Upper Elementary or Middle School Art Curriculum: Yearlong Art Course, 22 Projects

This visual arts yearlong middle school art curriculum is everything you need to teach a year in a middle school art or an upper elementary art course. This art curriculum includes projects, activities, and worksheets, functioning as a survey of a variety of art making. With the elements of art and principles of design as a guide, it's a perfect introduction to drawing, painting, mixed media, sculpture, clay, mixed media, and digital art. With this bundle, you won't have to plan a single day of an entire year in your art class.

This curriculum includes 22 projects, 30 activities, and 68 art worksheets and handouts. Each lesson includes a lesson plan, supply list, vocabulary, step-by-step instructions, PowerPoints, rubrics, critique sheets, handouts, and anything else needed to complete the project.

This middle or upper elementary art curriculum focuses on introducing students to a wide range of materials and techniques. Each project focuses on a different element of art or principle of design.

All in all this middle school art curriculum includes:

• Timeline with project overview and pacing
• Supply list with project supply breakdown and a comprehensive list

First day of school handouts

• Syllabus
• Tell me about you worksheet
• Parent information sheet
• Behavior contract

Elements of Art, Principles of Design

• 2 worksheet packs with 16 back and front handouts that cover the elements of art and principles of design.
• These activities will guide the projects and teach students about the elements of art and principles of design.

Folder to Sketchbook

• Folder to Sketchbook Lesson plan (including big idea, essential questions, objectives, national standards, supply list, and day-to-day how-to)
• Introduction PowerPoint
• Step-by-step instructions
• Rubric

Sketchbook Prompts

• 92 sketchbook prompts
• Jar label for a prompt jar
• Classroom implementation

Still Life Drawing

• A lesson plan (with a big idea, objectives, vocabulary, national middle and high school art standards, and step-by-step instructions on implementing the project)
• Still Life Intro PowerPoint
• Viewfinder template
• Still Life PowerPoint II
• Self-evaluation sheets
• Artist research sheet
• Critique sheet
• Rubric
• Checklist

Value Handouts

• A lesson plan (with a big idea, objectives, vocabulary, national middle and high school art standards, and step-by-step instructions on implementing the activity)
• Value and shading worksheet
• Value scale and labeling worksheet

OP Art Activity

• Activity handout
• Teacher instructions

Atmospheric Perspective

• Lesson plan
• Distance learning instructions
• Grayscale atmospheric perspective example and info sheet
• Monochromatic atmospheric perspective example and info sheet
• Grayscale how-to, with step-by-step instructions
• Monochromatic value scale how-to, with step-by-step instructions
• Grayscale landscape scene how-to, with step-by-step instructions
• Monochromatic landscape scene how-to, with step-by-step instructions
• Links to a grayscale demo video and monochromatic demo video
• Project checklist

Zentangle Maze

• A lesson plan, including the big idea, objectives, essential questions, a breakdown of the process, and national art and language art standards are included for grades 6th-12th.
• Rubric
• Critique worksheet
• 2 zendoodle practice worksheets
• Zendoodle maze how-to worksheet
• Presentation (PDF and PowerPoint versions)

Copper Tooling Project

• A lesson plan (with a big idea, objectives, vocabulary, national middle and high school art standards, and step-by-step instructions on implementing the project)
• 4 PowerPoints
• Project checklist

Egyptian Cartouche

• A thorough lesson plan (big idea, I can, goals, essential questions, objectives, supply list, resource links, step-by-step implementation instructions). With instructions to use for second grades or adapting it for older students up to 6th grade.
• Egyptian art, project presentation
• Demo video to show students the steps (accessed via YouTube or Google Drive)
• Egyptian cartouche drawing how to
• Hieroglyphics guide
• Project checklist
• Early finisher, drawing an Egyptian column
• Early finisher, Egyptian sarcophagus information
• Early finisher, Egyptian sarcophagus activity

Garden Marker Print

• A thorough lesson plan (big idea, I can, goals, essential questions, objectives, supply list, resource links, step-by-step implementation instructions). With instructions to use for second grades or adapting it for older students up to 6th grade.
• 3 PowerPoints and PDF presentations to start each day, one for younger grades, one for older grades
• Demo videos to show students the steps (accessed via YouTube or Google Drive)
• Simple fern drawing guide
• Fern drawing guide
• Vine plants drawing guide
• Flowers drawing guide
• Monstera plant drawing guide
• Project how to
• Warm and cool colors early finisher
• Project checklist
• Project examples

Color Theory

• Color theory lesson plan (including big idea, essential questions, goals, vocabulary, national standards, supply, list, step-by-step instructions, and more.)
• Part I PowerPoint
• Color wheel worksheet
• Part II PowerPoint
• Color schemes worksheet
• Part III PowerPoint
• Grayscale and neutrals worksheets
• Assignment checklist

Blind Contour Color Mixing

• Lesson plan (including the big idea, essential questions, objectives, national standards, and step-by-step instructions)
• Sketchbook assignment sheet
• Project assignment sheet
• PowerPoint (also in PDF format)
• Rubric
• Critique sheet
• Critique Labels
• 2 videos (time-lapse of a blind contour drawing plus a blind contour demo and explanation)

Tar Paper Stained Glass Painting

• Lesson plan (each lesson plan includes a big idea, essential questions, objectives, art standards, supply list, and a step-by-step breakdown on how to present this assignment.)
• 3 presentations (PowerPoint and PDF)
• Drawing brainstorm activity with sketches
• Color brainstorm activity
• Project guide
• Demo video
• Critique reflection
• Red light/green light critique activity
• Rubric

Radial Symmetry

• A thorough lesson plan (big idea, I can, goals, essential questions, objectives, supply list, resource links, step-by-step implementation instructions).
• 2 PowerPoints and PDF presentations to start each day
• Demo video to show students the steps (accessed via YouTube or Google Drive)
• Project how to
• Block letter how to
• 4 versions of a mandala design early finisher
• Project checklist
• Project examples

Perspective Name Activity

• A thorough lesson plan (big idea, goals, essential questions, objectives, supply list, resource links, step-by-step implementation instructions)
• PowerPoint presentation that shows visual examples of the perspective concept
• Assignment sheet for students to take home and read through with parents
• How to Draw Perspective Letters handout
• Perspective Letters Step by Step handout
• Checklist for the teacher to check once class resumes
• Project demo video parents and students can watch from home to help guide them through the projects (available through a YouTube link)

I Am Me Project

• A thorough lesson plan (big idea, goals, essential questions, objectives, supply list, resource links, step-by-step implementation instructions)
• 3 presentations to use as an introduction each day
• 2 demo videos to show students the steps (accessed via YouTube)
• Who am I brainstorm sheet
• 2 blast word how-to handouts
• Distance learning assignment sheet for students to take home and read through with parents
• Distance learning presentation formatted for at-home viewing
• Blast word checklist
• Project checklist

Face/Vase Activity

• A thorough lesson plan (big idea, goals, essential questions, objectives, supply list, resource links, step-by-step implementation instructions)
• 3 presentations to use as an introduction each day
• 2 demo videos to show students the steps (accessed via YouTube)
• Who am I brainstorm sheet
• 2 blast word how-to handouts
• Distance learning assignment sheet for students to take home and read through with parents
• Distance learning presentation formatted for at-home viewing
• Blast word checklist
• Project checklist

Perspective Person

• A thorough lesson plan (big idea, goals, essential questions, objectives, supply list, resource links, step-by-step implementation instructions)
• Assignment sheet for students to take home and read through with parents
• How to Draw a Perspective Person handout
• Perspective Person Step by Step handout
• Checklist for the teacher to check once class resumes
• Project demo video parents and students can watch from home to help guide them through the projects (available through a YouTube link)

Self Portrait Print

• A thorough lesson plan (big idea, I can, goals, essential questions, objectives, supply list, resource links, step-by-step implementation instructions). With instructions to use for second grades or adapting it for older students up to 6th grade.
• Teacher notes, so even if you are unfamiliar with scratch foam printmaking, you know how to best set up for it.
• 4 PowerPoint and PDF presentations to start each day
• A Demo video to show students the steps (accessed via YouTube or Google Drive)
• How to edit their photo using the free online program, Pixlr
• Value scale example and activity
• Andy Warhol artist sheet with two activities
• Project checklist
• How to label an edition handout

Clay Bell

• Lesson Plan with big idea, essential questions, national standards, step-by-step instructions, vocabulary, and supply list
• 2 PowerPoints
• Sketchbook activity
• Demo video
• Clay bell project guide
• Critique reflection
• Critique feedback sheet
• Rubric

Slab Vessel

• Lesson Plan with big idea, essential questions, national standards, step-by-step instructions, vocabulary, and supply list
• 2 PowerPoints
• Printable poster
• Clay vessel project guide
• Critique reflection
• Rubric

Cubist Collage and Painting

• A lesson plan
• Cubism Intro PowerPoint
• List it, sketch it activity
• Collage tips handout
• Project PowerPoint
• Project instruction handout
• Critique sheet
• Critique labels
• Rubric

Mini Tape Transfer

• A thorough lesson plan
• Demo video to show how to create a tape transfer
• PowerPoint presentation to introduce the project
• Project guide handout
• Tape transfer how to worksheet
• Student checklist
• Rubric

Canva Project

• Lesson Plan
• 2 PowerPoints
• Movie Poster research sheet
• Canva basics info sheet
• Client information sheet
• Canva how-tos specific to the project
• Project checklist
• Critique reflection sheet
• Critique labels
• Rubric

Artist Trading Cards

• A thorough lesson plan
• PowerPoint with historical information and examples
• Checklist printable for the students
• Critique printable
• Rubric printable
• Easy to read display lesson plan

Design Your Own Final Project

• A lesson plan
• PowerPoint to introduce the assignment with project examples
• Rubric

Each of my classes is designed to build on the last. This curriculum builds to the lessons and techniques taught in my Introduction to Art course and Drawing I course. This course functions well as taught before the Intro to Art course.

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