Keith Haring Friendship Art Project Keith Haring Art Lesson Pop Art Activity

In this Keith Haring Friendship Art Project, students create a pop art inspired artwork of dancing friends in the style of Keith Haring. The finished piece is bright and graphic, with overlapping figures, strong black lines, bold paint color and playful pattern, and it explores ideas like friendship, love, movement and connection.

It is made for teachers, art teachers and homeschoolers, and fits an artist study, a pop art unit, friendship or kindness themes, or a colorful classroom display. Students follow the same general process, and their patterns, colors and line details make each piece their own.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (NON-EDITABLE PDF)

• 1 cover page
• 1 About the Resource page
• 1 Critical Thinking Questions page
• 3 lesson plan pages
• 1 Keith Haring poem hook page
• 1 student reading page about Keith Haring's legacy
• 1 color poster sample page
• 1 rubric page
• 1 How-to Draw: Keith Haring, Friends page
• 1 KWL chart page
• 1 The Message reflection page
• 1 Analyze: Elements and Principles reflection page
• 1 Compare and Contrast page
• 1 Questions and Wonders page
• 1 Goal Setting page
• 2 Artwork Reflection pages
• 1 Peer Feedback page
• Artist's Statement pages
• 1 full-page example artwork page
• PDF step-by-step tutorial with visual and text directions for drawing overlapping figures, dancing poses, bold outlines, pattern and painting

WHAT STUDENTS LEARN

The poem and reading page introduce Keith Haring's bold style, his public art, and the way he used art to communicate messages about love, unity, social justice and inclusion. This helps students connect their own artwork to a real artist.

In the art lesson, students build a composition of overlapping dancing figures with strong shapes and expressive lines, then add pattern and paint. The finished pieces stand out on bulletin boards, hallway displays and classroom walls.

FAQ

Who can use this resource?

Teachers, art teachers and homeschoolers.

Is this resource editable?

No. It is non-editable.

Does this lesson include information about the artist?

Yes. It includes a Keith Haring poem hook and a student reading page about his legacy.

What materials are used?

Permanent black marker or black colored pencil, card stock or thicker paper, and watercolor paint, with tempera or acrylic paint as options.

Does it include reflection or assessment pages?

Yes. It includes a rubric, KWL chart, reflection pages, peer feedback, goal setting and artist statement pages.

Get free, classroom-ready art lessons and printables in my Free Art Lesson Library.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathleen McGiveron (Ms Artastic) is an artist and educator who has been featured on NBC LX News and was the featured educator on the cover of OCO Magazine (October 2025). She 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

This resource is for single educator use only.

YOU MAY: use it with your own students. Please purchase additional licenses if more than one teacher will be using it.

YOU MAY NOT: share, copy, upload, post online, distribute or resell it in any form.

Sincerely,

Ms Artastic