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The Arts


See recent Lesson Plans of the Day below.
For additional lessons see the Lesson Plan of the Day Archive,
our Lesson Planning Channel, or our Arts Center.

Fall-Leaf Sun Catchers
Use pipe cleaners and tissue paper to make eye-catching fall leaf sun catchers. (Grades K-8) 08/12/2010

Collecting Winter Data: Make a Snowperson Glyph
A colorful snowman glyph will reveal how your students feel about winter. (Grades K-6) 08/11/2010

Character Sketch Masks
Make a mask of your favorite book character, then play the role. (Grades K-8) 08/10/2010

Youve Got Mail
Students create a stamp or postcard representative of a state or country. (Grades 3-8) 08/06/2010

Rockin Fractions
Use Queens rockin beat to teach students how to convert decimals to fractions. (Grades 4-12) 07/21/2010

Alpha-bod
Students exercises their bodies and imaginations as they create a human alphabet. (Grades K-12) 07/20/2010

Picturing Weird Animals: A Lesson in Writing Good, Clear Descriptions
A strong, clearly written description is key when it comes to drawing the imaginary animals their classmates have created. (Grades 3-12) 07/09/2010

How Do You Describe a Monet?
Identify the similarities and differences in two paintings by Monet. (Grades 3-12) 07/09/2010

5-Minute Mug Cake (An Easy Chocolate Gift)
An easy recipe makes a great holiday gift for kids to give. Best of all, its chocolate! (Grades K-12) 07/08/2010

Heads Up for Open House
Create a fun display for Open House Night. (Grades K-8) 06/27/2010

Penny Power
Pennies can be used for everything from teaching probability to challenging students creativity. (Grades 3-12) 06/25/2010

Hot Plate for the Holidays
A student-designed hot plate makes a nice gift for Mothers Day. (Grades 2-12) 06/22/2010

Norman Rockwell Paints America
Take a "gallery walk of Norman Rockwell paintings, discuss the stories they tell. (Grades 3-12) 11/21/2006

Pine Cone Turkeys
Decorate your classroom or students dinner tables with pine cone turkeys. (Grades K-8) 11/09/2006

Create a Pumpkin Candleholder
This easy-to-make candleholder is sure to be a Halloween hit. (Grades K-5) 10/13/2006

Hairy Monster Stories
Create "hairy monsters" and write fun stories about them. (Grades 2-6) 10/05/2006

Stained-Glass-Window Leaves for Autumn
Make "stained-glass" fall leaves to decorate classroom windows. (Grades K-6) 09/27/2006

Meet Mr. Gallon
Use Mr. Gallon to help your students learn about liquid measurement. (Grades 2-4) 09/25/2006

"And That's The Way It Is" Today in History
Students create a nightly-news broadcast for a special time/date in history. (Grades 4-12) 09/21/2006

Autumn Colors Shine Through
Let autumn shine through with colorful window decorations. (Grades K-5) 09/18/2006

Retablo-Style Self-Portraits
Celebrate Frida Kahlo's birthday. Create self-portraits in the style of her art. (Grades 3-12) 06/22/2006

Bark Art
Learn about Australia's Aborigines, create Aboriginal bark art. (Grades K-5) 06/09/2006

Everybody Is Unique: A Lesson in Respect for Others
Art activity teaches about respect for others' unique qualities. (Grades K-8) 06/07/2006

Create a BIG Book
Create a "big book" edition of a favorite story. (Grades K-2) 05/26/2006

Hang a Flag Mural
Greet school visitors with a student-created flag mural. (Grades K-12) 05/19/2006

Pictures Tell a Story: A Lesson in Sequencing
In this lesson, students illustrate sequential events in a story or in history. (Grades K-8) 05/08/2006

A "Teacher Appreciation Week" Card for the Teacher
A nice project for art class; every student creates a different card for the teacher. (Grades K-8) 04/24/2006

Crazy Laws: There Must Have Been a Good Reason?
Investigate some crazy laws on Law Day, May 1. (Grades 5-12) 04/20/2006

"Giggle Poetry" Theater
Perform silly poems as theater during Poetry Month. Scripts provided. (Grades 3-8) 04/18/2006

"One-Minute Monologue" Builds Communication Skills
Every student deserves 60 seconds in the spotlight. (Grades 3-12) 04/04/2006

String Eggs
Decorate the classroom with beautiful string eggs for Easter. (Grades 3-8) 03/24/2006

Backwards Day
Plan a "Backwards Day" on April Fool's Day, as a Halloween alternative, or for a fun reward. (Grades Pre-K - 8) 03/17/2006

Grow a Great Spring Bulletin Board: Eggshell Flowers
Create a colorful spring bulletin board using this fun art project. (Grades K-5) 03/13/2006

Eating Up Idioms
During Nutrition Month, feed your students a diet of food idioms. (Grades 3-12) 03/09/2006

Women's Words of Wisdom
Create a bulletin board of inspiring quotes by famous women. (Grades 4-12) 03/01/2006

Now Let Me Fly -- A Black History Reader's Theater Script
Celebrate Black History Month by staging a classroom production of this play. (Grades 3-12) 02/17/2006

George Washington Teaches Map Directions
If students follow "directions," they'll have a picture of George Washington. (Grades 3-8) 02/13/2006

Tissue, Please!
Share a read-aloud story and a fun art project to teach cold-season manners. (Grades Pre-K -2) 01/30/2006

Understanding Idioms Is a Piece of Cake
Teaching about idioms can be great fun. Included: Idiom resources. (Grades 3-12) 01/24/2006

If the World Were a Village
A popular picture book leads to lessons in multicultural awareness, graph-making, more. (Grades K-12) 01/16/2006

Snow Paintings
Students use a water/food coloring mixture to paint on snow. Fun winter art activity. (Grades Pre-K-5) 01/10/2006

Comparing Composers: Beethoven and Mozart
Celebrate Mozart's birthday (Jan.27) with this activity that compares him and Beethoven. (Grades 3-12) 01/09/2006

Write a Song About American History
Songs about events in history inspire students to write their own song lyrics. (Grades 5-12) 01/04/2006

There Is Always Something You Can Do
Teach a song to help students deal with anger. (Grades K-2) 01/03/2006

Seasonal Notepad Gift
In this simple technology lesson, students create a seasonal notepad gift. (Grades K-12) 12/05/2005

Design a Coin
Design and "mint" a quarter for your state or another one. (Grades K-12) 12/02/2005

A Musical Holiday Gift
A CD song collection by your students makes a great gift for any holiday. (Grades PreK-12) 12/01/2005

Holiday Wreath Ornament
Fun holiday project: create a holiday wreath ornament. (Grades K-5) 11/29/2005

Teaching About Tolerance Through Music
Analyze Peter, Paul and Mary lyrics with themes of tolerance. (Grades 3-12) 11/14/2005

Thanksgiving Placemats: A Community Service Project
Make Thanksgiving placemats as a community service project. (Grades Pre-K-12) 11/11/2005

Turkeys Gobble Up Bulletin Board Space
Two fun ways for turkeys to gobble up bulletin board space. (Grades K-5) 11/09/2005

Do the Hokey Pokey in Many Languages
Use the popular song The Hokey Pokey to teach vocabulary for parts of the body in other languages. 11/04/2005

U.S. Puzzle Map Bulletin Board
Research the states, then create a U.S. puzzle map bulletin board for fun and reference. (Grades 3-8) 10/26/2005

"War of the Worlds": A Broadcast Re-Creation
Relive (and re-create) the panic-causing 1938 radio broadcast of "War of the Worlds." (Grades 6-12) 10/18/2005

Fire Safety Songs (and Poems Too)
Ten songs and poems for teaching young children about fire safety. (Grades PreK-2) 09/24/2005

Art Imitating Life
Explore role of women by examining art through history. (Grades 6-12) 09/21/2005

Autumn Colors Shine Through
Let autumn shine through with colorful window decorations. (Grades K-5) 09/14/2005

Pinwheels for Peace
Create "pinwheels for peace" to celebrate International World Peace Day (September 21). (Grades K-12) 09/08/2005

"Photograph Math" Word Problems
Students write their own math word problems and stage photos to illustrate them. (Grades K-12) 09/07/2005

Puzzles With Partners
A fun reward activity involves puzzles and cooperative groups. (Grades K-12) 09/06/2005

What's Inside My Computer?
Draw a picture of what a computer might look like inside. Then explore more! (Grades 3-12) 08/17/2005

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who Needs Math in Life at All?
A fun bulletin board helps students explore how they use math in their lives. (Grades Pre-K-12) 08/16/2005

Kudos by Kiddos
Students design and award medals for their favorite children's books. (Grades 3-12) 08/01/2005

Hang a Flag Mural
Greet school visitors with a student-created flag mural. (Grades K-12) 07/22/2005

Comparing Composers: Beethoven and Mozart
Read about and compare Beethoven and Mozart. Work sheet included. (Grades 3-12) 07/19/2005

Draw Like an Egyptian
Learn how to draw like an Egyptian. (Grades K-12) 07/18/2005

Music Math: Create a Clapping Symphony
Use fractions as you create a clapping symphony. (Grades 3-12) 06/22/2005

Act It Out: Dramatizing Stories from Asian American Cultures
Act out folktales, fairy tales, or myths from Asian American cultures. (Grades K-12) 04/26/2005

Bark Art
Learn about Australia's Aborigines, create Aboriginal bark art. (Grades K-5) 04/13/2005

Basketball Notes
You thought no lesson could combine basketball, music! (Grades 3-8) 03/22/2005

Rockin' Rhythm Band
Create rhythms from ordinary objects. (Grades K-12) 03/15/2005  

Do You See What I See?
Reproduce a work of art by following oral directions. (Grades 6-12) 03/10/2005

Make a Music Video
Create a short music video for a familiar children's song. (Grades K-12) 03/04/2005

Follow the Drinking Gourd
Create an art project based on a song used to guide slaves to freedom. (Grades K-2) 02/21/2005

How the Kangaroo Got Its Pouch
Create a play based on an Australian kangaroo legend. (Grades 3-5) 01/06/2005

Retablo-Style Self-Portraits
Create self-portraits in the style of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. (Grades 3-12) 01/04/2005  

There Is Always Something You Can Do
Teach a song to help students deal with anger. (Grades K-2) 11/16/2004

Create a BIG Book: Create a "big book" edition of a favorite story. (Grades K-2) 10/01/2004

Wacky Word Play
Combine students' love of word games and drawing. (Grades 3-12) 09/24/04

Adding Note Values
Use musical note values to complete math problems. (Grades 3-8) 09/20/04

A Unique Drawing Experience
With one set of directions, everyone creates a unique work of art. 09/14/04

Fun With Origami!
Hands-on activities teach about origami, an Asian paper-folding art form. (Grades 3-12)