Tag Archives: Middle School Art
Intro to the Grid-Method Technique
I always asked new students what they hoped to learn in my class, and the typical response was, “I want to learn to draw better.” Learning to use the grid method to transfer information from a reference image to their … Continue reading
Mummy Cases
Grade Level: Upper Elementary Materials:White paper from roll, or large sheets of drawing paper, taped togetherPencil, erasers, scissors, tape, staplerHieroglyphic alphabet sheets, Egyptian symbols and definitionsTempera or acrylic paint, brushesNewspapers Introduction:Through the use of movies, books, or magazines, show students … Continue reading
Hieroglyphic Cartouche Pendants
Grade Level: Middle to Upper Elementary Materials:Shrinky Dinks cut to 4″ x 5″ ovalToaster oven, hot mittPractice Paper, pencilsHieroglyphic alphabet chart hand-outsExamples of various Egyptian symbolsColored pencilsHole punchYarn Procedure:1. Show student photographs of Egyptian cartouches2. Explain that they will be … Continue reading
Gargoyle Drawings
As part of a unit on the Middle Ages and Medieval Art, students in grades 5-7 learned about gargoyles and grotesques through various books from the library. For one of their projects, they did pencil drawings of a gargoyle statue … Continue reading
Embossed Foil Dragons
As part of a study of the Middle Ages, 5th through 7th grade students created dragons using a tooled-foil technique. After etching their designs into the foil, they painted over them with black waterproof ink, and then used fine steel … Continue reading
Castles and Cottages
As part of a unit on the Middle Ages, 5th through 7th grade students researched the types of dwellings found during this time period and used Sculpey clay to create small replicas of a castle or cottage. After their sculptures … Continue reading
Heraldry – Shield Design
As part of a study of the Middle Ages, students in grades 5-7 created coat of arms “shields.” Learning terms such as “bend,” “passant,” “azure” and “rampant” from books such as “Design Your Own Coat of Arms” by Rosemary A. Chorzempa, here … Continue reading
Hand Stencils and Prints
As part of their study of Prehistoric art, students discussed the images of hands that are frequently seen on cave walls. Hands also appear in the art of Aboriginal peoples in Australia. We discussed several ways that these stenciled and … Continue reading
Painted Cave Walls
Students painted images of animals on simulated “cave walls.” Using crumpled bags to represent stone, they experimented with various watercolor techniques (using a limited palette) and were encouraged to show the “essence” and “energy” of the animal they were painting.
Panama: Molas
The Kuna Indians of Panama make beautiful designs in fabric by layering and cutting away the cloth to reveal the colors underneath. These fabric designs, called “molas,” were traditionally sewn into blouses, but have now gained worldwide recognition as a … Continue reading