How to add more creativity into your art lessons

 

Looking for 3 easy ways to infuse more creativity into your art lessons?  Keep reading!

1) Use Mini Lessons instead of big projects: Want to teach about secondary colors?  Teach the kids using a short lesson + practice and then ask your students to "show what they know" in a project of their choice. 

Make sure to have Success Criteria listed, for example: must show 3 secondary colors, must be "neat and complete." Here are a few mini lessons I do with my students: Contrast , Pattern, Foreground Middle Ground Background.

2) Incorporate Open Ended Prompts:Think of art prompts that would inspire your students! Imagine a world that is made of candy or what if trees could talk.  Share prompts with kids and let them explore their own ideas.  My own students love to play this game when they need fresh ideas.

3) Offer choice in materials: Allow students to choose their own medium, even if it's as simple as choosing oil pastels or colored pencils.  Many choice-based art teachers organize their rooms by media with visuals to help build skills. Here are painting technique and drawing technique resources that I use with my students to help them build the skills to make informed decisions about what media to use.

Happy creating,

Kristin