Erase a Lack of Art Projects

1. How do students learn best? Many students find that hands-on learning (experiments, art projects, interviews) makes every subject more real and meaningful. Almost any science project, book report, social studies research, or math exercise can include the visual arts! Use your imagination to incorporate art into your school projects. And with classmates, stand up for MORE opportunities to communicate and learn with art.
2. Who could make the most difference to support art in your school? Teachers? Administrators? Your families? Committees or boards? Students talk with art specialists, artists, arts council members, and teachers who understand the value of the visual arts in learning. Ask probing questions to get their ideas about ways to erase the lack of art projects.
3. What reasons for supporting art do you think are most convincing? How can students spread the word to decision makers? Experiment with Crayola® Erasable Colored Pencils on white paper to make a powerful poster. Erase some of the color to add details and highlights, either with white space or by filling in with another color. Add a decorative border to draw attention to your message.
4. Collaborate with others in the school or community to inform people about the many ways that the arts enhance learning.

VA: Use different media, techniques, and processes to communicate ideas, experiences, and stories.

VA: Use visual structures of art to communicate ideas.

In small groups, students explore styles of art such as surrealism, expressionism, cartooning, and more by looking at favorite books.

Students research and discuss the art of illustration. What role have illustrations played in their lives? Why draw an illustration in place of a painting?

Using concepts of geometry, students design a stained glass window.

Invite a local artist to speak with the class about his work. Prior to the visit, students compose questions for the guest. After the visit, students post learning to a class blog.