Bead Art (Crafts)

The picture above is from a lesson that involved crafts. The co-teachers introduced bead art in the form of using newspaper. The bracelet we made was for Mother's Day. We cut out a heart, wrote a sentence or two for our mother, and made the bracelet. To make the bracelet, you took thin (about an inch) pieces of newspaper and rolled them. We used glue at the end of the paper rolls to make them stay together. Then, we placed the white string through the paper rolls and tied the bracelet together.
You can make newspaper bracelets for any holiday like Christmas or Easter. They are a fun way to get the students to make something for someone special. You could use this activity when talking about other cultures and show the students bracelets from other countries.
 

Clay Masks

The picture above is from a clay lesson activity. We made clay masks for the clay lesson activity. We first were given a slab of clay and formed it into the shape of mask we wanted. After that, we made designs on our mask using lines and different textures. Then, we made the facial features of the mask (eyes, nose, and mouth). Finally, after our mask dried, we painted the mask. 
This lesson would be fun for students of all ages. You could incorporate clay into any lesson you are doing. Say you are in a social studies unit talking about American history. You could have the students make an American flag. This opportunities are endless for clay.   

Trees (Math/Science)

The picture above is from a math/science focused lesson. The group decided to focus on science. We were given either a blue, black, white, yellow, or orange piece of construction paper. We traced our hand on a brown sheet of construction paper and used it as a tree trunk. We talked about the seasons and made a scene of a season based on the color of our paper. 
This lesson is perfect for talking about seasons. You can incorporate it into a science lesson. You could do this lesson for every change of the season throughout the year and have the students use different materials to decorate the tree and the background each time.

Crayons

The picture shown above is from a lesson with the focus of crayons. Before we made the crayon drawing, we made did an activity that involved making a monster or funny character. We divided our paper into three sections and drew the face of the character. After we drew the face, we folded the paper so the face was hidden and the middle of the paper showed. We then passed our paper to another person and they made the body of the character. We then repeated this process for the legs of the character. Students got a kick out of how the characters turned out. 
The characters are a great way to get the students imaginations going. They have to come up with something from their imagination and this can get them focused in. This activity would be perfect for sometime when the students aren't able to go outside for recess due to poor weather. 
The picture above is from the main crayon activity of the lesson. We cut out the crayon shape and drew a scene in the middle of the crayon. I drew a swimmer swimming. 
This activity would be a fun activity in the classroom for the students to show their interests. You could do this at the beginning of the year when students are familiar with each other. Students can draw the in middle what they like to do and it can serve as an introduction. 

Scratch Art (2D Paper Projects)

The picture above is an example of scratch art. The lesson my partner and I made to present to the class was from the focus of 2D paper projects. We decided to make Mother's Day cards out of homemade scratch art. Scratch art is a great way for students to explore other art methods. It takes up time, so when incorporating it into the classroom make sure enough time is planned. 

The bulletin board above is the board classmate Whitney and me made to present the artwork our "student's" scratch art creations. Bulletin boards are a great way to show off students' artwork. Showing off the students' work gives them a sense of pride. It also lets them know they need to take the project seriously because it will be displayed in front of their peers.

Culture Masks (Multicultural)

The picture above is from a lesson focus of multicultural art. We made culture masks. The materials are endless with this activity. You need a paper plate and whatever you wish to decorate your mask. I used orange paint, glitter, construction paper and tissue paper. 
The culture masks are a great way to incorporate other cultures into the classroom. You can make the culture masks in your regular classroom as well as in the art classroom. This activity can inspire the culturally diverse to stand out and share their culture with their classmates.

Printmaking

The picture above is from a lesson with the focus of printmaking. First, you take a styrofoam sheet and create a design with an object that can make a dent. I used a pencil. After your design is made, cover it with paint and place it face down on construction paper. 
This activity can be useful when learning about printmaking. It is simple and would only take one class period for students to complete. As a teacher, you could introduce various elements of design, such as line or shape, and have them make prints of those. 

Imagination (Drawing)

The picture above is from an activity called "Using Imagination". The focus in this lesson was drawing. A partner drew a line, while you did the same, and you would then exchange papers. From the line a partner drew, you would use your imagination to create an image or scene. The line I received was wavy and reminded me of the ocean. I drew someone swimming in the ocean
This activity would be a great way to get the students creative ideas flowing. If the students are having a hard time focusing or coming up with an idea, you could have them do this activity. 

Easter Eggs (Painting)

The picture above is from an activity with the focus of Easter. We made Easter eggs in honor of the holiday. The groups focus was painting. We cut out three egg shapes and painted each one with either color, shape, or line. The picture taken above is an example of the color egg. 
This activity is a great way to incorporate art into the classroom. Students will be excited for the holiday and it will give them a chance to learn different art elements. 

Elements and Principles of Design

The following pictures were taken from a hotel in Rochester, Minnesota. The pictures show different examples of the elements and principles of design.

The picture above is an example of line. Line is an element of design and is defined as a moving dot. You can see the lines in this picture of carpet. 

The picture above is an example of texture. Texture is an element of design and is defined as surface quality of a shape that can be rough, smooth, soft, hard, etc. You can see the texture on the edge of this mirror frame.

The picture above is an example of shape. Shape is defined as a geometric or organic form. You can see the different sizes of circle shapes from the prescription medication and the powerade bottle. The circles are all geometric shapes.

The picture above is an example of variety. Variety consists of different images or objects to add interest. The variety in this picture is all of the different fruits. The different fruits keep the picture from becoming pattern-like. 

The final picture is an example of balance. Balance is the way elements of a piece are arranged. The lamps are an example of symmetrical balance. Drawing a line down the middle of the picture will help determine the symmetrical balance.

Hidden Safari

The project shown above is from an activity called "Hidden Safari". I enjoyed this activity, even as a college student. For the activity, you draw an object in light blue colored pencil, which is a cool color. Then, you take any colored warm crayon (red, yellow, orange) and create  multiple designs on top of the blue color. This makes it difficult to see the blue colored pencil from far away. You then make "magic goggles" that can help see the blue image. 
Kids will love this activity. A teacher can incorporate this into the classroom during an animal unit or make other objects from it. This activity has endless opportunities for incorporation into the classroom.

Eric Carle Inspired Collage

The picture above was inspired by the artist Eric Carle. In class, we watched a video on him and viewed his artwork. He uses special papers that he makes himself. With these papers, he makes different scenarios and makes a story out of it. His most famous work is the short story "The Very Hungry Caterpillar". Eric Carle's work is outstanding and is an inspiration to children everywhere. His creativity is spectacular and kids love reading his books.
He is a great artist to include into the classroom. A teacher can create a unit based from a book he wrote. As a teacher, you could incorporate Eric Carle's work in your reading section. You can share his books with the students and let his work inspire them.

Van Gogh Inspired Collage

The picture above is inspired by Van Gogh. We studied this artist in class and made an inspired artwork after him. First, you pick out the colors of tissue paper you want. Second, you cut out the shapes that remind you of Van Gogh's "Starry Night" painting. After gluing the tissue paper down, you coat it with a clear glue. While the glue is drying, think of a setting that reminds you of Van Gogh's artwork. I chose a city building setting. We were able to make whatever markings on your setting, whether it be buildings, homes, etc. After your tissue paper is dry, you can glue your setting to your paper. 
This activity would be a great activity for the classroom. You can have the students study Van Gogh's work and have them use their imagination to create their own inspired collage.

Footprint Activity

The footprint activity is a great way to get the students in the class to get to know one another. It is also a great way for the teacher to get to know the students if they don't know them yet. This activity is as challenging as the students wish to make it. It shows what each student is capable of. 

To integrate this activity into another subject (health) you could have the students create a footprint of what "steps they take" to stay healthy. This would be a great way to see how the students eat and how much they exercise. The students can show what sports they are in, what physical activities they like, what healthy foods they eat, if they walk a pet, or even if they ride their bike or walk to school. It is important to show them that being healthy will benefit them for the rest of their lives.