STEAM Art Sub Lessons Idea - City of the Future

STEAM  Lesson for Elementary, Middle and High School

I get ideas for art sub lessons from all sort of places.  This one came from Flickr. Fabrice Florin teaches an after school STEAM course called "Maker Art" at Tam High. While the initial lesson eventually leads to a sophisticated sculpture, the idea could be a great jumping off place for an art sub lesson. Check out his Flickr page to see more in depth ideas for this lesson. 

by Fabrice Florin
City of the Future: Second Class at Tam High


City of the Future Finished Sculpture
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

If you like the idea of your students using their imaginations to create a new environment, you might like this lesson that I wrote. It is complete with script and many images. It is also no prep. Perfect for you, subs, or parents.  Secret Rooms and Hidden Passageways

Circle Art Lessons | Art Sub Plans Worksheets

Back to School Art Worksheets and Art Sub Lessons

When you are teaching your art classes at the very beginning of the school year, there is so much to go over; introductions; expectations; classroom rules; and what they will be learning that year. After all that, sometimes all you have time left to do is something simple. Here are some simple art activities that might fit well in that short time you have left.

Circle Worksheets, Lessons, and Videos

Here's a free worksheet that I put in my TPT shop so that you could download it. It is free, so go help yourself! Circle Drawing Game - Free Worksheet

A variation of this idea can be found at the Bay Area Discovery Center site. https://bayareadiscoverymuseum.org/activity/circle-game There are variations for a group activity and a solo one. 

Here's another free worksheet that I just threw in.  "What Can You Draw from a Circle?" You can download that at my TPT shop also.  Click here for the free worksheet, "What Can You Make from a Circle?"

 

This next activity can be found on Tes.com and is called:  “Drawing Game.” Here is the link: Circle Drawing Game  Their idea is for you to recreate the images that they give you.  You certainly could also let the kids use their imaginations to draw their own circle images.

Here's a YouTube video titled, "How to Draw different things using Circle Shapes." It is more of a step-by-step activity. 

One idea that I have seen around the internet is for the students to draw a picture that starts with one black dot.  This would work for "Dot Day" or just an easy back-to-school lesson. This one is from Jill Bradley, Fine Art.

 

 

Here is a worksheet that I created. You are welcome to print and use it. The instructions are simply "What can you make from circles." There are circles of various sizes. Feel free to use these as you like. You may also download this at my TPT Shop: Art Sub Lessons. 

No Prep Art Lessons for Teachers and Subs

If you are looking for fully formed, no prep art lessons that anyone can teach check out my TeachersPayTeachers Shop, Art Sub Lessons. Here are some activities that would be good for getting back in the groove of school.

"The Colorful Art of Bruce Gray" is a lesson with lots of circles and could easily work for back to school. Super easy and could be taught by parents, teachers, or subs. Includes a lot of information and visuals about a contemporary artist. It is one basic lesson but could result in two separate art projects. 

"Lines, Lines, and More Lines" is a free lesson for preschool, kindergarten, or first grade. All the visuals are there along with a script. It uses simple supplies. It could be taught by parents, teachers, or sub. Fun and easy to do.

“Silly Sandwiches" is a fun lesson that can be taught to elementary, middle, or high school as a beginning of the year lesson. Lots of fun!

"Negative and Positive Space" an easy lesson that could be taught to upper elementary or middle school, at home, or in school. Lots of visuals and a full script for what to say. 

Art Sub Lessons for Elementary - Ugly Bug Ball

Ugly Bug Ball - Art Sub Plans

One easy path to take with an art sub lesson is to read a book or show a video and then have students draw their own interpretation from that.

Here is a vintage clip that I love.  "Ugly Bug Ball." It is fun to watch and uplifting.  Kids can watch and then proceed to draw their own ugly bug ball.

Pencils, paper, crayons and you are good to go.

TPT Art Sub Plan of Ugly Bug Ball - No Prep 

Don't just "wing it" with a sub. Give them a real art activity with substance. I have a no prep lesson in my TPT shop that goes along with that.  It gives your sub more of a structure with a fully prepared script and lots of examples.  There are even art history references! 

Check out the lesson plan here:  Ugly Bug Ball Lesson Plan

Videos for Distance Art Learning

Videos for Art Sub Lessons and Distance Learning

If your students have access to the web and YouTube, there are some sites that they can access easily. 

Here are some you might check out.

The Kennedy Center
Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems

Mr. Pstudios is an art teacher. His YouTube channel includes drawing activities for kids.

The blog, Art Room Videos, has links to lots of individual art videos that have been previewed for kids.

The Dad Lab has lots of videos. Your students may have access to lots of materials, so check out his entire channel. For those whose students may have limited supplies, here are some videos that might work for you.
Crayon Rubbing with Legos 
Shadow Drawing
Draw with Your Feet 
Tree Bark Rubbing

Young Rembrandts They have some directed drawings. They also have an online course that you can pay for that is off of YouTube

Art for Kids Hub  They do a lot of directed, step-by-step drawing.  

Mark Kistler is a long time favorite for kids wanting to draw better. I would suggest these for upper elementary and middle school.  Many of his videos are hour long, which I suspect will not work for most kids.  Finding the shorter videos, I sorted by "most popular." I saw a lot that were around ten minutes long.

The Art Project has lots of videos you might like for older kids. His drawing prompt videos are the perfect length for kids drawing at home.

Art Sub Lessons - Sugar Skulls

Sugar Skulls - Art Sub Plans Elementary

Cinco de Mayo is in a few days. Drawing sugar skulls would be a fun elementary activity for distance learning or classroom learning and they could be tied into the holiday.

Here is a YouTube tutorial that you could send your students to that is easy to follow.

















If you need something in paper form, check out this set of worksheets from the TPT Shop: Centers and Early Finishers. It can also be set up as an art center; used as an early finishers project, or taught as an art sub lesson.  There are templates, sample patterns, and examples of three different designs.   TPT Shop: Centers and Early Finishers

Art Sub Plans - Positive and Negative Space

Easy Art Sub Plans for Middle School about Positive and Negative Space

Written as an art sub lesson this can be taught by anyone, even for distance learning. Negative and positive shape can be taught using simple supplies that students may have at home.  Here are a couple of lesson plan ideas using only paper and pen. The pen could even be replaced by a pencil, crayon, or marker if that is what is available.

LeaNewtonArt  has a fully written lesson plan on her blog. It is intended as a lesson to be taught at school but has lots of information you could glean if you are writing a lesson for distance learning.



Nic Hahn, in her blog "Mini Matisse," shows a different take on negative and positive space. She also uses doodling with patterns. The theme of the designs is personal to the artists.


If you want an art sub lesson for negative and positive space that you can print and hand to a sub, I have this one in my TPT shop.

This was written as an art sub lesson but can be taught by anyone. Middle school and upper elementary grades will find it easy and fun to do.

Drawing by image by 마 법사

It is short, easy, and takes the most simple supplies: paper and pencil. It would be nice to have crayons, pens, markers, or watercolor paint, but not a requirement.

Here's a preview of the slides inside.