Doodle Monsters in Winter - Art Sub Plans

Doodle Monsters in Winter, Christmas, or December

This time of year, kids will beg to do holiday art lessons. That's a tough one, since there are multiple holidays celebrated in December, and there are those who are not allowed to celebrate any of them.  I contemplated how to do a fun holiday-ISH lesson while leaving it open ended enough to not be related to a holiday at all. 

And since I am all about creating lessons that subs can teach, it would need to be a lesson easy enough to be taught by anyone.

I found lots of videos about doodling by kids and adults alike. The kids' art was every bit as fun to look at as the grown ups' art. 

Doodle monsters were what I settled on. 

I had so much fun drawing and coloring them, I contemplated continuing doing them long after my art sub lesson was finished.

In the lesson, after kids learn how to draw the shapes of the doodle monsters, they have options to choose from for all the details: eyes and mouths. Then there are sheets of options for winter and holiday symbols. 

There is art history info about doodling, (daVinci and the Queen of Prussia from the 1700's); info about overlapping; and a bit about shading.

As always, I write my lessons to be easy enough to be taught by anyone. 

Go check out this lesson at my TPT store here:  Art Sub Lessons

Art Sub Lesson - Winter Drawing with VanGogh Sky

 Winter Art Lesson

This lesson plan was at the site, Art to Remember. It is a basic but complete lesson plan. There were a variety of landscapes in there visuals. The winter scene was just one of them.

If I was teaching the lesson, I might provide visuals of winter scenery; photos of snow covered structures, trees, etc. I’d probably also add a visual reminding students about horizon lines and such. 

If you live some place where snow covered scenery is not the norm, you can use some of their other visuals of landscapes and do a variation on the theme.  

There are written instructions for this lesson, which is a plus. 

Check it out and see if this would work for you and your students.

If you are looking for more ideas for winter art sub lessons, check out this post:

Winter Art Sub Lessons

Art Sub Plan - Thanksgiving Lesson

Create a Turkey in Disguise

Here is a classic art lesson for November. I put it together as a complete art sub lesson this week.  Its for those of you who need a sub plan ASAP or those who just need an easy and fun lesson. 

Instead of you having to recreate the wheel by adding your own visuals and sub instructions, here it is already done for you. Directions; sample finished art work; visuals by professional illustrators from the past; and visuals with details for inspiration, all are provided for you. All you have to do is print it and hand it to your sub or school office.  The only supplies you need are pencil, paper, and crayons.

You can take a look at it here:  TPT Shop: Art Sub Lessons - Create a Turkey in Disguise.

Kindergarten Art Sub Plan on Figure Drawing

Art Sub Lesson - People in the Style of Romero Britto

Early in the school year I like to teach kindergarten and first grade, "how to draw a person." They learn the basic shapes you need to use, and then turn it into a self portrait.

I have learned, though, that many times students in all grades will fall back into drawing stick people. ....Sigh..... So a review of at least giving their humans a full body shape, is never a bad thing.

Statue by Romero Britto. Photo by Phillip Pessar https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

Art Sub Lesson for Drawing a Human Figure

 When I contemplated what I would do for a new art sub lesson, I stumbled across some Romero Britto paintings of people. He used those basic shapes that primary kids learn how to draw, and that, coupled with the bright colors and simple patterns, would make a perfect lesson for an art sub to teach. As with all of my art sub plans, teachers will often use them in their regular classes.

So, this new art sub lesson that I created teaches a basic definition of Pop Art. It shows Romero Britto's bright and happy paintings; connects the work of Picasso to Britto; and leads students on how to draw a person using simple shapes.

It can be printed out and handed to a substitute teacher; emailed to your school office for them to hand to the sub; projected in your classroom; or shown to your students for distance learning in a Zoom type meeting online. (Not Outschool, please.)

Where You can Check out all the Details

Check out the lesson preview over in my TpT shop.  Art Sub Lesson - People in the Style of Romero Britto

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 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. 

Back to School Art Sub Plans

Easy Substitute Lesson Plans for Art

Don't be caught off guard without sub plans when school starts up again. Whether you are putting together your art sub folder, sub tub, emergency sub lesson folder or planning for a long term substitute teacher, prepare early!!!  You will be so glad that you did.

Simple Lesson Plans

I have collected some links to complete lesson plans that are simple enough to be used as sub plans for the beginning of the school year.

Patterned Hand

This patterned hand drawing and the downloadable PDF instructions for it can be found here:  The Bonifas Art Center

In my opinion, this sort of lesson, one with little patterns and details, work better for upper elementary and middle school. I believe that younger kids would make quick work out of the patterning.

I do think you could expand on this a bit by filling up the space on the paper with overlapping hands.

Heroic Figures and Folk Tales

This "Art To Go" packet, from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, includes artwork and activities. Kids may write and/or draw about heroes with step by step help from the authors. There are pages...."packets"....to download with clear directions. You may pick and choose what you want your sub to use. 

You will need to print out some things for this lesson.

Medieval Beasts and Bestiaries

Here’s a complete lesson from the Met.  Well, complete except for some illustrations. I found this accompanying beast by searching “public domain medieval animals mixed.”  Medieval Beasts and Bestiaries But there are full and complete instructions at that link.

Kindergarten and Preschool Art Lesson Plan

This is an easy to teach lesson that I have used for kindergarteners and preschoolers as a back-to-school lesson. I usually cut 12" x 18" into simple school bus shapes. After showing the students photos of many familiar and crazy-looking buses, I let them design their own. We also watched lots of videos about buses and sang "The Wheels on the Bus."

As a sub lesson, I would either leave the cut out bus shapes for the sub or a printed out outline of a bus that is included in the following sub plan.

If you would like to buy a PowerPoint of this lesson all ready to be used, you can buy it here, at my Teachers Pay Teachers shop. Here's a comment left by someone who purchased the lesson: Everything included that is needed to do this lesson which makes it so nice. I've added this to my sub-tub on a flash drive due to the completeness of the product. I really appreciate the attention to details for this product.

Here’s another one in my TpT shop that I would, without a doubt, put in an art sub folder. Print this one out for the school office, and you can teach it to any grade, K-6.  Click here to see this one:  Silly Sandwich Art Sub Plan

This one is complete with instructions and visuals. It is no prep and uses only paper and crayons or markers. It is a winner! Here are some reviews from this one:  

“ I used this for a day I had a sick child at home and had to come up with a last-minute sub art lesson. This was a lifesaver! Thank you!”

“ I left this for a sub and the kids LOVED it. They ask to revisit this project frequently. ”

I have many art sub plans in my shop called……Art Sub Lessons! Here’s a link: Art Sub Lessons - TpT Shop. Go shopping for some sub plans and save yourself a lot of headaches!

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

Lettering and Typography for Middle School Art

 

Elementary and Middle School Art Sub Lesson with Typography 

"Ms. Art Teacher" did this lesson plan herself with students and then also left it as a sub lesson.  It is based on the book Alphabeasties and Other Amazing Types, by Werner and Forss.

The illustrator has filled in the shape of the animal with the name of the animal. I can imagine where this same idea can be applied to other images of things and using a variety of words to describe the image.

This is an alphabet book to help little ones to read, so your older kids won’t be so interested in that part. The illustrations are really interesting though. “Ms. Art Teacher” did the lesson with 2nd through 7th graders. She also left the lesson with a sub and found that was successful.

There are multiple read-aloud of the book on YouTube, so you can always fall back on that if you can’t find the book itself.

I found another interested item about lettering on the website graffitidiplomacy.com. That website seems to no longer exist, but this one worksheet I found seems to have survived.  

Kids want to know how to write in bubble letters. Some gets get it and some need a little help. Maybe I'll make a worksheet for the whole alphabet.  Hmmmm.....

Anyway, that could be another direction to take the idea of lettering or typography.

If you'd like a quick explanation for how to create bubble letters, here's a YouTube video that's just a little over 2 minutes long.  How to Draw Bubble Letters for Kids

If you'd like a video done with the balloon or oval method of creating bubble letters, check out this one from: Pin Koro, Very Easy! How to Draw Graffiti Bubble Letters ABC

Do you have any other lettering lessons you love? 

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