Back to School Name Design Lesson

Art Lesson Plan for Back to School

Whether or not you use this as an elementary art sub plan, kids will enjoy drawing this doodle monster name art. They are given 20 pages of visuals and directions for how to draw these fun creatures around their own name.

The name art could be used as portfolio covers or hung as a bulletin board display.

Check out this complete lesson at: TPT Shop: Art Sub Lessons.

15 Name Art Lessons for Back to School

Name Art Projects as Art Sub Lessons

During back to school season, teachers love teaching art lessons using students' names. I have found 15 art name lessons, mostly of which are fully formed and can be taught by a sub. Here are some ideas for name art projects to inspire you.

Why do teachers like to teach name art lessons?

Art teachers often have hundreds of students a semester. Learning their names is not an easy task. The more often you connect the student with their name, the more helpful. So, seeing a child with their name art can't hurt that, right?

And sometimes one of the first art lessons of the year is to create a folder for their artwork. A name activity works well for that. 

Many of the name art lessons I have seen are "no fail." That's always a plus for the new school year!

Cool name art lessons 

These lessons are simple enough that a substitute teacher could teach them. These all have instructions included and use simple materials.

Symmetrical Alien Names @ Charity Mika

This blog post shows instructions and sample art work.

MATERIALS
• Copy paper, 11″ x 17″ works well
• Black Sharpie Marker
• Crayons/Markers/Oil Pastels/Chalk

Art with Kids: Rollercoaster Names @ Jones Design Company

Has instructions and plenty of samples.

MATERIALS
• paper
• Black Sharpie Marker
• Crayons/Markers/Oil Pastels/Chalk

Radial Design Art Lesson for Middle School Kids @ Leah Newton Art

This blog post has full instructions and examples of finished work.

Materials

• Pencils
• 5’’ Cardboard Squares for students to trace
• One 4.5’’ tracing paper square for each student
• One 9’’ white copy paper square for each student.
• Markers and colored pencils.

Tried and True: Kaleidoscope Name Designs@ Paint On All the Tables

This blog post has step by step instructions with photos.

Materials

• Pencils
• One 9’’ white copy paper square for each student.
• Markers and colored pencils.

Name Monster Tutorial @ Saskatoon Community Youth Arts Programming, Inc.

This blog post has instructions and step by step photos.

Materials

Pencils

• Paper
• Scissors
• Markers and colored pencils.

Fun Name Art @ Happy Family Art

This blog post has step by step instructions and photos.

Materials

12" x 18" paper markers

Paper

What's in a Name @ Creativity is Contagious

This post includes directions and step by step photos.

Materials

paper

pencil

Sharpie

markers

Drawing with Kids: Illustrated Names @ Make and Takes

This post has instructions, photos, and a video.

Materials

Paper - long strips

Pencils

Markers

Sharpies

Back to School Name Art Lesson @ Art Sub Lessons

This blog post has photos and a description of how to do it.

If you would like a fully formed version that is ready to hand to a sub, you can find one here, at my TpT shop:  Name People Art Sub Lesson @ TpT Shop: Art Sub Lessons

It uses the most simple supplies, is fully scripted, and can be taught by anyone.

Materials

Long strips of paper

pencils

crayons or markers

Name Art @ Art Sphere

This includes instructions and photos.

Materials
Markers
Colored Pencils
Pencils
Erasers
White Paper

Name Art Crafts @ Fun365

This would work well for preschool and kindergarten. There are step by step instructions with photos. There is some prep you would need to do ahead of time.  

Materials

Paper

Washi Tape (or painters tape)

Bingo-type dabbers

Graffiti Art @ Dick Blick

This post includes a downloadable .pdf.

Materials

Paper

Colored pencils

Glue

Scissors

Kinder Name Art @ Sprich Splash Splatter

This post is an idea for a lesson that includes a literary component. It will include some prep ahead of time.

Materials

Paper - colored

glue sticks

colored paper squares

Abstract Name Design for Middle School @ NAEA

This link leads you to a post I wrote about a lesson by Betsy Morningstar. 

Radial Name Design

Originally, this went to a lesson at Art4Cast, but the post no longer exists. I wrote a blog post on my blog about the idea.

Materials

Paper cut into large squares

Pencils

Crayon or markers

Name Designs for Middle School @ TPT Shop Art Sub Lessons

This is a fully formed art sub lesson that anyone can teach. It uses the most simple materials. 

Materials

Paper

Pencils

Sharpies, crayons, or markers

You can find this at my TpT Shop: Art Sub Lessons

Checklist for Creating a Sub Folder

By the way, if you need help creating an art sub folder, check out the blog post where I spell that out for you.  22 Things to Include in an Art Sub Folder

Free Art Worksheet for Back to School

 

Free Art Worksheet - Circles Games

This circle drawing worksheet is a fun activity that you could use in a black to school lesson. After you have spent so much time explaining who you are and what art class will be like this year, there may not be a lot of time left for a full blown lesson. Worksheets like this can be a great filler sort of activity for that day. It gives them the opportunity to be creative, but not take too much time.

This is also a worksheet that you could add to your sub binder!

Teachers, subs and parents may use this as an art game; a challenge; an early finishers activity; or an art lesson. Students create as many designs as they can think of using the circles provided. They may create imaginary objects; doodle designs; or as a way to list the things they can think of that are circular in shape.

More Art Worksheets

If you would like to see blog posts about other art worksheets, click below.

Early Finishers Worksheets

Circle Drawing Game - Art Worksheets and Printables

Create a Character Worksheet

Free Art Worksheets

22 Things to Include in an Art Sub Folder

Creating an Art Sub Folder 

Most schools where I have taught, required sub folders for emergency absences. While these were kept in the office, they included the same basic information as the non-emergency sub plans I kept.

A sub folder that is kept in the office is likely in a file folder. One for your classroom, that you want to utilize all year, is better served in a binder. If you are extra organized, a binder with dividers between sections would be appreciated by your sub.

What to Include in a Sub Folder

While you might add illustrations or more school info, here are the basic things you should include in your sub folder.

1.  Welcome letter for your sub

2.  Contact information for the office, school nurse, custodian, and buddy teachers

3.  Location of staff bathrooms and break room

4.  Classroom procedures (bathroom, nurse, attendance, lining up, supplies)

5.  Hall passes

6.  Emergency preparedness instructions for crises, drills, and lockdowns

7.  Classroom rules, rewards, and behavior management

8.  Attention cues

9.  School map

10. Duty assignments

11. Your teaching schedule

12. Seating charts or instructions

13. Student roster

14. List of helpful students in each class

15. Individual student learning needs 

16. Medical alerts

17. Classroom supplies map

18. Technology tips

19. Detailed sub lesson plans using simple supplies

20. Activities for worksheets for early finishers

21. Dismissal procedures

22. Request for notes on how the day went

Art Sub Lesson Plans

The most difficult part of putting together a sub folder was in creating lesson plans that would be fun for the kids; use simple supplies; and be clear enough for anyone to teach. As a way of collecting and sharing these art sub plans, I created this blog. 

After realizing that other art teachers also have to suffer through creating sub lessons, I opened a TeachersPayTeachers store focusing solely on that.

Lessons that Both Your Students and Subs Will Love

Here are the lessons in my TPT shop that teachers seem to love the best. (Click on the images to take a closer look and to purchase.)

They are fully scripted; use simple materials; and get high marks from teachers and kids.

Silly Sandwich

"Silly Sandwich" is a favorite art sub lesson for elementary and middle school. Art teachers report that they have left this for kindergarteners through six grade!  Here's what one had to say about it: "Excellent art piece to leave for subs or even for those days you want to do a silly type of art lesson. Students were engaged and had fun with it."

Captivating Castles

This lesson has been used in first through sixth grades. An art teacher recommended this saying, "Great resource to have for the art sub! I leave this in my sub tub and always receive positive feedback from the sub teacher when they use this resource!"

Name Designs

This one has been taught successfully in second grade through eighth grade. It is perfect as a back to school art lesson.Here is a comment left by an art teacher:  "The fact that each step was illustrated and had simple directions was perfect for my ELS students and learning challenged students in my Art classes. I liked it so much, I used it with several grade levels. HIghly recommend."

I also have lots of other art sub lessons and worksheets that you will love. Check it all out here at my shop, Art Sub Lessons.

Back to School Art Sub Plan Name People

 Back to School Art Sub Plan - Name Parade

Art lessons based on names are popular for the beginning of the school year. If you have emergency leave then, there are some name art sub lessons that will work well for you also.

Inspiration for this Idea

This first lesson was an art activity that I stumbled across over at Artsonia. Click here to check it out:  Name Parade That's where you can find a description of the lesson and lots of samples.

It was posted by Old Post Road Elementary School
E. Walpole, Massachusetts 
(This is an example that I created based on the posted drawings.)

Here is another one  I made as a sample.

You can totally figure out the directions for yourself and your sub. If you would like this similar idea written out as a fully formed art sub plan though, you can visit my TPT Shop here:  Name People

Back to School Art Sub Plan for Middle School

Name Design Taught 2 Ways

I hate to be the bearer of unwanted reminders, but if you are not already back in school, you will be soon.  Sorry! Sorry! I know! I know!

And it's never too early to prepare for those worst of school days.....sick leave days. Boo hiss!!!! But, worse than a sick leave day is a sick leave day when you are not prepared for one.

Here's a typical back to school lesson: name designs. It is a great way to take a look at the kids's names and try to remember them. It also creates interesting art for a bulletin board or a cover for an art portfolio.

Zentangle Name Design Video (Free Resource)

I found this lesson already worked out for you on YouTube. Zentangle Nametags The YouTube channel, "Mr. New's Art Class," has a short video that would be perfect to use for middle school kids if you have an art sub. If they can use the internet and projector, you can just leave it up to Mr. New to teach that lesson.

Zentangle Name Design Art Sub Lesson (Blog Post and TpT Resource)

Now, if you are in a hurry, and want to just print out a similar lesson for middle school or elementary, you can buy this lesson from my TpT shop. It was written for a sub, so most of the work has been done for you.  Check it out in this blog post:    Name Design for Back to School or in my TpT shop:  Name Designs Art Sub Plans.

5 Back to School Art Sub Plans - Name Designs

Five Art Sub Plans for Back to School - Name Designs

Preparing for the first week of school can feel like the pits. I will admit to being someone who often waited until rather late to start doing those back to school lesson plans. And if you have to write art sub lessons for that first week back, that's just the worst!

I've looked around for some lessons online to help you with that. And I looked for ones where the planning has mostly been done for you.

Name designs are some of the first lessons I like to do because they can be used on the cover of student portfolios or hung as bulletin boards.

1.  Fully Prepared Art Sub Plan in my TpT Shop  

I'll start with an art sub plan that I have just finished creating for my TpT shop. 

It has all the instructions, visuals, dialog, and examples that you need to print out and hand right to a sub. It'd also be a good one to put right in your emergency sub plan folder.

There are options for how the students may complete it. They can do it in black and white with patterns.

They can do it in color with patterns.

For differentiation or for primary grades, you might choose to do it just with color and no patterns.

Here's where you find this lesson:  TpT Shop: Art Sub Lessons - Name Designs

2.  YouTube Lesson for 6th Grade 

Now, if you prefer to have your older kids, maybe 6th graders, watch a video lesson, check out this one from Mrs. Thiele.  Here's the address for that one:  6th Grade Portfolio Cover Name Design

She has them use Zentangle type patterns in their name design.

3.  Easy Lessons that Need a Few More Instructions

The Incredible Art Dept. has multiple ideas for name design lessons. They are a little thin on the written instructions, but you could probably write them up without too much trouble.

Here are some other blog posts that I have written about name design lessons that you could use with a sub. 

Name People is a lesson that I found on Artsonia, for third graders.

4.  Middle School Abstract Name Design

This one is an abstract name design for middle school students.  Abstract Name Designs as Middle School Art Sub Plans

5.  Radial Name Design 

This blog post shows you a little about a radial design for names. 

This one, at the Seoul Mates blog, also shows the idea of a name written in a radial design, but a little differently.

Again, if you want to just buy one that is already prepared and ready to hand to a sub, check this one out at my TpT shop.  Back to School Name Design. 

Back to School Art Sub Plans

Easy Substitute Lesson Plans for Art

Don't be caught off guard without sub plans when school starts up again. Whether you are putting together your art sub folder, sub tub, emergency sub lesson folder or planning for a long term substitute teacher, prepare early!!!  You will be so glad that you did.

Simple Lesson Plans

I have collected some links to complete lesson plans that are simple enough to be used as sub plans for the beginning of the school year.

Patterned Hand

This patterned hand drawing and the downloadable PDF instructions for it can be found here:  The Bonifas Art Center

In my opinion, this sort of lesson, one with little patterns and details, work better for upper elementary and middle school. I believe that younger kids would make quick work out of the patterning.

I do think you could expand on this a bit by filling up the space on the paper with overlapping hands.

Heroic Figures and Folk Tales

This "Art To Go" packet, from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, includes artwork and activities. Kids may write and/or draw about heroes with step by step help from the authors. There are pages...."packets"....to download with clear directions. You may pick and choose what you want your sub to use. 

You will need to print out some things for this lesson.

Medieval Beasts and Bestiaries

Here’s a complete lesson from the Met.  Well, complete except for some illustrations. I found this accompanying beast by searching “public domain medieval animals mixed.”  Medieval Beasts and Bestiaries But there are full and complete instructions at that link.

Kindergarten and Preschool Art Lesson Plan

This is an easy to teach lesson that I have used for kindergarteners and preschoolers as a back-to-school lesson. I usually cut 12" x 18" into simple school bus shapes. After showing the students photos of many familiar and crazy-looking buses, I let them design their own. We also watched lots of videos about buses and sang "The Wheels on the Bus."

As a sub lesson, I would either leave the cut out bus shapes for the sub or a printed out outline of a bus that is included in the following sub plan.

If you would like to buy a PowerPoint of this lesson all ready to be used, you can buy it here, at my Teachers Pay Teachers shop. Here's a comment left by someone who purchased the lesson: Everything included that is needed to do this lesson which makes it so nice. I've added this to my sub-tub on a flash drive due to the completeness of the product. I really appreciate the attention to details for this product.

Here’s another one in my TpT shop that I would, without a doubt, put in an art sub folder. Print this one out for the school office, and you can teach it to any grade, K-6.  Click here to see this one:  Silly Sandwich Art Sub Plan

This one is complete with instructions and visuals. It is no prep and uses only paper and crayons or markers. It is a winner! Here are some reviews from this one:  

“ I used this for a day I had a sick child at home and had to come up with a last-minute sub art lesson. This was a lifesaver! Thank you!”

“ I left this for a sub and the kids LOVED it. They ask to revisit this project frequently. ”

I have many art sub plans in my shop called……Art Sub Lessons! Here’s a link: Art Sub Lessons - TpT Shop. Go shopping for some sub plans and save yourself a lot of headaches!

Back to School - Easy Art Sub Lessons

Easy Art Sub Lesson Plans for Back to School

Back to School time. What an awkward time to be absent from your classroom.  Here are some posts that would make great art sub plans. They are easy enough for a sub to teach and interesting enough to engage your kids. Click on the links to find out more about these fun and easy lessons.

Kindergarten and Preschool Art Lesson Plan
by ME!  Jan @ Art Sub Lessons blog

Free Art Sub Lesson - Lines, Lines and More Lines
by ME!  Jan @ Art Sub Lessons blog

Minions
by Miriam at Arte a Scuola

Collaborative Creatures
by Katie Weymouth at Briargrove Elementary Art Page

Dot Day
by Ms. O'Hanley at  Tales from the Traveling Art Teacher

Here's a post with multiple ideas for drawing things using circles: Back to School Art Activity: What Can You Make Out of a Circle Shape?

Leave a comment below if you know of more great ideas for kids for back to school art.