As art teachers, we know the power of the visual arts to connect and move people. Now, science is proving what we’ve understood all along! The field of neuroaesthetics is showing how art can improve emotional well-being.

Let’s explore how to harness neuroaesthetics through service learning in the art room to improve health and quality of life.

What is neuroaesthetics?

Neuroaesthetics is the study of how our brains respond to art. When we look at art, parts of our brains light up! These parts handle emotion, senses, and pleasure and release dopamine, which makes us feel good and reduces stress. Susan Magsamen explores how creating and viewing art can help people in her book called This Is Your Brain on Art.

In hospitals and nursing homes, art can be a positive distraction. It helps people focus on something calming. A study of burn victims found that looking at pleasant images reduced their pain. This shows that art doesn’t just fill a space—it makes people feel better! Understanding how art affects the brain enables us to see the full power and potential of student artwork. Use this science as part of a service learning project to bring art and positivity to others in the community.

Bring the power of neuroaesthetics into your classroom and community with these ideas!

Compare and contrast two artworks to capture emotional responses. 

To introduce students to neuroaesthetics, compare two very different artworks. The Scream by Edvard Munch and Water Lilies by Claude Monet are great examples to start with! These paintings show how art can prompt different emotions. The Scream often makes viewers feel tense or anxious, with the subject’s intense facial expression and the artist’s use of bold colors and swirling lines. 

In contrast, Water Lilies creates a sense of calm through soft, subdued colors and flowing shapes. Talk with students about how each piece affects their mood. Ask them to think about how the elements of art contribute to the mood. Segue into how creating and sharing calming art can bring tranquility to others, especially those who are sad or struggling.

Create calm with color field artists.

Research shows that certain colors can boost our well-being. Non-objective art, especially by Color Field artists like Wassily Kandinsky and Helen Frankenthaler, is ideal for this activity. The large-scale artworks with big splashes of color are a great introduction to color symbolism. 

Introduce Color Field artists and how they used color to convey emotion without recognizable subject matter. Reinforce color theory, focus on mixing tertiary colors, and explore blending. Lead a guided visualization by asking, “What colors make you feel calm? Are they cool or warm? Saturated or muted?” Students paint a non-objective piece, using color to evoke calm. Experiment with materials like squeegees, rollers, and sponges for blending.

If you’re looking for resources to scaffold this process but don’t have time to create your own, check out FLEX Curriculum. FLEX is a standards-aligned curriculum with a vast archive of lesson plans and student-facing resources. Use worksheets like Showing Emotion: A Formative Tool and Discussion: Colors and Feelings to guide students in exploring emotions through color. 

Visualize positive themes through hand lettering.

Ask students to list positive themes like hope, peace, love, and kindness. By transforming these abstract ideas into hand-lettered art, students see how art can inspire. Read Ish by Peter H. Reynolds to encourage students to embrace abstract art and capture their theme’s essence. 

Students choose a positive theme and reflect on how to represent it visually. Ask questions like, “If kindness were a color, what would it be? If hope were lines, what type would it be?  If peace were a texture, how would it feel?” to guide their visualization. Discuss text in art and the importance of different font styles and sizes. Practice various words and quotes with step-by-step hand-lettering directions and drills. After sketching different word and composition combinations, choose a favorite to turn into a final artwork with markers and paint.

Share art in community spaces to positively transform well-being.

Once students create their artwork, it’s time to share it with the community! Brainstorm a list of places with your students that could benefit from calming artwork.

Here are some community space ideas to include:

• Hospitals
• Nursing Homes
• Shelters
• Rehab Facilities
• Veterans’ Centers
• Hospice Centers
• Assisted Living Facilities
• Mental Health Clinics
• Libraries

Reach out to venues via email and share your plan for displaying calming art. Discuss details about the space and display and how long the artwork will be up. Consider easy-hang options like using butcher paper for quick setup or pre-matting the pieces for a polished look. Coordinate with the venue to choose the best method.

For more innovative and time-saving ways to display student artwork, check out the following tips:

• Art Room Hacks: New Ways to Display Artwork
• 7 Nifty Ideas for Storing, Hanging, and Displaying Artwork
• How to Select Art Show Artwork and The Best Adhesives to Hang Art

Invite students and families to visit the exhibit by emailing home or including it in the school newsletter. Provide a box, blank cards, and pens for visitors to write letters to the students about how the artwork made them feel. This reinforces the value of the students’ work and highlights the impact of visual art.

Service learning helps students see how their art can make a difference. Creating art for therapeutic spaces boosts creativity and teaches students the emotional power of their work. By placing hand-lettered quotes or giant color field paintings in hospitals or shelters, students bring calm and comfort to those in need. It shows that art connects us and supports others beyond the classroom. Art-based service learning gives students purpose and shows how their artistic efforts can help the community.

How do you guide your students to think about the emotional impact of their work?

What are your favorite ways to incorporate service learning projects in the art room?

To continue the conversation, join us in The Art of Ed Community!

The post 4 Ways to Use Student Art for Community Service Learning & Well-Being appeared first on The Art of Education University.

In a world buzzing with AI headlines—from ominous predictions to promises of overcoming human limitations—AI is the topic on everyone’s lips. No matter where you stand on the topic, it’s inevitable that our students will encounter and use it. It’s important to be proactive and teach our students how to use AI responsibly as a tool. We want them to harness AI to unleash their creativity rather than replace it! Use the steps below to guide them through vital AI discussions centered around an art lesson idea they will thoroughly enjoy.

Unlock creativity with this captivating lesson idea that merges Surrealism with AI!

Get started with AI and learn about popular platforms. It’s important to note considerations when bringing AI into the K-12 art room. Then, discover ways to streamline your planning and assessment! If you’re looking for even more ways to dive into the transformative role of AI in teaching art, enroll in AI in Art Education.

1. Connect with art history.

Before diving into AI and digital tools, it’s important to put them in the broader context of art history. This helps students connect past lessons to new media. The Surrealist movement, known for its disjointed and dreamlike qualities, naturally complements AI’s strengths in generating unexpected and imaginative imagery. Just as Salvador Dalí pushed the boundaries of reality with imaginative concepts, AI can assist students in exploring and transforming visual elements to create innovative art. By delving into this connection, students will see how modern technology continues the Surrealist tradition of pushing creativity and challenging perception. 

Use Salvador Dalí’s artist bio in FLEX Curriculum to support learning. Each artist bio includes an image of the artist and/or artwork, quick facts, a list of famous works, and a brief history of their life and career. Artist bios make great screen-free resources for students to read about an artist! 

Once students have a basic understanding of Surrealism, focus on specific pieces that exemplify it. Key pieces can include The Persistence of Memory, The Son of Man, or Europe After the Rain, II. Give students time to examine the artwork and compile a list of everything they see. Take those observations to the next level by asking why the artist may have made those choices and what the “big idea” may be. This process helps students connect their observations to the underlying meaning of the piece. Additionally, ask students to note where they see the melding of reality and dreams to set the stage for their artmaking prompt.

2. Plan with keywords.

Brainstorm relevant keywords to input into an AI image-generating tool. Encourage students to list five or more hobbies and interests, followed by five or more adjectives to describe their dreams. This helps gain student buy-in by leveraging what they like while also creating a link to Surrealism. Remind students not to use copyrighted images, personal identifying information, and celebrity names.

3. Understand AI technology.

Before letting them loose with AI technology, take the time to discuss what AI actually is. While many students may have heard of AI (or even used it!), they may not fully understand how it works or the implications of using it. AI systems use data from various online sources and analyze patterns to make predictions and create outputs. For instance, platforms such as Dall-E can transform keywords into visuals, making the artistic process exciting and interactive. Consider reviewing and using a student agreement for the appropriate use of AI tools in the art room.

4. Generate images.

In the AI image generator of your choice, students will enter their keywords as a descriptive sentence. For example, if they love soccer and ice cream, and their dreams are often foggy and involve water, they might input something like, “Playing soccer while eating ice cream in a foggy, water-filled world.” As they explore the images AI generates based on their commands, prompt them to adjust their instructions to experiment with filters and rearrange or swap words. Students will save several images to select their favorite.

5. Explore image editing tools.

It’s time to dive into image editing tools! While processes will vary depending on the platform you select, key tools to review include text, drawing, layering, and transparency. Discuss the concept of ownership and require students to incorporate their AI image as only one element of their artwork, rather than relying solely on it. The final piece should reflect personal artistic choices.

6. Get hands-on!

The final step is what will truly unlock creativity. Students will step away from the computer and get their hands dirty! Print the final artwork and manipulate it in some way. Students can cut their image into strips and weave it, paint or draw layers on top, rip it up and rearrange it into a new collage, or stitch a design through the composition. This tactile approach allows students to further explore and enhance their artistic expression beyond the digital realm. It emphasizes the use of AI as part of a holistic process and not a means of generating a product.

Much like a paintbrush, AI can be another tool in your students’ art kits. Just as the artist controls the brush, students can learn how to responsibly use AI to reflect their unique artistic vision. Integrate AI into art projects a little at a time to expose your students to cutting-edge technology and new ways of self-expression. Infuse Surrealism to add a dose of art history and foster art observation and analysis skills. Combine traditional artistic methods and materials with modern AI platforms to create a rich and relevant learning experience to bridge the past and future of art. 

How do you integrate AI to push creative boundaries?

What other art movement lends itself to AI image generation?

To continue the conversation, join us in The Art of Ed Community!

The post How to Create Ethically Responsible Digital Surrealism with AI for the K-12 Art Room appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Take part in the costume fun this year to ignite your creativity and enter to win a sweet prize! 

Incorporating fashion into art lessons adds a whole new level of excitement and engagement. It’s a unique way to teach art concepts and make lessons more memorable. When teachers express themselves through their clothing and accessories, they can visually represent art concepts and artists.

Not only can your artsy attire hook your students but it can also qualify you to enter the AOEU Costume Contest by November 1, 2024. The AOEU Community Team will select our top favorites and then we’ll bring it to YOU—the AOEU art teacher community—to vote for two winners! We will announce the winners on November 8. The best costume and a raffle winner will earn bragging rights and a pass to the Winter NOW Conference. Plus, we’ll send a gift card to your favorite coffee spot because it’s that time of year when you need an extra boost of caffeine and warmth.

Keep reading to see fantastic costumes from years past to inspire you! Then, gain practical classroom applications to bring fashion fun to your students.

Art Concepts

Dressing up as an art concept or style isn’t just for fun, it’s also super practical. Take a look at the seven examples below to discover how you can be a walking lesson exemplar. Get creative, think outside of the box, and let unique costume ideas bring art terms to life!

1. Color Wheel Wonder

Wear a multicolored outfit to represent the colors of the color wheel, like Kelly Dudek and her rainbow-inspired number. Bring in the team and get your colleagues to be different colors of your favorite supply like Erin Comer.

2. Texture Explorers

Incorporate different textures into your attire, such as a fuzzy sweater or a smooth satin top. To make a lasting impression, go over the top with a blow-up balloon costume like Amber Akes did!

3. Symmetry Superstars

Create a mirrored outfit or wear symmetrical patterns on both sides.

4. Shape Shapeshifters

Dress up as a specific geometric shape or with an outfit theme based on a geometric shape.

5. Line Lovers

Wear striped or checkered patterns or draw temporary lines on your face or limbs. Become your very own stick figure like Molly Fairbanks!

6. Perspective Pros

Experiment with clothing to create a sense of depth and perspective.

7. Value Vanguards

Dress in grayscale or black-and-white to show varying shades and tones.

Different Artists

Dressing up as different artists is not only fun but also a great way to learn more about them. Select your favorite artist or one featured in your next unit and become Leonardo da Vinci, Frida Kahlo, or Vincent van Gogh for a day.

1. Signature Style

Emulate the iconic look of the artist by dressing in their preferred style of clothing. For example, wear a funky hat and suit and draw a mustache to channel the spirit of Salvador Dalí.

2. Artist’s Palette

Create a costume inspired by an artist’s color scheme. Dress in clothing to resemble the hues and tones commonly used in their artwork. For instance, dress in bright, bold colors with black accents to represent the vibrant, abstract style of Wassily Kandinsky.

3. Artistic Accessories

Incorporate accessories to symbolize the artist’s work or personal life. For instance, wear flowers in your hair and find a stuffed monkey to depict Frida Kahlo, like Duangchai Swani and Dayna Ensminger.

4. Painted Masterpiece

Transform yourself into a living artwork by recreating a famous painting on your clothing or creating a wearable canvas. Paint your face to resemble a work of art like Andrea Lauren did to look like Roy Lichtenstein’s work.

5. Signature Props

Use specific props associated with the artist to represent their artwork. For example, carry a sunflower bouquet to reference Vincent Van Gogh’s sunflower series like these three teachers did.

How can you bring these fashionable ideas to your classroom and curriculum? 

You can bring the fashion fun to your own classroom as well! Students design costumes inspired by their favorite art style, movement, or medium. Students explain their costume designs and present their creations to the class. Check out this short video to see what this could look like in your classroom or as an added component to your art show. An exhibit like this fosters enthusiasm for learning, encourages self-expression, and celebrates the diverse world of art. It’s a fun way for students to explore their artistic preferences and showcase their creativity!

The AOEU Costume Contest is an amazing way to blend art and fashion with fun and learning! When students dress up, they bring art concepts and famous artists to life which enhances their learning experience. Costumes help them understand and remember art concepts more easily and they feel a stronger connection to what they’re learning. As teachers, let’s embrace the power of costumes and use the AOEU Costume Contest as a fun teaching tool to get students excited and involved. We can’t wait to see all of the creative and imaginative entries in this year’s contest. Let’s celebrate hands-on, immersive learning, self-expression, and the awesome mix of art and fashion!

What are some ideas you have for this year’s costume contest?

How do you encourage your students to dress for success in the art room?

The post Join Us for AOEU’s Costume Contest to Spark Creativity and Joy appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Save the prompt list below to empower your students with Mini Masterpieces this school year! 

Take the guesswork out of creating new prompts for the start of the year and download our list of Mini Masterpieces daily prompts! This resource has open-ended prompts appropriate for all ages designed to ignite your student artists’ imagination. Use a prompt daily or weekly to guide the exploration of various techniques, art materials, and personal voice. 

Download Now!

1. Learn new techniques with open-ended prompts.

Mini Masterpieces are a perfect way for students to explore new techniques without the pressure of working large. Use sticky notes or cut scrap paper to a similar size. The small size encourages students to focus on practicing specific skills like hatching or collage without feeling overwhelmed.

2. Experiment using different art mediums with low risk and high reward.

A low-stakes environment allows for exploration and discovery. Use this project to test new or unfamiliar materials such as mixed media and embroidery. See if your students are interested in a new art form before investing in a large quantity of supplies. Plus, there is less waste when working small!

3. Alter prompts for cross-curricular collaboration.

Harness the Mini Masterpiece prompt list to meet the needs of your students and curriculum. For instance, prompts related to other subjects can offer an opportunity for cross-collaboration. For the prompt, Pollinator, you can connect with the biology teacher to create deeper connections. 

4. Utilize leftover and scrap resources to promote innovation.

Mini Masterpieces are perfect for using up leftover and scrap materials. Encourage students to repurpose old magazines, fabric swatches, discarded student work, used packaging, or leftover paint. This promotes sustainability and sparks innovation as students find new ways to incorporate these materials into their mini-artworks. It teaches them the value of resourcefulness and how to make art without the need for fancy supplies. 

5. Explore process and synthesis of materials using simple themes. 

This project can potentially evolve into a pathway for students to explore process and synthesis in their work—a valuable skill needed for AP Art portfolios! For instance, Chris Hodge used the prompt Bloom to create a mixed-media sun print using watercolor. The sun-printed physical flowers synthesize the idea of flowers blooming.

6. Support differentiation and a diverse range of student needs. 

The project’s small size and flexible nature accommodate various skill levels and artistic preferences. Within each prompt, there are lots of avenues students can explore too! For the Fashion prompt, intro students can draw a t-shirt design while advanced students can include some figure drawing. They can also draw a treasured article of clothing or use their favorite colors to allow for personalized expression. This flexibility ensures that every student can participate meaningfully, regardless of their artistic background or ability. 

7. Promote reflection in the artistic process. 

After completing each piece, students can analyze what worked well, reflect on their challenges, and discover how they may improve in future works. This reflection fosters critical thinking and helps them understand their creative development over time. Use visual journals or artist statements to record reflections and document evidence of progress and process. 

8. Cultivate a growth mindset by fostering resilience, endurance, and discovery.

The daily practice of creating mini-sized artworks helps students build resilience and endurance in their creative practices. The small scale encourages risk-taking and learning from mistakes, ultimately promoting a growth mindset. By frequently creating on a small scale, students develop a routine that reinforces their skills and fosters continual improvement. 

9. Encourage literacy through storytelling. 

Each mini masterpiece can be a storytelling tool, allowing students to visually convey narratives, emotions, and ideas. For instance, encourage students to add backgrounds or environments to their pieces to add context clues for the viewer. To add a literary element, have students create poems or short stories from their finished masterpieces. 

10. Create a portfolio of artworks for assessment.

By consistently working on prompts each day, students have the opportunity to create a diverse portfolio that showcases a variety of skills and ideas. The body of work also serves as a comprehensive view of their progress which is ideal for reflection and assessment. Collect student work in a mini sketchbook or portfolio to keep track of big growth!

If you missed Mini Masterpieces over the summer, it’s never too late to join in the fun! Use it as a tool to engage in your own creative practice to keep your artistic skills and mindset sharp. Bring it into the classroom for your students to introduce new techniques and inspire creativity. Highlight completed mini masterpieces to prompt reflection and generate fresh ideas. Better yet, create a tiny art gallery to show off student work in your school or end-of-year art show. Don’t forget to share new mini masterpieces on Instagram using the hashtag #aoeuminis and tag @theartofed, Chris Hodge, and Nylah Khan.  We’re so excited to see what you and your students make to kick off the new school year!

What’s one innovative way you want to incorporate Mini Masterpieces in your art room this year?

What prompt did you have the most fun creating?

The post 10 Ways to Empower Your Students in Big Ways with Mini Masterpieces appeared first on The Art of Education University.

First, let’s differentiate between make and create in the K-12 art room:

1. Making often involves following specific instructions or a general process to replicate an example. This is usually about techniques, practicing skills, and understanding art fundamentals. Making could look like our students’ first pinch pots in the art room or shading a sphere with a charcoal pencil. 
2. Creating involves using problem-solving, experimentation, and personal expression to produce an original artwork. In the art room, this could look like students using the pinch pot method to design and construct a narrative vessel or shading the tip of a rounded nose in a Surrealist self-portrait. 

Both making and creating are vital in the art room and involve the production of a piece. Students need to learn technical skills and foundations before diving into personal expression. For example, set your students up for success by teaching color theory and facial proportions before diving into a conceptual self-portrait. 

Explore how to encourage creativity in the classroom with a shift from making to creating.

How do you get students to shift from simply making to creating?

How many times have you heard, “Is this good enough?” Oftentimes, our students get stuck going through the motions of making art. We find students looking at the rubric to meet the bare minimum for projects or copying ideas from their peers. Let’s break the cycle of mediocrity and guide students toward creating artworks they’re passionate about with the three approaches below.

1. Plan open-ended projects.

Design assignments that allow students to explore and make their own decisions. Provide an overarching theme or concept and some requirements. Then, let students interpret the assignment in their own way. Students love having the independence to make their own choices and the requirements allow you to meet objectives as well as boost creativity. Open-ended projects also discourage students from copying your example or their peers’ work.

2. Promote inquiry-based learning.

Encourage students to ask questions and explore topics on a deeper level. Model this by asking them questions that require them to explain or justify. Good questions can lead to a better understanding of their art and build more meaningful connections. Try the Six Word Memoir activity at the start of the year to help students reflect on their interests and identities in a new way. 

3. Foster experimentation and risk-taking.

Create a classroom environment that values experimentation and risk-taking. Remember, it’s okay to slow down and allow students to explore various materials and play with different techniques. Art should be fun! Let students try new tools and processes and let them learn as they go. Keep an ongoing, open discussion to discuss discoveries and limitations. 

Once your students are creating, how do you foster creativity in your classroom?

As artists and art teachers, we can forget what it is like to be new to art. It’s rare for students to walk through our doors already knowing how to be creative! Our students need our help to learn this mindset and habit. Let’s take a look at six ways we can foster creativity within our art rooms.

1. Model creative thinking.

Show students your creative process in your own artistic practice. Share how you approach projects, face challenges, and find solutions. Work on your art alongside your students. Use this time to discuss your thought process and decision-making using a Think-Aloud strategy.

2. Consider inclusive instruction.

Recognize that students have different learning styles and needs. The simplest way to meet everyone’s unique needs is to approach instruction with inclusivity and the 7 Principles of Universal Design. When you consider the needs of all students from the start, you will naturally have various ways for students to customize their artmaking experience. When you remove learning barriers, students are able to participate more meaningfully. And the best part? Different students with different needs can result in more originality in artistic voice and body of work!

3. Use real-world connections.

Connect art projects to real-world issues and events. This approach makes art more relevant for students and it gives them purpose. The problem-solving encourages them to think critically about how art interacts with the world and impacts their lives outside of the art room. 

4. Reflect, adapt, and then repeat.

Make time to reflect on your teaching practice and seek student feedback. Be open to shifting your methods to meet the needs of your students. When students feel heard and know you truly care about their growth, they will be more invested in your classroom and in their art. 

5. Document the process.

While the end product is also important, the process is where students can get curious and make wonderful creative discoveries! Encourage students to document their creative journey and reflect on their learning. Regular sketchbook assignments are perfect for students to record their ideas, experiments, and reflections. Connect the process with the final product in artist statements at the end of the unit. 

6. Include diverse artistic practices.

Another powerful way to get students to think out of the box is to expose them to new techniques, processes, and perspectives. Cover a range of cultures, time periods, and locations in the art and artists you share. Compare and contrast art from different times and places to highlight how art informs other art, so they can make connections to their own work as well. Show them all of the amazing things that are possible and invite them to find what art they love to create.

Whatever age of artists you have in your studio, producing art through making and creating is essential. If you’re looking for ways to make artmaking more meaningful this year, consider a creativity shift. You’ll watch your students go from step-by-step projects and “checklist assignments” to discovery, personal expression, and artistic voice! As an added bonus, you may also see a positive shift in your own artmaking as you experiment and explore alongside your students. Try the suggestions above to facilitate more one-of-a-kind masterpieces this year!

Equip yourself with these resources as you make a creativity shift:

• How to Rethink Creativity When It’s Gone Missing
• Cultivating Creativity in Our Students (Ep. 235)
• How to Embrace Limitations to Tap Into Creativity With Your Students
• 5 Surprising Things You May Not Know About Creativity

How do your studio and teaching practices support the creation process?

What strategies do you use to foster creativity? 

The post Make vs. Create: How to Encourage Creativity in the Art Room appeared first on The Art of Education University.

What is neurographic art?

Developed by Russian psychologist Pavel Piskarev in 2014, neurographic art is a structured yet free-flowing method of artmaking. Unlike traditional drawing which often focuses on replicating a specific image, neurographic art centers on creating organic, neuron-like lines and shapes. These lines are then transformed by rounding sharp corners to create a visually calming and aesthetically pleasing artwork.

Why is neurographic art the perfect creative exercise for everyone?

One of the significant benefits of neurographic art is its ability to unlock creative potential. Similar to Surrealist methods like automatism, the neurographic process is designed to bypass the critical mind. It allows individuals to express themselves freely without judgment or the pressure of achieving a perfect outcome. This freedom fosters exploration and experimentation, encouraging you to venture beyond your comfort zone.

Here are five more ways neurographic art can help de-stress:

1. Focuses on the process.
   Neurographic art focuses on the act of creation rather than the final product. This emphasis on the process allows artists to embrace the joy of making art without getting caught up in achieving a specific result.
2. Eliminates mistakes.
   The core techniques, like creating freeform shapes and rounding sharp corners, transform what may initially appear as an error into an integral part of the artwork. This freedom allows creative risk-taking and experimentation without fear of failure.
3. Engages the right brain.
   The repetitive line work taps into the right brain, which is the hemisphere associated with creativity, intuition, and emotional processing. This right-brain engagement helps with generating ideas, a whole brain activity. 
4. Improves focus.
   The repetitive nature also can enhance concentration and focus. Practice mindfulness by directing attention to the present moment and the creation of each stroke.
5. Enhances emotional processing.
   Neurographic art can serve as a tool to help process difficult emotions. The act of judgment-free creating can provide a safe space to express anxieties and frustrations in a visual way.

How do you make neurographic art?

The beauty of neurographic art lies in its simplicity. Generally, the process involves starting off with a very quick non-objective line drawing. Then, look back at the intersections and round off the corners. The steps are very straightforward for any skill level.

Take your neurographic drawings to the next level with these two hacks:

1. Close every shape.
   Ensure all lines go to the edge of the composition or are connected to another line for cohesion and balance.
2. Mask around the perimeter.
   A clean border will make the composition look more polished and presentable.

Try these neurographic prompts to get started:

We often assume requirements stunt creativity. Did you know the opposite is true? Creating parameters can be surprisingly liberating and encourage deeper creative thinking. Plus, blank pages can be intimidating, no matter how old or experienced you are! Give yourself a little push to think outside of the box and tackle your blank page with prompts as a guide.

Try these prompts:

• Emotions
  Choose an emotion you are experiencing right now (such as joy, sadness, or anger) and capture it with line quality and color.
• Nature
  Use lines to represent leaves, branches, or flowing water.
• Music
  Listen to a song and illustrate the sounds and emotions they evoke with lines and shapes.
• Mandala
  Begin your mindful drawing journey with a large circle divided radially. Start at the circumference and spiral into the center.
• Maps
  Close your eyes, imagine an ideal space, and pretend you are walking through and exploring. Draw lines and shapes to map out your journey.
• Found Object Stencils
  Trace found objects (such as a roll of tape or a pair of scissors) and repeat them to create overlapping shapes and a full composition. 

How do you bring neurographic art into the classroom?

The benefits neurographic art can have for you can also apply to your students. It’s a versatile lesson idea and technique that can be a quick one-day lesson or a longer process in a full-blown unit. Plus, it requires minimal supplies, making it a go-to activity for guest teachers. It’s also perfect for the beginning of the year when you haven’t received your supply order yet or the end of the year when you’re out of supplies! 

No matter what you and your students need, fit neurographic art into your curriculum with these ideas:

• Warm Up
  Dedicate five minutes at the beginning of class for a “mindful moment” with a small neurographic drawing.
• First Activity of the Year
  Use neurographic art as a fun and easy first activity of the year to get students excited about art and experience success!
• Standardized Testing Week
  Transform these long few days into a wellness week to give students tools to help them cope with stress.
• Substitute Plans
  Put neurographic art prompts in your folder of sub plans to keep things running smoothly when you are out sick. Chances are, your guest teacher will have a blast joining in too! 
• One-Day Lesson Idea
  Make neurographic art alongside your students to de-stress and give yourself an extra day to plan the next lesson. 

Neurographic art is an accessible and rewarding form of artmaking. It can nurture creativity, mindfulness, and emotional well-being in students of all ages and abilities. By encouraging free expression, eliminating the fear of mistakes, and tapping into the power of the right brain, neurographic art empowers the exploration of artistic potential and self-discovery. With all of these benefits, don’t hesitate to give it a try this summer! When you end up loving your calm and focused mindset, you’ll be so excited to bring this experience to your students in the fall. Grab your favorite drawing materials and let’s dive into a creative flow together!

What is your favorite stress-relieving art technique?

How do you foster calm in your summer routine and classroom environment?

The post How to Use Neurographic Art to Encourage a Calm and Focused Mind appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Try these 11 fun and educational games to keep your students engaged up to the final bell of the year.

Games provide closure to a unit or year without the challenge of rushing to finish projects on the way out of the door. The games below will keep students focused and enthusiastic while reviewing information in a fun way. Plus, they can be customized for any grade level or course!

1. Where’s Whaledo?

Narwhals are the unicorns of the sea and there is nothing better than bringing magic to a careful examination of artworks. Use our bespectacled narwhal friend, Whaledo, in the perfect hidden picture art room game. Use your favorite image editing software to drop Whaledo into famous artwork. Print the images and laminate them for students to circle Whaledo with dry-erase markers or simply project the images on the board. After students find Whaledo, ask them what other interesting details they discovered. Download Whaledo and the corresponding instructional guide today!

Download Now!

2. Trivia Challenge

There is a reason games like Jeopardy and Around the World are still popular decades later. Everyone loves the opportunity to show what they know. All you need is a slide deck with questions from your curriculum. Additionally, try the Art Trivia Take-Away Lesson and Game Guide in FLEX Curriculum for an activity where students reflect on art concepts and art history.

Here are three tips to keep your students on their A-game:

1. Allow students to work in teams to keep it low-pressure.
2. Include bonus questions of silly personal trivia to make it more fun!
3. Add in challenges to get students moving. For example, Race to assemble a color wheel from found objects in the classroom!

3. Picture Puzzle

Puzzles are a relaxing way to review prior learning. Print pictures of the artworks your students learned about this year. Cut them into pieces considering appropriate sizes and shapes for your students’ levels. Make it a race to not only assemble the picture puzzle but also identify the artist, artwork title, and big ideas students recall from the lesson.

4. Mystery Drawing

Students are often mentally exhausted when they complete testing, portfolio submissions, and final exams. Many students will find comfort in directed drawings or other guided practice activities. Keep things simple but introduce a little bit of intrigue!

Here are three ways to keep students guessing the entire time:

1. Guide students through an activity step-by-step without telling them what the end result will be.
2. Facilitate a drawing upside-down and don’t tell students to flip their papers right-side up until the end.
3. Try an exquisite corpse drawing and watch the delight when students unfold their papers.

5. Art Room Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt is fun at any age. To make a scavenger hunt more educational, give students clues that pose a problem and challenge them to find the correct tool. For example, instead of telling students to find a brayer, a clue might read, “I want to make a print. I have a printing plate, a piece of paper, a tube of ink, and an ink plate. What else do I need?” This approach requires students to think through the process. You can also challenge your students to find examples of artworks that show a particular mood or have a specific subject matter, or search their portfolio for a project that demonstrates a certain technique.

6. Quick Draw

Use individual dry-erase boards, take turns in front of the class at the main board, or use scrap paper. Give students a drawing prompt with a list of criteria and watch them race to sketch it all. Ensure students demonstrate craftsmanship by including Elements and Principles as criteria. For example, a prompt could be, “Draw a person using geometric shapes and hatched lines.“

This can be a quick five-minute game or you can extend it by adding multiple rounds. Additionally, turn it into a tournament or a team relay to keep the fun going. Another alternative is to put drawing prompts at different stations around the room to get students moving.

7. Virtual Escape Room

Identify key concepts by looking at objectives, assessments, and vocabulary lists from the year. Use this information to generate questions you want students to answer. Add the questions to a Google Form and use the response validation tool to let students advance only once they’ve completed a question or task correctly. Include riddles and hidden codes to keep students on their toes!

8. Custom Board Games

Let your students take the lead by designing their own board games, either in pairs or small groups. Creating a game requires students to ideate, problem-solve, draw, sculpt, write, and present ideas. Depending on your schedule and requirements, creating a game can take students anywhere from a week to a month. As a culminating activity, host a Game Day and allow students to play one another’s games to give constructive feedback. Hopefully, they’ll remember their favorite art teacher when their games become a hit outside of the classroom!

9. Art on Trial

This game will motivate your students to examine and think critically about art. It will push students to get beyond the default responses like, “It looks cool” or “I like the colors.” Put a famous work of art up on the board and announce the work stands accused of being awful. Divide the class into three groups. One group will serve as the prosecution. One group will be the defense team, and the third group has jury duty. Allow a period of discovery for the prosecution and defense teams to discuss the evidence for their sides. Then, allow each side to present their case and give one minute for a closing statement. Finally, the jury will deliberate. Each juror will share the point they found most persuasive as they vote for either the prosecution or the defense.

10. Art Heist Challenge

You may recall hearing about this game on Art Ed Radio. The premise of the game is simple: Your nemesis, Dr. Meaniebadguy, stole some of the greatest artworks from museums around the world! Students must figure out which works he stole and recover them. Print pictures of a variety of artworks along with clues describing the pieces. Set up an obstacle course between the students and the artworks and hide the clues along the way. For instance, you can use yarn to make a maze of “lasers.” Students must avoid touching the “lasers” to prevent the alarm system from sounding. Try neon yarn and black lights to create a special effect! Students love this game which engages them both mentally and physically.

11. Fact or Fake

Share odd and interesting bits of trivia about an artist or artwork. In teams, challenge students to spot which is fact and which is fake. Once the team decides, they write fact or fake on a dry-erase board and hold it up. Provide points to the teams who write the correct response and keep score.

Transform the end of the school year from a time of restlessness and boredom to joyful artistic engagement. Turn looking at and reviewing art into a magical experience by searching for Whaledo. Bring in trivia to challenge your students through collaboration and friendly competition. Incorporate the element of mystery with an escape room, quick draw activity, or art heist challenge. All of these games are great ways to keep students invested in your class, reviewing content from the year, and making art right up until the last bell.

For more art room games, check out the following:

• 6 Games Perfect for the Art Room
• Games in the Art Room Pack in PRO Learning
• Ideas for Art Room Games (Ep. 331)
• 3 Super Fun Art History Games

How do you make time for joy and fun in your art room?

Share your student-favorite art games!

The post Level Up the Fun! 11 Awesome Art Games to End the Year appeared first on The Art of Education University.

With standardized and portfolio testing over, the countdown to the end of the year has begun! We all know that this last stretch of the school year can be a challenge to keep students engaged, especially in specialized courses like photography. We’ve come to your rescue with plenty of one-day activities perfect for this time of year and your budding photographers. Better yet, these photography lessons require little prep and minimal supplies. Even if you don’t have a set of cameras in your classroom, these activities are still achievable using cell phones or tablets. 

Keep reading for one-day photography activities to get your students to stay focused until the end of the year!

1. 36 Exposures

Recommended for: High School 

Combine the limitations of 35mm film photography with the convenience of digital photography. The 36 Exposures activity involves not looking at the images until students capture all 36. This exercise mimics shooting a roll of film by waiting to see the results until the end. This practice encourages students to frame their compositions with more intention and thought. If you have access to DSLR cameras, the activity challenges students to use aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to shoot correct exposures. Direct students to take all 36 exposures in one location or within a specific duration. The best part is seeing how many successful images students shoot from the session!

2. Abstract Forms

Recommended for: Middle and High School 

Note: Be sure to review all resources and preview all artists before determining if they are appropriate to share with your students.

Focus on the Elements and Principles and get students to creatively look at everyday objects with this activity. Encourage students to play with found objects and lighting. If you have macro lens clips for cell phones, this will prompt students to more closely consider each object’s texture. The work of Liz Deschenes is a beautiful example of abstract forms in photography.

3. Abstract Paper Challenge

Recommended for: Middle and High School 

Dive into the world of abstract art even further using only paper. The challenge is to make paper not look like paper. This unique activity encourages innovation and experimentation with limited materials such as paper, tape, light, and a camera. Students have the most success when they manipulate the paper’s surface by folding, crumpling, or taping the paper. Use side lighting to enhance textures and add dramatic effect. These tips create visually interesting surfaces and compositions! For additional ways to manipulate paper, check out the 5 Cut Paper Collage Techniques resource in FLEX Curriculum.

4. One Lens

Recommended for: Elementary, Middle, and High School 

Challenge students to explore photography with a minimalist approach using only a single lens or focal length. By focusing solely on composition and framing, this activity pushes students to get active and walk closer or farther away to zoom in and out of their compositions. Using one lens also prompts students to see the world through a specific viewpoint.

5. From Where I Stand

Recommended for: Elementary, Middle, and High School 

Explore perspective and composition in photography with this idea. Students will photograph a series of pictures from only one spot. They can turn around and shoot at various angles but not leave their place. This forces students to get creative with unique vantage points as they lean, crouch, and bend. Add a surprise factor by telling the students where they will stand. 

6. Story Roulette

Recommended for: High School

Incorporate writing into your photography lessons with Story Roulette. Have students write one-sentence stories or six-word memoirs. Use these as student-generated final photography prompts that emphasize visual storytelling. Students can create one photograph that captures the essence of their story or shoot a series of photos in a narrative form. To add the element of chance to the activity, students can pick their prompt from a hat. 

7. Famous Artwork Recreation

Recommended for: Middle and High School 

Who better to find inspiration than the masters? Recreating famous artworks and photographs is a perfect way for students to study fine details such as composition, lighting, and style. Provide students with a collection of famous artworks to choose from. This also challenges students to learn about outfits and objects from certain time periods and cultures and find similar ones to include in their final piece. 

8. One Object Challenge

Recommended for: Elementary, Middle, and High School 

Find beauty in the mundane with the One Object Challenge. Many of us don’t have the luxury of expensive props or beautiful scenery within the confines of the art room. This activity requires students to find exciting ways to photograph something they see every day. It also helps students understand how photographers can make objects look more interesting than they appear.

9. What’s In My Bag

Recommended for: Middle and High School 

Use flat-lay photography to create non-traditional self-portraits using items from student’s bags. This activity works well for students who want to explore identity without using their faces. The contents of their bags represent a symbolic view of their personalities and interests. The completed flat-lay photographs become a visual narrative of who the students are. A fun extension is for students to guess whose portrait belongs to whom within the classroom. 

10. ROYGBIV Series

Recommended for: Elementary, Middle, and High School 

Explore color and composition by creating photographs inspired by the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Students can find those specific colors to photograph or use color symbolically to convey stories and emotions. For instance, a student can photograph red rose petals or an angry portrait using red lighting for the color red. To extend this lesson, create a color wheel using the final images!

From exploring abstract forms, compositions of the masters, or faceless self-portraits, these activities will energize your students to create art! Having a handful of one-day photography lessons at your fingertips is perfect for your end-of-the-year arsenal. These quick and enjoyable activities keep students excited to create, all while requiring minimal preparation and supplies. Plus, these activities reinforce knowledge and skills with minimal pressure. Capture the freedom and creativity the last few weeks of school will bring! 

Check out the resources below for more ways to incorporate photography into your art room:

• Strategies for Teaching Photography (Ep. 231) 
• Ask the Experts, Episode One: Photography
• 3 Refreshing Ways to Bring Photography Into Any Art Class
• Studio: Photography

What’s your favorite way to bring photography to your students?

How do you keep photography students engaged at the end of the year? 

The post 10 One-Day Photography Activities to Keep Students “Focused” Until the End of the Year appeared first on The Art of Education University.

As the school year winds down, keeping students engaged can be a challenge. The natural instinct is to keep things simple with one-day “make and take” projects for those shorter attention spans. However, consider going the other way! A collaborative, large-scale paper mache project could be the perfect way to close out your year. Keep reading to see how you can clean out your closet, use up leftover art supplies, and create a school community installation that will last for years to come!

Take on a big project to make your job easier.

It may seem counterintuitive, but one big project can be easier than several smaller projects. Plus, working collaboratively helps everyone achieve something great with less work and more fun.

Let’s look at the benefits of doing a large, collaborative project at the end of the school year:

• Strengthens your community of artists.
• Demonstrates to administrators and students that you remain engaged.
• Uses up scrap cardboard and miscellaneous materials.
• Gets students excited to come to art class and see the latest developments in the project.
• Saves time on prep and planning so you can tackle grading, generate next year’s supply order, and catch your breath!
• Sets you up for success in the fall with classroom or school decor made and ready to hang.

Break down a big project into small, manageable pieces.

At first, building a giant sculpture or collection of sculptures can feel overwhelming. As with all projects, the first step of choosing what to make can often be the hardest. Consider making a representation of your school’s mascot or pull subjects from major units throughout the year to activate prior learning. If you need more grand ideas to inspire your students and proactively decorate your room for the fall, construct giant art supplies and introduce Andy Warhol or Claes Oldenburg.

Regardless of the subject, follow these steps for success with your paper mache project:

1. Brainstorm as a class to determine your subject matter.
2. Gather materials such as scraps of cardboard, paper, newspaper, tape, and glue. Your students may surprise you with what they decide to upcycle!
3. Sketch the final sculpture so everyone can work toward the same goal.
4. Build an armature out of cardboard, wire, or thin scrap wood.
5. Cover the form in paper mache.
6. Paint and/or glue found objects, fabric, and collage materials to add more details.
7. Display the finished work for students to enjoy now and see when they come back in the fall!

Try these tips to get maximum results with minimal work.

One way to streamline the process is to have all of your classes work on the same project. Every class can simply build off the work of the class before them—like an art relay. This will speed up production and save you the hassle of clean-up and storage between classes. If one gigantic project seems unwieldy, try making a Pop Art collection. Show students works by Andy Warhol or Claes Oldenburg for inspiration and make one sculpture per table. Save yourself time and prep work by using the Exploring Pop Art Collection in FLEX Curriculum. It has lesson plans and student-friendly artist bios, videos, and assessments ready to go.

Try these tips to smooth out the paper mache process:

• Dump the glue from old clogged and nearly empty glue bottles into a bucket and then add water for a 50/50 mix.
• Crumple and twist your school’s butcher/bulletin board paper as an alternative to cardboard for an armature.
• Use different colors for each layer of paper mache so you can easily see what areas still need covering.
• Rip smaller pieces to wrap curvy, organic forms.
• Dip, then wipe using the classic “scissor fingers” technique (below) to remove excess glue.
• Allow students to choose tasks according to their preferences, if possible. For instance, some students love the sensory experience of glue-covered hands.
• Place paper as a drop cloth to protect the table or floor from inevitable glue drips.
• Recycle paper drop cloths at the end of the day as more paper mache paper!
• Consider opportunities for students to have meaningful input. For example, each student can decorate a scale on a large dragon or design a custom brick for a huge castle.

A collaborative paper mache sculpture is a rewarding way to use up leftover materials, strengthen student bonds, and create a lasting installation to promote school spirit. Transform your classroom into a fun collaborative art studio and end the year on a high note. Just because a project is large-scale, does not mean it needs to be cumbersome to manage. Break the project down into smaller steps and use the pro tips above to streamline the process. Your next massive paper mache installation will provide you and your artists with smooth sailing to summer break!

What huge paper mache installation would transform your space?

How do you keep your students inspired during the final weeks of school?

The post Go Big Before Going Home: Finish the Year with a Collaborative Paper Mache Sculpture appeared first on The Art of Education University.

Check out the five art activities below to unwind after the stress of testing and portfolio submissions!

1. Collaborative Contour Line Portraits on Butcher Paper

Contour line partner drawings are a fun opportunity for your students to loosen up with markmaking. This provides a change of pace in drawing compared to their intricate, time-consuming portfolio pieces. Harness the relationships and community students built in your art room by challenging them to unwind, work together, and incorporate movement. 

Students will have so much fun drawing their peers in a low-pressure environment with contour lines using these steps:

1. Lay a long piece of butcher paper down.
2. Pair students so they are sitting across from each other with the butcher paper in between them.
3. Draw the student across from them for 1-2 minutes.
4. Rotate students.
5. Repeat until contour portraits fill the butcher paper; encourage overlapping!
6. Cut up the butcher paper into smaller sections for each student to work back into. 

The cut sections of contour drawings are ideal for students to add their creative spin with color or additional details. Prompt students to use varied contour lines like blind, modified, and continuous contour to review and reinforce their markmaking knowledge.

2. Paint Your Classmate

Take a fun spin from the popular social media trend where couples paint their spouses. While this option is more challenging than contour drawings, encourage students to not take this activity too seriously. Remind them often to have fun and enjoy the process! Paint Your Classmate offers potentially burned-out students space to create art purely for fun. Use table easels or prop canvases against a stack of books so partners can’t see the completed piece until the end. There are many ways to pair students like student choice, prior skills and knowledge, skill level, or at random! 

3. Artist Accordion Books

Accordion fold books are one of the easiest to make. They can consist of one long single sheet of paper or smaller sheets combined in a zigzag pattern. Making artist books at the end of the year is an excellent opportunity for students to develop a series of mini-artworks with art mediums they love. A collection of paper scraps is perfect for accordion books! Not only are artist books fun for students to create, but they are also great as summative assessments at the end of the year. 

In addition, accordion books work well to review color theory or the Elements and Principles, illustrate narratives, or create collaborative drawings. For instance, students can do a round-robin exchange of drawings on each page. Connect today to discover How to Create An Accordion Fold Book and Accordion Haiku Books in FLEX Curriculum.

4. Appropriation Art Collage

Use pictures from magazines, newspapers, or printed stock images to create appropriation art collages. This activity requires students to think critically about transforming and reimagining existing images. Students must decipher the original meaning and context, decide what their new concept will be, and then implement design choices to communicate their message. Collaging allows students to experiment with composition, texture, and color—no drawing skills required. Found imagery also can provide immediate gratification. Take the collages to the next level and incorporate mixed media such as gel pens and acrylic paint markers to draw or add accents. 

5. Photocopy Flyer Collages

Inspired by the 1970s and 80s scene of vintage posters and flyers, this activity combines graphic design, appropriation, and collage to create punk-inspired imagery. Students use existing images but combine them with typography and lettering to communicate a message. For punk flyer examples, check out this vast collection for ideas. Provide students with themes or prompts to generate ideas for their flyers. Create flyers for past events, future events, or even invented ones! Don’t forget to remind students to leave a small border around the edge of their paper. When photocopying the finished collages, the copy machine won’t print to the edge of a sheet of paper. 

The end of the school year is an ideal time to engage in enjoyable, low-pressure art activities such as creating artist books, collaborative partner drawings, and mixed media collages. It’s the perfect chance to use up leftover materials and observe the skills your students acquired throughout the year. Join your students in artmaking because you deserve unwinding too. Try an activity above for a fun way to relax, make art without pressure, and remind everyone why they love art! 

What’s your favorite post-testing art activity? 

How do you celebrate submitted portfolios with your students?

The post 5 Art Activities to Unwind After Testing and Portfolio Submissions  appeared first on The Art of Education University.

What is Dada?

Dada is an artistic and literary movement formed in response to World War I from 1916 to the mid-1920s. This war brought new weapons, communication, and transportation technology. In a world increasingly focused on machines and logical systems, Dada aimed to break the rules with chance, spontaneity, the unconventional, and the absurd.

In art, Dadaists explored new ways to use, transform, and combine traditional mediums, artforms, and experiences. Collage, photomontage, performance art, and found objects (such as Marcel Duchamp’s “readymades”) exploded! Artistic intent and voice were more important than aesthetics. In literature, Dadaists broke free from the rules of spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Why should I care about this obscure art movement?

Aside from Dada being a very influential art movement that precedented Surrealism and Pop Art (to name a few), Dada is a student favorite. If you have students who aren’t “interested” in art or aren’t comfortable with their art skills, they are bound to be future Dadaists! Because Dada is highly based on chance and spontaneity, it decreases the “scary” or “serious” factor of drawing in front of others and adds a huge element of surprise and fun. For your perfectionists, Dada will encourage them to “let go” and enjoy the process. This movement will also resonate with your secondary students who are in the developmental brain stage of testing authority. The ideas below will provide safe outlets for your students to express themselves while still learning about art, literature, and history! 

Embrace the “nonsense” with the three activities below that merge art and poetry.

1. Cut-Up

There are many variations on how to do this but essentially, students cut words or phrases from a piece of text and piece them back together randomly. Do a similar process to create a “chance collage” like Jean Arp. Introduce Jean Arp with the artist bio from FLEX Curriculum. Students take scraps of paper and drop them onto a base paper. Then, they glue the paper exactly where it lands. 

2. Automatic Writing

Many of us (including our students!) love to doodle. Like neurographic drawing, it helps maintain focus during staff meetings or classes and engages the creative side of our brains. If you apply the same mindless process to writing, you’ll get Automatic Writing. Set the scene for students to relax: dim the lights and play soft sounds or music. Students write whatever words come into their train of thought. Feel free to ease into this activity with a simple prompt. Use this as a warm-up to support your classroom management and a calm start to class.

3. Chance 

Grab some dice and get rolling! Each number can refer to a specific word in a word bank. Alternatively, take an existing poem and turn it into a new, shortened poem. Each roll will determine the next word. For example, if you roll a three for your first roll, your first word will be the third word. Then, let’s say you roll a six for your second roll. Your second word will be six words from that. Repeat until you have a revised masterpiece!

Likewise, apply the dice roll to drawing to create fun illustrations and stimulate creative thinking. Create your own paper cubes to make custom drawing prompts like elementary art teacher, Candido Crespo.

Encourage your students to navigate artmaking with more risk, chance, and opportunity! Try the Transformation: Risk & Chance Collection in FLEX Curriculum. It includes six lesson plans for all age levels that also integrate color theory and contemporary art. 

Switch things up in your art room and incorporate Dada poetry for a breath of fresh air from traditional methods and artforms. This new means of expression will spur your students to let go, trust the process, and focus on concepts over aesthetics. Plus, the connections will enrich students’ understanding of art, literature, and history during this era. Try the cut-up method or roll the dice to compose a new poem and collage, or introduce automatic writing to de-stress. Celebrate the unconventional with one of the three activities above to foster boundless possibilities!

Do your students love or hate Dada art?

How do you encourage students to let go in the art room?

The post 3 Ridiculous and Spontaneous Ways to Bring Poetry Into the Art Room appeared first on The Art of Education University.

In the world of education, the winter months can be hard. Sickness, testing, schedule changes, and weather complications throw curveballs into your days. Pep rally schedules and student absences halt your perfectly planned lessons. In addition, you observe an increase in mental checkouts from students. One-day lessons are lifesavers for these times of the year! While many think of these activities as time wasters, they are a prime way to engage new inspiration in your students. Even the AP Art seniors who have been deep in inquiry-based artmaking need a break from time to time. Whether you are new or a veteran to teaching in the art room, one-day lessons are a lifeline!

Here are 12 fun and interesting one-day art lessons for the secondary classroom.

1. Photography Scavenger Hunt

Create a list of prompts for students to photograph to spark creativity and visual storytelling. This activity provides an innovative way to use students’ observational and narrative skills. Photography prompts also offer a fresh perspective on everyday subjects within an environment. This no-mess and little prep lesson encourages autonomy and creativity for your students. 

Procedures and Steps:

1. Distribute a list of prompts.
2. Set a time limit.
3. Students explore the classroom environment and take images that creatively capture the prompts.
4. Share images with an end-of-the-period critique.

Tip:

• Challenge students to take only one photograph per prompt to mirror shooting with film. Students must frame their images carefully before pressing the shutter! 

2. Round-Robin Drawing

This is a group-based drawing activity that allows students to draw without pressure. Students find this process fun and engaging while providing them with an opportunity to practice collaboration.

Procedures and Steps:

1. Pass out paper and pencils.
2. Students write their names on the back of their paper.
3. Students draw on their sheets of paper for 1-2 minutes.
4. Students rotate their papers to another artist.
5. The next person continues or adds to the previous drawing or artwork.
6. Continue rotating until each student has contributed to all of the artworks. 
7. Pass the papers back to the original artist.

Tips: 

• Provide students with prompts or found imagery to jumpstart their ideas.
• Use colored paper or various art materials.
• Apply this activity to digital drawing! Instead of paper, students carefully pass digital devices to one another or rotate seats.

3. Exquisite Corpse 

Explore the intriguing world of Exquisite Corpse drawings. Surrealist artists adopted this activity to generate collaborative artworks. Students love this game because it stimulates the imagination. Just as in the Round-Robin drawing exercise above, students contribute to one another’s artwork. However, there is a fun final reveal at the end! 

Check out the steps to Exquisite Corpse, plus other Surrealism games for the art room.

Tips:

• Increase or decrease the duration of drawing time.
• Encourage students to draw and add details for the entire amount of time for each round. 
• Redraw favorite final creatures in their own style! 

4. Visual Journaling

Visual journals are an excellent way for students to explore their thoughts and ideas in one place. Visual journal pages in the secondary art room are perfect for documenting students’ artistic processes. Check out various visual journaling lessons and prompts such as Guided Mindfulness and Visual Storytelling in FLEX Curriculum. 

Procedures and Steps:

1. Introduce the practice of visual journaling. 
2. Provide a list of text or visual prompts to use as a starting point.
3. Give students a time limit to create in their visual journals.
4. Use a gallery walk critique to present students’ spreads. 

Tips: 

• Use washable markers to prevent page bleeding. 
• Old newspapers, magazines, or scrap paper provide fantastic collage materials.

5. Sunday Sketches by Christoph Niemann

Sunday Sketches are a fun and imaginative art activity by author, artist, and animator Christoph Niemann. His illustrations are in The New Yorker, National Geographic, and The New York Times Magazine. This exercise is about creating images from simple objects. Use it as a one-day lesson or a bell-ringer to stimulate visual connections with objects around us. 

Procedures and Steps:

1. Provide paper and drawing materials.
2. Place random objects in front of each student. 
3. Students observe the object from different angles.
4. Students create a drawing that incorporates the object. 
5. Photograph the final illustrations. 
6. Rotate objects and repeat for multiple rounds. 

Tips: 

• Encourage students to look at the objects as basic shapes and forms to help create connections. 
• Transfer this activity to digital drawing and photograph an object and then digitally draw on top of the photograph. 

6. Mystery Magazine Clippings

Are you looking for an opportunity to use those old magazines collecting dust? In this activity, students create a completed environment around a magazine clipping. This Mystery Magazine Clippings activity takes the overthinking out of creating! At the end of the lesson, students love to see what environments their peers concocted. 

Procedures and Steps:

1. Pass out magazines.
2. Students cut out a small image from a magazine page such as a dog or a soda can. 
3. Collect all clippings into a container.
4. Without looking, students select one magazine clipping from the container. 
5. Students glue the clipping to a piece of paper.
6. Use different drawing materials to create a complete environment around the magazine clipping.

Tips: 

• Use it as a bell-ringer or icebreaker for class.
• Repurpose random scraps of construction paper if magazines are not available.

7. Telephone Pictionary 

Get ready for a collaborative drawing activity with guaranteed laughs. Telephone Pictionary is a drawing game that illustrates images from phrases. The final reveal of the text and phrases is worth the setup and preparation! 

Procedures and Steps: 

1. Provide each student with the same amount of papers as students playing. For example, 20 students equal 20 pieces of paper per student.
2. Students number the bottom right corner of each paper. For example, students number each page 1-20 for 20 students playing. 
3. On the first sheet, students write a phrase, poem, or sentence. 
4. Students pass their stack of papers clockwise to the next person.
5. Students read the phrase, flip page one to the back of the stack, and illustrate the phrase on page two with a timer set to 1-2 minutes.
6. Keep the illustration on top and pass the stack of papers clockwise again. 
7. The following person will look at the illustration, move that page to the back of the stack, and write a phrase that captures the illustration on page three. 
8. Repeat this process until all pages are complete.  
9. Lay out the papers to reveal the full series! 

Tips: 

• Check for understanding during each rotation by announcing the current page number to accommodate the game’s learning curve.
• Provide examples of phrases for students to use that have a subject, action, and environment. 

8. Origami 

Infuse math and art with origami! This interdisciplinary activity is mess-free and a student favorite. Origami is great for in-between projects or as a break from traditional drawing activities. If you’re new to teaching origami, check out this article to discover how to incorporate origami into your classroom with confidence.  

Procedures and Steps:

1. Discuss the origins of origami and its importance as an artform.
2. Show various origami folds starting with simple ones (such as a boat and fortune teller) and moving on to more complex ones (such as a crane.)
3. Give students paper options to fold.

Tips: 

• Provide students with step-by-step printouts or video demonstrations.
• Instruct students to create patterns and designs on their paper before folding if origami paper is unavailable. 
• Create origami out of non-traditional materials and papers.
• Use the origami forms as still-life subjects for the next unit.

9. Paper Airplane Competition

An innovative extension to origami is a paper airplane competition. Check out this website for resources on various paper airplane folds. Incorporate engineering and art by observing how the folds and construction affect hangtime and distance. Students love a good competition, especially with something they would typically get in trouble for making! 

Procedures and Steps: 

1. Pre-fold various paper airplanes to show different flight types. 
2. Give students paper and the website above to select their paper airplane type.
3. Set a timer for 10 minutes of folding time. 
4. Take students to the hallway or outdoors to test out their airplanes.
5. Take turns “flying” airplanes and measure distance or flight time. 

Tips: 

• Utilize student helpers to record the distance or hang times of each airplane. 
• Review safety considerations with students before starting.

10. Scribble Drawings 

Create a fully finished artwork from simple scribbles! This activity works well with all ages and doubles as a mindfulness technique. 

Procedures and Steps: 

1. Provide paper and pencils.
2. Students create scribbles on their paper. 
3. Students observe and darken the forms or subjects within the scribbles. 
4. Use the elements of art, such as value and texture, to complete the drawings to a finished state. 

Tips: 

• Scribble on other students’ papers instead of their own.
• Add watercolor or various art materials after scribbling.
• Encourage open-ended creation to include both realistic and abstract designs. 

11. Rotation Stations

This student favorite is an excellent way to explore various art mediums outside of everyone’s comfort zone. Introduce students to various mixed-media artists to generate curiosity and ideas! 

Procedures and Steps: 

1. Set up various stations with different art materials in each area such as watercolor paint, stencils, rulers, and ink and stamps. 
2. Pass out one half-sheet of paper. 
3. Provide foundational instructions for how to use the art materials at each station.
4. Remind students that the order of the stations will dictate how they may use each art medium. For instance, adding a full watercolor wash on their paper for the first rotation may prevent them from using other mediums as they wait for their paper to dry.
5. Divide students into small groups and assign each group to a station.
6. Students experiment with the art materials at each station with a timer set for 2-3 minutes.
7. Rotate and repeat until each group has visited each station.

Tips: 

• Allow students to revisit a station of their choice after completing the activity. 
• Reflect on experiences using various art materials.  
• Provide hairdryers or fans at the wet stations to speed up drying. 

12. Job and Career Investigation

What’s a better way to show the real-world application of art than highlighting REAL art jobs? Incorporate artmaking and research by having students dig into real-time job opportunities. Websites like Upwork have a database of full-time and contract freelance jobs for artists. The listings provide pay ranges, the experience needed, and other job details. The website also allows artists to show their portfolios to possible employers. Researching these art jobs shows students how to apply their art skills outside of the classroom and see what’s possible for their futures. This activity also allows teachers to stay in tune with the ever-evolving art landscape! 

Procedures and Steps: 

1. Discuss various art careers such as illustrators, animators, graphic designers, and more. 
2. Discuss careers that interest your students. 
3. Demonstrate how to find jobs on search engines or career websites. 
4. Students explore jobs and note pay, experience, and location details. 
5. Divide students into small groups to discuss their findings. 

Tips:

• Transition into how to construct a resume and portfolio.
• Check out the Local Art Investigators Lesson in FLEX Curriculum to explore, identify, and analyze the careers and works of local artists. 

One-day lessons provide an opportunity to create without pressure while stepping away from routine. Whether it’s drawing wacky creatures for Exquisite Corpse or folding aircraft for a paper airplane competition, these activities offer flexibility when plans fall through or a much-needed break. There are a variety of ways students benefit from these activities; students can practice techniques, explore new ideas, and prepare for upcoming units. When choosing a one-day lesson, consider what skills you want your students to learn, review, or explore. Sometimes, these quick lessons can turn into inspiration for bigger projects! The next time you need a lesson for one day, try out one of the fun ideas listed above. 

What is your go-to one-day secondary lesson?

How have you extended a one-day lesson into a longer-term project? 

The post 12 Fun and Interesting One-Day Lessons for the Secondary Art Room appeared first on The Art of Education University.