Showing posts with label fourth grade. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fourth grade. Show all posts

Sunday, June 6, 2021

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.

Friday, September 6, 2019

Native American Art Project for Elementary Students - Native American Shields

Art Sub Plan - Native American Shields


Here’s an art sub plan the kids and teachers love. 


Native American Shields This elementary art lesson would work well as a Thanksgiving or fall art project. It presents art history information on Native American Indian shields as well as on the artist, George Catlin. The students are led, step by step, how to draw the shape of a shield. They then take that basic shield and embellish it with their own symbols and decorations.

As a retired art teacher turned art sub, I can attest to the fact that this is one of those lessons where every child can leave feeling successful about their work. I have found that my students stay fully engaged throughout the entire class period.  


Art sub lesson drawings of native american shields

Supplies Needed

The supplies needed for this lesson are simple: 12"x18" white paper; pencils; markers or crayons; circles, both large and small, for tracing the shape of the shield. (I had students trace around paper plates and paper bowls.)

Reviews of This Lesson

Here is feedback left by teachers who have used this lesson.


"On July 11, 2018Jennifer L. said, "This is my favorite lesson I did this entire year! Thank you! So much fun to include with my Native Americans unit.”

“On March 6, 2018Artsy Ivie (TpT Seller) said: "This was wonderful for my 5th graders!!!!! Our school mascot is the Indian and they loved doing this project! Thank you for the editable powerpoint and for covering EVERYTHING in this.“

Something for Early Finishers

Here's another fun Thanksgiving idea. This worksheet is great for those early finishers. Kids draw a disguise for the poor turkey who is trying to escape a Thanksgiving dinner. Yikes! Create a Turkey in Disguise

For a time saving and quality art sub plan, click here to visit my TeachersPayTeachers shop:  Art Sub Lessons @ TPT

Friday, June 21, 2019

Art Sub Plans - Silly Sundae Preview

Art Sub Lessons "Silly Sundae"

Find relief when you have an emergency absence. Writing lesson plans for a sub when you are in a rush, feels horrible. Don't stress out when you don't need to.  I have complete no-prep lesson plans already fully formed for you.


This is a preview of my art sub lesson called "Silly Sundae." I thought you would get more information from a preview of this lesson than just from one or two images. Find this fun elementary lesson at my TpT Shop: Art Sub Lessons. 














This lesson is no prep and can be taught by anyone.  All someone needs to do is to show each page; read the script, and follow the directions. Subs love my lessons because there is a lot of content and they will keep the students engaged for the entire class period.  

Friday, May 17, 2019

Landscape with Patterns - Art Sub Plans

Patterned Landscapes for Elementary Art Sub Plans


Here are some visuals for a landscape lesson that anyone could teach. It could be great for an art sub.


I have drawn 4 stages of a patterned landscape lesson that you are welcome to use in a lesson with your own students.

Line drawing of a landscape










Here is a video that you could use with older students.  Patterns and Landscape Video.



Other Lessons Idea on my Blog about Pattern






Complete Lesson at My TPT Shop: Art Sub Lessons




















***Originally I had linked to a lesson about patterned landscapes on a site called "Relief Teaching Ideas," but that site no longer exists.

Monday, April 1, 2019

STEAM Art Sub Lesson with Insects

STEAM Art Sub Lesson with Insects


This lesson was created with an art sub in mind. All of the directions have been included for their ease of use. There are multiple ways to use it. It may be printed out so that the sub may present it up close on paper or shown as a PowerPoint presentation.
It integrates science with art in an “ugly bug ball.” Including art history rounds this out even more!


]cover from an art sub lesson - has a child's drawing of bugs at a party

The lesson begins with a discussion about masterpieces featuring insects by the artists Balthasar van der Ast, Nicolaes de Bruyn and then William Heath-Robinson. The lesson then leads the students to creating an imaginary scene of insects at a party. Each slide includes questions and statements for the students to think about including in their drawing.

I have taught this lesson to all levels, K through Fifth. My subs who have used this lesson have left feedback that they and the students thoroughly enjoyed the lesson.

I hope that this will be a well loved lesson for you and your students and that it helps you when you are in need of a sub lesson. 


The materials needed for this lesson are the most simple: paper, pencils and crayons or markers. Here's what another buyer had so say about that: "Great lesson to leave for a sub as everything needed was included and the prep was minimal and used things commonly found in the art room. "

Here's a comment from a buyer:  "The kids produced wonderful drawings and images. The sub used the plans for my intermediate groups grades 3-5 and she loved working with the kids as the plans were so meticulously laid out!"

You may find this lesson here:  TPT Shop: Art Sub Lessons

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Bugs and Insects - STEAM Art Sub Plans

Bugs and Insects - STEAM Art Sub Lessons

Now that spring is here, people are interested in nature art lessons. Here are some related to bugs and insects.

Here is one on TPT that was written easy enough to be taught by anyone; art teacher, sub, classroom teacher, or random person off the street.  Ugly Bug Ball




This one is also on TPT.  It could also be taught by anyone. A multipurpose lesson, it could be used as a center activity, an early finishers activity, or an art sub lesson.  Create Insect Designs with Radial Symmetry - STEM/STEAM





This is a coloring/doodle/patterned Monarch Butterfly activity on TPT.

The images in this blog post are great.  As an upper elementart art sub lesson, you could do some step by steps of how to draw a simple insect and add a pattern chart.  Kids could do some beautiful drawings with crayons or markers. This is over at Laura Kelly's blog, Me and My Inklings.



Here's another good one with lots of visuals and instructions.  Still, for a sub, you might want to add a few more step by step visuals unless you have a person who is comfortable doing simple shape drawings.  I would also keep the lesson to just crayons or markers.  It is a nice lesson.  Visit the Laugh Paint Create blog.


KinderArt, always a good place to check out lessons, has a lesson called Bug In A Jar. It was written for middle school art, but could be adapted,  I'm sure.

Crayola is always a good place to get ideas. Often there are plans on their site  you could use as well. This one would need more detailed directions for a sub, but you could write up some step by step ones that would work with this. Crayola



Saturday, October 20, 2018

Art Sub Lesson Plan - Silly Monsters

Halloween Art Lesson - Creating Silly Monsters

“Creating Silly Monsters” is a fun lesson about monsters that you could use in an art center; as a regular art lesson; or for an art sub. It is super easy to teach and kids will love it. Check it out at TPT Shop: Centers and Early Finishers  It would be timely around Halloween but could be taught any time.

monster drawing lesson for halloween, art subs, or art centers











Art Sub Lesson Plans About Monsters

Elementary Art Sub Plans about Monsters




Look no further for easy elementary art lessons about monsters. Here are lesson plans that would be fun to teach in October or at Halloween. They would all be perfect for art sub plans.


If you like leaving YouTube videos for subs, here is a sea monster lesson from Steve Harpster.  He shows kids how to draw creatures using letters of the alphabet. In this video, he uses the letter "A."

Student drawing of a name monster
This "Name Alien" lesson is by We Heart Art.  This lesson ends up far from where it begins!



Cover for an art sub lesson plan about maps and sea monsters
"There Be Monsters" is a lesson about sea monsters as they were drawn on  ancient maps.  
Students observe the old maps and monsters and create their own.

A worksheet for subs and early finishers about monsters
Here's a worksheet for early finishers at TPT.
"Create a Silly Monster"  This would be great for subs, art teachers, and classroom teachers.

This "Name Alien" lesson is by We Heart Art.  This lesson ends up far from where it begins!
"Clown and Poodle" originally wrote about this lesson. It is based on the old song, "The Purple People Eater." Originally, I linked to that blog, but it no longer seems to exist.  Here is my blog post about that lesson.

This sweet kindergarten lesson is by Artisan des Arts. 





"Her Dabbles" came up with this lesson called Silly Monsters. 

Ms. Pearce's Art Room has this lesson called "Circle Monsters." Kids lovetracing shapes. Here they can create original monsters just by starting with tracing circles.

This Scribble Monster lesson came from "Art  with Ms. B"

Sunday, October 14, 2018

Easy Art Sub Lesson for Halloween

Easy Art Lesson - Yayoi Kusama


Looky! Another fun and easy art lesson you can teach for Halloween! An art sub plan based on an artist, can, of course, be taught anytime, but since it features pumpkins, it seems time appropriate. 

Based on the art of Yayoi Kusama, students design and pattern their own work.

Written as a creative center activity, it can also be used for an art sub.



Who was Yayoi Kusama?

A Japanese artist, born in 1929, she works mostly in sculpture, however, she is well known for her works in a wide array of other media and fields of art as well. 

Her art has the flavor of pop art and is heavily based on her life history. Much of her work has ties that deal with mental illness, for which she has struggled for most of her life.

What art pieces is she most known for?


There has been a resurgence of interest in her work. What people seem drawn to in her shows are her rooms covered in mirrors. These rooms reflect from wall to wall and give an illusion of infinity. 

Pattern is a big theme in her work. Part of that is her attempt to control patterns and ideas that repeat over and over again in her head obsessively. Her images and sculptures of patterned and polka-dotted pumpkins are very publicized these days.

Where can I find an art lesson or center activity based on this artist?

TPT store, Centers and Early Finishers, has a lesson called The Patterned Pumpkins of Yayoi Kusama. Click here to check it out:  Art Lesson on Yayoi Kusama.

This lesson includes: 


--two photos of art by Yayoi Kusama with a brief description of her work

--a sheet with three sets of directions you may use in a creative learning center. (Cut out the one that applies to what you want the students to do.)

--a line drawing of a pumpkin that you may copy for each student or you may use as a model for the students to draw on their own

--a line drawing of a pumpkin with patterns that you may copy for each student or use as a model for step 2 of their drawing

--an example of the finished work

As a center activity, if you want the students to create the entire drawing on their own, supply the station with plain paper, pencils, and crayons.

If you want the students to fill in the sheet with the pre-drawn pumpkin shape, make sure to include the copies of that drawing; pencils; and crayons.

If you only want the students to color the pre-drawn pumpkin that already has patterns, provide copies of that drawing and crayons.

If you want to teach this as an art lesson, you may print out the visuals to show the students up close, or you may project the images.



Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Back to School - Easy Art Sub Lessons

Supplies used in elementary art class

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.

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.