Art Sub Lesson Plan - Quirky Novelty Architecture

 Novelty Architecture - aka Duck Architecture

As art teachers, we're always on the lookout for for unique and engaging lessons that spark our students' creativity and curiosity. One such fascinating topic is "duck architecture." But what exactly is it?

The Big Duck Building in Flanders, NY. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia. CC-BY-SA-4.0.  Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net).

What is Duck Architecture?

The term "duck architecture" was coined in 1968 by architects Rober Venturi and Denise Scott Brown. It refers to buildings that are shaped like the products they sell or represent. Imagine a giant ice cream cone for an ice cream sop or a massive duck for a farm stand selling duck eggs.  These buildings ae not just functional, they are also whimsical and eye-catching, making them perfect subjects for an art lesson.

Teapot Dome Service Station in Zillah Washington. Photo is courtesy of Wikipedia and is in the public domain.

Kids love the opportunity to let their imaginations run wild. They can be so creative drawing their imaginary duck building. 

I have written up a drawing lesson about duck architecture that is suitable to hand to a sub. 

With this lesson, your sub will read the script, pose questions, and show visuals to introduce students to this fun concept. Then, the kids will get to design their own "duck architecture" masterpiece. No cookie-cutter designs here—every child's drawing will be one-of-a-kind!

I tried really hard to create a lesson with lots of visuals and examples to inspire your students.  Here are thumbnails to give you an idea of what your students will see.

There are also instructions for you sub to let them know how to set up and end the lesson.

The materials needed are simple: paper, pencil, and crayon (or marker, if you prefer)

Whether you project it as a PowerPoint or print it out for a close-up look, all the sub or teacher has to do is follow the simple directions. Get ready for a fun and unique learning experience!

I don't want you spending hours writing a lesson plan for your sub, when you likely are in a hurry. So, check out this sub plan here in my TPT shop:  Quirky, Big Duck Architecture.

 If are interested in other art lessons related to architecture, you might like these:

A Home with an Onion Dome

A Tree House for Me 

Art Lesson Plan - How to Draw a Desert Landscape

The Perfect Art Sub Plan for Desert Landscapes

Are you an art teacher in need of a reliable sub plan that anyone can teach? Look no further! This lesson plan is perfect for those days when you need a break or have an unexpected absence. It’s also ideal if your students are learning about the desert, cacti, landforms, or the western United States.

Why This Lesson Plan is a Must-Have

Engaging and Educational: Students will learn about visual perspective and use it to create their own desert landscapes. This lesson not only teaches art techniques but also integrates geography and environmental studies, making it a cross-curricular gem.

Step-by-Step Instructions: The lesson is complete with detailed, easy-to-follow instructions and visuals. Whether you’re an art teacher, a classroom teacher, or a substitute, you’ll find this plan straightforward and effective.

No Prep Needed: All you need are simple materials: copy paper, crayons, and pencils. This makes it incredibly convenient to keep in your Emergency Sub Folder. No need for special supplies or extensive preparation.

What Students Will Learn

This lesson explains several ways that artists depict depth, such as overlapping, size variation, and placement on the page. Students will use these techniques to create their own vibrant desert landscapes, complete with traditional desert buildings, cacti, and other elements.

Flexible Presentation

The lesson can be presented as a projected PowerPoint or a printed PDF shown close up. All the sub or teacher has to do is read the slides or pages and follow the directions. This 18-page lesson is designed to be completed in one 30 to 55-minute class, though some teachers prefer to extend it. If time is short, the coloring portion can be done another day or omitted altogether.

Perfect for Any Situation

This activity is perfect for short or long-term absences and maternity leave. The PowerPoint or PDF lesson plan can be printed out and handed to a substitute teacher. You can even email it from home if needed! It also works great for distance learning on platforms like Google Meet or Zoom.

Versatile and Easy to Teach

Written specifically for substitutes, this lesson can also be taught by classroom teachers, art teachers, and homeschool teachers. It’s a versatile and easy-to-teach plan that ensures your students stay engaged and productive, even in your absence.

Don’t let an unexpected absence disrupt your students’ learning. Keep this lesson plan in your Emergency Sub Folder and rest easy knowing your students will have a fun, educational, and creative experience. 

You may find the lesson, "Desert Landscape Drawing," here, in my TpT shop.

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Update

I just created another desert cactus Art lesson. The first part of the lesson directs Kindergarteners and first graders how to draw a patterned, potted cactus. Second, third and fourth graders do the first part of the lesson too, but then they add on a desert landscape to the background. 2 art sub lessons for the price of 1!

Potted Cactus w Desert Landscape

STEAM Sub Plan - Symmetry in Nature: Bugs Edition

Exploring Symmetry Through Creative Insect Drawings

This lesson, from Cool Classroom Stuff, is both versatile and engaging. It may be used as a STEAM activity; art sub lesson; or learning center activity. 

Symmetry in Nature: Bug Edition

Students look at illustrations of symmetrical insects from art history as the teacher reads the script. Examples of student work and templates of bug shapes are provided. Print out the templates you wish to use, along with simple materials, and you have it covered.

This lesson plan is fully scripted, making it easy to implement in any setting.  Whether you're a seasoned teacher or a substitute, you'll find this lesson plan straightforward and effective.

This lesson plan is not just about drawing; it's about understanding the beauty and importance of symmetry in both nature and art.  By engaging in these activities, students will develop their artistic skills, enhance their understanding of symmetry and enjoy a hands-on learning experience.

You can find this lesson at the TPT Shop: Cool Classroom Stuff.

Art Sub Lesson Plan - How to Draw a Monster

How to Draw Doodle Monsters

This is the time of year that kids are most intrigued by monsters. They're everywhere you look in the stores and on TV! At school though, you don't want your students to work on grisly, bloody creatures. So, I like to teach them how to draw doodle monsters.

Doodle monsters are friendly looking and not at all scary. Drawing a doodle monster lets kids be creative and draw as crazy a creature as they can imagine.

Step-by-Step for Drawing a Monster

When I have kids drawing doodle monsters, I like to have lots of visuals around. Having examples of cartoon eyes, noses, mouths, ears, hair, arms, bodies, and legs is key. Examples give kids a good jumping off point. They are less likely to have  artist's block when they can see so many options.

Doodle monsters are made of such simple shapes, anyone can draw them. 

Let me show you how to draw a super simple one.

Step 1.  Draw a simple shape for the monster's body. Using a variety of lines makes it look interesting.

Step 2.  Draw simple eye shapes. It can be one eye, or many.

Step 3. Draw a mouth. It might be toothy or not.

Step 4.  Color in the monster. Start by outlining the shape.

Step 5. Color in the shape neatly.  To make it look more three dimensional, color more heavily around the edges.

One monster, DONE!

They can fill a whole sheet with these simple creatures. Varying the shapes, lines, patterns and colors will make the drawing more interesting. The more examples you have around to inspire the students, the better.

Get the Lesson Plan and Visuals

I love teaching how to draw these monsters, so I have created lesson plans for teaching doodle monsters during the different seasons. They were written for a sub, so they are fully scripted; use simple materials; and have lots of examples.

Here are some visuals from the one I created for Halloween. I have made versions for kids who want to draw Halloween monsters and another for kids who want to draw fall monsters. (Not all students are allowed, nor want to, draw Halloween imagery, so I have taken this into account.)

Here's where you can find my lesson and all the visuals:  Art Sub Lesson - Doodle Monsters at Halloween. It's only $4.00 and will save you hours and hours of time.

Blog Posts about Doodle Monsters

Check out these blog posts about Doodle Monsters at other seasons:

Doodle Monsters at Christmas and Winter

Doodle Monsters at Valentines Day

9 Halloween Art Sub Lessons

9 Halloween Art Lesson Plans Easy Enough for a Sub

Here are some fun lessons for October. I’ll add some that can be adapted for those kids who cannot use Halloween imagery for religious or personal reasons.

First, here’s one I just created. Kids love drawing “doodle monsters.” They are easy shapes to draw and there are so many options for adding fun details. 

In this art lesson, I gave examples of doodle monster drawings that are either Halloween focused, with mummies, ghosts, witches, and the likes plus an example of one with none of that. It has footballs, fall trees, hot cocoa, and warm clothes. Kids will appreciate that options are given for either direction.

You can find that lesson in my TpT shop:  Doodle Monsters at Halloween.

At the Mrs Art Teacher Lady blog. you can find a directed drawing. "Halloween Bats and Frankenstein Monsters" is a lesson that both upper and lower elementary kids will have fun drawing. It uses simple materials, so would be great for a substitute teacher.

The TpT shop, "Cool Classroom Stuff" has an activity that would be super easy for your sub to teach. This one is focused on Mexican Sugar Skulls. Your kids will be engaged and happy to work on this one.

Here's another one at "Cool Classroom Stuff." This is a fall themed one and would be good for fourth grade through middle school. 

This radial symmetry lesson has templates and sample templates to help kids out.

Amy, at Makes and Takes, gives step-by-step instructions and many visuals for this lesson. She used black paper and oil pastel, but this could easily be done with crayons on lighter paper.

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At Panicked Teacher, Susie gives you step by step instructions on how to make this patterned pumpkin.  I believe she is a classroom teacher who has to supplement art instruction in her class for most of the school year.

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This lesson, at ArtfulNest, was written for middle school.  You could write it up as a fifth-grade lesson or a sixth-grade one.  You could also bring it down to the upper primary grades with a change of media.  Leave your subs some good visuals.  They could teach this!           

 

This Halloween art lesson is fun for students and easy to teach. The prep for this is minimal. Students will need paper; one black crayon per student; and assorted other crayon colors. I call it a “print and go” lesson as that is all you need to do.

It includes full instructions and visuals. You could even post it as an art learning center in the classroom.

“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.

This lesson was posted on a blog called, “Clown and Poodle.” It appears that it no longer exists. However, I had written a blog post inspired by the original, and that still exists. You can see that complete lesson in my blog post here: Purple People Eater

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

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 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.