Element of Art Value Art Lessons Art Projects Value Art Activities Worksheets
Instant digital download · Secure checkout with Payhip
Selected reviews from TPT
★★★★★This is an excellent resource. Takes the headache out of reinventing the wheel. It gives a closer look at how the elements are taught, and can be bused on the whiteboard if you don't want to photocopy the sheets. Thank you.
Suzanne D. · December 2019 · TPT review
★★★★★I really like having your resources to support my art program as I am not trained in art. Keep them coming! I teach slightly younger students, (grade 5 ) but we are able to use some of the activities.
Lynn O. · February 2017 · TPT review
★★★★★A great resource! As someone who is new to teaching art this was perfect for an introductory unit on elements of art!
Rachel Mack · October 2017 · TPT review
Rated by 63 teachers on TPT (see every rating on TPT). These are selected 4- and 5-star written reviews by teachers on TPT (Teachers Pay Teachers), shown word for word. TPT's newer 4-point scale ("Extremely satisfied" = 4) is converted to stars.
This Element of Art Value Unit teaches students how to use light and dark to create depth and mood in their artwork. It includes 10 sequential value drawing lessons, printable shading worksheets and value-based art activities.
It is designed for upper elementary and middle school students in Grades 4 to 9. Students explore hatching, stippling, monochromatic shading and still life drawing using value, from shading a sphere to a popcorn still life, a stippled animal and a monochromatic self-portrait. Use it in sketchbooks, as full art lessons or as part of a year-long art curriculum.
WHAT'S INCLUDED (NON-EDITABLE PDF)
- 10 Full Lesson Plans with instructions
- 10 Student Worksheets and Handouts
- About Value in Art Handout
- Visual Handout: "Value Is..."
- Value Scale Practice Worksheet
- Shading a Sphere Worksheet
- Monochromatic Nature Drawing Lesson
- Popcorn Still Life Value Drawing
- Stippled Animal Drawing Challenge
- Spooky Night Value Art Lesson
- Forestscape Value Drawing
- Monochromatic Self-Portrait Drawing Lesson
HOW TO USE IT
Print the lesson plans and worksheets and gather basic drawing materials: pencils, erasers and blending tools. Introduce value with the informational handouts, then model shading and value-building as you guide students through each technique.
Teach it as a 2-week value drawing unit, or pull individual activities into your broader Elements of Art curriculum. The lessons also suit independent practice, sketchbook warm-ups and guided instruction in shading and tonal work, in the art room, in homeschool art lessons or in a sketchbook program.
FAQ
Who can use this resource?
Classroom teachers, homeschooling parents, art specialists and substitute teachers.
What grades is it for?
Upper elementary and middle school, Grades 4 to 9.
How long will it take?
Each lesson can take 1 to 3 class periods, depending on your students' age and skill level, your teaching pace, class behavior and how much instruction and work time your class period allows.
Is it editable?
No. It is a non-editable PDF.
ALL TEACHER REVIEWS
★★★★★ “Love your units!” Lynda A.
★★★★★ “Very Helpful” kathryn B.
★★★★★ “excellent! thank you” Bethanie B.
★★★★★ “This really allows kids to feel successful in art. Thank you for this resource.” Gordon A.
★★★★★ “Have used this often! thank you!” Pitt's P.
★★★★★ “I really like having your resources to support my art program as I am not trained in art. Keep them coming! I teach slightly younger students, (grade 5 ) but we are able to use some of the activities.” Lynn O.
★★★★★ “Great! Thanks!” Teach O.
★★★★★ “thank you” Vanessa C.
★★★★★ “This whole series if fantastic!!” Tammy F.
★★★★★ “great resource” Sandra G.
★★★★★ “Love!!!!” Karen K.
★★★★★ “Very helpful for HS too!” Natalie S.
Get free, classroom-ready art lessons and printables in my Free Art Lesson Library.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kathleen McGiveron (Ms Artastic) is an artist who has been featured on NBC LX News and designs art lessons for kids and educational resources for teachers. She is the founder of Ms Artastic and hosts the Ms Artastic YouTube Channel and Podcast.
TERMS OF USE
Images and lessons are copyright products.
YOU MAY: use this in your own classroom or homeschool, print it for your own students' use, and purchase additional licenses for school-wide use.
YOU MAY NOT: share this resource with other teachers or schools without a license, upload or distribute it online, or resell or give away the resource in part or in full.
Sincerely,
Ms Artastic
Pairs Well With
More selected reviews from TPT
★★★★★This was a great unit for someone who had never taught art before. It had a great variety of activities and my students really learned a lot.
Inspired ELA · August 2026 · TPT review
★★★★★No down time allowed in Art class. Fast finishers need something while waiting for others to catch up. Used this for 7th grade Art class.
Lee B. · June 2026 · TPT review
★★★★★I used this with several grade levels with success
CoffeeTeacher · April 2026 · TPT review
★★★★★This is a great resource to help teach about the element of value.
Elizabeth R. · July 2025 · TPT review
★★★★★We've started using these project ideas (Fun Day Wednesday today will be the "Popcorn Portrait") and I appreciate the ease, minimal number of supplies required for these projects. My Art 1 students come with varying prior knowledge and abilities and these projects are accessible, engaging for them all.
Cynthia S. · September 2024 · TPT review
★★★★★Easy prep and good practice for a project! Clear on instructions and understanding for the topic. Love
Autumn C. · March 2024 · TPT review
★★★★★My students love the activities in these art resources. They helped me plan out smaller activities to help solidify the elements.
Alicia Cameron · April 2023 · TPT review
★★★★★Excellent resource. Clear instructions, engaging, and easy to follow.
Carla W. · November 2022 · TPT review
★★★★★Great resource! Thank you for sharing!
Patricia H. · September 2022 · TPT review
★★★★★Fantastic resource! I have a bought a couple and plan to buy the others too. There are always great activities that engage the students. They are always excited when we do one of these activities!
Chantal M. · January 2022 · TPT review
★★★★★I was really hesitant to use a worksheet, but it helped them stay on focus and work on the actual task of creating value. Students were engaged with one worksheet and asked for additional practice work for home. Would recommend.
Alicia Torres · November 2021 · TPT review
★★★★★Thank you so much! This has made teaching shading a whole lot easier. I have created folders for my students and we are adding to them each week from the bundle you've put together. I like how you incorporated a lot of examples for students to refer to.
Alicia J. · November 2021 · TPT review
★★★★★I would highly recommend the use of this resource in your classroom. It is aligned with the curricular expectations and gives students a clear understanding of the use of Value in Art.
TLC for Teachers · July 2021 · TPT review
★★★★★Wonderful lessons! Thank you for creating something that is ready to go and well done!
Cori Bloom · May 2021 · TPT review
★★★★★These are great mini lessons!
Create My Life · April 2021 · TPT review
★★★★★This ended up being a lesson taught by my TA as I was quarantined and working from home. It was a little advanced for my students but I think it would work in most normal art classes.
Christi C. · April 2021 · TPT review
★★★★★Another way to reinforce Elements of Art
Andrew Missler · March 2021 · TPT review
★★★★★Great for art lessons
Stephanie M. · January 2021 · TPT review
★★★★★Kids loved these activities.
Heather J. · January 2021 · TPT review
★★★★★Awesome lessons for my students!
Alyssa Friesen · December 2020 · TPT review
★★★★★Was Great!
AMA A · September 2020 · TPT review
★★★★★Nice introduction activities.
Shonda K. · September 2020 · TPT review
★★★★★I enjoyed this resource and would use it again. I found it explained the elements of art very well and I was not disappointed!
Jacqueline S. · August 2020 · TPT review
★★★★★This was a very useful resource!
Amy M. · August 2020 · TPT review
★★★★★love it
A Willow Tree · April 2020 · TPT review
★★★★★Thanks!
Krista M. · November 2019 · TPT review
★★★★★Wide range of activities to practice value
Carly D. · October 2019 · TPT review
★★★★★Excellent resource!!
Margaret B. · August 2019 · TPT review
★★★★★Great lessons!
Cheryl R. · June 2019 · TPT review
★★★★★Awesome
The Harry Potter Lover · March 2019 · TPT review
★★★★★Great resource. Love the projects with each lesson.
Viki K. · March 2019 · TPT review
★★★★★Great directions and visuals. Used it as a summative choice project for my value unit.
Beth A. · January 2019 · TPT review
★★★★★Useful
Melissa R. · January 2019 · TPT review
★★★★★Amazing resource! Great addition to my art lessons!
Kristina B. · December 2018 · TPT review
★★★★★Great activities and explanations to use. Using with a grade 8 class.
Rosina N. · November 2018 · TPT review
★★★★★Awesome! :o)
Van Gogh's Earlobe · November 2018 · TPT review
★★★★★Very helpful and great for independent workers
Brigitt K. · November 2018 · TPT review
★★★★★Love these thank you!
Creative Concepts · November 2018 · TPT review
★★★★★great thanks
Jamie's Jems Kid's just wanna have fun · October 2018 · TPT review
★★★★★Great resource!
Kyle H. · May 2018 · TPT review
★★★★★Directions and examples are easy to follow. It helps build confidence in the students. Thanks!
Lindsie W. · March 2018 · TPT review
★★★★★A great resource, thanks!
Eizabeth T. · March 2018 · TPT review
★★★★★Lots of excellent activities!
Stephanie H. · February 2018 · TPT review
★★★★★Great plans
Melida M. · February 2018 · TPT review
★★★★★Awesome
yvonne F. · January 2018 · TPT review
★★★★★Great resource!
Alisha B. · November 2017 · TPT review
★★★★★Helpful!
Danielle H. · November 2017 · TPT review
★★★★★Love your units!
Lynda A. · July 2017 · TPT review
★★★★★This is a great guideline for a first year teacher or someone who is recent to art education outside of traditional classroom spaces in public ed. There are about three to five decent classroom activities. It is adequately priced considering the worksheets that are available. I would not recommend for the seasoned art teacher who may only find the worksheets of use.
Jean Carlos V. · June 2017 · TPT review
★★★★★Very Helpful
kathryn B. · April 2017 · TPT review
★★★★★excellent! thank you
Bethanie B. · April 2017 · TPT review
★★★★★This really allows kids to feel successful in art. Thank you for this resource.
Gordon A. · April 2017 · TPT review
★★★★★Have used this often! thank you!
Pitt's Paperworks · March 2017 · TPT review
★★★★★Great! Thanks!
Teach Ontario · January 2017 · TPT review
★★★★★thank you
Vanessa C. · January 2017 · TPT review
★★★★★This whole series if fantastic!!
Tammy F. · November 2016 · TPT review
★★★★★great resource
Sandra Gonzalez · November 2016 · TPT review
★★★★★Love!!!!
Karen Kendall · November 2016 · TPT review
★★★★★Very helpful for HS too!
Natalie S. · September 2016 · TPT review
Rated by 63 teachers on TPT (see every rating on TPT). These are selected 4- and 5-star written reviews by teachers on TPT (Teachers Pay Teachers), shown word for word. TPT's newer 4-point scale ("Extremely satisfied" = 4) is converted to stars.
Love this resource? Let me know