Spring Directed Drawing - How To Draw A Bird With Your Pencil

Directed Drawings for Kindergarten and First Grade

Art sub plans for primary students can be tricky. You really need to keep them engaged.

I noticed that there are not a lot of kindergarten art sub lessons out in the world, ready to use, so I created a few. 

Directed drawings are loved by elementary students. I like for them to have room for individuality and creativity too. Here are ones that work great for spring and summer.

This lesson was written for kindergarten and first grade, but I added a second lesson in the package for the rest of elementary. 

"Kooky Birds on a Branch" is a directed drawing that can be drawn as three birds on top of a branch or two birds on top of a branch and one hanging under. Kids follow, step by step, for the drawing part and then add their own details.

It also teaches how to color neatly and includes a rubric.

"Springtime Bird with Pattern and Flowers" was written for kindergarten but older elementary students would enjoy drawing it as well. It includes a template for making this a greeting card.

It is also no prep and fully scripted.

The last one, "Bird in a Tree with Flowers," is a directed drawing for elementary students that can also be used as a greeting card. It is also no prep and fully scripted.

Kindergarten Art Sub Plans | Easy Drawing Lesson

Kindergarten Art Sub Plans for Easy Drawing

This lesson, by Rina, at the K-6 Art blog,  was based on a book from 1977. The Magic Pear: Twelve Outline Drawing Lessons with Directions for the Amusement of Little Folks, by Morgan Sweeney, is based on drawing things beginning\ with the shape of a pear.

Rina says that you do not need the book to do the lesson. You do need to create drawing templates in the shape of a pear. She also said that the lesson was a big hit with her kindergarten students.

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.  

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!

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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

Art Sub Lesson - Easy Cezanne Still Life

Easy Cezanne Still Life Art Sub Lesson

Here is an easy one-day art lesson with full directions that a sub could do. It is based on a Cezanne still life. The lesson was originally done with watercolor, but certainly could be replicated with crayons or markers. 

There are both step-by-step directions for the lesson and visuals for every step. There’s not often you find all this for art sub planning, so don’t miss this one!

You can find it on the blog, “Teach & Shoot.” 

Kindergarten Drawing | Jack in the Box

Art Sub Plan Idea for Kindergarten

One Happy Art Teacher describes how she taught fan folding in this sub lesson and turned it into Jack in the Boxes. Full details are included in her blog post. 

If you are looking for a kindergarten art sub plan that is ready to hand to a sub right now, check out this lesson in my TPT shop. 

This lesson, Robot Roundup, includes visuals of vintage robot toys and contemporary robots. Students follow a directed drawing to get started, but add their own details when they are ready. I have taught this to all ages of elementary students and it is well loved by every level.

This lesson is no prep, fully scripted, and includes plenty of visuals. It can be taught by anyone.

 

Easy Art Lesson for Subs - Reggie Laurent

Here is an easy and fun art lesson that is no-prep. It was written so it would be easy enough to be taught by a sub, but can certainly also be taught by art teachers and classroom teachers. If you have an emergency and need to take a day off, this would be perfect for a sub lesson. It is already written out. All anyone would need to do is read the script and pass out supplies.

The supplies needed for this are simple. Paper and crayons or markers.

The lesson may be projected or printed out. 

Where You Can Find This Lesson

This lesson can be found at my TPT shop: Art Sub Lessons. I have a ton of resources to help with sub lesson planning or just everyday art lessons.

Here are some reviews of the lesson that were left in my TPT shop:  

"Great, thorough product. Could be used for lessons: shape, color, pattern, movement. There are many ways to use this resource to meet your project needs."

"My students loved learning about Reggie Laurent as part of our Black History Month artists. My grade 4s and 5s created colorful doodles inspired by his work. This PowerPoint was an incredible guide for teaching the lesson and exploring his contribution to the art world. I extended the project by allowing students to include a silhouette in the middle of their doodles. Great resource! "

Fill This Jar-Art Worksheet Printables

Free Art Worksheet - How Would you Fill This Jar?

Teachers Pay Teachers has been very good to me. I put a lot of work into my shop and it has been a blessing. Now I am helping my daughter open her own shop.  I am telling you this because there is a good freebie in there for you right now. At some point, it will become a paid product, so go get it now! It would help her out a lot if you would follow her shop and leave feedback too. You would not believe how valuable that is for a shop owner!

Her shop features items to use in learning centers and also products for early finishers. As an art teacher, my contributions will be art-focused, and that's why you arty people might like them.

The item we opened the shop with is an oldy but a goody. You have seen it before, but now you have the visuals to go with it. It can be used as an art center; an early finisher activity; or a quick art lesson.

Whenever she swaps in her next freebie, I will let you know! Find it at Centers and Early Finishers

11 Easy Art Plans Based on Children's Books

When I sub in art, I enjoy teaching lessons that are tied into children's literature. The instant tie into quality books helps capture the students' attention, which is crucial to teaching in a short term assignment.  

Here are some lessons that use children's literature. You may click on the image to go to the lesson.

The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister

Lesson by Miss Young's Art Room

The Gingerbread Man

Lesson by Art Sub Lessons

Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature, 

by Joyce Sidman and Beth Krommes

Lesson by Sharpy Woman

The Pesky Rat, by Lauren Child

Lesson by Fairy Dust Teaching

Ish, by Peter A. Reynolds

Lesson by Art Project Girl

The BFG, by Roald Dahl

Lesson by Art Sub Lessons

Magic Trash - A Story of Tyree Guyton and His Art

Lesson by The Old Paintbrush

A World of Your Own, by Laura Carlin

Lesson by Art Is Basic

Tar Beach, by Faith Ringgold

Lesson by Art Sub Lessons

The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat

Lesson by Art Sub Lessons

The Night I Followed the Dog, by Nina Laden

Lesson by Art Sub Lessons

Art Sub Plans - Boat on a River of Pattern

Elementary Art Sub Plan "Boat on a River of Pattern"

This art looks like it could be turned into a sub lesson pretty easily. It was over at 4monkeysstudio.

This lesson could be so appealing to both students and subs. It is a simple idea that most everyone would succeed at. 

I found another lesson that might be a good lead in. Check out this blog post at JuliannaKunstler.com The blog post is called, “Zen Landscape....Creative Pattern.” She has step by step direction for how to do the drawing and has visuals to go with it.

Art Sub Plan - Giant in My House

Imagination Lesson Plan or Art Sub Plan

If you are looking for a sub-plan that is easy to use, but not just a simple handout, this might be the one you want.  When you are scrambling around trying to gather things for an art sub, this is about as easy to prepare for as it gets.

I created it a few years ago, but since the movie BFG (Big Friendly Giant) comes out this summer, I thought it was time to revamp this lesson.  (By the way, if you purchased this lesson previously, you can download this version for free.  Yay!)

It was written so that it could be taught by anyone.  All the teacher needs to do is to show each slide; read the text, and follow the directions.

22 slides long, the presentation of the lesson is long enough to get the students to engage in the lesson and think creatively before they begin to draw.

The supplies needed are pencil, paper and crayons.

It may be projected as a PowerPoint.  It may be printed out and shown as you would show a picture book.  It may even be printed out and projected via a document camera.

If you would like to have an accompanying worksheet for early finishers, this could be a perfect one.

Art Sub Plan - Circle Monsters

Art Sub Plans for Elementary | Circle Monsters

Circle Monsters.  This lesson idea could easily be used as a sub lesson.  You can find this idea over on Mrs. Pearce's Art Room blog.

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If you liked that lesson, you might also like this no-prep art sub lesson at my TeachersPayTeachers shop. The Ugly Bug Ball.

I have taught this lesson to all levels, Kindergarten through Fifth Grade.  The kids love it!

There's also a monster drawing worksheet for Early Finishers, also at my TPT shop.

Art Sub Plan  |  Put a Pattern on It

If you watch Portlandia, you may remember the episode where they jokingly said the way to have successful art is to "put a bird on it. " Sometimes I think of the same when it comes to easy art lessons and pattern. Here kiddos, put a pattern on it! While I wouldn't rely too heavily on that in my own classroom, it can work well for sub lessons. The kids may spend extra time filling in patterns.

Here is a unique set of patterns, always a good thing to have when kids get stuck.  She actually has lots of sets of patterns. You will find them here on The Doodler Blog.

Art Sub Lesson Plans - Art Cars

Elementary Art Sub Lesson about Art Cars

Here's an elementary lesson that I taught as an art sub recently.  It is based on sculptural art cars.  Famous art cars include the Oscar Meyer Wiener Mobile and painted cars by Warhol, Haring and Lichtenstein. Students are lead through photos of famous and not so famous art cars and come up with ideas for their own art car.

I created this as a lesson to be used by an art sub but it certainly may be used by art teachers or classroom teachers as well.

You can check it out here at my TeachersPayTeachers shop.

I always write my sub lessons so that they use the most simple materials, pencil, crayons and paper, in order that they can be put together quickly.

This would be great for an emergency art plan since all you have to do is hand the printed slides to the sub or have them show the
PowerPoint lesson.  It is complete from start to finish.

And best of all, the students find this lesson highly engaging.  That's an important thing when you have a sub in the classroom!!!

Art Sub Plan - Photo Booth with Value

Middle School Art Sub Lesson for Photo Booth withValue

Here's another clever art sub idea from Nic Hahn (aka Mini Matisse).  Check out this photo booth drawing with value shading.

Art Sub Lesson for Kindergarten - Dragon Dance

Now that I am retired from full-time art teaching, I substitute teach from time to time.  I realize how important it is for a substitute teacher to be given good plans. Art teachers know to leave a sub-plan that can be taught by anyone, but they also need to leave something in which the students will be interested.

This is a lesson that I taught for many years in my own classroom.  I have created this PowerPoint so that all a sub needs to do is to read the information on each slide as they show the pictures.  Questions are included to help lead the students through a discussion. 

The lesson introduces the students to Asian dragon costumes as they might be seen in parades and festivals.  Along with background information about the mythical dragons, students observe decorative details used in these festive costumes.

Using the most basic art room supplies (paper, pencil, and crayons), students will create their own imaginative dragon costume.

This lesson may be taught as a PowerPoint projection or printed out and each page shown, one-by-one.

This would be perfect as an emergency sub lesson or as a lesson to be taught by a teacher at any time.

You may find this at my Teachers Pay Teachers shop.  

Emergency Sub Plan- Captivating Castles

Students are captivated by castles. Their imaginations soar dreaming about the romance of medieval times. In this lesson, they will learn about castles from medieval Europe, including the exterior architecture and the reasons for their design. It includes illustrations from the early 1400's by the Limbourg brothers and photos of castles that still exist.

After going over the lesson, the students will draw a castle of their own design. They will utilize architectural elements they have learned but are encouraged to invent their own as well.

It was written in great detail for use as an emergency sub lesson but could be used by an art teacher or classroom teacher.

This PowerPoint may be used in two ways. It may be printed out and shown page by page to the students or shown as a projected PowerPoint.

The supplies needed are simple. The student will need paper, pencil, crayons or markers.

This lesson is written so that it may be taught completely by following the prompts in the slides. It written for use by grades two through five, but certainly could be used by older students. 

Find it here for $3.50 on TeachersPayTeachers:  Captivating Castles - Emergency Art Sub Lesson Plan  No one wants to spend hours writing lesson plans in an emergency.  My shop takes care of that.  Lessons are written so they are ready to hand over to the sub.

Elementary Art Sub Lesson | Fairy Tale

There's a Giant in My House | Art Sub Plan

Little to no prep art sub lesson!

I have many art sub plans on my TeachersPayTeachers site.  They are perfect as emergency sub plans but certainly could be used as regular lesson plans.  My sub plans require only that you have paper and crayons for supplies.


This lesson may be viewed in two ways. It may be projected as a normal PowerPoint or it may be printed out and used as you would a book. If it is to be printed out, the teacher would just have the students come to sit near him/her as the lesson is taught.

It was written with a substitute teacher in mind, but certainly could also be used by the classroom or art teacher.

This lesson was written so that all of the prompts and visuals are included. To teach the lesson, all one has to do is go from slide to slide (or page to page.)

The materials needed to complete the assignment are intentionally simple; paper, pencil, or crayon. For this reason, this lesson would serve well as an emergency lesson plan.

The lesson could be augmented with the reading of the story, "Jack and the Beanstalk," but for the time given, it is intended as a stand-alone lesson.

First Grade Art Sub Lesson - Tar Beach

Art Sub Lesson for 1st Graders

This plan is fully scripted and ready to hand to a sub. Provide them with paper, pencil, crayons, and the book, Tar Beach, by Faith Ringgold, and they are ready to teach the lesson.

This lesson may be taught as a PowerPoint projection or printed out and each page shown, one-by-one.

The materials needed for the lesson are paper, pencil, crayons, and the book, Tar Beach, by Faith Ringgold.

The slides lead the teacher through questions and answers that will encourage the student to let their imaginations lead their own designs.
I have tested this on my own art subs and have gotten positive feedback. I have also taught this lesson myself, and the students have enjoyed it.
This would be perfect as an emergency sub lesson or as a lesson to be taught by a teacher at any time.
You can find this lesson at my shop at TeachersPayTeachers.

OH! And I made an art sub video for that lesson too! You can find it here on YouTube:  Art Sub Lesson Video for Tar Beach

Imagination Workout - Art Sub Plans Worksheets

Imagination Workout - Free Art Worksheets Printable

This is from the blog, Super Mom Moments. Her young daughter created this worksheet and the mom reports that her family members of all ages have enjoyed working on it.

It involves creating 11 little drawings on a grid. Each square on the grid has a simple line or shape from which you build your drawing. 

This requires only simple materials: printed out worksheets, pencils, and crayons.

“Super Mom” also has a library of worksheets that are printable and adds to them on what she calls “Worksheet Wednesdays.”