Elements of Art Lesson Plan: Art Concepts

Grade Levels: 3-5, 4-6, 6-8

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This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Elements of Art, and supports the standard of analyzing components of visual imagery that convey messages. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Display this image from of Katsushika Hokusai’s print “Fuji, Mountains in Clear Weather” (1831) from the movie (timestamp: 1:43)

Ask students:

  • What part of the image do you notice first? Why do you think your eye is drawn to the part?
  • How would you describe the colors and shapes?

Step 2: BUILD KNOWLEDGE

Step 3: APPLY and ASSESS 

Assign the Elements of Art Quiz, prompting students to apply essential literacy skills while demonstrating what they learned about this topic.

Step 4: DEEPEN and EXTEND

Students express what they learned about elements of art while practicing essential literacy skills with one or more of the following activities. Differentiate by assigning ones that meet individual student needs.

  • Make-a-Movie: Choose one element of visual art. Produce a tutorial explaining how this element can be used to express different ideas.
  • Make-a-Map: Create a concept map identifying the seven elements of visual art and provide examples of each.
  • Creative Coding: Code a digital museum exhibit featuring artifacts and symbols to represent different elements of visual art.

More to Explore 

Related BrainPOP Topics: Deepen understanding of visual artistic expression with these topics: Color, Cubism, Impressionism, and Painting.

Teacher Support Resources:

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Related:

    Filed as:  3-5, 4-6, 6-8, Art Concepts, Arts and Music, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.3, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.7, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.3, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.4