that hasn’t been explicitly taught. Aim for short, clear, and easily interpretable content.

2. Kick Behavior Criteria to the Curb

Including behavior on an art evaluation rubric is an outdated practice. Behavior should not affect an art grade because it:

Unfairly penalizes them for non-academic issues

Doesn’t reflect what they’ve learned or the skills they’ve developed

Even more concerning, students with ADHD, autism, anxiety, or other challenges may struggle with behaviors that have nothing to do with their artistic abilities. Penalizing them for these behaviors creates unnecessary barriers and fails to promote a fair learning environment.

3. Leave Room for Comments

Whenever possible, include space on your rubric for written comments. Constructive feedback is essential for student growth and helps students understand what they can focus on improving in future projects.

Kids will write anything in this space. They may tell you what they loved, hated, and look forward to for the next project. It’s a great opportunity to get to know the artist behind the artwork.

For self-assessment rubrics, it’s equally important to provide space for students to reflect on their work. This allows them to share additional thoughts, insights, or context that might not be captured by the rubric alone.

I use a question such as, “Is there anything else you would like to explain about your art?”

4. Use Engaging Visuals on Your Art Rubric Template

It’s art class, after all. So why not incorporate clear, engaging visuals into your grading rubrics?

For younger grades, consider using emojis exclusively to represent performance levels. Emojis provide a quick, intuitive way for students to understand abstract concepts. Young children, emerging readers, or students with language challenges (like English language learners) can struggle with text-heavy rubrics. Emojis bridge that gap by making expectations easy to grasp and accessible for everyone.

For all grade levels, include icons to represent each criterion on the rubric. Just like emojis, icons help convey meaning at a glance and reduce cognitive load, allowing students to focus on their work instead of decoding complex language.

These are examples of assessment rubrics I’ve created for all the art lessons I create. Each uses engaging visuals to grab attention.

Bonus tip: Use the same icons throughout your art room on posters, handouts, and homework assignments to create consistency and reinforce expectations. Familiar visuals help students feel more comfortable and confident navigating different tasks.

5. Set Clear Expectations from the Start

At the beginning of the lesson, review the rubric with your students. This ensures they understand what’s expected before they even start the project.

For challenging middle school classes, I have students bring the rubric home to get it signed and returned for a homework grade. This not only reinforces accountability but also encourages parent communication. If your evaluation includes parent engagement, this strategy can count toward meeting that goal, too!

Ready to Save Time on Creating Rubrics?

If you’d like to save time creating rubrics from scratch, my Editable Art Rubric Template is a great place to start! It’s customizable to fit any art project and makes grading artwork a breeze.

Use Google Slides to lay out your graphics and text. Check out my editable art rubric template to make creating your next grading rubric a breeze!

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Final Thoughts on Using Art Grading Rubrics in K-8

Grading artwork doesn’t have to be complicated or subjective. A clear and simple art rubric helps you assess projects fairly, communicate expectations, and make evaluating art projects more efficient. Whether you use my editable template or design your own, these tips will ensure your students feel supported and understood.

Have any questions on anything I didn’t cover? Drop a comment below and I’ll reply.

The post 5 Art Rubric Grading Tips for Student Artwork Assessment appeared first on Glitter Meets Glue.

13 Helpful Art Teacher Sub Binder Must Haves

Amie Bentley — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 18:33:40 +0000

Your child was up all night sick. An unplanned meeting pops up during 5th period. Or your car breaks down on the way to school. Yikes. Sometimes unexpected circumstances arise, and you won’t have time to create last minute art sub plans. That’s why you need an emergency art teacher sub binder!

My binder holds 1-day art worksheets that my substitute teacher can quickly print and pass out. Not to mention it contains important information to keep the art room functioning until you return. If you’ve never created a substitute binder before, here’s everything you need to know to put one together yourself.

What Materials Do I Need to Put My Art Sub Binder Together?

Most of these materials you may have laying around:

3-Ring Binder

Sheet Protectors

Cardstock Paper

Copy Paper

Binder Tabs (optional)

3-Ring Hole Punch (optional)

What Should An Art Sub Binder Have?

Most schools require art teachers to have an emergency sub binder in a visible place in their classroom. Mine is located by the door and telephone so I can grab it as I’m heading out for a fire drill. Having a clearly-labeled cover design will help your substitute locate it quickly.

Beyond that, here’s what I keep inside mine:

Welcome letter for your guest teacher

Teaching schedule and duties

Seating charts

Art room layout map

Rules, procedures, rewards, and consequences

Substitute expectations

Emergency management info

Class rosters

Student allergies and health concerns

Map of the school egress route

Technology info

Emergency art sub plans

Substitute report form

Let’s look at some of these components up close.

1) Write a Welcome Letter

You’ve managed to get someone to cover your art lessons, hurrah! A nice gesture is to write a simple note to say “thanks” for their time and effort.

However, I can’t stress this enough: keep it short and to the point. They won’t have time to read your entire epic biography.

I include a spot for my contact information. But if that’s too invasive for you, then don’t! There are no hard rules for adding this info.

I like my letter to include:

An overview of what’s inside

A request they fill out the sub form after each class

A note specifying what to do if I haven’t left specific lessons for each class

A way to contact me in case of emergencies

2) Schedules & Duties

The first thing your art teacher substitute will need to know is when kids will be coming and for how long. You’ll want to include either weekly or daily class schedules that list the name of class either by teacher name or class abbreviation (i.e. “3B”).

Likely your school has shortened schedules for late arrival and early dismissal. Be sure to add those in, too!

And lastly, be sure to include a detailed list of your duties. They’ll need to know the name of the duty, the days and times it needs to be fulfilled, and any specific directions as to what they need to do during the duty.

3) Seating Charts

If you’re an art teacher who uses seating charts, add those in your sub binder for every class on your roster. Seating charts are a great way to take quick visual attendance. And, to practice student names. Both of which your guest teacher will need!

The more you prep for your guest teacher, the more they’re prepared to take over for you. Go the distance!

You can use either PowerPoint or Google Slides to design basic table shapes. And then label them with student names according to where they sit. Just be sure to pit something on the chart as a reference so your guest teacher knows which way the chart faces. So add in a doorway, a window, or the front board.

4) Art Room Layout Map

Do you label your tables with colors or silly names? Would your substitute art teacher know where to find certain materials? Can they easily find what they need? Including a map of your art room will alleviate all of that!

Draw out a simple layout of your art room and label all the important features. This will help your sub get up to speed quickly as to where things are located. You can either draw it out by hand, in PowerPoint, or just snap pictures of the room and edit the photos with text overlays.

5) Rules, Procedures, Rewards, & Consequences

To run your art room in your place, your guest teacher will need to know your classroom management plan including any art room jobs. That includes any rules, expectations, procedures, rewards, and consequences you have set in place.

This includes any unwritten expectations. I require 3rd grade and up to bring their own art folder and a pencil, for example. And while being prepared isn’t a written rule in my class, it’s certainly an expectation that needs mentioning.

Think on how you want your substitute to handle issues when they arise. Smaller infractions can be dealt with on the spot.

But would you prefer they write you a note for larger issues so you can handle it when you return? Or would you prefer they call the front office? And, what kinds of issues are mandatory for them to call the front office about? Outlining all of this will help your sub teacher greatly.

You’ll want to include both your art room management system as well as any school-wide policies and procedures.

Do you have a rewards program like brag bracelets or bookmarks that you hand out at the end of class? How does it work?

To set your guest teacher up for success, make sure to clue them in on how to get kids to be on their best behavior. Your substitute art teacher will appreciate it!

The procedures section of my binder is divided into the following sub-sections:

Seating

Set-up & Clean-up

Art Supplies

Restroom & Hallway

Nurse

School Counselor

Misc.

Your school might have important school-wide, non-emergency procedures they want teachers to be aware of that should be added in here, too.

6) Substitute Expectations

I’m also a fan of leaving a short list of general expectations directed at the substitute teacher. Because kids will take advantage if you don’t. My list sounds something like this:

Discourage restroom and water fountain breaks as much as possible. Their teacher takes them before class every week.

Students must sit in their assigned seats.

Everyone is to clean up after themselves, including their floor area.

Monitor kids at the sink area.

This helps set the tone and keeps expectations consistent while you’re absent.

7) Emergency Management Information

Speaking of emergencies, your art teacher sub binder absolutely needs to include a detailed list of how school-wide emergencies are handled. Be advised these sometimes change slightly from year to year. That can be something as simple as your egress location for drills to how certain drills are handled.

Having been through a couple real-life emergencies myself – a gas leak and a sewer pipe leak – you need to prep your substitute for them! Even if the real thing doesn’t ever happen.

Some procedures to address include drills for:

Fires

Lockdowns

Shelter in place

Late Arrival/Early Dismissal (during any school-wide drill)

Tornadoes

Earthquakes

Also include a master list of important contacts in the school. Those should include phone extensions for the principal, vice-principal, head of special services, school counselor, nurse, and every teacher in the building whose students you teach weekly.

8) Class Rosters

This may be specific to the last school I worked at, but we were required to include the class rosters given to us not the first day of school. This was for emergency reasons in case we needed to rush out of the building for an evacuation drill and needed to take rolling attendance at various intervals on the walk to the evacuation site.

If your school does the same, just punch holes in the handouts and add them in.

9) Student Allergies and Health Concerns

Your school may provide you with a list of these students at the start of the year. Make an extra copy, punch holes in the pages, and add them into the emergency management section.

One extra tip. It may be helpful to color coordinate some of the health concerns to the students you teach (because the list they may give out may include students you don’t teach but are in the building). So, locate the class rosters and highlight any kids on them that also have health concerns to be aware of. This is both helpful for you and your sub!

If your school passes out teaching handouts for things like asthma, add those in, too.

10) Map of the School Egress Route

My school handed out a couple copies of the egress route for all drills. It was a map of the school with every room labeled and colored arrows pointing from, in my case, the art room to the nearest door. If you don’t get two copies, make one. Then post one on the inside of your door (or very near the door) at eye level. And leave the other in the binder.

11) Art Room Technology Information

These days, most art rooms are outfitted with basic tech devices: desktop or laptop computer, smartboard, and projector. But with those devices come some quirks. Like how to turn them on. Or, if one of them acts a little finicky.

Snapping pictures of your tech devices as well as showing their quirks can help your sub teacher get up to speed quickly.

Adding in a section to your sub binder about all the ins and outs of your tech devices will help things run smoothly.

12) Emergency Art Sub Plans

When it comes to emergency art sub plans, the key is to keep it simple. A guest teacher coming in last minute doesn’t have time to read over detailed lesson plans with multiple step by step directions that requires a lot of thinking. Save those for days when you know you’ll be out in advance (especially more than one day in a row).

Simple art worksheets that can be used for a single class period for the win! You’ll need at least 3 weeks of worksheets organized by grade level or bracketed grade levels (K – 2, 3 – 5, and 6 – 8). Expect to refresh the plans should you be absent more than a few times.

Some examples of activities that work include:

Grid drawings

Symmetry drawings

Roll a dice games

Design Your Own worksheets

1-Page paper crafts

Directed drawings

Your sub may not have time to run to a copy machine. So make copies of each worksheet and put them in labeled folders. Inside your art teacher sub binder, leave copies labeled “teacher copy” and directions on where to locate all the student copies you made.

13) Substitute Report Form

When you come back from being out, the first thing you’ll want to know is how things went. And if there are any issues you need to address with students or faculty immediately.

Your sub report form should have a section asking the guest teacher to rate how the class behaved. And, to make a list of any absent, late, helpful, or disruptive students.

Creating an Art Sub Tub

Additionally you might decide to gather everything into one large plastic container, called a “sub tub.” Here’s what to include:

Art sub binder (as described above)

Basic art supplies like crayons, markers, colored pencils, and paper to be used with your emergency art lessons. No need for your substitute teacher to rummage through your things!

Sign indicating it’s an art sub tub

If your school wants an emergency sub folder filed away in the main office, snap a picture of the sub tub in your room. Then, include it in the folder so a supply teacher knows where to find it.

What should I include in an art teacher sub binder?

A solid art sub binder has lesson plans, seating charts, class rosters, emergency procedures, daily schedules, and classroom rules. Adding quick, ready-to-use art activities (like drawing prompts or coloring pages) ensures the sub can keep kids engaged even if a lesson finishes early. Keep in mind you might have a sub who has no art experience. So keep it simple!

How do I organize my art sub binder?

I would put all your pertinent information up front such as a welcome letter, classroom information (schedules, rules, seating charts), student rosters, emergency procedures, and contact lists for admins, admin assistants, the nurse, etc.

Use dividers or tabs to group sections by type: forms, class lists, schedules, emergency info, and lessons. Many teachers keep their art sub plans at the front so subs can find them instantly. If you teach multiple grade levels, label each section for clarity.

Do I really need an art sub binder if I leave digital plans?

Yes! Even if you use Google Classroom or email sub plans, technology can fail. Or your sub might not be comfortable with tech. A physical binder is a reliable backup that lives in your classroom and saves the day in case of last-minute absences.

What are easy art sub plan ideas for emergencies?

Have a few no-prep, one-day projects ready — like roll-and-draw games, finish-the-drawing worksheets, or simple directed drawings. These are lifesavers when you can’t prep materials in advance.

Conclusion: Creating an Art Teacher Sub Binder is A Lot of Work!

Does reading all of this make you feel overwhelmed? I’ll bet. It’s a lot.

But luckily I’ve saved you a boatload of time by creating all the forms and art worksheets you’ll need! All you need to do is add in your own personal information and print out the activities.

Grab the entire art teacher sub binder with everything included. And don’t sweat this. I got you covered!

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23 Best Art Room Hacks for Elementary & Middle School

Amie Bentley — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 12:15:49 +0000

Art room hacks save precious time and money. And these days? We could all use a few extra bucks in our wallets. I like to say they’re “using your brain to do less work.”

Teacher hacks are creative tips and tricks to make the act of teaching art easier. So whether you’re looking to repurpose a utilitarian item, organize your art room, or manage supplies, these art room hacks are the best!

23 Best Art Room Hacks for Elementary & Middle School

1) Cover unsightly areas or window wells with tissue paper blinds.

I’ve made these to cover windows for my basement-level art room my first year of teaching. I used blue tissue paper with white stars. It really brightened up a dreary room. And then again in my last art room to cover the ugliness of an air conditioner. I even painted the windows to block a concrete courtyard.

Simply cut a long strip of either condensed cardboard, bristol board, or tagboard to the length of the space to be covered. Next, hot glue the strip. And lastly, lay bunched up tissue paper on top.

2) Cookie sheets make awesome ink plates.

Cookie sheets as makeshift ink plates.

Aluminum cookie sheets from the dollar-and-a-quarter store provide students with a non-absorbent surface for loading brayers for basic printmaking projects.

This awesome art teacher hack comes courtesy of Stephanie at Picassa’s Palette! She has a lot to say about teaching art over on her blog. And a boatload of awesome resources in her TPT shop.

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3) Clean plastic paint palettes, knives, and cups overnight.

This is my favorite art room hack. Because art teachers already work hard enough. And I’m all about using my brain to do less work! Cleaning up after painting is a drag.

At the end of a painting lesson, I take all the plastic-y things and soak them in a bucket of hot water. Bonus points for throwing a towel on top to keep it warm in there.

The next morning, I dump the water and refill it, putting any of the remaining somewhat dirty cups in there for a little bit. They always have water in them. So I stack them, give them a swift shake, and then line them up on a towel to dry.

4) Measure cardboard or styrofoam loom notches at the same time.

Whenever I have to measure a bunch of looms to create notches, I do large batches simultaneously. It saves a boatload of time!

Simply measure where you want the notches on one cardboard or styrofoam loom. Then, stack up a bunch and either free-hand or with a ruler, mark all the other looms down the side. On styrofoam, I use pencil because marker bleeds.

5) Hand-color your prints!

Keep printmaking quick and easy by having students print with one color. After the prints are dry, hand color the prints using colored pencils. The colored pencil texture blends beautifully with the printed ink texture.

PRO TIP: Stick with white ink when printing to keep the colored pencils bright!

If you’re a high school art teacher, you’ll want to check out Whitney Panetta at Look Between the Lines! There you’ll gain lots of insight about all things photography, mixed media, and digital design.

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6) Fast food trays are an insanely versatile art room hack.

If you don’t own some plastic fast food trays, get some quick. They come in handy for so many things in the art room. Use them to pass out and collect supplies and projects, stack materials for the day’s classes, roll ink for printmaking lessons, and more.

They are relatively cheap on Amazon. Baking trays also work so long as they have a rimmed edge.

7) Moisturizer fixes squeaky paint rollers.

File this one under “I’m too cheap.” But I try to limit spending money on consumables as much as possible. That includes paint rollers that I use for some printmaking lessons. The problem is after awhile, if they’re not cleaned out well enough, or too much rust forms on the metal handle, they start to squeak.

Remove the roller. Squirt a blob of moisturizer on the end. And then insert the handle back through the roller. All the squeaks are gone!

8) Magnetic photo frames make organizing your space easy and flexible.

I order the 4×6 size in bulk and have a variety of uses. They are perfect for labeling my metal cart of table supplies. Maximize student helpers by providing visual cues for where things belong.

Another use is to have a magnet for each supply needed for the day. It can be a fun diversion for students asking “What are we doing today?” or “Are we painting today?” when they enter your room. You can simply point to the board and let them see if they can figure it out before class starts.

If you are required to post your standards, objectives or “I Can” statements, print your most utilized options and slip them inside the frame. When not in use I stick them on the side of my filing cabinet. You can also slide some info inside and write on the clear sleeve with dry erase markers.

This helpful tip comes from Melissa of The Speckled Sink. She’s an experienced art teacher with lots of great ideas she writes about on her blog. Be sure to click over to read more about how to organize and distribute paint. Perfect for back to school!

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9) Pool noodles help with a slouching drying rack.

Even with drying racks that are designed not to sag, sometimes the shelves will slouch, making it difficult to put things on them. Annoying, right?

Try using either styrofoam stoppers or pool noodles to keep them separated. It’s important the noodles overlap one another. Adding a piece of masking tape helps keep them in place.

10) Time & Money-Saving Tips by the Sink

Keep Clay Cracks at Bay: I always keep a spray bottle of water handy when working with clay. If a student starts getting fine cracks in their clay (from their hot little hands), I just mist it and let the water soak in.

Fight Grease and Sticky Fingers: Fast Orange hand cleaner & degreaser is great for oil pastels and other greasy messes. Plus, it also just smells fantastic!

Free Tissue Alternative: Are you tired of spending money on tissues only to have students fake-blowing their noses just to get out of their seats? Skip pricey tissues and give them toilet paper instead. It still works, and students aren’t as excited about using it. BONUS: you can usually get toilet paper remnant rolls for free from the custodian (until the other teachers catch on)!

Make Cleanup Fun: Do you want to see students get excited about cleaning up? Reward a few students who are cleaning up quietly with whisk brooms and dust pans, and watch them go to town!

Never Run Out of Paper Towels: Custodians are usually happy to give you the remnants of old paper towel rolls so you never run out!

This list of fabulous hacks for in and around your art room sink comes from Stacey Peters of Expressive Monkey. She recently started a new venture called, “Mindful Drawing Studio” where participants learn to doodle, de-stress, and gain focus.

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11) Dying markers are great for shading.

Tossing dying markers into the trash is a complete waste. They still have ink in them and can be used for coloring and shading! Look for markers that are newly drying out, not completely dead. Hold them like you would a crayon. They’ll have a crayon-like texture on the paper.

Ever run out of shading pencils for an entire class? Need something quick and cheap to practice shading with so you don’t use up the good pencils? Have kids that always want to erase? Problems solved.

12) Shower curtains hide all the mess!

Do you have an unsightly open cabinet that you’d like to cover? A colorful shower curtain might just do the trick!

I had this very large shelving unit that was very ugly and cluttered. I spent one short afternoon putting up a tension rod and vibrant shower curtain and now that area looks attractive and colorful. Super easy and affordable fix.

This fabulous tip comes courtesy of Marcia Beckett of Art is Basic. Hop over to her website to read more of her helpful art teacher tips for bulletin boards, art room organization, and her amazing art projects!

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13) Dead markers make the best watercolor paints.

Stop throwing away dead markers. Give them a second life by soaking similar colors in water to make your own paint. Then, use them to do marker painting!

Simply pour them into squirt bottles and add a few drops of isopropyl alcohol. Store them away from the sun and they’ll last a long time.

14) Copy paper boxes make great shelves.

Anyone else have a small art room? I love doing 3D projects. But there’s no place to store them while they’re drying. So I made these copy paper box shelves in a snap. This is one of my favorite art teacher hacks!

Check out my tutorial on how I made mine. When not in use, I put them in my closet and store art materials and projects in them for the art show. Now that’s the best art room hack!

15) Keep sharpeners, basic supplies, and a bowl for pencil shavings in arm’s reach.

A practical suggestion for teachers is to position a bowl at the center of each table for collecting pencil shavings. This straightforward addition can improve classroom organization by enabling students to sharpen their pencils without creating distractions.

Placing the bowl within easy reach allows students to remain at their desks, minimizing the need to move around the classroom, which frequently causes interruptions.

This minor modification helps maintain classroom cleanliness and fosters a more seamless workflow, contributing to a better learning environment for all participants.

This very useful tip comes directly from Lauren Bohrman of Inside Out Art Teacher. She’s an 25 year veteran, high school art teacher who shares lot of engaging art project ideas on her blog. Be sure to check out her bottle galaxy drawing project!

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16) Cutting paint gallon jugs makes getting out paint easier.

At some point, the paint runs out. Or does it? Like a bottle of moisturizer, acrylic and tempera paint can be hard to get out every last drop. Many resort to watering it down. I’m not a fan of that.

Instead, I like to use a mat knife or razor blade to make a small incision. And then insert a pair of heavy duty scissors or shears into the slit to cut the container in two. From there, the paint comes out real easy!

17) Cut yarn for weaving projects all at once.

Some art projects require a lot of teacher prep. Weaving is one such case. But there’s a way to make cutting the yarn much quicker. And all you need is one good arm and a sharp pair of scissors.

Line up the ends of roughly 10 different skeins of yarn and clasp them under your thumb. Then begin wrapping the yarn around your palm and elbow many times. While continuing to hold the yarn in your palm, slip off the yarn from your elbow. Lay it on a table. Then cut the yarn where you palm was holding it.

18) Assign supplies to students for the entire semester.

I found that basic supplies work better when handed out to each student. Students take more ownership of their materials if they have control over keeping them nice and storing them. The trick is that they should be small enough to fit in the box.

I gave each student a Box Supply Case from Dick Blick to store their brushes, pencils and pens.

This great tip comes from Sabrina Wingren of “A Space to Create Art.” Sabrina is a former high school art teacher with prior experience as an Art Director. Check out her blog for lots of art project ideas!

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19) Art room hack: less is always more.

In the elementary art classroom, one effective hack for teachers is to focus on a limited selection of versatile supplies, teaching students the myriad ways they can be used and combined for extraordinary results. Staples like wax crayons, oil pastels, felt markers, and watercolor paints are not only affordable but also remarkably flexible in the hands of young artists.

For instance, wax crayons can be used to create a resist effect with watercolor paints, while oil pastels offer a vibrant contrast when used alongside markers. This approach not only simplifies supply management but also encourages students to delve deeply into the potential of each medium, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of their unique properties.

Additionally, integrating art history into these projects can enrich the learning experience. A great example is the Vincent van Gogh Art Lesson Plan, which uses oil pastels and watercolor paints. This lesson plan not only guides students through creating stunning moon artworks but also introduces them to the works of van Gogh, blending practical art skills with art historical knowledge. Such lessons demonstrate how, with a few simple supplies, art teachers can inspire their students to create masterpieces while connecting them to the broader world of art.

This fun tip is directly from the ever-exuberant Kathleen McGiveron of Ms. Artastic. Be sure to check out her podcast and YouTube channel for lots of ideas on teaching elementary art!

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20) Condiment cups are great for everything.

Condiment cups are one of the most well-used items in my art room. And one of the most useful art room hacks!

Of course, they’re great for managing paint distribution. But you know how watercolor paint trays always get messy with the littles? Pop each out and drop them in a cup. Add water. Easy watercolor paints!

Beyond paint, I use them in printmaking lessons, too. Dab the lids in paint and press to paper. Instant circles. Plus, use them to hold gems, beads, and other small items during craft lessons.

21) Store paintbrushes in tubes!

This hack requires extra funding, but it’s worth it! Grab paintbrush tubes from Blick (or order a similar product for cheaper from Uline) for each student. Assign one paintbrush tube per student with a set number of brushes in the tube.

Check the brushes at the end of the course for a project grade for caring for their brushes during the course. If the student needs to replace their set, by all means, as long as they are equivalent in quality and size they will get credit if replaced. With this system, you will be able to use the same brushes year after year.

PRO TIP: start purchasing brush tubes as your budget allows working from the advanced level courses down to the intro level course.

This is another great tip from Whitney at Look Between the Lines. Check out more art classroom hacks for secondary art classes over at her website!

22) Taping the backside of burlap stitching projects reduces fraying.

Kids love to pick at things. I imagine they’ve all been hens in their past lives, picking and plucking at everything. That includes the ends of burlap.

To prevent kids from pulling out the threads when doing stitching projects, run 1-inch masking tape around the back on all 4 sides. This will not only prevent fraying. But it’ll also stop students from stitching too close to the edge. And, it’ll give you a place to write their name.

23) Hand lotion + Model Magic works wonders.

Many people don’t know this trick, but it’s something we discovered by chance in my classroom when kids were using hand lotion and Model Magic at the same time. If your Model Magic is starting to get cracks and become dry while you are working with it, you can put a very small amount of hand lotion on your hands and mix it up.

The Model Magic will become softer and stickier. This also helps the Model Magic to stick to itself better. Any hand lotion should work. This won’t work if the Model Magic is completely dried up.

This is yet another really helpful tip from Marcia Becket! For some fun ideas to use Model Magic, check out these blog posts (including Model Magic insects and spider webs) by Art is Basic.”

Got an Art Room Hack to Share?

Did any of these art room hacks help you with how to save time and money teaching art? Do you have any tips you’d like to share with others? Drop a comment below. I’d love to hear more!

The post 23 Best Art Room Hacks for Elementary & Middle School appeared first on Glitter Meets Glue.

14 Easy Art Sub Plans for Elementary

Amie Bentley — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 16:29:43 +0000

Easy art sub plans for elementary – is there such a thing? Being out for even a single day is more work than actually teaching! Scrambling to figure out engaging, no tech art sub plans for elementary kids can be incredibly stressful and time-consuming. There’s nothing worse than being sick and thinking, “And now I have to write emergency lesson plans?”

What makes a good art sub plan?

A good art sub plan is clear, low-prep, and easy to teach without specialized art knowledge. It should include simple materials (paper, pencils, crayons) and step-by-step directions that any substitute can follow. Bonus points if the project can be done in one class period and requires little to no cleanup. Remember: your sub may have no art teaching experience or even be an artist. So keep it simple.

How do I prepare for a last-minute art sub?

Keep an emergency sub binder with 3-5 one-day art projects printed and ready to go. I include class rosters, seating charts, and basic classroom procedures. Stock a labeled bin with basic supplies like crayons, markers, and pencils so your sub isn’t hunting through cabinets. The key is planning ahead during summer or prep periods so you’re not scrambling when you wake up sick.

What are some easy, one-day art projects for subs?

Try projects like Finish-the-Drawing activities, roll a dice games, or ‘design your own’ worksheets. These work for a wide range of grade levels, use basic art supplies, and keep students engaged for the full period. Sketchbooks work well if the class is well-behaved and stay on task with ease. Always have a fast finisher activity like zentangle drawings for kids who fly through art projects.

Do art sub plans work for all elementary grade levels?

Some do! Projects like artist trading cards, sketchbooks, and finish the picture worksheets work across K-5. But I always recommend having grade-specific options for kindergarten since they need simpler, shorter activities.

What do I need to know about substitute teaching art with no experience?

You don’t need art experience to successfully substitute in an art classroom! But you do need to employ some common sense.

The art teacher should leave clear, step-by-step instructions with all materials laid out in order. Look for seating charts, rosters, and an emergency sub folder near the front of the room.

Focus on following the lesson plan exactly as written, using student helpers when needed, and maintaining the classroom’s existing behavior management system.

The key is staying organized, engaging with students about their artwork, and keeping art materials secure. If you’re unsure about anything, ask a neighboring teacher or check the sub folder for guidance.

Emergency Art Sub Plans (No Prep Required)

In my 20 years of teaching elementary art, writing emergency sub plans was the worst. Especially early on when I didn’t know what would actually work for a sub.

So what do you leave for an elementary art substitute in a pinch? Here’s a list of some easy art sub plans that I’ve used in my own art room in case of an emergency. Some of these you can prep during the summer to set yourself up for success in the fall. Others are things you can quite literally print and go.

1) Design Your Own Worksheets

I love letting students pick one of these easy ‘Design Your Own’ activities. They get an engaging art project that stretches their brain. And I get the joy of a no-prep emergency plan. Bonus points because it uses basic art materials like crayons, colored pencils, or markers.

Pro tip: I keep a labeled ‘Sub Day Supplies’ bin with crayons, colored pencils, and markers so subs aren’t digging through my cabinets.

Emergency sub plan to design a hot cocoa mug, guitar, t-shirt, etc. No prep and perfect for kids in grades 1-5!

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2) Finish the Drawing Worksheets

When you’re absent? Not a lot will get done. And the kids? They’ll act like they have two left hands and can’t hold a pencil in either. You really need to have easy art sub plans in place that will get them moving.

One way to do that is with finish the drawing worksheets. Draw out some simple objects on the page – a skateboard, surfboard, glass bottle, whatever. Kids have to be creative and draw something to complete the unfinished picture.

Finish the drawing worksheets for grades 2-5. Print, pass out, with students completing several doodles independently in 20-30 minutes.

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3) Finish the Picture Worksheets

Just like the finish the drawing worksheets, these finish the picture activities require the child to complete them how they see fit. The difference here is an object is placed on the page to prompt them. A lot of room is left for students to interpret how they want to complete the picture. I always get such fun and silly drawings back!

Finish the picture worksheets for grades 1-5. Students add color and details to complete partially-drawn images in 20-30 minutes.

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4) Zentangle Templates for Kids

In the handful of times I’ve had to call out last minute, having some already printed zentangle worksheets has been a lifesaver! Even better is they’re tied to the nearest holiday or season to keep kids working while I’m absent.

Zentangle templates for grades 3-5. Students fill spaces with repetitive patterns using just copy paper and markers or colored pencils.

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5) Art Choice Boards

Art choice boards are like a restaurant menu in that students can select what they want to do off the menu of ideas. They’re similar to a list of sketchbook assignments. I suggest actually designing one to read like a menu or a gallery to get your class excited about it.

I think the beauty of art choice boards is that “choice” is the main aspect of the lesson. Happy students are more likely to be content, especially when you’re absent.

Pro tip: I print my kindergarten choice boards on red paper, first grade on orange, second grade on yellow, and so on. Then I laminate them. It makes grabbing the right grade level super quick for my subs.

Art choice boards with sketchbook prompts for grades 3-5. Use as bellringers, fast finisher activities, or independent work for subs.

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One Day Art Sub Plans

Sometimes you know you’re going to be absent and you need an easy art sub plan for one class period. These ideas are low-prep, engaging, and require minimal clean-up. I like to make copies in advance for my emergency art sub binder.

6) Kindergarten Paper Crafts

Am I the only one who struggles with what to leave kindergarten? It has to be simple enough for kinders to handle and the art sub teacher to not get frustrated with too many steps or student inattention. Trust me, the simpler the better. I learned this the hard way when I left construction paper for my sub to cut so kids could trace their craft shapes onto. I came back to so much wasted paper!

So keep it easy with some no prep paper crafts! These are designed to look like cute art supplies.

Kindergarten paper crafts featuring art supplies like paintbrushes and paint tubes. Print, cut, and students assemble in one 30-45 minute class period.

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Kindergarten Art Sub Plans

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7) Roll A Dice Games for Grades 1-5

Idle hands are no good. They lend themselves to getting in trouble. Especially when you’re absent. So keeping students engaged for a sub is important. That’s the beauty of roll a dice games. I’ve found these keep even my chattiest classes focused because they’re invested in what they’ll roll next.

Roll the die. Collect the parts, designs, or patterns needed to create the piece. And then color it in. Easy peasy!

Easy roll-a-dice drawing games to create a bee, monster, haunted house, etc. for grades 1-5. Students roll to determine which features to draw, creating unique artworks with minimal supplies.

The best part about them is that they’re not always something to be completed in a 30 – 45 minute class. So when you come back from being absent and you need time to catch up, have your class finish their drawing. It’ll give you time to catch up from being gone.

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When you’re absent, the best thing you can do is leave limited supplies. So think of lessons like this Romero Britto roll and draw game that only use markers. And consider having all your other sub plans be as easy as one type of material.

Romero Britto roll-a-dice games for grades 3-5. Students create artist-inspired artwork by rolling to determine fun patterns to include.

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8) Elements of Art and Principles of Design Worksheets for 3-5 (Upper Elementary)

Do you focus on the elements and principles of design in your art lessons? I use them in big and small ways during every unit I teach. And each element of principle is taught using a spiral curriculum. For example, I teach about color every year, building on what kids learned the previous year.

I love using these elements and principles interactive booklets to reinforce concepts at every grade level. They’re coloring, drawing pictures, and doing enough writing to count as literacy in the Arts.

Elements and principles fan booklets for grades 3-8. Students draw, color, write, and assemble the pages, learning art and art history along the way.

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Quick Art Sub Plans (15-30 Minutes)

Have you ever been pulled into a last minute meeting? Had to rush off to a last minute doctor appointment? The following activities are as easy as running off copies or cutting paper into small cards to create miniature artworks. Plus, they work for several grade bands, so less planning to do!

9) Artist Trading Cards

I’m such a huge fan of artist trading cards. They work for everything. Need a fast finisher activity? Quick art sub plan? Fun Friday activity? Artist trading cards are an awesome way to keep your classes motivated to be creative while you’re absent.

They can be created with any materials. So give the sub access to markers, crayons, colored pencils, and a stack of pre-cut cards, and you’re all set! Bonus points: they’re great for all grade levels!

For younger grade levels, I’ll leave a specific artist trading card task for them to complete along with an example artwork. For older grades, the work is self-guided.

ATCs are great last minute sub plans for K-5. Children can quickly create 3-5 artist trading cards in one 45-min class period.

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10) Directed Drawing Worksheets

Chances are your students have encountered step by step directed drawing worksheets before. They’re quite popular in arts and craft stores where you can purchase them in book form. The beauty of them is they break down the drawing process into small, manageable bits. So kids feel like they can tackle drawing something challenging.

My upper elementary kids especially love these. I’ve come back to find subs left notes saying ‘They were so proud of their drawings!’

Directed drawing worksheets are perfect quick art sub plans for grades 3-5. Follow the steps to complete in 10-20 minutes.

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11) Echo Drawing Worksheets

When you’re absent, it can be hard for a substitute teacher to be in your place and keep engagement up. One way to do that is to have a 2 – 3 small activities for students to complete. Echo drawing worksheets are quick drawing activities where kids copy the lines and shapes to see if they can match them.

They make great bellringers to warm-up for the lesson, too!

Quick echo drawing worksheets for grades 3-5. Students copy simple designs to complete in 15-20 minutes with minimal supplies.

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12) Geoboard Drawings

Real geoboards are wooden pegboards where students create shapes with colored rubber bands. But for the purposes of art class, especially one with a small budget, having a printable version of it makes the task more versatile.

While these are primarily used in math class to talk about area and perimeter, I like them for drawing in art class, too! Give each child a page. Have them use a black marker to draw the outline of an object in its most simplest form. And then fill them in with colored markers.

What’s great about geoboard worksheets is they force students into simplifying their ideas. Kids have to think creatively on how to best represent free-form shapes more geometrically. It’s a mind bender for sure!

Geoboard drawings for grades 1-3 using just copy paper and markers. Print and pass for your class to complete as a fast finisher activity in 15-20 minutes.

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Easy Art Sub Plans by Grade Level

Great art sub plans keep kids on-task, have predictable steps, and are above all classroom management wins for the substitute teacher. That’s why I’ve loved compiling mini booklets for kids to use in my absence. While they do take me some prep time in the summer, they’re super easy to leave last minute. Simply leave them out with paper, crayons, and markers.

13) Easy Design Doodles Pattern Booklets

Drawing patterns and designs is a fun and simple assignment to leave for upper elementary students. Plus, it can be meditative and therefore relaxing.

First, make copies of step-by-step zentangle designs. Or, leave two Design Doodles interactive fans per table for the sub teacher along with drawing paper and markers.

Then, write your instructions to include some basics on what to draw or how to divide up the space into several areas using lines. Lastly, students fill in the areas with zentangle patterns.

It’s up to you if you choose to leave coloring materials. I prefer to leave just basic markers and colored pencils.

Design Doodle Booklets for 3rd grade and up. Print, cut, assemble, and pass out for students to create independently using patterns.

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14) Sketchbook Prompts as Sub Plans

As an art teacher, you can never have enough fun and engaging sketchbook prompts on hand. They’re great for building foundational art skills. But they also make easy one day art sub plans for grades 1-5.

Going to be absent? Simply make copies of your sketchbook list and leave them with basic art supplies. The only downside to a one-page sketchbook list is that if you’re absent several times, the list needs to be revised. Otherwise, they’ll get bored of it. And that always spells trouble for sub teachers.

That’s why I love sketchbook prompts made into a mini booklet!

Sketchbook prompts booklet for lower elementary (grades 1-3) written in clear, simple language.

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It’s a “one and done” kind of resource. You can make two per table and it’ll keep kids busy for eons. Prep them in the summer. Hang them in your art room. Done!

Sketchbook prompts for upper elementary (grades 3-5) that are silly, quirky, and a little more challenging.

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Sketchbook Prompts for Upper Elementary

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Returning From Being Absent

Whether it was one class period, a single day, or a 3 month maternity leave, returning to the art room after being away can be stressful. While you’re gone you’re wondering what’s happening there. And when you return, you’re sometimes inspecting the scene of a crime.

Case in point: I once had a sub cover a class last minute while I ran to an unexpected meeting. While I was gone, the sub pulled out chalk pastels from the storage cabinet. I had said kids could use markers. But the students talked the sub into letting them use soft pastels which were hidden in my storage cabinet. YEP. I returned to clouds of dust all. over. the. room. Total nightmare moment.

Conclusion: Stick with Easy Art Sub Plans

If anything I say sinks in, let it be this: it’s important to manage your expectations of the substitute teacher, student behavior, and the quality of their work. Because stuff is definitely going to happen while you’re out.

The easier you keep things, the better off you’ll be. Also, the more prepared you are at the start of the year, the easier taking a personal day off or sending in last minute emergency sub plans will be.

I hope you were able to find something you needed based on the type of day you’ll be taking!

The post 14 Easy Art Sub Plans for Elementary appeared first on Glitter Meets Glue.

13 Art Teacher Prep Ideas for Back to School

Amie Bentley — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 18:17:37 +0000

Whether you’re a first year art teacher or just new to teaching art, I have 13 helpful art teacher prep ideas for back to school to get your art program going. Because chances are you’re unsure of what to expect or even what you can prepare in advance. And really, there are many things you can do early to reduce the first day of school stress!

Quick Links

Design Your Art Room Layout

Print & Cut Your Art Classroom Decor

Create Storage Ideas for Art Projects

Create a Back to School or Meet the Art Teacher Night Brochure

Create a Seating Chart Template

Plan Fast Finisher Activities

Craft Your Behavior Management System

Design an Effective Art Classroom Management System

Prep Art Lessons, PowerPoints, & Lesson Materials

Plan & Prep Art Assessments

Collect Bags, Bins, & Plastic Containers

Create an Emergency Art Sub Binder

Order Art Supplies

13 Art Teacher Prep Ideas for Back to School

First of all, if you haven’t seen your room yet, get in there. Request a quick look if the janitors are busy cleaning. Run in, open up cabinets, closets, and drawers, snap pictures, and run out. Or, make a quick video. Beg, if they are resistant. You’ll be quick.

Take note of how many bulletin boards you have. Measure them, if time permits. This will help you determine how much room you have for displays.

And then get on to planning! All the things I’m about to list can be done at home so you can use your in-school time to get the room organized and ready for back to school.

1) Design Your Art Room Layout

If you’re looking for prep ideas an art teacher should start first, this is it. It helps to have a rough plan in advance for how you want to organize your art room. Now, nothing you sketch out needs to be set in stone. But getting a look at your space will help you decide what to keep, junk, or dumpster dive for replacements.

My poor, empty art room during back to school. Looks sad, right? By the way, that entire back wall below the rainbow paper was actually an ancient, green chalkboard I painted over. It works better as a magnetic bulletin board, anyways.

You can go old school and draw things out on paper. Or, use graphic design software. Simple squares, rectangles, circles, and ovals are good for representing various furniture pieces.

2) Print & Cut Your Art Classroom Decor

Planning art room bulletin board decor is the easiest project you can tackle over the summer. Most elementary and middle school art rooms include posters about:

Elements and principles

Various artists and artwork

Classroom guidelines

Artist quotes.

And who could forget, a large color wheel!

This is a part of the art teacher prep that I love. I don’t mind sitting by the pool or at the beach cutting out stuff. A lot of my best teaching ideas come from just relaxing.

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Are your admins obsessed with infusing as much literacy as possible into your art room? I add printable bulletin board letters to make them more engaging. Unlike die-cut letters, printables can be re-printed if one rips, making them very handy in a busy art room. If you laminate them, they’ll last a long time.

I love pairing B&W borders with lettering that’s sparkly and gives a POP

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Adding cute art supply graphics like paintbrushes, paint tubes, and pencils really finishes it off! Print, cut, staple, done. I’ve been adding clipart to mine for a long time. Honestly, they’re more eye-appealing and they help fill the space quick!

Adding graphics to your bulletin boards, especially ones that you can print out in any size, adds pizazz!

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Art Classroom Decor Printables

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And if you really want to polish off that display, add a border (or, two!) These black and white borders are particularly great because you can print them on any color paper. Use the school copier and save yourself loads of money!

B&W borders are great for printing on colored paper. And excellent on saving money, especially when you’re a brand new teacher with no art budget!

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Having all of these printed and cut out for your first work day in your art room will make back to school prep so much easier.

3) Create Storage Ideas for Art Projects

As I discussed previously, having a system for organizing art projects is essential. But what will you use to safely store them all?

I use these large, handled caddies.

Copy paper boxes would work, too! Try scoring some in the copy room over summer break. You can staple a color-coordinated paper with “4th” or “3rd” on it to represent the grade level whose projects are contained within.

I’ve also used large, clear storage bins with no lids. In this instance, each child made their own art project folder by stapling two pieces of large tagboard together.

4) Create a Back to School or Meet the Art Teacher Night Brochure

Whether your school calls it Back to School Night, Meet the Teacher Night, or Open House, this will be the first time you’re meeting parents. EEK!

This is one of those prep ideas that an art teacher might not think about until school has already started. But being ready for BTS Night before school starts will help the summer to school transition go much easier.

It can be hard to know what to say, how to dress, or what your role is for the night. Remember: you have an art program you need parents and students to know about.

Creating a Meet the Art Teacher brochure will help you think about your art program so you’re prepared for questions like:

What should my child wear to art?

How do I contact you if I need to?

When is the Art Show? Do you need volunteers to help with the Art Show?

Do you need students to bring in their own art supplies?

What day of the week does my child have art?

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Additionally, you can use the space to showcase the great projects students will do in art. And hopefully get some donations for your program.

5) Create A Seating Chart Template

This tends to be a controversial topic in art teacher Facebook groups. But I’m just going to state for the record that I’m pro-seating chart. Why?

IEPs & 504 Plans: Kids with modifications and accommodations need to be placed in certain parts of the room. Like, up close to the front of the room where instruction is often given. Assigning seats honors their legal right to have those seats without singling them out. Assigning some seats and leaving the rest to chance creates inequity.

Reduce Conflicts: Some kids should not sit together. They have interpersonal issues that cause disruption. You will eventually learn who they are.

Know Their Names: It’s a great way to get to know your student’s names and how to spell and pronounce them properly.

Attendance: It’s the quickest and easiest way to take attendance.

Substitutes: It helps substitute teachers identify them in your absence. Should a problem arise, they know who the child is.

This was the very first seating chart I quickly threw together minutes before my first classes arrived. I use my seating chart to document lateness and absenteeism. It’s also super helpful for substitute teachers, too, since they don’t know kid’s names.

In my 20 years of art teaching, I often had two students with the same exact name spelling, but different pronunciations. Such as the name, “Anna.” It can sound like:

ANN-UH

AWN-UH

I use a seating chart to document those differences so I say their name correctly. It’s important.

I created mine by just quickly drawing out the desks and stools and adding in some landmarks such as the doorway or teacher desk. Be sure to leave room to put their homeroom teacher’s name or class number at the top along with how many students should in the class.

6) Plan Fast Finisher Activities

It’s typical to have only half a grade level complete an art project on time. It depends on which day of the week art falls. Mondays and Fridays are usually holidays and special events. Therefore, it’s important to plan fast finisher activities for those who complete projects early.

Use baskets or clear bins. But definitely keep them organized in labeled folders for quick access.

Finish the Drawing worksheets are great microlearning opportunities because they last 3 – 5 minutes each. Kids look at the doodle and draw the rest of the mini picture. Easy peasy! And, a single art worksheet can last several classes.

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But if you need to fill more time, Finish the Picture worksheets fill the entire page. And, they last up to a half hour, depending on the task.

Either of these activities can be printed in advance and stored in easy-to-access folders. Kids can just help themselves!

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However, if you’re looking for the most independent, choice-based activity that be completed in a short amount of time, try artist trading cards. I’ve talked extensively about how I use ATCs as a yearlong early finisher activity. You can prep these for back to school so long as you have access to cardstock and a paper cutter.

Kids love making ATCs!

Another great way to add more choice to your lessons is an art choice board. Each slide (or printable worksheet) has room 10 drawing prompts or tasks. Students can pick one and create it using whatever materials you’ve left out for them.

You can prep your drawing prompts in advance and pop them into the template. Sort them by chunked grade levels:

K – 2nd

3rd – 5th

6th – 8th

To save paper, I like to post a slide on the board with each drawing prompt written out clearly.

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7) Craft Your Behavior Management System

This is by far my most favorite art teacher prep idea. For elementary students, I use class mascots to tame wild and wacky behaviors as well as promote laughter. I have a whole band of characters I’ve created that help monitor lessons, reinforce expectations, and explore famous artworks.

Think about how you’ll use your art teaching platform to encourage positive relationships with students. Your class mascot doesn’t have to be a crocheted plushie. It can be anything fun that grabs kid’s attention!

Of course, any good behavior management plan includes both rewards and incentives as well as firm consequences for repeated infractions. Kids who adhere to your policies, especially those who work to challenge your sanity but have a great day, should be rewarded.

However, like anything else I learned over time, extrinsic rewards broke my bank account. And, they communicated the wrong message to students. So, I turned to brag bracelets for help. Each reinforces the positive trait that earned them the reward.

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Simply print and cut on the dashed line. Easy peasy! And, if you’re a middle school teacher, skip the bracelets and try bookmarks. Middle schoolers are just bigger elementary kids.

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I love printing these on Astrobrights paper. A singe $10 pack of paper can last all year long. Save the rest for your retirement.

I love printing these on Astrobrights paper. A singe $10 pack of paper can last all year long. Save the rest for your retirement.

In planning for rewards, the inevitable will happen. A child will break the rules. It’s time to implement the second half of your behavior management plan.

I use this Art Room Rules packet to reinforce the behaviors that I expect. A child is given a worksheet that includes the rule they broke. They have to illustrate a picture of how that rule looks in the art room. They work on this at their table while their classmates continue the project.

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Art Classroom Behavior Management Rules Worksheets

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8) Design An Effective Art Classroom Management System

It’s important to have a clear system in place for your art room. Kids need to know where to go to drop off paintbrushes and artwork. And, what your process is for cleaning tables and clearing the floor space. Otherwise? Pandemonium ensues.

And those systems will look and sounds different depending on the grade level, too. So be sure to think about how your furniture arrangement impacts the routines you’ve laid out.

I don’t recommend “winging” it. Kids need to know the structure is in place on the first day back to school.

Kindergarten art can be tough, friends. Better sharpen your art classroom management skills for these “low riders,” as I call them. Or they will eat you alive!

I assign jobs by table group. Every table is a different color. It makes it real easy to manage a gaggle of kids. Some days, the only thing needed is to wash tables. So everyone participates!

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9) Prep Art Lesson Plans, PowerPoint Files, & Lesson Materials

If you’re new to teaching art, writing art lesson plans can feel daunting. Talk to any newer teacher and they’ll say they spend most of their time on it. I don’t recommend a first year art teacher wait until back to school to prep ideas.

First, inquire if your school already has an art curriculum. And if not, think about the art concepts, media, techniques, and art movements you want to touch upon. You can spiral the concepts throughout the grade levels so they build the previous year’s knowledge.

And, think how you can layer in connections to other content areas like music, math, and science, too.

Typing art lessons isn’t the most exciting way to spend your summer, I assure you. But carving out a little time here and there to get the first month’s plans ready will help you start the school year right.

Once you have a curriculum mapped out, start planning projects. It’s important to know your student population when planning. Some schools utilize ability grouping to some degree. So you may have three 4th grade classes. But one has more students reading and writing at grade level. This will impact the type of art activities you do.

If you get stuck, I have tons of ready-to-go art lessons you can grab.

10) Plan & Prep Art Assessments

What I’ve learned over the last 25 years, is that every school handles grades and assessment differently.

I’ve spoken to art teachers who say they’ve never had to write a lesson plan nor grade anything. Some give vanity grades like O/S/U. And still others have to give numerical grades. If you’re giving grades, you’re likely required to plan assessments, too.

Assessments should be tied to the objectives of your lesson. So think about what those objectives are and how you can create quick and simple assessments for them.

Art exit tickets are a great way to assess what students learned at the end of a lesson. These formative assessment tools:

Typically take 3 – 5 minutes of class time

Can be task-oriented or literacy-driven

Reinforce art concepts

I’ve removed all the stress an art teacher might face by prepping 500 exit tickets with many ideas related to the elements and principles of design. Just figure out what you’re teaching that day and assign an exit slip to it. Done!

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You may also be required to assign summative assessments and self-reflection worksheets for each project. Most art teachers are using some of the same basic criteria for each project such as:

Time Management

Creativity

Following Directions

Craftsmanship

Work Habits

For younger students, I like using emoji faces for performance ratings and icons for the criteria. However, by the time they’re in middle school, I replace the emojis with written text. I’ve set up my template to make editing them easy.

For starters. I created this Editable Art Rubric Template to save art teachers a lot of prep time. Again, no need to reinvent the wheel! For upper elementary and middle school, I hand out the rubric on the first day of the project. This helps kids know what to expect in advance.

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Editable Art Rubric for Elementary & Middle School

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11) Collect Bags, Bins, & Plastic Containers

This is an often-missed prep idea for art teachers, but so needed!

I have often joked that being an art teacher is like being a trash collector. Those plastic pint- and quart-sized soup containers? Perfect for holding brushes and using passing out cups of water for painting. But they don’t grow on trees.

See that stack of clear plastic containers on the shelf? I use those for plaster bandage sculpture projects. They also double as water bath containers for my chalk printmaking lesson. Having containers at the ready will help when you’re racing to put together lessons.

And often, you’ll be hustling around doing your art teacher thing and need a container of some kind to:

Hold project materials for each class

Quickly get a pile of projects or materials out of the way

Store new art material donations or purchases

Stash sculptures or other bulky, cumbersome projects away

So, start collecting early!

12) Create an Emergency Art Sub Binder

An art sub binder should have two things, essentially: all the information a substitute teacher would need to take over your art room for the day and the actually lessons they would teach.

The idea here is that in the case of an absence due to being sick, injured, or some type of last minute family emergency, you have everything in place.

Having an art sub binder prior to the school year starting will give you loads of peace of mind!

You’ll be able to start putting together all the information about your art room and lessons without any other input. But half of that information will come from your school district, such as all the procedures regarding school-wide emergencies.

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13) Order Art Supplies

In some cases, the art supplies may already be ordered for the school year. In my school, we were required to hand in our order before the end of the school year. But if no order has been placed, it’s both a blessing and a curse.

It’s definitely nice to pick out your own supplies. However, placing an order at the start of the school year may very well leave you without the required basics to get through the first few weeks.

Plus, a lot of art supply catalogs have products placed on backorder. You may be waiting months for things to come in. So get your order in quick.

When I’m figuring out my order, I consider what’s already “in stock.” In order to do that, I’m testing some of my current materials, like the markers.

Ask your school what the budget is, which catalogs you can purchase from, and if they have specific requisition forms that need to be filled out. Many states have approved vendor lists that public schools have to choose between. So be aware of that. You may have more flexibility at other types of schools.

If your school has no budget – gosh, I’m so sorry! – you’re likely going to be:

Creating fundraisers

Requesting donations from parents and community members

Setting up an Amazon wishlist

Creating a DonorsChoose project to raise funds

Composing a list of art supplies for students to purchase

Conclusion: Art Teacher Prep Ideas Save You Time!

GULP. That feels like a lot of prep work, huh? It can feel like an avalanche if you put it off all summer. Work a little, play a little, I say.

There’s a lot an art teacher can do prior to back to school to prep for all the wonderful ideas they have. I’ve given you a good working list you can tackle before back to school begins. I hope it answer questions, relieves stress, and helps with your work life balance. Especially at the start of the new school year.

The post 13 Art Teacher Prep Ideas for Back to School appeared first on Glitter Meets Glue.

19 Inspiring Women’s History Month Art Projects

Amie Bentley — Sat, 02 Mar 2024 03:59:54 +0000

When I was in art school, my H.W. Janson art history books read like a ‘who’s who’ of White, European males. It wasn’t until the chapter entitled, “The Modern World” that women were more likely to be the painters than the painted. And, when reflecting on my early teaching career, I realized I hadn’t done much to change that dynamic. I simply didn’t have enough Women’s History Month art projects in my repertoire.

Not to mention that even in a female-dominated industry like education, it seems that women don’t prioritize teaching about female artists, especially during March, a month in which women’s history is honored. I’m determined to change that. Want to help?

Here are some art lessons based on a few well-established women artists mixed in with some fresh takes. Each includes a short biography about the artist so you can quickly explore the art project ideas I’ve come up with for Women’s History Month. Many of the female artists presented here would work well for both elementary and middle school, depending on your approach.

19 Inspiring Women’s History Month Art Projects for K – 8

1. Georgia O’Keeffe

Georgia O’Keeffe was a famous American artist known for her large-scale paintings of flowers, animal bones, and landscapes, where she used bold colors and exaggerated perspectives. Her art was different from others at the time and made her a leading figure in American art. O’Keeffe found inspiration in nature, especially the landscapes of New Mexico, where she lived.

Depending on your approach, Georgia O’Keeffe’s art would be appropriate for both elementary and middle school. I’ve successfully done close-up pastel flower drawings with 4th grade. But I’ve also used her for teaching blending techniques with middle school artists.

Art Project Ideas

Draw an abstract landscape using reference images of mountains, deserts, canyons, etc. and oil pastels, colored pencils, or chalk pastels. Encourage students to simplify and exaggerate the shapes, colors, and textures, while experimenting with bold compositions.

Create an up-close pastel drawing of a flower using reference images of flowers, such as roses, lilies, or sunflowers. Encourage students to focus on capturing the vibrant colors of the flower using blending techniques.

Paint found objects, such as driftwood, shells, rocks, and branches overlapped onto a simple landscape background. Practice using a viewfinder to draw the objects up close and from interesting angles.

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2. Yellena James

Yellena James, a contemporary artist from Bosnia, creates intricate and whimsical underwater scenes of shells, coral, sea stars, and flora. Using mixed media like inks, acrylic, watercolor, and gouache paints, as well as markers, James weaves organic forms, bold colors, and dancing lines into abstract compositions. And, more recently, she has begun creating digital versions of her dreamy waterscapes.

The intricacy of Yellena James’ art makes her suitable for middle school Women’s History Month art projects.

Art Project Ideas

Create a mandala inspired by Yellena James’ swirling compositions using the wet-on-wet technique. Then, have students draw organic forms and circular patterns with permanent markers, colored pencils, and acrylic paint.

Research and print out examples of plants and flowers in your area to use as reference. Have students create detailed botanical illustrations using fine liners or colored pencils, focusing on capturing the intricate details and textures of each plant.

Compose digital illustrations inspired by Yellena James’ vibrant style using Procreate. Teach students how to use digital brushes, layers, and blending modes to the create flowing repetition reminiscent of James’ artwork.

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3. EttaVee (Jessi Raulet)

EttaVee was founded by Jessi Raulet, an American-born, Paris-based artist known for her whimsical paintings featuring tropical flora, butterflies with eclectic patterns, and brightly-colored hearts. With a background in graphic design and a love for vibrant colors and bold patterns, Jessi collaborates with big brands worldwide to style their wares.

Jessi’s art exudes a playful, positive energy and would make a great painting lesson for elementary aged students.

Art Project Ideas

Paint a patterned heart in the style of EttaVee using acrylic paints and acetate as the canvas.

Create a patterned background in the style of EttaVee. Then, choose one positive or uplifting word to incorporate into the design.

Make whimsical butterfly paintings using a combination of long and short brushstrokes and simple patterns.

4. Claire West

Claire West, a contemporary British artist, paints landscapes teeming with flowers, cottages, and animals, as well as still-life painting of flower vases. With a background in interior design, West uses her knowledge of color and pattern to create texturally-rich artwork with many layers of splattered or dripped paints and inks. She works in her sketchbook to record ideas she sees on her travels which she uses as inspiration for final artworks.

Claire West’s playful and experimental style of art works well for elementary art. I like using it to discuss space in terms of depth of field background and foreground).

Art Project Ideas

Use soft pastel and washable tempera paints to create a still-life picture of a vase of flowers. Create chalky textures with the soft pastels while using dabs of paint to create flowers.

Have students collect flowers, leaves, and other things from nature to glue into a sketchbook. Then, next to the nature bits, use colored pencils to re-create the colors they see and draw what they look like. And, have them write about what they found.

Paint a picture of a backyard garden up close using washable tempera paint. Research flowers that grow naturally in your area and print out picture for reference.

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5. Yayoi Kusama

Yayoi Kusama, a Japanese contemporary artist, is known for her immersive artworks that blur the boundaries between visual art, performance, and installation. Kusama’s art is deeply influenced by her experiences with mental illness and her lifelong fascination with patterns, repetition, and the concept of infinity. She paints her iconic polka dots on everything including pumpkins, mushrooms, flower, and people.

Kusama’s more simplistic works with pumpkins and flowers are great inspiration for elementary art lessons. But her “My Eternal Soul” paintings featuring repeated motifs of eyes, faces, and microscopic organic shapes are best paired with middle school art. There are lots of connections that can be made between the concept of infinity in math and animal/plant cells learned in science at this age level.

Art Project Ideas

Create a polka dotted pumpkin sculpture with clay, modeling dough, or papier-mâché.

Design a collaborative installation where each student paints different sized and colored overlapping dots on their own sheet of paper. Then, install each artwork next to one another in the hallways to create infinity mirror effect. Swap our white paper for black and use neon paints for a black light effect!

Compose a painting inspired by Kusama’s “My Eternal Soul” series. Have students research and print out extreme close-up pictures of animal and plant cells and other interesting living organisms to use as inspiration.

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6. Nikki Farquharson

Nikki Farquharson is a British artist and illustrator known for her mixed-media artworks that are abstract and composed of bold patterns. Through her art, she challenges traditional beauty standards and explores themes of identity and self-expression. Using a variety of techniques and mediums, including illustration, collage, and digital art, Farquharson celebrates individuality and uniqueness.

Farquharson uses basic materials like colored pencils, markers, and paper in her art. Sometimes she transfers those patterns to digital images that can be combined with photos of posed models to create a hybrid digital collage aesthetic.

Farquharson’s bold and funky graphic style would make for great self-portraits in upper elementary. While her more full-length figure collages would make a great tech-infused visual arts project for middle school during Women’s History Month.

Art Project Ideas

Create a self-portrait using mixed-media, incorporating elements that represent their unique identities and personalities, such as patterns, symbols, and colors.

Make a digital collage in Google Slides or Procreate which experiments with color, texture, and composition to convey personal stories and emotions.

Pick one uplifting word (such as powerful, hope, or believe) and design creative typography using Farquharson’s bold and vibrant style.

7. Karla Gerard

Karla Gerard is a well-known folk artist recognized for her colorful and cheerful paintings inspired by rural life and nature. Living in Maine, she finds inspiration in her surroundings, filling her artwork with vibrant colors, intricate designs, and a sense of joy. Her unique style often includes cozy cottages, scenic landscapes, and animals.

I love her folksy flair, which I find works well with upper elementary grades. Teaching about Gerard lends itself to topics like background, middle ground, and foreground as well as pattern and rhythm.

Art Project Ideas

Draw an animal portrait in the style of Karla Gerard using bold, black outlines, patterns, and expressive features.

Create a mixed media landscape of rolling hills, cozy cottages, and vibrant flowers, using bold colors and simple shapes characteristic of folk art.

Design a folk art quilt with fabric scraps, construction paper, scissors, and glue, incorporating patterns and motifs reminiscent of Gerard’s folk art style.

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8. Elizabeth Murray

Elizabeth Murray was an American artist known for her innovative, cartoon and graffiti-like “shaped canvas” paintings and sculptures. She combined elements of abstraction, Cubism, and Pop Art, challenging artistic norms. Murray’s style often featured fragmented shapes and vibrant colors, reflecting her playful and inventive approach to art.

Murray’s unique, experimental style of art would pair really well with middle schoolers. I think they would appreciate her less than high-brow perspective she brought to the art world.

Art Project Ideas

Construct sculptural assemblages using found objects such as cardboard, wire, wood scraps, and plastic containers. Emphasize dynamic composition and interesting spatial relationships in their work.

Draw a self-portrait using acrylic paint or chalk pastel inspired by Elizabeth Murray’s fragmented forms. Encourage students to explore their own identity by drawing objects or symbols to represent themselves.

Organize a collaborative mural project in which students work off a shared theme such as nature, community, or imagination. Encourage students to work together to create a cohesive and visually dynamic mural that reflects Murray’s bold and inventive style.

9. Hilma af Klint

Hilma af Klint was a Swedish artist known for her unique abstract art. Unlike other artists of her time, she used bright colors, geometric shapes, and spiritual ideas in creating her “automatic drawing.” Inspired by spiritualism, theosophy, and mysticism, her art was ahead of its time but her ideas for her art were on par with the times. Although she didn’t get much recognition while she was alive, today, people admire her as the pioneering founder of abstract art.

With consideration for the meaning and methods in creating her art, I feel strongly it’s best to reserve Klint’s art as inspiration for middle and high school art lessons.

Art Project Ideas

Using drawing materials such as oil pastels, crayons, or conte crayon, create abstract compositions using geometric shapes, lines, and personal symbols. Encourage students to explore color symbolism and the use of repetition and symmetry.

Practice creating an ‘automatic drawing’ by lightly holding an oil pastel over a large sheet of newsprint paper. Allow the pastel to move freely without consciously directing its movement. Consider using ‘automatic drawings’ as a warm-up activity before other drawing exercises.

Create an explorative, abstract watercolor painting using bold colors, fluid brushstrokes, and organic shapes. Encourage students to experiment with layering, blending, and dripping techniques.

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10. Ruth Asawa

Ruth Asawa was an American artist who made intricate wire sculptures. She faced challenges as a Japanese-American during World War II and was placed in an internment camp. Asawa eventually learned sculpture and became famous for her delicate wire sculptures which looked like floating shapes and patterns. Ruth Asawa also believed in the importance of art education for everyone, and she worked to make it accessible for all.

Considering the intricate nature of her work, I would reserve project ideas based on her work for middle school. But, I would encourage elementary art teachers to put her work alongside other female artists during Women’s History Month for class discussions.

Art Project Ideas

Construct wire sculpture using thin aluminum wire and wire-cutting tools. Instruct them to bend, twist, and shape the wire to create their own sculptures, exploring different forms and structures.

After reading, “A Life Made by Hand: The Story of Ruth Asawa,” work collaboratively to create wire sculpture orbs using string or embroidery thread, glue, balloons, and fishing line. Dip the thread in gluey water and wrap around a balloon tightly many times until the balloon creates a rounded form. One dry, string different sized orbs together to make a hanging sculpture.

Make exploratory weavings using yarn, string, fabric strips, and wire on a cardboard loom. Encourage students to experiment with different weaving techniques and patterns, drawing inspiration from Asawa’s use of weaving to create intricate sculptures.

11. Amelia Pelaez

Amelia Pelaez is known for painting female figures, still-life arrangements of flowers, and scenes from everyday life in the countryside and barrios of her hometown in Cuba. Her vibrant artwork blend elements of Cubism and abstraction with traditional folk art motifs, vivid colors, and intricate patterns. Throughout her career, Pelaez received recognition for her contributions to the Cuban art scene, solidifying her legacy as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century in Latin America.

Pelaez painted geometric forms with bold brushworks, making her work the perfect muse for upper elementary and middle school aged students.

Art Project Ideas

Compose a still-life of fruits and veggies using geometric shapes in Pelaez’s Cubist style. Then, outline all the shapes using black glue and once dry, paint inside the shapes using bright colors.

Design a still-life of flowers in a vase. Incorporate examples of local architecture in your area as inspiration for the background in the same way Amelia Pelaez did in her paintings.

Create patterned tiles inspired by Amelia Pelaez’s ceramic works using clay or air-dry clay and tools for shaping and carving.

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12. Elizabeth Catlett

Elizabeth Catlett was a Black American artist known for her strong sculptures and prints that explored race, gender, and social justice. Her sculptures, often carved from wood or stone, exuded strength and resilience, while her prints conveyed messages of equality and empowerment. Catlett didn’t just make art; she also fought for change, using her art to inspire people and make a difference.

I feel more simplistic, figurative sculptures and collages can be successfully attempted by elementary students. Meanwhile, middle school would be a great age level for lessons on how to symbolically represent important social justice issues.

Art Project Ideas

Using Catlett’s collage works as inspiration, create a collage from magazines, newspapers, and construction paper that illustrates a personal narrative. Encourage students to explore themes of resilience, community, and empowerment.

Create small air-dry clay sculptures of important people in their community. Encourage students to consider the facial features, expressions, and body language that convey identity and personality.

Design a poster that raises awareness about an important social justice issue, such as racial equality, gender equity, or environmental justice. Encourage students to use powerful imagery, bold colors, and succinct messages to communicate their message.

13. Katherine Bernhardt

Katherine Bernhardt is an American artist known for her lively paintings of everyday objects like fruit, animals, and shoes. She also incorporates pop culture icons and brands, like Nike and Apple, too. Bernhardt draws inspiration from a variety of sources including fashion, advertising, graffiti, and global consumer culture. And, she uses spray paint to draw out her ideas on cavas, but waters down her paints which give them a lively appearance.

I recommend using Katherine Bernhardt’s work as inspiration for upper elementary art lessons. Kids this age will appreciate her upbeat color palette and low-brow approach to art-making.

Art Project Ideas

Recreate Katherine Bernhardt’s loose painting approach using soft pastels and watered-down tempera paints. Have students dip pastels in water and draw the outlines of everyday objects. Once dry, use tempera paints to fill in between. Be sure to repeat patterns and motifs.

Construct a large-scale, collaborative mural using roll paper and tempera paint, featuring current pop art images and icons that students select. They should use bold colors, repeating patterns, and loose paint strokes.

Create a still-life painting of everyday objects such as fruits, snacks, drinks, and personal items using energetic brushstrokes and repeating patterns.

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14. Kerri Ambrosino

Kerri Ambrosino is a folk artist from New York (currently living at the New Jersey shore) who is inspired by the things she sees every day including sailboats, animals, flowers, and trees. She has no formal training as an artist, which makes her an artisan. Ambrosino’s work features lot of repeated shapes, motifs, colors, and patterns.

Kerri Ambrosino’s joyful, kaleidoscopic paintings with simplistic motifs make great lower elementary art projects for Women’s History month.

Art Project Ideas

Draw a large bouquet of flowers in a vase using oil pastels and tempera paints. Focus on pattern, color, shape, and repetition to create a still-life that has the same feel as Ambrosino’s work.

Paint sailboats dancing across the water using mixed media. Explore the concept of flowing lines that help lead the viewer’s eyes across the page.

Create a collage of a family pet or favorite animal using construction paper and tempera paints. Repeat patterns, colors, and shapes throughout.

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15. Kindah Khalidy

Kindah Khalidy, a California-based contemporary artist and textile designer, is known for her lively paintings full of bright colors and playful shapes. Drawing inspiration from her Bay area environment, Khalidy’s artwork often includes somewhat recognizable “blobs,” as she calls them such as strawberries, cacti, and UFOs. You might think her painting style is more frenetic. But she carefully plans out her compositions and color palette, working to balance out the shapes and colors just so.

Elementary-aged children will love the whimsical, carefree nature of Kindah Khalid’s “blob” paintings. However, I love teaching middle schoolers about various artists who are at the intersection of fine and commercial art. Therefore, I’d also consider using her work alongside other artists like EttaVee who also sell branded products like mugs, tumblers, etc.

Art Project Ideas

Design decorative pillows with personally chosen motifs using fabric paint on cotton in Kindah Khalidy’s carefree style. Paint two 18″ square pieces of cotton fabric with bright colors. After drying, hand sew the two pieces together and fill with stuffing.

Brainstorm ideas for “blobs” found in your local area like plants, foliage, iconic buildings, and whatever else stands out and practice drawing them simply on scrap paper with bold markers. Then, paint them with tempera paints on heavy paper, so certain blobs of certain colors are next to one another.

Organize a collaborative mural project for your yearly art show where students and parents work together to paint one “blob” each on a wide sheet of white roll paper taped to the wall.

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16. Jen Stark

Jen Stark is an American Op artist known for her colorful rainbow sculptures and installations. Stark finds inspiration in patterns from nature, mathematics, and psychedelia. Her signature style involves meticulously cutting and layering paper, creating intricate and hypnotic compositions that explore themes of infinity and interconnectedness. Recently, she is most known for her mesmerizing drip paintings and murals.

Stark’s spellbinding moray patterned art is well-received by middle schoolers who connect well with her funky designs and aesthetic.

Art Project Ideas

Create a collage of Jen Stark-inspired drips using different color schemes such as analogous, monochromatic, and complementary colors. Combine all the drip artworks together to make one cohesive display.

Make paper sculptures using Jen Stark’s signature paper-cutting and layering techniques. Provide students with various colored papers, scissors, and glue. Experiment with cutting out different shapes and layering them to create three-dimensional paper sculptures.

Draw a rainbow mandala ring with geometric patterns and symmetry using a circular template, colored pencils, markers, and crayons.

17. Heather Galler

Heather Galler is a folk artist from New York, known for her bright and cheerful paintings of animals, landscapes, still-life paintings of flowers, and houses. Galler’s vibrant paintings feature bold patterns, intricate details, and playful imagery. For a small fee, she’ll paint anyone’s pet in her characteristic black outlined, kaleidoscopic color palette.

I definitely recommend using Heather Galler as inspiration for any elementary art lessons. For the younger one, consider projects that narrow down the focus and steps such as a simple pet portrait. While leaving projects with more steps for upper elementary.

Art Project Ideas

Create a still-life painting of everyday objects such as fruits, flowers, or household items, incorporating Galler’s bold patterns and vibrant colors into their artwork.

Paint an animal portrait in the style of Heather Galler with thick, black outlines and bold colors using washable tempera paints. Each child can either bring in a family pet portrait or use examples of animal pictures provided.

Design a collaborative mural painting called, “Our Community” where students reflect on the parts of their community they feel are most unique such as the downtown, a waterfront area, farms, lakes, etc. Work to design the mural so all important aspects of the community are in mind, painting it using bold patterns and colors.

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18. Clementine Hunter

Clementine Hunter was a folk artist from Louisiana known for her colorful paintings showing life on a plantation. Using materials like window shades and house paint, she captured scenes of everyday life, like people picking cotton, washing clothes, or simply a vase of flowers. Hunter’s paintings captured the essence of African-American rural life in the South, portraying both the joys and hardships of the time. Her primitive style, with simplified forms and compositions and repeated shapes and colors helps the viewer’s eyes travel around the canvas as they follow the story.

Because her narrative style was quite simplistic, Clementine Hunter’s work is the perfect muse for elementary art lessons. I recommend tying lessons about space (background and foreground) with her work.

Art Project Ideas

Paint a landscape of rural life in America, incorporating elements such as people working in the fields, colorful houses, and animals. Encourage students to use bold and vibrant colors like Hunter did in her artwork.

Create a narrative drawing, using colored pencils and markers, that tells a story about a large gathering event such as a birthday party or community event. Focus on creating repetition amongst the elements on the page including repeated colors, lines, and shapes.

Paint a picture of flowers in a flower pot using short and long, thickly painted brushstrokes. Consider using recycled materials like cardboard to paint on in the same resourceful way Clementine Hunter used discarded window shades.

19. Howardena Pindell

Howardena Pindell is an American artist known for her innovative contributions to painting, mixed media, and conceptual art. Pindell’s work explores themes of race, gender, identity, and memory. She incorporates unconventional materials and techniques such as hole-punched dots, thread, foam sheets, wax, and nails into her work to create texture. Pindell began using dots in her work as a powerful reminder of a negative childhood memory from the segregated South.

I love the exploratory nature of Pindell’s art and feel it works quite well for elementary art project in March during Women’ History Month.

Art Project Ideas

Explore Howardena Pindell’s use of dots in her mixed media works by creating a dot collage. Have students draw patterns on scrap paper and use watercolor to paint over them. Then, once dry, begin cutting and punching out dots and assembling them back together again. Encourage students to experiment with cutting, tearing, and arranging the materials to create a visually interesting compositions.

Create a textural mixed media artwork using paint, sand, salt, rice, beans, and fabric scraps. Have students glue down these textured materials onto a small piece of cardboard in an interesting way. Then, use acrylic paint over everything.

Experiment with creating dots from drips of paint, stamps, stencils, bubble wrap, and cotton swabs to form a picture inspired by the planets and stars in the galaxy.

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What are good Women’s History Month art projects for elementary students?

Try projects that celebrate influential women artists while keeping materials simple. Students can create collages of famous women, illustrate their stories, or make art inspired by artists like Frida Kahlo, Yayoi Kusama, or Faith Ringgold.

Directed drawings and pattern-based projects work especially well for younger students because they’re approachable and engaging.

Which women artists should I teach during Women’s History Month?

Include a mix of modern and historical figures so students see a range of voices. Popular choices include Frida Kahlo(self-portraits), Yayoi Kusama (dot art), Faith Ringgold (story quilts), Georgia O’Keeffe (flowers), and EttaVee (colorful patterns).

For middle school, you might also include Barbara Kruger (text-based art) or Kara Walker(silhouettes) for deeper conversations about identity and history.

How can I make Women’s History Month art lessons meaningful?

Connect the project to students’ lives. Start with a short discussion about why we celebrate Women’s History Month, then introduce an artist’s work and story. Encourage students to reflect on what inspired them and include that in a short artist statement worksheet or journal entry.

This helps them see the connection between the art they’re making and the larger story of women’s contributions to history.

How Will You Honor Women’s History Month in Your Art Room?

Hopefully by now you’ve seen a wealth of inspiring, innovative, and engaging female artists to base art projects on for Women’s History Month. It’s important that we, as educators, don’t succumb to the norms of teaching art from only a male-centric point of view.

If we are to ensure better representation of women in art history, let’s educate our students about the significant contributions of women throughout history. A woman’s place is in front of the canvas, the art room, and the gallery, shaping narratives, inspiring minds, and crafting her own legacy

Drop a comment below and let me know which of these Women’s History Month artists and art projects resonate with you!

The post 19 Inspiring Women’s History Month Art Projects appeared first on Glitter Meets Glue.