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.

Update to my Art Sub Plan, "Wacky Hats"

 Update to Art Sub Lesson "Wacky Hats"

Updated TpT Lessons

Did you know that sellers on TpT improve and update their products? And if it is something you have already purchased, you can download the improved product for FREE???  

I don't know how often people find out about updated items, so I'll start posting my updates here in the blog.

Latest Updated Lesson in my TpT Shop

This week I updated one the first lessons in my TpT shop. I looked at the first version that I made in 2013. I was going to post a photo here from that version, but I am too embarrassed. YIKES! So trust me. This is an improvement.

How I Improved It

One of the main reasons I went in to improve it, though, was because all the slides had a blue background. It occurred to me that the folks who wanted to print a copy of it, were going to be using a lot of printer ink on just the background. So, I made the backgrounds white.

There are improved graphics. The lesson texts are editable. I think it is just overall a way better lesson. 

SO if you already purchased my lesson called, "Wacky Hats," please go into my TpT shop and download the new version for free.

5 Summer Art Plans for a Sub

Summer Art Sub Projects

Are you working with kids in a camp or school this summer?  Will there be a chance that you might need a substitute to fill in for you at some point?  Just like if you are teaching art during the school year, you need to have some sub plans ready to hand to a substitute teacher or counselor in case you have to be absent.

I've found some options for easy art sub plans that are pretty low prep.

Paper Plate Frisbees

Check out this blog post from Make and Takes blog.  This post is about a summer camp activity about making a frisbee out of paper plates. She gives step by step directions that anyone could follow. This makes it a perfect lesson to give to a sub!

Colorful Flip Flop Artwork

The next easy art lesson that a sub could do comes from the blog, Pink Striped Socks.  The directions are pretty simple for doing this, but she does spell them out. They turn out super cute, too!

The blog, Crafting Chicks, has some good ideas for summer art activities. This post is a   Summer Scavenger Hunt - Free Printable Game. What a great idea. You could easily create an art lesson for a sub based on where you are and what you have available.

Fun Drawing Activity

Here's a summer drawing lesson that is a favorite!  Kids love silliness and fun. "Silly Sundae"doesn't disappoint.  It is a great lesson to leave in a sub folder or sub tub as it is no prep and uses simple materials. 

Students look at a variety of wacky artworks based on the theme of ice cream.  Then, they use their imaginations to create their own drawings of silly ice cream sundaes.

Quiet Time Art Worksheets 

If you need some "in your seat" kind of fun activities for early finishers or to help a sub, check out my printable art worksheets.  They're creative and fun to do.  

A basic outline is drawn in and students add whatever details they like. There are options given for details, but they are mostly meant as springboards for new ideas. Click on a link you are interested in to see more.

Create a Character in Disguise

Create a Troll in Disguise

Draw a Turkey in Disguise

Create a Tooth Fairy in Disguise

Create a Dragon in Disguise

Create a Silly Monkey in Disguise

Create a Little Red Riding Hood in Disguise

Create a Turtle in Disguise

Create a Frog in Disguise

Create a Penguin in Disguise

Circle Game - Free Art Worksheet

Decorate a Jack O’ Lantern

Create a Bunny in Disguise

Create an Elf in Disguise

Create a Leprechaun in Disguise

Create a Groundhog in Disguise

Create a Panda in Disguise

Create a Yeti in Disguise

Create a Reindeer in Disguise

Doodle a Nutcracker

Draw a Silly Monster

One Day Art Lesson - Fourth Grade

One Day Art Lesson

Jessica Young used this plan initially as an art sub lesson for fourth grade. When she needed a quick art lesson for herself, she pulled this one out and used it for other grades as well.
You can check out Jessica's blog here:  Miss Young's Art Room. 

She says that her students stayed engaged for the whole class time with this. She also gave ideas for those few early finishers and those who took it a little too slow to finish in art. 


The materials she used were markers and paper. With subs, I am careful about leaving markers. If I know the sub and trust them to emphasize using the markers with care, I would leave markers. Otherwise, crayons would work just fine.


Miss Young demonstrated how to draw a "criss cross" star with her kids and then showed them how to repeat the lines in and around that star. I think you could also provide students with templates of other shapes for this. Basic shapes? Animal shapes? 

After that, the same shape is repeated to smaller and smaller shapes.

Check out her blog to see other examples.


If you would like to use masterpieces from art history to introduce the lesson, here is an idea that might work well.




in public domain

This is Kandinsky's Color Study, Squares with Concentric Circles from 1913.  


Here's another lesson plan that you could use to create a lead in for this lesson: "Kandinsky Squares with Concentric Circles,"at the blog, Art Prep has a good, meaty description of Kandinsky and his work.


They talk about Kandinsky choosing to switch to from using subjects in his paintings to focusing on line and color. This is great information for your lesson.




If you would like to use an art sub plan that is fully formed and ready to hand to a sub, check out this one in my TPT shop: Art Sub Lessons. It is no prep and fully scripted. It can be taught by anyone.

This elementary and middle school art sub lesson includes slides about the artist and two projects for the students to draw. It is great for teaching elementary students about abstract art and the artist, Bruce Gray.

Written for a sub, it may also be taught by classroom teachers, art teachers, and homeschool teachers.

Supplies needed for the art lesson are pencils, paper, markers or crayons, rulers and circles of various sizes.

Art Sub Plans - Cows on Parade

Cows on Parade Art Sub Plans - Middle School and Elementary

How fun to watch a parade!!! It’s been a while since I’ve been to one, but I can’t wait to see another. My heart starts to pump hard when I hear that bass drum in the distance, and tears start to well up when the rest of the band comes into earshot.

I hope that your kids have gotten a chance to see a parade or two.

Here are some fun art lessons based on the events in multiple cities called a “Cow Parade.” Here’s a website for the main idea: Cow Parade 

These cow forms have been painted by all sorts of folks, including famous artists and designers. 

Here’s a blog post about how this teacher created artist themed bulletin boards with the theme of Cow Parade in mind.  Cow Parade at Middle Brook School I believe that her students also made small ones for themselves. 

You could totally form an art sub lesson around this. I would created cardboard cow templates for the kids to trace and them let them create their own designs inside. 

Get some images from the web about designs that have been used, or purchase some of the Cow Parade books. I think kids would have fun with this.

I wrote another post on the topic a few years ago. You can find that one here:  HerDabbles blog: Cows on Parade

Kindergarten Art Sub Plan - Klee’s “Cat and Bird”

Kindergarten Art Sub Plan - “Cat and Bird"

When creating a sub plan that needs only simple instructions and materials, Klee's painting, "Cat and Bird," might be just the foundation upon which to build.  

Paul Klee Idea Emphasizing  Shape, Pattern, and Warm and Cool Colors 

The teachers at Jamestown Elementary, Ms. Worden and Ms. Teitsma have written a blog post that suggests rich resources from which to teach this lesson. 

Since my older students would often ask if they could do a lesson that the little kids did, I know that sometimes they like the simple lessons too. The perfect time to let them do one of those simple lessons is when they have a substitute teacher in art.

Check out this lesson at Jamestown Elementary Art Blog.

Paul Klee Idea Emphazing Color and Shape

Another take on this lesson can be found at the blog, Art at Miquon.  Ms. Batchelor, at The Miquon School, taught a unit on Klee for multiple grades and this blog post shares the inspirations for that in this blog post. Again, this is a lesson that could be easy enough for anyone to teach with the right resources. This is no cookie-cutter lesson and each drawing is unique.

2 Easy Valentine's Day Art Sub Lessons

2 Valentine Art Sub Lesson Plans

We're always on the lookout for easy art sub plans for elementary kids. You don't, don't, DON'T want to leave your sub with anything difficult if you are not sure who is showing up to teach for you. Here are two easy art lessons from two different shops that are ready to hand to a sub. They have lots of visuals and instructions. 

Elementary Level

This heart design activity could easily be created by you, but if you want one that is all ready to hand to a sub, the TPT Shop: Centers and Early Finishers might have just what you need. Click here if you want to take a closer look:  Valentine Art Activity for Centers, Subs, and Early Finishers Print copies of the template and the lesson and you're done.

Upper Elementary, Middle School or High School 

If you need something for an older crowd, check out this lesson from the TPT Shop: Fun Classroom stuff. It leads students through creating a radial symmetrical design for Valentine's Day.  Make copies of the template, and it is ready to be handed

Integrating art with math, this also would work well for a STEAM or STEM class.  Click here to see this one:  Valentine STEM or STEAM Kaleidoscope Activity for Math and Art

Dragon Dance Art Sub Lesson for Kindergarten

Kindergarten Art Sub Plans

Chinese New Year is on Friday, February 12 this year. What a fun opportunity to teach primary students about another culture. 

Chinese New Year Video

Here's a great children's video that does a nice job of teaching about Chinese New Year. This would be a nice introduction to the lesson.

Click here to see this video:  Learn About Chinese New Year

Dragon Dance is a lesson that you can create for Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year. There are children's books and YouTube videos about Chinese New Year Dragons that you can use to introduce the lesson and then have students draw their impressions of Chinese dragon costumes and Lunar New Year parades. 

Art Sub Lesson that is No-Prep and Fully Scripted

If you don't have the time to create your own lesson, I have one over at my TPT shop. The one I created was written for an art sub but it can be taught by anyone.  I've added lots of visuals and background that provide motivation for the students. Click here to check out my lesson: Dragon Dance - Kindergarten Art Sub Plan for Lunar New Year

I have heard from classroom teachers as well as art teachers who have taught this.  They all seemed to have success and the kids loved it.

Reviews of My Lesson on TPT

Here are some reviews of this lesson: "I think this is a colorful and detailed resource that I can use or have for a sub to use. I have a book of poems called The Dragons are Singing Tonight by Jack Prelutsky that will be an additional resource to integrate with this lesson."

"So much fun!!! Such a great resource! Loved the different dragon pictures!

Huge hit with my Kindergarten class."

"This was lots of fun! I used it as a last minute activity and it was well received!"

Click here to check this out at my TPT shop: Dragon Dance - Chinese New Year Art Lesson

15 Art Sub Plan Ideas for Black History Month

Elementary and Middle School Art Lessons about Black Artists

In my search for art sub plans that could be taught for Black History Month, I found 15 that I think would work really well. Some are written out as lesson plans; some are art lessons via video, and some are biographies that would be great starting points for a lesson.

 

"Caldecott winning author and illustrator, Javaka Steptoe, reads his book, "Radiant Child: Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat."  Click here to see this video:  Jean-Michel Basquiat

Check out this video by clicking  here:  Becoming an Artist: Yinka Shonibare by Tate KidsYinka Shonibare @Tate Kids

Black History Icons - Group Drawing Project @WCPO9. Click here:  Group Drawing Project

Art Bytes for Kids: Kehinde Wiley @Detroit Institute of Arts. Click here to see this video:  Kehinde Wiley

Meet Hip Hop's Favorite Artist: Kehinde Wiley @ CNN.  Click here to see this video:

Hip Hop's Favorite Artist: Kehinde Wiley

Black History Month Art Projects - Art by Black Artists

I always like teaching art history as a part of my regular art lessons, so teaching black artists during Black History Month is a no brainer. Here are some fully prepared lesson plans in my TPT shop. They were created with an art sub in mind but could be taught by anyone.
Nick Cave - Art Sub Lesson @TPT Shop: Art Sub Lessons






This lesson includes many photos of Nick Caves's wonderful "soundsuits"; sample student drawings; a sample pattern sheet; templates for those who need it; a teacher script including directions, questions, and information about each slide. This could be taught by anyone.


Reggie Laurent - Art Sub Lesson @TPT Shop: Art Sub Lessons




This no-prep lesson was written so that it could be taught by art subs, but it could also be taught by art teachers, classroom teachers, and homeschool parents. Key topics include abstract art, organic, shapes, geometric shapes, and the art of Reggie Laurent. The materials needed are simple: paper and either crayon or marker. All directions for teachers and students are included.


Faith Ringgold - Art Lesson @TPT Shop: Art Sub Lessons







This kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd-grade art lesson is based on Faith Ringgold's, Tar Beach, which is a great read for Black History Month. (The book is not included.) This lesson uses simple materials; pencil, paper, and crayons. It can be taught by anyone, as it is fully scripted. It includes questions and directions too. This is aimed at primary-aged students.


Click here if you want to look at my whole shop: Art Sub Lessons



Black History Month Art Lessons from Museums
Aaron Douglas @The Blowing Rock Art and History Museum

The museum has two lessons based on the silhouette art of Aaron Douglas. They have a lesson for elementary students plus included one for preschoolers! (That's a rarity!) Also, they provide a video on the artist. You will find all three things here: Aaron Douglas Inspired Silhouette

Jacob Lawrence, Romare Bearden, and Alma Thomas @The National Gallery of Art

This is a nice resource from the National Gallery of Art. It has lesson plans for all ages as well as downloadable materials. It includes lessons on Jacob Lawrence, Romare Bearden, and Alma Thomas. (Some of the lessons are presented as painting lessons but could be adapted for drawing. If you are leaving a lesson for a sub, you RARELY would want to leave a painting lesson!!!)





Here is a link to

Art Tales - Pre-K resource which is a pdf with visuals and detailed lesson plans.

Click here to see this video: 

 
Alma Woodsey Thomas @The Magnificient Paintbrush

Click here to see this video:

Video - Black History Month Art Lessons
African Art Patterns for Kids @Traveling Art Room

A Tree House for Me! Elementary Art Sub Plan

"A Treehouse for Me!"  Elementary Art Sub Lesson Plans

Kids love the idea of secret and special places that are reserved for just them. I never had a treehouse as a kid but I always loved seeing them in movies and reading about them in books. Knowing that kids would love imagining them, I created this art project for drawing tree houses.

"A Treehouse for Me!" as a Sub Lesson 

This lesson has always been a big hit with my own students, so I wrote it up as an art sub-plan. Why leave the sub lessons that you wouldn't love to teach? 

I write the lessons for my TPT shop in a way that anyone can teach them.  This one is chock full of images of real tree houses and student drawings of them. All anyone would need to do to teach this would be to show each page/slide; read the script on them; ask the questions, and pass out the supplies.  

Enjoyed by Kids in K-8th Grade

Originally, I taught this as a 5th-grade art project, but in the reviews for this lesson, teachers say they have taught it in K-8th grade with great success. Here are some reviews left by teachers who have used this:

So, if you want an art lesson or a sub-plan this is a sure thing, click here to go check it out at my TeachersPayTeachers shop: Art Sub Lessons. (It costs less than a cup of coffee, so you can't go wrong!)

Faith Ringgold - Art Sub Plans for Elementary

Art Sub Plans for Elementary School - Tar Beach

Kids love when they get to use their imaginations and we need to give them more of an opportunity to do just that. Reading Faith Ringgold's book, Tar Beach, is a great entry point for a creative drawing activity.

Video - Tar Beach - Art Lesson Plan

I created this this video to use with a 1st and 2nd-grade art project and specifically for use by a substitute teacher. If your sub (or YOU!!!) have access to YouTube videos, this video will do most of the work for you. Some days you need to take a break and let someone else teach, so why not let me do it?

Art Lesson Plan - No Prep, Scripted, with Simple Materials

If you want a fully formed, no prep, and quality version of this lesson that you can hand to your sub (or the office secretary), Click here to see this lesson.

It costs less than a cup of Starbucks!

DreamHouse - Art Sub Plans Elementary

This is an easy lesson that I would adapt to middle school art lessons as well as elementary ones. Mrs. Filmore has an idea for a first-grade architecture drawing lesson. I like open ended lessons as sub lessons, especially for subs who are not confident enough to draw.  Check out her lesson called "Dream House with Patterns."

If you have time to plan ahead of time, I would leave drawings or photos of a variety of types of houses to go along with this lesson. Also, I would have a sheet or poster board depicting a variety of patterns that the students may be inspired by; and a few student examples. 

Her blog is named, "Art with Mrs. Filmore." This lesson idea is near the bottom of a blog post called, "1st Grade Art."

More Lessons that Integrate with the Study of Architecture

A Home with an Onion Dome

This lesson focuses on the beauty and uniqueness of this architectural element and shows how architects from the past and present have used this element in a variety of ways.

Captivating Castles

In this lesson, students will learn about castles from medieval Europe, including the exterior architecture and the reasons for their design. Students will draw a castle of their own design utilizing architectural elements they have learned.