Here you can browse through our art lesson plans by age or grade, from Preschool through High School.
PRESCHOOL ART LESSONS
What to Expect: 2-3 years:
Between their second and third birthdays, children begin to pay attention to print, such as the letters in their names. They also begin to distinguish between drawing and writing and start to scribble on paper, making some marks that are like letters. Two and three year olds require activities to help them develop hand coordination (for example, by holding crayons and pencils, putting together puzzles or stringing large beads).
What to Expect: 3-4 years:
By their 3rd and 4th birthdays, children have greater small-muscle control than toddlers, which is reflected in their drawings and scribbles. They can match and sort things that are alike and unalike, recognize and print and can “write,” or scribble messages.
What to Expect: 4-5 years:
Between their 4th and 5th birthdays, children are active, enjoy more group activities and have better muscle control. They can recognize and write the numerals 1-10, recognize shapes such as circles, squares, rectangles and triangles and can write some letters.
K-2 ART LESSONS
What to Expect: 5-8 years:
Primary grade children (K-2; ages 5-8yrs) are beginning to understand that art is a way to communicate. They consciously create symbols and their pictures feature bold, direct and flat images. There is little detail shown to realistic, spatial concepts. They are eager to share their art with others.
GRADE 3-5 ART LESSONS
What to Expect: 8-11 years:
Junior grade children (Grades 3-5; ages 8-11yrs) are beginning to search for specific methods for representing subjects and they seek to improve their technical skills. They sometimes draw things as they remember, rather than how they see. They are usually able to remain focused on the creation of art without interruption for ten to twenty minutes and they are still willing to share their work with others.
GRADE 6-8 ART LESSONS
What to Expect: 11-14 years:
Middle School students are comfortable with inventing new images and are flexible with changing visual symbols.
They are comfortable working with a variety of media but are critical of their own work and the work of others. They can often become discouraged with their efforts and may lose interest in art if not redirected.
Emphasis should be on hands-on studio activities and enhancing visual literacy.
GRADE 9-12 ART LESSONS
What to Expect: 14+ years:
High School students should be given the opportunity to work with a variety of art materials. Often, they will be interested in creating art with a message, or for a cause (political or otherwise). This should be encouraged.