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Visual arts education is the area of learning that is based upon the kind of art that one can see, visual arts — drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and design in jewelry, pottery, weaving, fabrics, etc.

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an art form that helps children expresses themselves and creates a new way to think and learn.

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Students engage in a creative process that connects an art form and another subject area and meets evolving objectives in both. Music helps enhance this.

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Integrating dance in your Primary classroom will foster skills of creativity, adaptability and collaboration. Dance is an artform that can be used to enhance learning.

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 Cornett, C. E.  (2015). Creating meaning through literature and the arts: Arts integration for classroom teachers 5th ed.) page 270-302

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 Cornett, C. E.  (2015). Creating meaning through literature and the arts: Arts integration for classroom teachers 5th ed.) page 270-302

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 Cornett, C. E.  (2015). Creating meaning through literature and the arts: Arts integration for classroom teachers 5th ed.) pages 345-382

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 Cornett, C. E.  (2015). Creating meaning through literature and the arts: Arts integration for classroom teachers 5th ed.) pages 345-382

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Call out an art element and give groups one minute to find examples (e.g., kinds of lines in the classroom). Ask them to count ones found and/or write answers.

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Postcards are indispensable and inexpensive collections. When a teacher is enthusiastic about collecting, students often catch the spirit. Students can also make personal art postcards using index cards and original or magazine art (e.g., ads for fine art appear in magazines such as Architectural Digest). Art postcards make great birthday cards or note cards to send to parents.

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Look at famous statues. Discuss their emotions and why statues exist. Look closely to see how different body parts are arranged. Have students assume a statue pose and, when tapped, say a one liner about what he or she is thinking or feeling.

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Art and Nature.

First, students examine how an animal, plant, or natural object is shown in different ways by artists. Present three to five pieces of art that contain an image. For example, use dog images and ask what dog information is shown in each, how each picture feels different, and why the artists showed the dogs as they did. Picture book art can be used. Compare the art with the science facts gathered.

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Quilts.

Create class geometric quilts using traditional patterns found in folk art or by observing patterns in the environment (dots, checkerboard, and stripes). Give each student a square of paper (about 10 × 10 inches) to plan. Patterns can be painted or made from cut paper, fabric, newspaper, and the like. Glue squares onto a large piece of bulletin board roll paper (black makes a good background). A border can then be added.

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Everyone mills around until the leader says, “Greet.” Everyone greets one another in different ways. T can suggest roles or dispositions: Pretend you are long-lost friends or from another culture (e.g., Japan, France). Use a tambourine to start and stop action.

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Art Vocabulary Stretch.

Show a variety of shapes and colors on separate cards (e.g., construction paper shapes and colors). Display a print and ask students to name shapes and colors they see. Prompt them to notice patterns made by repeating, as occurs in writing.

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The bray foundation is a great way to connect lessons and arts through hands-on learning

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The Bray exists to promote excellence and enhance commitment and investment in the ceramic arts while actively working towards increased inclusion, representation, belonging and equity in the ceramics community. See our Strategic Plan to learn more.

The Bray respectfully acknowledges all Indigenous communities - past, present, future - whose land we reside on in what is now known as Helena, Montana, including the Salish, Crow, Bannock, and Blackfeet tribes. See our Native Lands Acknowledgement to learn more.

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Learn about The Bray events, residencies, and ways to get involved at our international creative center solely dedicated to the ceramic arts.

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Clay beads, made with Archie Bray

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Look for the plus icon next to videos throughout the site to add them here.

Save videos to watch later, or make a selection to play back-to-back using the autoplay feature.

Descriptive audio version available here. The artists in "Friends & Strangers" are connectors, building upon and supporting the existing groups they participate in and searching for ways to create ever more inclusive forms of community. Featuring Linda Goode Bryant, Miranda July, Christine Sun Kim, and Cannupa Hanska Luger, this hour follows the four artists as [...]

Breaking free from admission fees, or paywalls,
Art21 opens the world of art to everyone.
Donate today.

The World Is Yours

The World Is Yours

A playlist featuring artists who engage with environmental concerns to uncover opportunities to see the world through a new lens. From tracking natural phenomena to evaluating the impact of personal consumption, these artists position their work as jumping off points to reflect on our entanglement in these networks and society at large.

The World Is Yours

by Art21 April 22, 2019 12 videos * 1:26:17 total runtime

Art21 is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization; all donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

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Art21 is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring a more creative world through the works and words of contemporary artists. In addition to its flagship television series, "Art in the Twenty-First Century," Art21 produces two digital series, "New York Close Up" and "Extended Play."

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The Art Assignment is an educational video series hosted by curator Sarah Urist Green. We explore art and art history through the lens of things happening today.

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We used bubbles to experiment and add paint to see what would happen to the bubbles. After we watched a video and learned how bubbles work!

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above we used art to show space. We used construction paper to draw and cut out our shapes.

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masks made with Anna! We learned how to teach younger kids with vocab they will understand and emotions they know well!

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Sit in a circle. The first person says one word to start a sentence. Then the next person adds a word, and so on. The goal is to make as long a “sensical” sentence as possible.

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(Team Builder). Everyone lies on the floor with his/her head on someone else’s belly. At a signal, someone says “ha” and the “ha” travels around the circle. When it gets around, someone else starts a different laugh (e.g., “he he”).

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Fraction Mime.

After introducing fractions, use an open space to pantomime concepts. Example: Give these directions: “As a class, become a ‘whole pie.’ Now divide up to become two halves. Now become fourths, thirds, and so on.” When numbers are uneven, ask S how to deal with the “extras.”

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Vocal Expression.

Brainstorm different ways to use one’s voice in storytelling. For example, tellers talk slowly, very fast, high pitched, scared, giggly, and/or using regional accents and dialects. Choose a paragraph or sentence out of the newspaper or a book. Have each student read or say it aloud using three different voices.

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Nature One-Liners.

Use pictures of natural forms (e.g., mountain, tree, stream, animals). Challenge S to say sentences, in role, to show known facts and use new vocabulary. For example, “Today, my stalactites are really growing vertically.” (cave picture).

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The puppet workshop was a ton of fun! I wasn't expecting to laugh as hard as I did. Something that surprised me during this workshop was how it brought many people out of their comfort shells. This connects to elementary education by enhancing any lesson!

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Laughing allows kids to open up and connect. Puppets also teach children to listen and lead. Puppets help disconnect the human and kids will open up more. You can create a character out of anything to use in your classroom. Social and Emotional learning is deeply rooted in this.

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 Cornett, C. E.  (2015). Creating meaning through literature and the arts: Arts integration for classroom teachers 5th ed.) pages 507-553

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 Cornett, C. E.  (2015). Creating meaning through literature and the arts: Arts integration for classroom teachers 5th ed.) pages 507-553

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 Cornett, C. E.  (2015). Creating meaning through literature and the arts: Arts integration for classroom teachers 5th ed.) pages 431-458

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 Cornett, C. E.  (2015). Creating meaning through literature and the arts: Arts integration for classroom teachers 5th ed.) pages 431-458

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Play music with emotions and have kids act out the emotions that they are feeling based on the beats

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Select or do a collaborative writing of a class song. Sing together as a daily routine. Example: Sing “High Hopes,” about an ant moving a rubber plant. Variation: Change songs for each social studies or science unit.

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Start each Monday with a celebration song. Example: To the tune “You Are My Sunshine” or “This Land Is Your Land,” sing “Be glad it’s Monday. Day after Sunday. Be glad it’s Monday, all day today. Be glad it’s Monday. It’s such a fun day. Be glad that Monday’s here to stay.”

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Scale Numbering.

Number the notes on the musical scale from 1 through 8 with do = 1, re = 2, mi = 3, fa = 4, so = 5, la = 6, ti = 7, and do = 8. Sing the scale with numbers instead of syllables. Invite students to construct math problems by singing them. Example: Sing “ti minus re = sol.” Variation: Give students a series of numbers to sing according to the scale match (e.g., 1155665 would come out “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”). Challenge students to create and sing their own numbered song phrases and invite groups or partners to sing and decode.

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Musical Season Stories.

Play seasonal music without lyrics, such as Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and challenge students to pantomime seasonal events. For a spring story, students might mime a bud forming and flowers blossoming. Students could also write about the process of a flower growing from a tiny seed sprout afterward.

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Continents Song.

Use familiar tunes to summarize factual information (e.g., the names of the seven continents). Example: Use the tune “She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain” with these lyrics: “There are seven continents on the Earth (2X). We have seven great big land forms, seven great big land forms. There are seven continents on the Earth. There are North and South America. Australia, Africa, and Europe. Then there is Asia and Antarctica. Asia and Antarctica. Asia and Antarctica make it seven.”

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Unleash your creativity with the world's best virtual manipulatives!

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Students imagine they have on magic shoes that allow them to walk an open space in special ways (e.g., on water, on air). Variation: Brainstorm ways to walk. Write on cards and draw from a hat. Call out with a creative change (e.g., speed, level, shape, energy).

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85 Making Instruments in the Music Classroom ideas | music classroom, preschool music, diy instruments (pinterest.com)

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Bring some music into your classroom with lessons and printables! Celebrate Music in Our Schools Month in March or enjoy music on a regular basis with your students. We have multicultural activities incorporating Mexican, Native American, Chinese, and South American music into your curriculum; you'll find printable instructions for building musical instruments; they'll learn the history of musical genres like Rock 'n' Roll and Jazz with detailed references; and of course, there are lyrics of plenty of songs for you and your class to sing and enjoy!

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Browse our library of Music Teacher resources to find the right materials for your classroom. Create your free account today!

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This post may contain affiliate links. You pay the same and I get a small commission. Yay! (Please see my/our full disclosure for further information.)
Coming up with games and lessons for solfege can seem daunting. You may feel like the only thing to do is to have students read flashcards on the screen. And while I do think there is value in that- especially before an independent activity- it's not all there is to teaching solfege or melody.

After this post, you'll have 7 different ideas of games and lessons for solfege that can be applied to all solfa syllables- so you can use them with any grade!

Also make sure you read until the bottom so that you can grab your freebie....

Bingo chips

First thing's first... We've got to notate. Your students need to be able to show the highs and lows of a song via manipulatives. You can use mini erasers, little pieces of paper, but I prefer bingo chips. They are sturdier, and you can get clear ones which makes it easy to see where they are on the staff.

We usually start by taking a song that they know very well and they help me notate first- then I turn them loose and have them try on their own on the next day.

Then you can move to doing different patterns with the solfege.

After that, you can move to having students create their own!

You can also do this in groups where one student notates and another student reads, or you can do where one student says a pattern and the other has to notate.

There's so many options!

We also start this one without the staff, then move to using the staff.

You can also use white boards!

Need a staff? If you don't have some, you can print out a staff and put it in a sheet protector. We call these lap packs!
You can see more music manipulative DIY here!
Lucky Lemons

Next up on this list of games and lessons for solfege is Lucky Lemons! This is a super fun board game that allows students to practice notating, filling in missing rhythms, and identifying notes.

It's actually available in digital and printable options, because I made it during distance learning.

We typically play it using the digital version first. I throw it on the board, and students get into groups. They take turns rolling the dice. Then we move their game piece. Then they do the challenge associated with that one. If they get it right, they get a lemon (point), if not, then they don't get the point. (Answer keys included.)

Then I'll have them do it in groups, because they already know how to play. In groups, I have them use the printable version and I use game pieces I bought off of Amazon (these are the ones I have- affiliate link)
Also, it's extra fun with these giant dice. Just saying.
It's currently available in sol mi la and do, and more are coming.

Cl ick here to purchase!

These are now digital AND printable!

Chrome Music Lab

This truly changed my life. I wanted so hard to be able to use Chrome music lab, but I don't want it to be a babysitter; I'm looking for ways to actually enhance my lessons and teach concepts.

The Chrome Music Lab song maker is an app that allows students to easily compose by tapping on the squares- plus, it's color coded. And the colors match the boomwhackers. Thank you, Google. (Did I mention it's free?)

We use the Chrome Music Lab task cards to do this- students create a pattern that is on the card and then listen to it. Once they understand, they can create their own patterns! And if you really want to make it awesome, you can have them add boomwhackers and play along. Or you can have them notate their compositions after they make them.

I have about 10 iPads in my classroom that I got via a grant. Students work in groups, or I'll have some students working on the iPads and some working on something else.
You can purchase Chrome Music Lab task cards here. Here is the link to song maker.

Digital Games

I didn't know a better way to phrase this, but digital games are games you can create on Google Slides (or purchase the ready made ones in my TPT shop) where students have to click on the correct answer in order to move on.

How is that for an explanation?

They are quite fun and self assessing.

My favorite way to use them is to put them on the screen and have students hold up one finger or two for what their answer is. Then I can write that down as a grade.

Then you can split them into teams and have the teams take turns answering- if they get it right then they get a point!

You could also do this individually. When we do, I send it via Google Classroom or create a free QR code on this website so that they iPads just have to scan it. The students do not need to be able to edit- they just need to be able to view.

Most of these in my shop also come with a Google Forms version if you want to have a tangible grade from it- Google Forms will send you their scores. (Just check before you purchase that it says Google Forms.)

Click here to check out different digital games (including Spring, Summer Vacation, Pumpkin Patch, Christmas, Snowball Fight, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, and more!)

You can also use Boom cards to do this- and Boom cards are self grading. If you purchase the premium boom card license, it will store their grades. I just use the free version, because we use it as practice.
Click here to check out Boom Cards!

This is from the tropical set!

Xylophones + manipulatives

Next up, you can use the xylophones! You can use them in many, many different ways, but we're talking specifically about using if with manipulatives.

All you need for this is super simple little cards (or foam shapes!) that have the solfa syllables on them.

Next up, have students get into groups and arrange the solfa syllables- then play the song!

You can also make it harder by having one person make a song and the other play it.

To help with this, you can take off the bars you don't need, or you can add sticky notes to the notes that you are playings with an s and m for sol and mi (or whatever you need).

Feed the Monster

Ready for you FREE game?

Feed the Monster is a really fun game for younger students- annnnd there's a freebie!

For this, you'll need the freebie and solfa flashcards (like these monster themed ones).

First, download and cut out the monster template from my TPT shop (free).

Then, make the monster by glueing it to a bag or a box and cutting out the mouth.

After that, you're ready to play! Have students sit in a circle with all of the cards facing down.

One student at a time draws a card and reads it. If they get it right, they get to feed the monster (put the card in the monster's mouth).

The bonus to this is that you can walk around and check off the students who can correctly read the patterns for an easy assessment.

Click here to download the game free! And click here for the matching monster solfege cards.

Same game, just with rhythm instead of melody.

Kaboom

The last of the games and lessons for solfege is one of my absolute favorite games- Kaboom!

To play Kaboom, you need a bunch of solfege pattern cards and some that say Kaboom. You can make them yourself (put them on popsicle sticks!), or you can purchase them ready-made from my TPT shop here.

Students sit in a circle with the cards mixed up in a bucket. One student at a time takes out a card and reads it. If they get it right, they keep it. If they get it wrong, they put it back. If they get it wrong, they put aaaall of theirs away.

The huge upside to this one is that the game never ends, because eventually someone gets a Kaboom and adds more cards to the pile.

Plus, you can also walk around and listen and count this one as an assessment. Win win.

Alright friends, there are a few games and lessons for solfege! What was your favorite? Do you have a favorite that's not on here? Message me on Instagram (@beccasmusicroom) and les me know!

Happy teaching!

Becca

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Best Games And Lessons To Teach Kids Solfege - Becca's Music Room

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Looking for games and lessons to teach solfege? These solfa activities will keep your students engaged in learning about melody in music class

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Stevie Wonder Lesson for Kids Preschool & Kindergarten | Black History Month for Kids

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Pairs lean back-to-back against each other. First, they silently walk around. Then they try to sit on the floor and rise up again. The activity can also be done side-by-side.

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Nancy J. Keane’s Children’s Literature Webpage

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There are so many great websites
dealing with children’s literature. These are some of my favorites.

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Art, Crafts and Artists in Kids’ and Young Adult Books for the Classroom for Preschool through Grade 9

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Classroom unit of great books about art and artists and activities for teachers to use with students in elementary and middle schools by Carol Hurst’s Children’s Literature Site.

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Tackling Tough Topics Through Middle Grade Literature

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Explore ILA resources on the hottest and most important topics in the field of literacy teaching and learning.

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Connecting students with books that both reflect and expand their world can not only transform their reading lives but also help shape them into more empathetic, responsible, and global citizens.

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fantastic way to introduce new material, we used these to understand certain art types. I chose 5th grade dance.

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important information to remember!

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There's a whole series related to this topic ➔

If you're teaching a lesson using Direct Instruction, you'll need examples for modeling as well as guided practice before students start working independently. With math, I always found this easier since I had access to lots of sample problems and could, relatively easily, cook up my own if I wanted something more interesting.

But what about with reading?

The sample texts in our reading program were always snooze-fests that assumed my kids could barely make sense of a paragraph of grade-level text. And writing my own interesting samples was so much work.

So I borrowed a technique from my mentor, Nanci Cole, and practiced reading using art.

Infer With Art

For example, if you're teaching students to make an inference, you do not need to start with text at all. Students just need to understand the idea of inferring at first. So you can model and they can practice with something visual. This is the perfect time to bring in a classic!

For example, consider how much students can infer from this piece of art, just by slowing down and noting details. Let's see what the on-the-surface details can tell us about what's really happening in this image?

I turned this into a whole lesson over at Byrdseed.TV, by the way. It helps that this piece by Vermeer has a delightful secret to figure out (this does mean you have to keep the title secret or you'll give it away!).

Other Language Arts Skills

I also used art (and music) to model and practice how one identifies tone. Tone can be much easier to understand when explained through a visual.

Art can be a starting point to practice backing up arguments with evidence, whether your students pick which piece they like better or explain which one better exemplifies an idea.

And art is a fantastic starting point for writing. I've been using various pieces of art to kick off highly structured writing over here.

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When you're teaching a reading skill, can you replace some of those dull sample texts with glorious artwork?

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Everyone walks around filling up the space. The leader then calls out a combination (e.g., three heads and two hands). Students quickly find others to create the shape of touching body parts.

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Reenvisioning the UDL Guidelines

Because the UDL Guidelines are meant to be informed by feedback from the field as well as new research, they have been updated several times in the past. We are in the process of updating the Guidelines once again.

This update will focus specifically on addressing systemic barriers that result in inequitable learning opportunities and outcomes. CAST aims to develop a transparent, inclusive, and community-driven process. If you are interested in collaborating and staying updated on our progress, we invite you to complete a brief survey.

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST.

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Story Tension.

Discuss tension in a story and how characters go about relieving it. Ask, “What point is the climax or most intense part?” Challenge students to show tension with different body parts. Partner as A and B. A shows tension and B echoes. Then reverse. Coach students to explore many body parts. Wrap up with “How did tension feel? Why?”

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Math Words Shapes.

Challenge students to make shapes such as a triangle, alone or in a duo. Try parallel lines. Change to perpendicular.

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Dance Webs.

Choose a science topic such as seasons (Ready Reference 11.6). Web movement associated with words, using the BEST dance elements of body, energy, space, and time. Example: Falling leaves twist, turn, and float at high levels down to the ground (low level). Break into groups with each choosing a science word to explore through BEST elements. Reassemble for groups to show their top three dance conclusions (moves).

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What value does dance have in your life? 

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What value does dance have in your life? 

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Dance helped me get friends at a younger age and gain coordination skills. Dance can touch kids lives in all aspects. Anyone can dance regardless of economic status

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Give kids cards with dance moves and have them preform!

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1. Dance/Movement are Indispensable Communication Vehicles

2. Dance/Movement Develop Complex Thinking Processes Needed for Creative Inquiry

3. Dance/Movement are Integral to Real Life

4. Dance/Movement Develop Vital “Soft Skills”: Responsibility, Respect, and Hard Work

5. Dance/Movement Increase Sensitivity and Cooperation

6. Dance/Movement Build Focus and Concentration

7. Dance/Movement Develop Self-Control and Confidence

8. Dance/Movement Involve Integrated Brain-Body-Soul Work

9. Dance/Movement Promote Health

10. Dance/Movement Satisfy the Aesthetic Need for Beauty

11. Dance?movement Are Paths ato Cultural Understanding and Expression

12. Dance/Movement Can be Powerful Cross-Curricular Learning Tools

13. Dance and Movement are Fun!

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Helpful presentation- Sidney, Sarah, Kennedy

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Helpful presentation- Erika, Makayla, Maddie

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Helpful presentation-Eleanor, Brooke, Johnny

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Cool model to organize ideas!

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The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM

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TOPICS / CURRICULUM / ALL LESSONS GRADES K-3 LESSON PLANS These K-3 arts integration lessons have been cultivated from across a variety of content and fine arts areas to showcase high-quality, rigorous integrated

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Helpful lessons plans-Drama

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How to Play RHYTHM 4 CORNERS in Elementary Music Class (your 4-5 graders will love you)

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Tips for NEW MUSIC TEACHERS Teaching Elementary Music

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Dance lessons through a video resource! 

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Dance lessons through a video resource! 

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Modern dance moves for kids | Free class

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Two of the most useful strategies I took away from today were math with addition, subtraction, and multiplication, giving children an alternate way to learn. I also enjoyed the brain dance and how it engaged the entire class.

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Language is used as a medium for art. Creating stories, essays, and other art forms through language

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Cornett, C. E.  (2015). Creating meaning through literature and the arts: Arts integration for classroom teachers 5th ed.) Pages 194-219

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Cornett, C. E.  (2015). Creating meaning through literature and the arts: Arts integration for classroom teachers 5th ed.) Pages 194-219

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Energizers/warmups Tongue Twisters and Lip Blisters.

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Energizers/warmups Tongue Twisters and Lip Blisters.

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In addition to using favorites, such as “Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers” and “Swiss Wrist Watch,” find more alliterative tongue twisters on the Internet and in classic books like Six Sick Sheep (Cole, 1993). Create a Tongue Twister Master Chart: Start alphabetically with “Aluminum Linoleum,” then “Bugs Black Blood.” Challenge students to say each three times accurately—and differently! Record students’ progress on the chart.

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Form a circle. The leader says a word connected to an upcoming lesson. The person to the right says the first thing that comes to mind. Connect quickly! Example: hippopotamus. Follow up: Ask “why” certain words connect.

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Challenge students to supply new end words for nursery rhymes, chants, and poems. For example: “Hickory Dickery Dock, the mouse ran up the . . .” (students supply rhymes). Change vowel sounds for phonemic development: Dack, Deck, and so forth.

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Math Poetry.

First, many poem types can be examined for their mathematical construction (e.g., counting syllables, words, and lines in haiku, and diamante). In addition, math content poems can be written using patterns (Ready Reference 5.5). Example: A two-eyed giraffe/Uses four legs to reach high/And eats with one mouth (haiku about number patterns in nature).

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Poem Patterns.

over a dozen patterns that can be used to write about science topics or processes. Examples are from a nonfiction science picture book about symbiosis.

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Multiple Genre Investigations.

Although most genre have potential connections to social studies, informational books, biography, and historical fiction have particular links; each can present unit content from a different angle. With historical fiction, students can use informational books to verify accurate versus fictional details. Poetry can be connected with informational books. For example, the narrative poem “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere” by Longfellow can be paired with a Revolutionary War study. It is also available as a picture book.

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With good reason, it seems like every school district across the nation has a movement toward a literacy action plan. It can feel like a "push" for literacy bombards many teacher training days and takes the front seat to many initiatives. However, it is important to define literacy as more than being able to read and write. It is about being able to express oneself and interpret the world around us using written, spoken, or heard language. Because of its broad nature, literacy is like art. It connects all the other subject areas at some point or another.

As art educators, we are not only responsible for the creative practice of our students, but also literacy practice as well.

The good news is that literacy practice in the art room doesn't have to be some big fancy initiative involving laborious training. We can use what we are already doing with our students and add a literacy twist.

As long as students are engaging writing, reading, listening, or speaking skills as they interact with their artwork, they are engaging in literacy skills. It is a win-win.

Here are 5 easy ways to bring literacy into your art classroom today.

1. Use Exit Slips

Before students leave the art classroom, have them write a reflection or specific information learned during the class on a small piece of paper. Students will hand in this "slip" before they "exit." An effective method (especially for younger artists) is to provide a slip with a starter sentence for students to fill in.

"Today I created..."

"Two examples of complementary colors are..."

"One fact about Vincent Van Gogh I remember is..."

Exit slips are very effective, not only for student reflection and recall but also for teacher reflection and planning.

For example, if a lesson with a focus on warm versus cool colors results in hardly any students writing down correct examples of warm or cool colors on their exit slips, you have reviewing to do. Exit slips are also a meaningful way to spend those last few minutes of class when students' focus may require redirection.

You can find three downloadable exit slip examples in the Literacy Strategies in the Art Room PRO Learning Pack. In this resource, I also share many more ideas and specific lessons about how to bring literacy into the classroom.

2. Curate an Art Book Library

Many art rooms have "free drawing," art games, and/or building activities to keep students busy and creative when they finish a task. An art book library encourages students to take, look, and read as they please. It can pique their interest and is a great connection between art and literacy. It is also a great way for students to exercise choice. As a bonus, it is a teaching library for lesson inspiration and planning. Finally, students LOVE to revisit books used in lessons for previous projects.

3. Have Students Do Sequence Writing

Even in the simplest of art projects, there are steps. As art educators, we are teaching students concepts, techniques, and processes step-by-step. Students are much more likely to remember the steps when they write them down.

As they write, they practice the literacy skill of sequencing. "First, Next, Then, and Finally" written statements are very insightful and informational. Sequence writing can also act as both formative and summative assessment tools for you and your students. For example, if you ask your students to sequence the act of joining two pieces of clay together and they get the order wrong, you know you need to revisit the concept.

You can use the download below to get started with this activity in your classroom right away.
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4. Assign Artist Statements

It may seem obvious, but asking students to write about their artmaking is a way of engaging in literacy. Artist statements accomplish three tasks essential to art and literacy. First, students are using language to define the visual work they have created, thus adding depth to their creativity. Second, by using proper sentence structure and word choice, students are figuring out the best way to communicate about their creative work to others. Finally, artist statements show you what students have learned, making them an effective assessment tool.

There's a great End-of-Project Reflection available in the Peer Feedback Strategies PRO Learning Pack that would be the perfect tool to use for an artist statement. You can also find more specific strategies for elementary kiddos in 5 Hints for Helping Young Students Generate Artist Statements.

5. Incorporate Storytelling

"A picture is worth a thousand words..." Right? Any project that has a central focal point of a person, animal, or character can be a catalyst for an original story told by the artists themselves. Young artists, especially those at the elementary level, love to use their imagination to make up their own narratives and descriptions.

Using graphic organizers to help scaffold young artists' ideas is very helpful to get the story off the ground. Works with people, animals, or imaginary creatures are great places to start. Ask students to give the subject of their artwork a name.

Where did they come from?

Where are they going?

Who are their friends?

What problem do they run into?

How is it resolved?

What happens next?

Both you and your students will enjoy the variety of anecdotes that can come from using their own storytelling skills. Storytelling is also an excellent way to tap into another form of creativity, this time in writing. For instance, a student's drawing can be hard to decipher because of their level of motor control. But once they clarify that the large black blob in the corner is, for instance, a spider who ate too many flies and now needs to take a nap, you've cracked the code. The students are using their creativity and building their literacy skills at the same time.

Art and literacy can be parallel concepts in the art classroom. At first, making intentional connections may seem like more work. But often, providing opportunities for students to practice their literacy skills with existing artmaking units may be easier than you think.
What literacy connections do you use in your classroom? How are you effectively getting your students to read, write, speak, and listen about their artwork or that of others?
Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

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5 Ways to Bring Literacy Into the Art Classroom

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5 Ways to Bring Literacy Into the Art Classroom Connections % %

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A literary arts lesson over literary elements and fun ways to implement them!

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Plot Structure: A Literary Elements Mini-Lesson

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As Carol Jago explains, "It's easy to 'teach' literary terminology and devise quizzes on the terms, but to make the language of literature useful to readers, students need to practice using academic vocabulary in ways that deepen their understanding of how stories work" (51).

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file:///C:/Users/maddy/Downloads/PrimaryVisualArtsLearnLinethroughTraceLinesSAMPLEPAGES-1.pdf

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Freeze and Flow | Lesson Plan | Education.com

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In this lesson, students will participate in a freeze dance, then be guided in slow-motion movements using mindfulness.

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Hand Animals This is an activity I do with all of my young students who are new to Drama. (Since I teach every student in our school, my new students are generally Kindergartners, but the activity works with somewhat older children as well.