Blog Posts
5 Top Qualities and Traits of a Good Art Teacher
Ever Wonder what Qualities make a Good Art Teacher? Being an Art Teacher or Educator is an AMAZING job. But… Have you ever wondered how you can be the BEST Art Teacher your students will ever have? Do you stay awake at night wondering what will make you a better or great Art Teacher for your students? Do you wonder how you can get that fabulous Art Teacher confidence that you see all over social media? Do you want to know how to get a grasp on all-the things? Want to say YES to being a Good or AMAZING Art Teacher? Here are the Top 5 Qualities and Traits of a Good Art Teacher.
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3 Kid’s Nature Art Ideas & FREE Printable Scavenger Hunt!
Find 3 Kid’s Nature Art Ideas for Lessons or activities for at home or in your classroom and read to the bottom to get a FREE Printable Art & Nature Scavenger Hunt which is perfect for encouraging observational drawing, student choice, and exploration of choice art mediums. Grab a note pad or planning binder and let’s dive into these ideas so you can incorporate more nature into Art Educations!
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How-To Create an Effective, Organized Art Lesson Plan
I love Art. Teaching Art is a wonderful experience where you can create wonderment for children. What’s not so fun is creating Art Lesson plans, and this can be a daunting task. Planning effective Art Lesson plans is a skill to be learned. Here are my Top Tips for Creating Effective Art Lesson Plans that Keep you Organized, Planned, and Confident (and will have your Administrators smiling).
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Top 5 Tips, Advice, and Resources for First Year Art Teachers
You are FINALLY an Art Teacher! Now What? Where should you focus? How should you begin? Here are my Top 5 Tips, Advice, and Resources for First Year Art Teachers to help you get started and find clarity as a New Art Teacher.
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3 Summer Choice-Based Art Lesson Ideas with a FREE Printable Art Choice-Board Activity
Hello Summer! I have to be honest, all this summer warmth and these vibes have me feeling extra creative! Let’s dive in on 3 Summer art ideas that you can do with kids for the perfect summer edition to your art exploration & education. Scroll to the bottom to snag a FREE Printable Summer Art Choice Board!
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The 7 Elements of Art and How-to Teach them
You might be asking, What are the 7 Elements of Art and How Do I Teach Them? The Elements 7 Elements of Art are: Line, Value, Color, Space, Shape, Form, and Texture and they are the foundations or building blocks that artists use to make art. Let’s dive in and learn about the 7 Elements of Art, Which You Should Teach First, and How to Teach them.
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How-To Effectively Teach Visual Art to Children
Teaching Visual Art to Children is a Magical Experience where you can make them Light up with Excitement and give Kids and Teens the Power to be Creative Thinkers, Artists, and Makers. These skills, no matter their journey in life, will always be relevant. Here is my Advice for teaching Visual Art to Children, Pre-Teens, and Teens and it will allow you to be Organized, Successful, and will have your Students excited About learning Visual Art.
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Artastic August 2022 – FREE Art Education Professional Development Month of Events!
Whether you’re a teacher, homeschool parent, or art studio instructor, or anyone who just wants to bring more Art Education opportunities to their home for their kids or kids in their classroom, then Join me for Artastic August! I am going to level-up your Art Education game and supercharge you with new Art Lessons Resources you can use this year! Let’s dive into more about this amazing Professional Development month!
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3 End of Year Choice-Based Art Ideas with a FREE Printable Art Choice-Board Activity
End of Year is almost here and I know you’re feeling super teacher exhausted and complete brain melt. But now worries because I have don’t the brainstorming for you and have come up with 3 End of Year Art Ideas that explore Choice-Based learning strategies to give you a break and students the freedom to express and explore and SHOW what they know before the end of the school year. Scroll to the bottom to snag a FREE Printable End of Year Art Choice Board!
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The BEST End of Year, Low-Prep Art Lessons & FREE Printable Challenge for Your Classroom
End of Year is fast approaching and I know that as an Art Educator, you have a lot on your plate so I have come up with the BEST, Low-Prep, End of Year Art Lessons and have made you a FREE Printable Challenge for your classroom. Let’s dive into it! #endofyear
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Why Having a “Picture Perfect” Classroom DOES NOT Make You A Better Teacher
You might see, when you scroll through social media, A LOT of Picture Perfect Classrooms. But this DOES NOT make you a better teacher. While this is of course, absolutely gorgeous and fills in that check box for “#classroomgoals”, it is not going to make you a better teacher. Read on to find out WHY I am saying this and what WILL make you a better teacher.
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3 of the BEST Watercolor Painting Art Lesson Activities & FREE Printable Template to Start With in Your Art Classroom
Watercolor Painting is one of the MOST versatile & effective ways to get your students painting and engaged in the art making process. Let’s dive in on 3 of the BEST Watercolor Painting Art Activities to Start with in your Art Classroom: Technique Exploration, Ink & Paint Artworks, and Observational Fruit Still Life Paintings. Keep reading because I have a free Watercolor painting technique template available to download in the blog post. #watercolorpainting #watercolorpaintsforbeginners
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Artastic Kids Online Streaming Art Lessons and Activities for Children at Home or in a Classroom
It’s already FALL. Well, I’ll be honest, I have my pumpkins out already… but I grow them myself. I LOVE growing pumpkins of all shapes and sizes. It is a 6 month adventure as I start my Atlantic Giants indoors in the spring… then after months of TLC I get a giant pumpkin or 2! They’re so beautiful. Also, Halloween is my Christmas. If you’re someone who wants to start getting ready for Christmas in November… well, that is how I feel about Halloween. I LOVE IT. But I also love Autumn too so let’s get inspired by some lovely autumn artworks that you can do with your kids in your classroom or at home.
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5 Earth Day Art Lesson Ideas and Activities for Kids in your Classroom
Earth Day is just around the corner so I am going to give you 5 Earth Day art lesson ideas and activities that you can do with your elementary students to engage them in art making while also creating awareness around the fragility of our planet and all the life forms that inhabit it. Let’s dive into it! #earthdayart #earthday
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5 Tips for Setting up an Art Space In your Home for your Kids or Family
Sometimes I think that Making Art and Getting all those messy art mediums out can be intimidating! Here are my recommendations for mess-free art mediums and creating an easy to set-up art space that takes little time and will encourage you to make art together as a family or with your kids or grandkids. Here are my 5 Tips for Making Art At home in an Easy-to-Do Way for stree-free fun and more Quality Time with your family.
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3 Easter Art Lesson Ideas & Activities for Choice-Based Learning
Easter is coming and you might be looking for some lovely Easter Art Ideas for your Classroom! In this blog post I will give you Easter Art Lesson Ideas that allow for student choice or choice-based strategies. In addition to these easy-to-implement ideas, you can also find more art lesson ideas including Roll & Draws, Art Activities, and Easter Art History Infused Art Projects. Grab your favorite art making mediums and let’s make some art!
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3 St. Patrick’s Day Art Lesson Ideas that use Choice-Based Strategies
St. Patrick’s Day is coming soon and I know you might be looking for some quick and easy ideas for your classroom. Better yet, I have made them ALL Choice-Based for you! I know that sometimes we are feeling overwhelmed teaching art and what to teach next so adding some more Choice-Based lessons will take of some of the stress while amplifying a lot of the engagement in your amazing classroom.
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3 Spring Art Lesson Ideas that Use Choice-Based Instructions & Mediums
I am for sure one of those people that gets Spring fever and that is why in this article I am going to dive on into Choice-Based Spring Art Lesson ideas that you can use in your amazing classroom! I am so excited about this because I have some super cute spring art activities that are ready to sprout for you!
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5 Arctic Animal Art Ideas for your Classroom using Choice-Based Strategies
Learning about Arctic Animals can be easily integrated in art and in a Choice-Based way as well! Learning about the Arctic can be made interdisciplinary with Socials Studies, Language Arts, and even in Visual Art. In this article I will provide 5 Choice-Based Ideas for creating Visual Art using the theme “The Arctic”.
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Mindful Art Moments in ANY Classroom: An Easy Way to Bring SEL (Social Emotional Learning) into Your Classroom or School
Social Emotional Learning allows students to explore and express their thoughts and feelings. Instead of ignoring what is lying below the surface, teachers can provide students opportunities for self-exploration, expression, and understanding in a safe way. One beautiful and easy way we can bring Social Emotional Learning (SEL) into a classroom is through Art. In this article, I’ll dive on into a process I like to call “Mindful Art Moments” that allows educators to create an atmosphere of peace, empowerment, and discovery with little to no art mediums and planning. Grab a pencil and let’s make some art!
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The Artastic Collective, Art Curriculum for Art Teachers is Now OPEN for Winter 2022 Enrollment for a Limited Time!
The Artastic Collective Curriculum for Art Teachers is now open for Winter 2022 Enrollment for a limited time! Consider your year planned with this thorough art curriculum that covers Artists and Art History, Elements and Principles, Themes, Holidays and Seasons, Sketchbooks, and more!
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Artastic Collective ENROLLMENT is OPENING SOON, WINTER 2022 for Art Teachers: Art Teacher Curriculum & Membership
OPENING SOON! If you’re an Art Teacher looking for a complete Art Curriculum full of engaging Art Lessons for your classroom, then you need to check out the Artastic Collective, the premium membership for Art Teachers that is going to help you level-up your Art Teaching game. First Year art teacher? New to teaching? Established teacher? No matter where you are in your art teacher journey, there is something for everyone in the Artastic Collective Art Teacher Membership. From bundles of Art Lessons being released every month in Artists & Art History, Elements & Principles, and Themes, to sketchbook programs, ceramics lessons, an Exclusive Year-Long Art Teacher Growth Course, Exclusive Art Teacher monthly Challenges, an Exclusive Community Forum, and an Exclusive Directed Drawing series for your when-you’re-done needs, get this membership.
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5 Christmas Art Lesson Ideas for Your Classroom Using Flexible, Choice Art Mediums
5 Christmas Art Project or Lesson Ideas that you can simply and easily do in your classroom that use choice or flexible art mediums, perfect for Christmas Choice-Based Art Education and Learning. I have a bunch of easy-to-do and prep ideas that can use choice art mediums and can allow the students to really immerse themselves in some Christmas vibes. So grab your Art Making Mediums (of your choice of course) and let’s get into these Christmas Ready-Made, Simple and Engaging, Art Lesson Ideas for your Amazing art classroom.
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5 Winter Art Lesson Ideas for Your Classroom Using Flexible, Choice Art Mediums
5 Winter Art Project or Lesson Ideas that you can simply and easily do in your classroom that use choice or flexible art mediums, perfect for Choice-Based Art Education and Learning. I have a bunch of easy-to-do and prep ideas that can use choice art mediums and can allow the students to really immerse themselves in some Winter vibes. So grab your Art Making Mediums (of your choice of course) and let’s get into these Winter Ready-Made, Simple and Engaging, Art Lesson Ideas for your Amazing art classroom.
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5 Art Sub Tub Tips for Planning for a Sub in your Art Classroom
Okay so let’s dive on into 5 Art Sub Tub Tips that you can simply and easily do. Honestly, as a teacher, I learned in the later half of my years that having your Sub Tub permanently prepped went a long way. I never ever worried about being away or being sick. I even honed it further when COVID showed up and people had to go into isolation in a moment’s notice. I was always ready and if I had to take a sick day, I just put it in and stayed home and never ever worried about it because my tub was always prepped.
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5 Art on A Cart Tips & Ideas for Teaching Art on a Mobile Cart
Okay so let’s dive on into 5 Art on a Cart Tips that you can simply and easily do. I taught Art on a Cart for a couple years and while it was a challenge, I learned a lot. Keep it simple and pick a limited amount of mediums that can be used with endless possibilities and start pushing that art cart!
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5 Halloween Art Ideas for Your Classroom Using Flexible, Choice Art Mediums
Okay so let’s dive on into 5 Halloween Art Project or Lesson Ideas that you can simply and easily do in your classroom that use choice or flexible art mediums. I have a bunch of easy-to-do and prep ideas that can use choice art mediums and can allow the students to really immerse themselves in some Halloween vibes. So grab your Spooky, Scary Skeletons and let’s get into these Halloween Ready-Made, Simple and Engaging, Art Lesson Ideas for your Amazing art classroom.
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5 Autumn Art Lesson Ideas for Your Classroom with Flexible Mediums
Okay so let’s dive on into 5 Autumn Art Ideas that you can simply and easily do in your classroom. I have a bunch of easy-to-do and prep ideas that can use choice art mediums and can allow the students to really immerse themselves in some autumn vibes. So grab your plaid jacket, toque, and scarf and let’s get into these Autumn Ready-Made, Simple and Engaging, Art Lesson Ideas for your Amazing art classroom.
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3 Dot Day Art Projects, Ideas, and Activities for Your Classroom!
Dot Day is coming and I’m here to show you 3 Dot Day Art Projects, Ideas, and Activities that you can use in your Classroom with you students to pair with the book “The Dot” by Peter. H. Reynolds! Lesson ideas to use with Primary, Elementary, & Middle School! Use them in a general classroom or Art Classroom. Grab art making mediums & let’s make some Dot Day Art!
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Making Art with Kids – Art Curriculum for Teachers, Homeschool, or Art Studio Instructors
My friends, I have a BRAND NEW COURSE and it is for ANYONE who is teaching art to kids. It is a course designed for anyone who needs art lessons whether you’re a general teacher, homeschool parent or mom, or an art instructor, this course brings you 30 exclusive art lessons that are fully planned and include video art tutorials using easy-to-access Art Mediums! I’m going to teach you 30 art lessons that will help you level-up your art instruction in an ready-to-use, hands-on way! Get creative and build your confidence with the course that will teach YOU how to make and instruct art with engaging art lessons kids will love OR simply hit PLAY on the video and I’ll teach for you! As well, keep listening because I’m going to tell you how to get the FREE Art Lesson sampler! FULL ART LESSON! EVERYTHING INCLUDED! Let’s get into it!
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5 Frida Kahlo Art Project & Lesson Ideas for Kids for your Classroom
It’s already FALL. Well, I’ll be honest, I have my pumpkins out already… but I grow them myself. I LOVE growing pumpkins of all shapes and sizes. It is a 6 month adventure as I start my Atlantic Giants indoors in the spring… then after months of TLC I get a giant pumpkin or 2! They’re so beautiful. Also, Halloween is my Christmas. If you’re someone who wants to start getting ready for Christmas in November… well, that is how I feel about Halloween. I LOVE IT. But I also love Autumn too so let’s get inspired by some lovely autumn artworks that you can do with your kids in your classroom or at home.
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The Artastic Collective, Art Curriculum for Art Teachers is Now OPEN for Enrollment for a Limited Time!
The Artastic Collective Curriculum for Art Teachers is now open for Enrollment for a limited time! Consider your year planned with this thorough art curriculum that covers Artists and Art History, Elements and Principles, Themes, Holidays and Seasons, Sketchbooks, and more!
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FREE Art Teacher Webinar & Art Lessons: Pastel Extravaganza 2021
It’s time to Make some Art with this FREE Virtual Webinar experience! Art Teachers, get ready because I’m hosting a limited viewing workshop called the Art Teachers Making Art: Pastel Extravaganza this August 2021! It is a completely free Professional Development workshop where I’ll teach you how to make 2 art lessons exclusive to the virtual webinar for FREE! You will only get to view them for a limited time and that 2 week time frame starts NOW August 3rd so let’s make some art!
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10 Back to School Art Projects and Activities for Kids for your Art Classroom
Art Teachers, in this episode I’m going to give you 10 fresh and new art projects, activities, and ideas for Back to School in your Art Classroom! These are all ready-to-go ideas that you can use in your classroom that have a lovely Back-to-School vibe and will have your students in your art classroom exploring art mediums, experimenting, and being creative! I got you my lovely friends! Alright, let’s get into it!
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Artastic Collective ENROLLMENT is OPENING SOON for Art Teachers: Art Teacher Curriculum & Membership
If you’re an Art Teacher looking for a complete Art Curriculum full of engaging Art Lessons for your classroom, then you need to check out the Artastic Collective, the premium membership for Art Teachers that is going to help you level-up your Art Teaching game. First Year art teacher? New to teaching? Established teacher? No matter where you are in your art teacher journey, there is something for everyone in the Artastic Collective Art Teacher Membership. From bundles of Art Lessons being released every month in Artists & Art History, Elements & Principles, and Themes, to sketchbook programs, ceramics lessons, an Exclusive Year-Long Art Teacher Growth Course, Exclusive Art Teacher monthly Challenges, an Exclusive Community Forum, and an Exclusive Directed Drawing series for your when-you’re-done needs, get this membership.
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Back to School Art Projects, Ideas & Guide for Engaging Art Lessons
It is Back to School Art Lesson Planning season and I am so excited to share my ULTIMATE Back to School Art Project Ideas & Guide for Engaging Art Lessons for kids from Kindergarten to Middle School with you! These are some HOT new Art Lessons that explore Artists & Art History and a variety of Themes that you can use to help plan your YEAR! There are over 650 Art Resources in the Ms Artastic TpT store now and they will help you facilitate art instruction in your classroom.
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100 Cartoons for Kids Drawing Course for at Home or in Your Classroom!
This is the Official Launch of the 100 Cartoons for Kids course where I’m going to teach 100 exclusive and premium Cartoons for Kids! Let your kids learn how to draw at home or in your classroom with 100 Cartoon Drawing Video Tutorials designed by Ms Artastic. Get the Ms Artastic experience without any ads or YouTube! Register for the course that is priced at $1.00 per lesson, and AMAZING deal and offer because I want to make sure that kids have the opportunity to explore and make art! Grab your art making mediums and let’s make some art!
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5 Pop Art Lesson, Projects, and Art Activities for Kids
One of my favorite art movements is Pop Art and I love it! I love the artists, I love what came out of it! As well, I think teaching art lessons that are inspired by the Pop Art Movement is a great way to engage the learners in your classroom. Kids really connect with Pop Art and it can be an invitation for them to bring their ideas and the things they like in Pop Culture to your classroom. It can allow more student choice and student-centered learning. Let’s look at 5 Pop Art Lesson ideas for Kids in your classroom!
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5 Summer Art Lesson Ideas, Projects, and Art Activities for Kids
In this blog post I’m going to give you 5 fresh and new ideas for Summer Art Ideas! These are all ready-to-go ideas that you can use in your classroom that have a lovely summer vibe and will have your students in your art classroom exploring art mediums, experimenting, and being creative! I got you my lovely friends! Alright, let’s get into it!
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YouTube For Art Lesson Ideas, New Art Techniques, and Drawing Tutorials in your Art Classroom
In this Blog Post I am going to talk about how you can bring YouTube into your classroom and how-to use it to teach new art making skills and techniques to your students, whether you’re in class teaching, remote learning, or if students are in class and need new skills or processes to learn and explore. Or maybe you want to visit a gallery but don’t have the budget… Or maybe you want to have a fun drawing tutorial to use in those odd 10 minutes left in class when a lesson ended early, or to allow as a when you’re done for your fast finishers… Let’s look at some cool ideas for using YouTube in your Art Classroom this school year. #youtube #msartastic
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Ted Harrison Art Lesson, Project, and Art Activity Ideas for Kids
I’m going talk about who artist Ted Harrison is and I’ll give you some ideas for Ted Harrison Art Lessons that you can do with your students. Let’s learn about amazing Artist, Ted Harrison, and ideas for art lessons that you can teach that are inspired by his style of making art. Let’s get into it!
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5 End of Year Art Lesson Ideas, Art Projects, and Art Activities for Kids
In this article I’m going to give you some fresh and new ideas for teaching art at the End of the Year and yes, this shall include End of Year Art Lesson Ideas! So read on to discover 5 End of Year Art Lesson Ideas that you can use in your classroom, whether you teach in a general classroom or an art classroom! Let’s make some art!
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5 Social Emotional Learning Art Lesson and Project Ideas for your Classroom
In this blog post, I’m going to give you 5 Social Emotional Learning Art Ideas that you can use in your Art Classroom! As well, I’ll tell you about what Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is, how to instruct it, and how to encourage students to engage in the lessons. I’ll give you lesson ideas that you can use right away with your students, and I will also give you links to Art Projects that are ready-to-use! Before we begin, let’s understand what Social Emotional Learning, or SEL is and what it can look like in the art classroom or through art!
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5 Earth Day Art Lesson and Project Ideas for your Art Classroom
In this article I’m going to give you 5 Ideas for Earth Day Art Lessons for your Art Classroom that you can use with your own choice of art mediums or materials. These art lessons will explore a range of art making techniques and will explore a variety of art making styles, such as installation art, art using recycled materials, or photography. We’re going to learn about Earth Day and reflect on what it means through creating art with the students in our classrooms. Alright, let’s dive on into this blog post!
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Art Teacher TLC… Taking Care of YOU – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators
Today I’m going to be talking about something important, which is Art Teacher TLC. We can’t be there for the kids if we aren’t there for ourselves first. As we know, teaching consumes a lot of our focus power, energy, and emotions. Some years are harder than others, and some moments in the day are more stressful. This pandemic year has added another lovely layer to it.
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Becoming an Art Teacher Boss… Strategies for Success – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators
Today, I’ll talk about things that you can do in your art teaching practice to fire it up and take it to boss level. They will help you get those things checked off your to-do list and help you be a more productive teacher so that you can leave sooner each day. Because living your life… Is kind of a big deal. Let’s learn strategies for being Art Teacher BOSS!
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Be an Art Teacher BOSS… Mindset Strategies – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators
Someone who is Art Teacher BOSS knows what they want, how to get what they want, and implements the process to get it. This is what it means to be BOSS! Essentially, you’re the ultimate to-do list checker, task completer, and productivity person. Being boss is a great mindset to have. Of course, it’s not just mindset. You have to feel it in your heart and you have to do the work to get there. Being boss means that your actively and consciously doing the steps each and every day, every moment, working to make the slight improvements in yourself that are needed to get to your goals and your better version of yourself. I like to say: “Reflect, self-improve, and calibrate perfection.” Of course, this is a LONG journey of success, not a quick trip. This is way of LIVING LIFE.
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Reflective Teaching Strategies for Art Teachers – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators
Hello my lovely friends, I am your host Kathleen McGiveron, founder of all things Ms Artastic. Today we’re going to talk a bit about reflective teaching practices.
This is a topic that I need to focus on as well. It is so often that we feel alone in our classrooms, offices, or studios… We show up, do the work, and go home. Sometimes we have colleagues, but it’s not all the time that we see them. As well, they may know you well, but they might not know what is happening inside your classroom, or your office, or studio. I think it is important that we remind ourselves of the magic makers in our lives, which are ourselves.
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Encourage Students to Be Creative in Your Art Classroom – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators
Art Teachers, we’re going to talk about Encouraging students to be creative in your Art Classroom! First, I’m going to share with you some ideas of how to fuel your creativity, which you can write down notes for then share in your OWN classroom. Second, I’ll talk about some Finish the Picture and Creativity Challenge ideas. These are all ideas that you can use or teach in your own classroom that can help encourage your students to be creative.
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Inspiring the Reluctant Artists or Art Makers in your Art Classroom – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators
Art teachers, we know encouraging students to make art can sometimes happen easily and other times, it’s a challenge. You bring out, act out, or show your “hook” and BAM! They’re engaged and are wanting to do their best. Depending on the age or the student’s own personal experience with creating art, this is sometimes a challenge and you might even get a complete refusal. As a teacher, it is our job to encourage a student to create. After many years of experience teaching, and having taught art to students from Kindergarten to Grade 12, I have a few tricks up my sleeve in terms of getting ALL your students to create art, even if they really don’t want to. Let’s look at ideas for how to inspire the reluctant artists and art makers in your classroom.
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What to do with Fast Finishers in your Art Classroom – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators
Art Teachers, in your Art Classroom you’re always going to have students finish before the rest so let’s take a look at some ideas or routines that you can build into your classroom so that students know what to do when they’re done so they don’t have to ask you and so that you don’t have to instruct them on what to do EVERY time.
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Ms Artastic’s Art Teacher Curriculum: About the Art Resource Membership
Well my lovely friends, I just wanted to take the time today to share with you a little bit about a resource that can honestly… be a game changer for art teachers. Now, it is not everyday that art teachers get things that are shiny, new, and spectacular… but this IS!
Now, before we get started, I just want to tell you that… Well, I get it. Art Teaching isn’t all rainbows and glitter. It isn’t always a magical moment where you’re creating art with kids or are looking at and hanging student artwork. There is the OTHER side of being an art teacher, and that involves both planning and grading. Now, while I can’t grade for you as you have to do the assessment as your student’s teacher, I CAN alleviate some of the other stress that is a HUGE time suck in your life. And when I mean time suck, I mean endless hours both searching for ideas, finding inspiration, creating tidy lesson plans, matching it to curricular content, and then making all the student handouts and worksheets to match. Just building a unit from the ground up is all kinds of hours, which, of course, we can’t do during class time. This is all done… on YOUR time.
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FREE Art Teacher Masterclass, January 2021
Well, today we’re going to get real and address some of the issues that art teachers face. It is the reality of the job… the part that wears you down, makes you exhausted. Creates that feeling of overwhelm. Stress. Oh yeah.
And? I’ll tell you how to join my FREE Art Teacher Masterclass I’m hosting in January 2021!
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Creating Happiness in your Art Classroom – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators
Teachers, let’s talk about creating happiness among your students in your art classroom. For me, this is so important. Right now, at this strange and unusual moment in time, it is essential. It is a major part of creating a positive learning space, creating a strong classroom community, building trust with ALL your students, and creating a classroom that kids WANT to be in.
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Tips for Teaching Art during Distance Learning, Part 2 – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators
Today we’re going to discuss some ideas for teaching Distance Learning or Remote Learning style to your students in your Art Classroom. I’m going to provide a lot of ideas and you can decide what might work for you or take some ideas and tweak them for your own classroom. Every classroom and group of students is different so make it work for you. You got this art teacher!
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Tips for Teaching Art during Distance Learning for Art Teachers, Part 1 – Teaching Strategies for Art Educators
Teaching during Distance Learning is going to be oh so challenging for teachers. There is not one model to follow. Some are teaching in class and might be going remote later, or will start remote then will switch to in class. Some teachers are teaching on a cart and remotely. There are full remote learning models and there are hybrid models. All of this adds to confusion and stress because we’re not all in the same boat together and instead it feels like were drifting on a raft in the middle of the ocean and the winds just picked up and the sharks have arrived. At times, it even feels like the raft is just breaking apart. Here are my tips for teaching art during Distance Learning or Remote Learning.
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November Art Lesson and Project Ideas for your Classroom
In this Article I’ll give you ideas for Art Lessons or Art Projects that you can do in your Art Classroom, general classroom, or at home if you’re a homeschool parent. These are all themes for art that are perfectly suited for teaching art to kids in November! You can use these ideas for Elementary or Middle School students. #novemberart #msartastic #iteachart
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Who is Ms Artastic? I’ll tell you who I am!
Hello my lovely friends! Today I thought I’d share with you a little bit about WHO I am. Now before I do, I’ll give you a brief introduction about who I am and then… I’ll go DEEP!
Hey there, I’m Kathleen McGiveron and I’m a professional artist, teacher, and the creator of Ms Artastic. As an artist, I create lowbrow artworks and have shown my work in both commercial and public galleries. I’m also Ms Artastic and I create art teaching resources and art lessons for Artastic Nation. I have two cats named Audrey and Russell and I live in Canada.
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Autumn Art Lesson and Project Ideas for an Elementary Classroom
It’s already FALL. Well, I’ll be honest, I have my pumpkins out already… but I grow them myself. I LOVE growing pumpkins of all shapes and sizes. It is a 6 month adventure as I start my Atlantic Giants indoors in the spring… then after months of TLC I get a giant pumpkin or 2! They’re so beautiful. Also, Halloween is my Christmas. If you’re someone who wants to start getting ready for Christmas in November… well, that is how I feel about Halloween. I LOVE IT. But I also love Autumn too so let’s get inspired by some lovely autumn artworks that you can do with your kids in your classroom or at home.
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Art Teacher TLC during the Pandemic: Take care of YOU!
Art Teachers! Let’s talk about TLC. As well, find a GIVEAWAY in this post! We are SO STRESSED. This year is completely beyond manageable and overwhelming. This year is going to absorb a lot of our patience, energy, and even our welfare. It is going to be really important that we make sure that we take care of ourselves this year because when we’re stressed and overworked, we can create ill effects for both our mental and physical health. I always find that when I am stressed out that I get sick a lot easier. Scroll to the end of this post to find my Art Teacher TLC Bingo Contest! Let’s look at some ways to incorporate some Art Teacher TLC into our lives. #msartasticbingo #artteacher #artteachertlc
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Back to School Tips for Teaching Art During the Pandemic
When it comes to Back to School, a little panic sets in because of the unknown. We are unsure if any changes will happen in the school (which this year, there most likely will be), unsure of our schedule, unsure if there will be supplies budget cuts (why do they do this!?), unsure if the staff has changed significantly, unsure who the kids are… These are all unknowns. These are, for the most part, out of your control. We cannot worry about things we can’t control. We are instead, going to place out focus on things we CAN control. If we focus our attention here and get things we can control organized and prepped, it will make our back to school, as well as the year, a lot more stress-free. Isn’t that the goal anyway?
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Hear my Story. Know my WHY! Enrollment to the Artastic Collective Membership is closing soon!
Explore creating art focused on the Elements of Art in an At Home Learning setting, perfect for Homeschooling or Distance Learning. This blog post has art projects and lessons for experimenting with Line, Value, Mixing Colors, and Texture with unexpected art mediums you already have in your home (that you just didn’t realize you have).
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Art Teacher Interview: Stephanie Bailly – Teaching Resources for Art Educators
In this interview you will get to know Stephanie Bailly. She is the creator of Picassa’s Palette and I highly recommend that you check out her website & resources!
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The Artastic Collective Membership: Art Lesson Library for Art Teachers
The Artastic Collective Art Teacher Membership provides Art Instructors with an Art Resource and Lesson Library was founded by ME, Kathleen McGiveron (Ms Artastic). My mission is to provide you with prepared art lessons, resources, and activities that will allow you to free up your time and live your life, whether that means traveling, pursuing your hobbies, or spending time with your family. You should be able to be an educator or teacher and be able to have the time to LIVE life. With this membership, you will receive teaching ideas, inspiration, and guidance to help you navigate and problem-solve in your classroom or studio. This membership will give you the freedom to create art with kids, live your life, and will help you engage your students with art lessons.
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Art Teacher Interview: Renee Goularte – Teaching Resources for Art Educators
In this interview you will get to know Renee Goularte.
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Art Teacher Interview: Tiffany Jo Fox – Teaching Resources for Art Educators
In this interview you will get to know Tiffany Jo Fox, a high school art teacher.
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Art in Nature! Art Lesson and Activity Idea for Kids and your Classroom
Let’s look at making art in nature with things we can find! So many artists have created art in our natural world and this is a great exploration to do with your students, especially if you want to get them outdoors, creating! As well, this makes a perfect Distance Learning art piece that they can do at home!
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Art Teacher Interview: Whitney Panetta – Teaching Resources for Art Educators
In this interview you will get to know Whitney Panetta, a high school art teacher. She is also the creator of Look Between the Lines. “I have had experience teaching K-college through student teaching, full time teaching, being a graduate assistant, and volunteer work. The majority of my education experience is in art education and yearbook, although I love designing products outside of my expertise. I received my Bachelors of Fine Arts in Art Education and my Masters of Art Education at the University of Georgia (go dawgs!).
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Art Teacher Interview: Karen Phillips – Teaching Resources for Art Educators
Art Teacher Interview: Karen Phillips! Read to learn about Masterpiece Momma and all about her Visual Arts Teaching Practice!
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Element of Art: Shape; Art Lesson Tutorial for Kids
Explore creating art focused on the Element of Art: Shape that features drawing a Red Fox, perfect for Homeschooling or Distance Learning or learning in your Classroom. This is a free, easy to do, quick art lesson that focuses on teaching the Element of Art Shape to kids. This is an easy to implement idea for kids to do as an art project at home or in the classroom. Perfect for kids from grades 2 to 5! Scroll through to follow the step-by-step, or scroll to the bottom to find the full YouTube Video tutorial embedded in this post!
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Element of Art: Color; Art Lesson Tutorial for Kids
Explore creating art focused on the Elements of Art: Color that features drawing cats in a color wheel, perfect for Homeschooling or Distance Learning. This is a free, easy to do, quick art lesson that focuses on teaching the Element of Art Color to kids. This is an easy to implement idea for kids to do as an art project at home or in the classroom. Perfect for kids from grades 2 to 7! Scroll through to follow the step-by-step, or scroll to the bottom to find the full YouTube Video tutorial embedded in this post!
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Element of Art: Texture; Art Lesson Tutorial for Kids
Explore creating art focused on the Elements of Art: Texture that features drawing Fruits and Veggies, perfect for Homeschooling or Distance Learning. This is a free, easy to do, quick art lesson that focuses on teaching the Element of Art Texture to kids. This is an easy to implement idea for kids to do as an art project at home or in the classroom. Perfect for kids from grades 2 to 7! Scroll through to follow the step-by-step, or scroll to the bottom to find the full YouTube Video tutorial embedded in this post!
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The BEST Picture Books that Teach About Art for Kids
Explore creating art focused on the Elements of Art in an At Home Learning setting, perfect for Homeschooling or Distance Learning. This blog post has art projects and lessons for experimenting with Line, Value, Mixing Colors, and Texture with unexpected art mediums you already have in your home (that you just didn’t realize you have).
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The BEST Books that Teach Art History to Kids
Explore the BEST books that teach about Art History to kids to use for art infused lessons in your classroom, to teach art history to your art students, or to use for creating an art history section in your home library. This comprehensive list explores famous artists and artworks throughout art history. It will provide you with ideas and inspiration for creating art lessons and projects that you can pair with this amazing books to help you teach art history in depth in your classroom.
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Element of Art: Line , How to Draw Flower Line Art, Art Lesson for Kids
Explore creating art focused on the Elements of Art in an At Home Learning setting, perfect for Homeschooling or Distance Learning. This blog post has art projects and lessons for experimenting with Line, Value, Mixing Colors, and Texture with unexpected art mediums you already have in your home (that you just didn’t realize you have).
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Why You Need a Cricut for DIY Projects: The Ultimate Cricut Guide
Cricuts are precision cutting machines that can help you with your DIY projects, crafts, maker pieces, or they can help you create professional projects or products to sell. Whether you are a beginner DIYer or an expert, you can find ideas, inspiration, and new machines and accessories from Cricut for all your fabric, vinyl, wood sign, mug and tumbler, tote bags, or etching project needs. This is the Ultimate Guide for why YOU need a Cricut in your craft room, classroom, business, or home.
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Element of Art: Space Art Lesson for Kids, How to Draw a Silly Landscape
Explore the Element of Art: Space with your favorite art mediums, such as felt markers and crayons, with this silly Landscape Art Lesson Drawing Tutorial. This is an easy to-do, hands on activity that kids can do at home or in the classroom to help them learn and understand the element of art: space. Let’s make art!
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Element of Art: Value Art Lesson for Kids, How to Draw a Monster
Explore the Element of Art: Value with your favorite art mediums, such as felt markers and crayons, with this Monster Art Lesson Drawing Tutorial. This is an easy to-do, hands on activity that kids can do at home or in the classroom to help them learn and understand the element of art: value. Let’s make art!
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The BEST Free Art Worksheets, Lessons, and Ideas for Kids
I love creating art with kids! In this post you can find FREE Art lessons for kids and you can download 8 FREE Art Worksheets and Templates to use with kids experimenting with art making at home or in your classroom. Let kids explore art making and learn to shade 3D objects, value scales, make color wheels, and more! Find free worksheets and other ideas and art lessons for making art at home or in the classroom.
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Exploring the Elements of Art with Kids at Home
Explore creating art focused on the Elements of Art in an At Home Learning setting, perfect for Homeschooling or Distance Learning. This blog post has art projects and lessons for experimenting with Line, Value, Mixing Colors, and Texture with unexpected art mediums you already have in your home (that you just didn’t realize you have).
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The Ultimate List of Distance Learning Art Projects and Resources for Kids
Even in a crisis or emergency, students deserve the BEST art education, whether they are able to access their classroom or not. These art resources have been selected for this list because they can either be used as take-home art resources, accessed online for e-learning, or can be used with any choice of mediums or materials. These Art Resource creators and educators are here to provide you with assistance during this crisis. All the quality and easy to implement art resources that you need to be able to support your students through this new thing called Distance Learning.
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Distance Learning Art Resources for your Students
Art instruction has become a challenge with the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. In this post, I will provide you with the Distance Learning Art Resources and Activities that I have created for you to use for instructing your students. From Distance Learning Art projects that can be used with any mediums or materials to my Full FREE Art Lessons on my YouTube Channel that I’ve created for you, my goal is to alleviate the stress of planning and creating for you and to provide your students with quality art ideas and at-home lessons.
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St. Patrick’s Day Art Lesson, Project, & Activity Ideas for Kids
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in your classroom with art projects, ideas, and activities for kids. These cute art projects for kids are suitable for teaching a range of art techniques and skills and can be done as either an artwork or craft. Read this post to find art ideas for kids, directed drawings, coloring pages, and St. Patrick’s Day teacher shirts to make your St. Patty’s Day celebration complete.
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5 Must Have Mediums in an Art Classroom and WHY
This is my list of ideas for the 5 ultimate art mediums that you should have in your classroom for making art with kids. If you can’t have everything, then these are the different art mediums you need in your art classroom to allow for hands-on, creative, and possibly mixed media art projects. Art teachers, read here to see what you MUST have in your art classroom.
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How to Fuel Your Creativity: Tips and Ideas for Artists and Art Makers
Creativity can’t happen if you don’t allow time for it to occur. Sometimes we have intentions on “painting this month” or “writing a blog post this week”, but before you know it, the month or week has passed and you made nothing happen. It is important for your own success that you schedule a specific date and time when you are going to block out the rest of the world, including your TV and phone (music is allowed). In my life, I schedule my own business and my free-creative times in my studio on my digital calendar. I use my OneDrive calendar, but you can use your Google Calendar or phone calendar app. You can also purchase a calendar or notebook calendar or agenda for the year where you can pencil in all your adventures and blocks where you will dedicate yourself to being creative in your office, lounge, studio or wherever you’re creative experiences occur.
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How to Encourage ALL Your Students to Create Art (even those who don’t want to)
Inspire kids to make art through encouraging them, earning their trust, and building a relationship in your classroom! These are classroom management strategies for art teachers to help them reach all their learners (even those who are unwilling to make art or are challenging to teach). Learn how to draw out the artist in each of your students, inspire them, and be YOUR BEST teacher through reading this blog post! #artteacher #artteachingstrategies #firstyearartteacher #msartastic
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Steps to Walking a Creative Path in your Everyday Life – Strategies for Artists & Art Makers
Learn the steps of how to be creative and integrate creativity in your everyday life. In this blog post, I’ll tell you the secrets of creativity inspiration and how to get ideas that will let you be creative with your ideas, thoughts, DIY projects, art, drawings, design, poetry, blog post writing, podcast making or any other creative adventure you want to pursue. Don’t know how to get over the creativity fear? Here is how. #becreative #creativeinspiration #creativityquotes
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How to Encourage a Maker Mindset in your Classroom | Teaching Strategies for Art, STEAM, & Design
A Makerspace is an opportunity to allow kids to be creative, experiment, and learn and apply Growth Mindset thinking when trying to solve real-world problems or STEAM design challenges. It is important to expose kids in Elementary and Middle School to design challenges or projects that require building to provide hands-on experiences to solving problems. Read about my ideas on how to encourage a Maker Mindset in your classroom, library, or home. #backtoschool #makerspace #steamchallenges
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5 Ideas for Valentine’s Day Art Lessons, Ideas, & Activities for your Classroom
Have fun creating one-of-a-kind Valentine’s Day Art Pieces with kids this February. These 5 art ideas will allow your kids to get their hands-on art mediums that are easy to use and quick to clean. This illustrations and how-to drawing tutorials are the perfect solution for your at home art night needs or for creating in your classroom with your students. Whatever you need, these tutorials and art ideas are bound to get you and your kids or students creating amazing Valentine’s Day Artworks that will capture an audience! #valentinesdayart #valentinesdayartprojects #valentinesdaydiy
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10 Reasons Why Arts Integration in Schools is Important | Art Education Resources
Arts integration in schools are important as they provide students with a complete education. Visual Arts teach visual communication, fine motor skills, culture, how to persevere, how to problem solve, how to think critically, and how to face challenges. All these skills can be learned through the arts, then applied to other academics, and later, a child’s career. Here are my 10 Reasons on why arts integration in schools is important. #artseducation #artintegration #artteacher
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Valentines Day Art Project Tutorial for Kids: Valentines Puppy
Teaching Art to Kids leading up to Valentine’s Day can be fun! Here is an art project tutorial that teaches elementary students how to create a Valentine’s puppy using oil pastels and paint. Teach how to use a variety of art mediums with this quick and easy art activity that will have kids making a fun illustration. Perfect teaching resource for grade 4 and grade 5 students.
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5 New Years Art Lesson and Activity Ideas to Try in your Classroom
Start the New Year off in your classroom in an artastic way! Engage your students with art ideas that are perfect for goal setting, practicing drawing skills, and getting creative at the start of the New Year. Try these 5 New Years Art Ideas in your classroom or at home to get your creative juices flowing. Let’s get started!
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Winter Art Project Activity for your Classroom | FREE Winter Evergreen Art Project
Learn how to create this Winter Art Project in your classroom for FREE with the FREE Downloadable PDF that includes all the tools and steps that you need to not only teach the lesson, but display it too. Students will use paint, paper, and pastel to create this FREE Winter Evergreen Art Project.
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6 Christmas Art Lesson and Activity Ideas for Your Classroom
Coming up with ideas for what to do with your students before Christmas break can often be difficult, especially when you’re burn’t out and tired from both teaching and getting-ready-for-Christmas-life outside of work. Here are 6 Art Activity Ideas that you can do in your classroom to be prepared and done planning before your vacation days start.
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Thankful, a Thanksgiving Art Project for Kids to do in your Classroom
Thanksgiving is a great time to create some Autumn themed work that reflects our thankfulness for things that we appreciate in our lives and the harvest that has been collected from the summer. This Thanksgiving, get out a piece of paper or your sketchbook and get ready to create some Thanksgiving art either in your home or in the classroom.
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Halloween Art Lesson Idea for Kids, Vampire Art Project Tutorial
Create a Vampire art piece with your students this Halloween! Explore oil resist painting and create a fun design when things get spooky! Perfect activity to do in the days leading up to Halloween or to leave with a sub.
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Halloween Art Project for Kids, FREE Jack-O-Lantern Art Lesson Tutorial Download
This Halloween Line Art Project is a great art project to do with kids as it teaches them mixed media processes and the Element of Art: Line.
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Autumn Art Lesson for Kids, Fall Pumpkin Art Project Tutorial
This autumn pumpkin art project is a perfect project to teach your students to blend oil pastel and how to layer mediums. This art project uses both oil pastels and watercolor paints. Perfect to teach to your students or print this page and leave it for a sub.
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Autumn Art Lesson for Kids, Leaves Line Art Tutorial & FREE DOWNLOAD
I love when the leaves change and they begin to change into those warm, beautiful colors. This is a great opportunity to teach your students about both Autumn and the Element of Art: Line using this FREE Art Tutorial. Click here or scroll to the bottom of the page to download the printable tutorial; great to use yourself or leave for a sub!
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The Dot: Dot Day Art Lesson Activity for Your Classroom
This is a wonderful lesson not only to do for “Dot Day”, but you can do it as a Back to School Activity and Growth Mindset activity as well. It is also a great activity if you are teaching a “Transform” lesson with Adrienne Gear’s Reading Power series. This is a fun activity that transforms a bulletin board quickly.
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