DreamHouse - Art Sub Plans Elementary

This is an easy lesson that I would adapt to middle school art lessons as well as elementary ones. Mrs. Filmore has an idea for a first-grade architecture drawing lesson. I like open ended lessons as sub lessons, especially for subs who are not confident enough to draw.  Check out her lesson called "Dream House with Patterns."

If you have time to plan ahead of time, I would leave drawings or photos of a variety of types of houses to go along with this lesson. Also, I would have a sheet or poster board depicting a variety of patterns that the students may be inspired by; and a few student examples. 

Her blog is named, "Art with Mrs. Filmore." This lesson idea is near the bottom of a blog post called, "1st Grade Art."

More Lessons that Integrate with the Study of Architecture

A Home with an Onion Dome

This lesson focuses on the beauty and uniqueness of this architectural element and shows how architects from the past and present have used this element in a variety of ways.

Captivating Castles

In this lesson, students will learn about castles from medieval Europe, including the exterior architecture and the reasons for their design. Students will draw a castle of their own design utilizing architectural elements they have learned.

Ugly Christmas Sweater - Art Sub Lesson Plans

Ugly Christmas Sweater Art Sub Lesson

Ugly Christmas sweaters are an enigma to me. The less ugly ones are what we teachers loved back in the '80s. They were just "cute" back then. Oh well, now they are "ugly." 

So, what makes an ugly Christmas sweater? As far as I can tell, they are Christmas sweaters that are just way over the top.  Too much pattern.  Too many colors. An odd theme that is married to the Christmas theme.  Fringe. Bangles. Sequins. Glitz. So, if you can give your students an idea of just what makes a holiday gaudy, tacky, and just plain ugly, you can start with those things. 

This clip art site, MyCuteGraphics.com, offers up a free outline of a Christmas sweater. Want to have students do an "ugly Christmas sweater" drawing? Here's a place to start. Black and White Sweater

If you'd like for your students to do the lesson as a directed drawing, they could follow along with this YouTube video by Young Rembrandts.  Teaching Kids to Draw an Ugly Christmas Sweater.

If you would like a fully formed, 25-page lesson that can be taught by anyone, art teachers, sub, or parents, check out the lesson by Cool Classroom Stuff on TPT.  It is a no-prep, fully scripted lesson with tons of examples. There are four templates from which the students can choose.

Art Sub Plans for Day of the Dead

Elementary Art Sub Plans for Day of the Dead

Here's a super sweet and short video that kids would enjoy watching during a Dia de Los Muertos lesson and would help for an art sub lesson. Day of the Dead Video

There are plenty of lessons around that you could teach with this. Here are a couple.

The first one is a STEAM activity for drawing a symmetrical sugar skull. Click here to see it at the TPT Shop: Cool Classroom Stuff.

The second one includes three doodle worksheets for sugar skulls, piñatas, and sombreros. Click here to find it at the TPT Shop:  Centers and Early Finishers