Art Sub Lesson - Doodle Monsters Around the Christmas Tree

 Art Sub Lesson - Doodle Monsters 

I’m still playing around with doodling monsters. They’re fun for me to draw and kids seem to have as much fun doodling them as I do. 

Simple Monster Drawing Characters for Winter

Here's a new drawing, that I have added to my art sub lesson. It is doodle monster gingerbread people. One is rather Santa-like. One looks like Mrs. Claus. (Does she have a first name?) There's an elfin one; a kid one; one with a top hat; and a couple with beanies....tuques?...knit caps.

Monster Doodles Worksheet for Early Finishers

I have added a blank template of this drawing to the lesson on TPT in case you want an early finishers coloring activity. It is an add on at the end of the lesson and won’t change the lesson at all. So, if you have already bought this lesson from my TPT shop, you can just download it with changes, for free. (Yippee!) I’ve added this finished drawing to the sample drawings too. 

Click here to see or buy the monster doodle lesson at my Art Sub Lessons shop:  Art Sub Lesson - Doodle Monsters in Winter

More Blog Posts about Doodling Monsters

If you are interested in seeing other blog posts about these doodle monsters, check them out here:

Doodle Monsters in Winter

Doodle Monsters in Winter

Art Sub Plan - Beyond the Gingerbread Man

 

Art Sub Lesson - Beyond the Gingerbread Man

The other day I wrote about one of my art activities where kids create gingerbread characters or objects that were not gingerbread people. This morning, for fun, I doodled an example for that lesson. Here's a link to that blog post: Art Sub Lesson: Beyond the Gingerbread Man

Art Lesson Plan - Beyond the Gingerbread Man

Art Sub Plan - Beyond the Gingerbread Man 

No doubt about it. Kids love drawing gingerbread men, gingerbread houses, and all lessons related to candy and treats. After so many years though, that whole house and cookie person idea has run its course with them. 

I came up with an idea for the whole gingerbread and candy idea, but with a twist. "Beyond the Gingerbread Man" lets kids use all those fun yummy ideas they have, but let them apply them to an open ended art experience.

This was written as an art sub plan, but can be taught by anyone. It uses the most simple supplies: crayon and paper. You may, of course, use markers, Sharpies, and the like.  

Here are some of the art work kids have done with this lesson.

I have provided lots of examples of the gingerbread houses they are familiar with and a script for you to follow. 

It is such a fun lesson to do and easy to teach. Whether you teach it yourself or hand it to a sub, you will be happy to have given this lesson to your students.

Click here to find out more about this lesson: Beyond the Gingerbread Man - Art Sub Lesson Plan

Related Blogposts You Might Enjoy

If you are looking for some other Christmas/winter art lesson ideas, here are some other blog posts you might like:

This one is about the ever popular "ugly Christmas sweater." It includes both free and paid options from the web and TPT.

Art Worksheet - Ugly Christmas Sweater

The next blog post is about a free idea from NeoWhimsey that is an ornament or a card idea.  

The last one is a good idea for your special needs classes. You can find this blog post here:  Yarn Wrap Ornament for Special Needs Students

Art Worksheets - Winter Trees

 Winter Trees Art Activity

This lesson fits nicely with the one I posted yesterday.  This works well in the winter as an art sub lesson; an activity for early finishers; or as a center activity.

There is a template of a winter tree; sample patterns; directions to hang in a center; teacher directions; and examples of different ways to complete the art work.

It's only $3 and you can buy it on TPT here:  Winter Trees Art Activity

Art Worksheet - Winter Mittens

 Winter Mittens Art Activity

Here's an activity that works great for centers, early finishers, and subs. 

There is a worksheet with a line drawing of mitten shapes, divided into sections. 

Students may use pattern and color, however they like, to fill in.

There is also a sheet of sample patterns they may choose from or be inspired by.

There are also sample mitten designs showing different methods they may use as a reference for their own design.

Directions are included in two ways: for use in a learning center or to be used by a teacher leading students through a lesson.

It's a great thing to have on hand for emergency absences or for those early finishers. 

Only $3, you can buy it at the TPT shop, Centers and Early Finishers.

Art Sub Plans with Holiday Color Schemes

Sub Plans with a Holiday Color Scheme

If you are in a pinch, needing sub plans, take a look at what you already have. Are you able to give art worksheets a new twist to make them more appealing to the season or the students' interests? How about a change of color schemes. You don't have to be specific about any season or event, but you can offer a color scheme that would suggest it.


Here's a lesson from the TPT Shop: Centers and Early Finishers. It's a lesson that could be taught any time. If you want to use it in December, you could always put up a sample in red and green, or blue and silver, some traditional color schemes for the month. Students could also use the colors of their favorite teams. 

Art Worksheets for December

Early Finishers Art Worksheets for Winter, Christmas, and December

Art worksheets for early finishers are always a relief for subs and teachers alike. As hyper as kids seem to be this year, they need help occupying themselves when they are finished their work.

The shop, Centers and Early Finishers, caters to that need. Here are activities and worksheets that cater to Christmas, and winter. 

These are from the TPT Shop: Centers and Early Finishers.

Doodle a Christmas Stocking

"Doodle a Christmas Stocking" has a stocking template; lots of sample patterns; and samples of finished artwork. These could make a nice display on a bulletin board.

Doodle Art Nutcrackers

"Doodle Art Nutcrackers" includes two templates of nutcrackers, one male and one female, to doodle and decorate; four examples of finished artwork; directions for students; directions for the teacher; and a sheet of sample patterns for doodling. 

Draw Your Own Gingerbread House

Students may draw their own house shape or use the template house shape. There is a sheet with sample candies and treats from which the kids may get ideas, and there are multiple sheets of gingerbread house designs.

Doodle Art - Fancy Decorated Trees

It includes two templates of tree shapes to doodle and decorate; three examples of finished artwork; directions for students; directions for the teacher; and a sheet of sample patterns for doodling. 

Art Lesson - Robots in Winter

It was created so that a teacher only needs to print out the slides and hang them if they are to be used as a center activity. There is also a script with directions for if the teacher or sub is going to use this as a lesson plan.

How Would You Design a Winter Mitten

This elementary art activity may be used in a center; as a short art lesson; as a sub lesson; or for early finishers. Students look at sample mitten designs and then create their own mitten design. A page of directions for the activity is provided so you may print it out and hang it in the center. Also, a sheet with questions to help stimulate ideas is provided. The teacher only has to print out the slides and hang them in their center area or use them as teaching visuals. A line drawing of a blank mitten is provided as a place for the students to design their own mitten.

If you would like to see a fun Christmas worksheet from another TPT shop, check out this blog post about the activity, "Ugly Christmas Sweaters."

Doodle Monsters in Winter - Art Sub Plans

Doodle Monsters in Winter, Christmas, or December

This time of year, kids will beg to do holiday art lessons. That's a tough one, since there are multiple holidays celebrated in December, and there are those who are not allowed to celebrate any of them.  I contemplated how to do a fun holiday-ISH lesson while leaving it open ended enough to not be related to a holiday at all. 

And since I am all about creating lessons that subs can teach, it would need to be a lesson easy enough to be taught by anyone.

I found lots of videos about doodling by kids and adults alike. The kids' art was every bit as fun to look at as the grown ups' art. 

Doodle monsters were what I settled on. 

I had so much fun drawing and coloring them, I contemplated continuing doing them long after my art sub lesson was finished.

In the lesson, after kids learn how to draw the shapes of the doodle monsters, they have options to choose from for all the details: eyes and mouths. Then there are sheets of options for winter and holiday symbols. 

There is art history info about doodling, (daVinci and the Queen of Prussia from the 1700's); info about overlapping; and a bit about shading.

As always, I write my lessons to be easy enough to be taught by anyone. 

Go check out this lesson at my TPT store here:  Art Sub Lessons

Ugly Christmas Sweater - Art Sub Lesson Plans

Ugly Christmas Sweater Art Sub Lesson

Ugly Christmas sweaters are an enigma to me. The less ugly ones are what we teachers loved back in the '80s. They were just "cute" back then. Oh well, now they are "ugly." 

So, what makes an ugly Christmas sweater? As far as I can tell, they are Christmas sweaters that are just way over the top.  Too much pattern.  Too many colors. An odd theme that is married to the Christmas theme.  Fringe. Bangles. Sequins. Glitz. So, if you can give your students an idea of just what makes a holiday gaudy, tacky, and just plain ugly, you can start with those things. 

This clip art site, MyCuteGraphics.com, offers up a free outline of a Christmas sweater. Want to have students do an "ugly Christmas sweater" drawing? Here's a place to start. Black and White Sweater

If you'd like for your students to do the lesson as a directed drawing, they could follow along with this YouTube video by Young Rembrandts.  Teaching Kids to Draw an Ugly Christmas Sweater.

If you would like a fully formed, 25-page lesson that can be taught by anyone, art teachers, sub, or parents, check out the lesson by Cool Classroom Stuff on TPT.  It is a no-prep, fully scripted lesson with tons of examples. There are four templates from which the students can choose.

STEAM Worksheets for Winter

STEAM Worksheets for Winter - Art Sub Lessons 

If you need great art and math activities and sub plans to use around Christmas, Hanukkah, December, and winter, here are some options from the shops Art Sub Lessons, Cool Classroom Stuff, and Centers and Early Finishers. You can click right on the images to go directly to those activities.

This is a brand new STEAM activity that can be used for subs, teachers, and centers. 

Feedback for this activity:  "This will make a great Art lesson for our unit on The Mitten. Thank you."

Here's one full of photos, student examples, and templates.

Feedback for this activity:  "Super fun! I used these as a pattern to make hanging stockings."

Feedback for this activity: "Such a fun lesson! I use this each year as a sub lesson. Def keeps kids engaged!"

Feedback for this activity: "My fourth graders are loving this! The sample robot shapes and details sheets are a great reference for helping them to draw."

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Feedback for this activity:  "My second lesson I have purchased and once again a winner! So nice and easy for any sub to follow. Also makes a great early finisher project. The kids love it!"

Feedback for this activity:  "My younger grades love this and the other products like it. They are so excited when I pull them out. "

Feedback for this activity:  "This one was flying off my counter during December!"

Feedback for this activity:  "Good activity for early finishers! Using this in my music class during my Nutcracker unit. Thank you!"

Feedback for this activity:  "My younger students love this one! I've seem some really cute finished products."

Feedback for this activity:  "Love these"

Winter Middle School Art Sub Plans

Winter Art Project - STEAM

Here is a middle school and elementary school activity integrating art and math and ties with image samples for Christmas, Hannukah, and winter. The activity could be used elementary, middle, and high school. The designs can be as complex or simple as need be.

"Radial symmetry" is the focus of this lesson. This plan includes six templates to help students evenly draw their designs around the circle; five samples of completed designs; and a sheet of sample winter and holiday icons to help the kids add detail.

Perfect for early finishers, it works also for subs and as a center activity.  You can find this over at the TPT shop: Cool Classroom Ideas.

Students begin with a blank or minimally designed template that is lightly drawn in. They add radial symmetry. Directions are given for how to do this.

Here are previews of the lesson.