Easy Art Sub Plans - The Mitten

This winter art lesson idea was written by a fourth grade classroom teacher. Though her school doesn’t have its own art teacher, she tries to fill in that gap by doing art with her students herself. Because this was created and used by a non-art person, I feel like this would be perfect for a substitute teacher to use. 

You want your art sub lessons to be easy to use, but interesting enough that your kids buy into it. I think this one will do the trick. 

I would use this with first, second, third or fourth grade.

 

This teacher used construction paper, crayons (I am guessing the ones that are made specifically for use on construction paper), and a mitten template.  The snowflake design was cut out of paper and glued on top.

 

If I was going to use this as a sub lesson, I would consider using the construction paper, but would more likely just go with white drawing paper. Markers would make beautiful drawings, but again, I am not sure I would leave my markers available to a sub I didn’t know. (I would want someone to emphasize taking care of markers.)

 

I also would consider having a snowflake template for the kids to trace, as cutting out a snowflake might be one complication too many for a sub. Kids love tracing, so they would love having two things to trace in this lesson.

 

As an inspiration for the lesson I would lead in with a picture book or video. The one that comes to mind first is The Mitten, by Jan Brett. If you do not own it, your school likely owns multiple copies. Check early though. This one is likely to get checked out all winter.

Guess what!!!!  Jan Brett has a YouTube video of herself reading the book!!! A video lead in sounds like a great way to engage the kids. If you have a sub that can work basic technology, I would definitely go with the video.

Visit "Teaching Art with Kelly B." You’ll find multiple examples of her student’s work.

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

Silly Sandwich Art Lesson

Silly Sandwich Art Sub Lesson

This lesson idea has been around for a while and it is still as good as ever. Kids love "silly" and fun anything and this is no exception.  You can load anything you want on a silly sandwich. Food, toys, the kitchen sink. It's all good. 

If you have time, cutting 12” x 18” paper into 6” x 9” makes for a fun size.  This size really exaggerates how silly and big this sandwich is.

If you want to save yourself some time, I have this lesson fully formed in a PowerPoint in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.  There are photos of real silly sandwiches and student samples.

It works great as a lesson to leave with your substitute teachers. All your sub needs to do is read the script and follow the directions. Classroom teachers and art teachers can teach it too, but subs love this one. The kids stay engaged doing it.

Oh! And I added a word find puzzle about sandwiches for those early finishers.  You can check it out here:  Art Sub Lesson - Silly Sandwich

Back to School Art Sub Plans - Dot Day

Dot Day for Back to School Art 

Teachers love to integrate Dot Day into their Back to School lessons since, for many, they happen around the same time. (September)

 

Here are Dot Day lessons from Ms. O’Hanley, Tales from the Traveling Art Teacher  She’s got a video link and multiple lesson ideas that a sub could do.  

 

One of my favorites is this radial symmetry design done on a paper plate.  Check it out! 

Art Sub Plan Idea - Easy Shape Tracing

This lesson would be great for an art sub with just a small bit of tweaking. I can't imagine leaving a lesson that includes black tempera paint, but there are work arounds.

From experience, I know that kids love tracing. Cans. Coffee lids. Flat tools. The more diverse, the better. Crayons are a perfect medium here and great to leave with subs.

Get inspiration from this gorgeous lesson from The Moffatt Girls.

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.

World of Your Own - Art Sub Plan

World of Your Own - Art Sub Plan - Creativity Drawing

Here is a beautiful book-related lesson from Marcia Beckett at Art is Basic.  The lesson is based on the book, A World of Your Own, by Laura Carmen. Check out her blog to see this fun and easy lesson.

The book encourages children to imagine a world of their own. The lesson that Marcia presents is open ended to give students a chance to really imagine something of their own making.

If you are looking for an art sub plan that is ready to go RIGHT NOW, check out my TPT Shop: Art Sub Lessons.  My shop is full of art sub plans. Most are totally no prep and use only the simplest materials. They can be taught by anyone.  

Here’s one of my lessons that is based on a totally imaginary scene:  Beyond the GingerBread Man.  This one is based off of the idea of the gingerbread man and gingerbread houses. Kids would be happy drawing simply either one of those. But in art class, we want to do more than that. So in this lesson the kids look at pictures of standard kinds of gingerbread creations and then more unique and creative ones. They share their new ideas with each other and then draw them. 

As I have taught this lesson, the kids have been highly engaged. As a sub in a class of students who don't know me, engagement is important. As an intro to the lesson, I started with a Speakaboos video on YouTube that I downloaded. It was one with John Krasinski, from The Office, as a narrator. You certainly could also supplement with one of many fun books about the gingerbread man. After that I showed the PowerPoint lesson.

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 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!!!

Crazy Hat Day - Art Sub Plan

Art Sub Lesson Plan | Wacky Hats

This is an elementary lesson that I have totally revamped, so if you bought it from my TeachersPayTeachers shop in the past, you may download the new one for free!

This lesson was written with an art sub in mind, but it would be great fun for anyone to teach on "Crazy Hat Day" at your school.

Now that I am a retired art teacher, I sub for my art teacher friends.  This is a lesson that I have been teaching the last few weeks. The kids love it.  They are encouraged to use their imaginations and come up with crazy ideas for a wacky hat.

The lesson has artwork from art history; artwork from the present; student samples; and complete directions.  Anyone can follow along and teach this lesson. All they have to do is read along from slide to slide.

You may find this lesson here:  Art Sub Lessons @ TeachersPayTeachers.

Art Sub Plan - Native American Shields

This sub lesson is perfect to accompany Native American Indian units of study.  It may be used by an art sub, art teacher or classroom teacher.  It is one of those lessons where every student feels successful when they are done.

I have taught this as an art teacher/art sub and have found that students get highly engaged in this lesson.

You may find this lesson at my TeachersPayTeachers shop.

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Art Sub Plan - Patterned Lego Man 

This post is by my long time blog friend, Stephanie Allgood.  The inspiration for this lesson is wonderful.  Kids love those Legos and I can imagine they would focus on doing a good job with this lesson.  She left this lesson with her sub, so it is kid tested!

Here's the post:  Make It a Wonderful Life.

Another easy way to prepare for an art sub is to go to my shop, Art Sub Plans. I have created complete lessons in which all your sub has to do is read the slides and follow the directions.  They are full of visuals and are created to be used with the most simple supplies.  Pencils, paper and crayons are all your students will need to create imaginative works of art.

These are perfect for those emergency absences when you do not have the time to write detailed plans but want to leave quality plans for your subs.

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.

Art Activity for Subs | Create a Super Hero

Create a Super Hero | Art Sub Idea

Mr. Badger has created a sub plan in which the 4th and 5th grade kids create a super hero.  The original post that I had here no longer seems to exist. You can make a lesson from the visuals he had thought. They are below.  Mr. Badger does have other lessons. Here is his Google site:  Mr. Badger’s Art Class

Abstract Art Sub Plan for Kids

Art Sub Plans - Abstract Lines

This could be a good sub lesson.  Check out this abstract art lesson at: No Time For Flashcards
It is a very simple lesson that could easily be taught by a sub. 

It reminds me very much of this lesson, Loopy Line Fish.  

Loopy Line Fish as an Art Sub Plan

This is a find from Art Project Girl.  She says it should take a half-hour or so.  Coupled with a book or video about fish, you could add on the needed time.  Or you could give this to your sub in case they need something to fill in the time.

Another easy way to prepare for an art sub is to go to my shop, Art Sub Plans. I have created complete lessons in which all your sub has to do is read the slides and follow the directions.  They are full of visuals and are created to be used with the most simple supplies.  Pencils, paper, and crayons are all your students will need to create imaginative works of art.

These are perfect for those emergency absences when you do not have the time to write detailed plans but want to leave quality plans for your subs.

Clowning Around - Emergency Art Sub Lesson

I have left this lesson with my subs for a couple of years now.  They seem to do well with it.

I have uploaded it to TeachersPayTeachers here:  Art Lesson for Subs - Clowning Around

As with all my sub lessons, all you need to do is to print out this 20 page PowerPoint and leave it for the sub.  The only materials they will need are paper, pencil and crayons.  All the directions and visuals for your sub are included.  The sub just needs to read the questions and comments on each slide, and that will direct your students.

The lesson begins with photos of clowns through history.  In order to make an art history connection, I have included a medieval masterpiece of a court jester. Each slide includes questions and statements for the students to think about while creating their drawings.

This lesson would work well as an emergency sub plan as the materials are basic and the directions are complete.  The lesson will save you great amounts of time over the years.

Take care.

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.

Elementary Art Lesson - Imaginary Cuckoo Clocks

This is a lesson that I left for my sub this week. It is based on the cuckoo clocks that come from the Black Forest of Germany.  Students are shown examples of real cuckoo clocks and ones drawn by other students.

I created it in such a way that it could be projected as a PowerPoint or could be printed out for my art sub to use.  It is for sale in my TeachersPayTeachers shop.  It would be perfect to use on one of those days when you need a lesson for an emergency absence.  All you have to do is print this out for your sub.  All of the visuals and directions are written right in the PowerPoint.  The supplies are as simple as it gets:  crayons and paper.

My art sub said that the students enjoyed the lesson.  I had fun looking at the clock inventions that they came up with.

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.”