Visual and Performing Arts Teacher Resources
Visual and Performing Arts resources foster different forms of creative expression, whether through drama, music, film, dance, or visual art, and teach students to value aesthetics. In addition, they provide learners with the historical and cultural contexts for events.
Hands-on activities can be used to introduce young learners to the concept of symmetry while an activity for middle schoolers connects art, advertising, and nutrition. Other lessons, activities, and videos permit students to discover the themes, values, and traditions of world cultures.
The arts have long been used to draw attention to and encourage response to important social issues, environmental concerns, and even the horrors of war. Here’s an article packed with suggestions for how to integrate the arts into science classes and this lesson connects science, math, and art.
No matter your subject area, Lesson Planet has teacher-curated resources designed to spark the interest of your students in the visual and performing arts.
Showing 10,186 resources
Smithsonian Institution
The Birth of an Icon: Learning and Performing the Origins of the Drum Set and Early Jazz Drumming in New Orleans, Louisiana
Bass drum, snare drum, tom-toms, cymbals. Perched behind their drum sets, wielding their drum sticks and wire brushes, drummers lay the grove and are the heartbeat of a band's performance. A dynamic instructional activity introduces...
Dick Blick Art Materials
Stitch It Up!
Ever think about combining the art forms of painting and embroidery? Then this art lesson is right up your alley! Given a piece of white cloth, young artists first create a grayscale painting and then highlight certain features by...
Curated OER
Water, Art, and The Canadian Identity
Have your class explore the representation of water in Canadian art. This lesson plan has learners investigate the representation of water in a variety of art forms. They focus on their personal feelings about art and the topic of water....
Yale University
Islamic Art; Exploring the Visual Arts of the Middle East
The intent of this unit is to demonstrate some of the traditional arts of the Middle East. Extensive background information on the religion, culture, and nature of Islamic art found throughout the Middle East is provided. Each of the...
Curated OER
Northern Renaissance Art
The 15th and 16th centuries marked one of the most interesting periods in European art history. The deep symbolism, allegory, rich imagery, and iconography can be found in this extensive and well-organized slideshow. From El Greco to...
Curated OER
Early Medieval Art
The early Medieval period began around the 6th century and went until about the year 1100. This image-driven presentation covers those years in terms of art and architecture. From churches to the Book of Kells, this functional,...
Curated OER
Cinquecento Italian Art
The Cinquecento period was a span of approximately 100 years of Italian art and architecture. This extensive slideshow provides wonderful images of the art and architecture of the time. It focuses on masters such as Da Vinci, Raphael,...
Curated OER
Places of Performance
Students explore and analyze the architecture of performing arts facilities to create a replica of a theater. They identify the interior and exterior characteristics of these types of facilities and create a replica of a real or imagined...
Curated OER
1920s Variety Show
To better understand the cultural achievements of the Harlem Renaissance and become familiar with its major figures, class members examine a painting by Aaron Douglas and a poem by Langston Hughes and compare how the artists develop...
Curated OER
Thrilling Information: Music and Reading
Here’s a cross-curricular program music activity that uses Peer Gynt to engage class members. Groups take one section of “In the Hall of the Mountain King,” choreograph their section of the tune to represent the story as they imagine it,...
Curated OER
Gothic Art
The Middle Ages were an extensive period in European history. Discover the beautiful Gothic art and architecture that developed in France during this time period. Gorgeous and visually rich, this resource would nicely accompany any...
Curated OER
Arts of the Americas
From deep in the jungles of Mesoamerica to the mound builders of North America, this presentation showcases the art of the Americas. It covers ancient American art, depicting architecture, ceremonial objects, art, and sculpture that span...
Curated OER
Portraits, Pears, And Perfect Landscapes: Investigating Genre in the Visual Arts
Differentiate between the various genres in the visual arts world, particularly in Western painting. Your class can view and discuss, in small groups, paintings published on the National Galleries website. Then each student individually...
Curated OER
Our Client Is The Cincinnat Art Museum
Students design various commercial products for the Cincinnati Art Museum using on-line sources, past designs, and creative educational software. This instructional activity has excellent project ideas for various student levels...
Education Development Center
Reading Art
Can you read a painting the way you would a book? The curator of the Philadelphia Museum of Art says you can. Follow along as she takes three families on a private tour of the museum. As they stop to discuss each painting, they gain...
Curated OER
Art Journal
What a wonderfully creative way to have your class create a class journal. Learners use a variety of materials to design an art journal using collages, drawings, and paintings. An interesting and motivating variation on traditional...
Curated OER
Community Through Northwest Coast Art & Traditions
Students view video and watch an artist create a potlatch (gift necklace). In this community and resources lesson, students understand the culture of Northwest Coast Art & Traditions . Students create their own necklaces and bent...
Curated OER
Color (Art)
Our lives are full of color. Color is an important aspect of art. It affects the mood of the art work. This video shows the different ways and schemes color can be used.
Curated OER
Introduction to the Elements of Art
Watch this introductory video to learn about the different elements of art. The young artist does a fantastic job at describing and demonstrating various examples of elements in art.
Curated OER
Lines (Art)
The young artist in this video demonstrates lines in art. She also describes the three different properties of lines. What a great video to watch when learning the basics of art.
Curated OER
Value (Art)
Value is an important aspect of art to consider. It adds realism and mood to a work of art. This video shows various examples of value, as well as great descriptions.
Curated OER
Form (Art)
Form is an important aspect of art to consider. The student in this video shares real life examples of form, as well as all different types a form can be.
Curated OER
Space (Art)
How do you describe space? The young artist in this video does a great job at discussing space and different techniques to portray space in art.
Curated OER
Twig Construction: Recycled Materials
Construction projects of any kind require learners to use spacial reasoning, creative thinking, and critical analysis skills. They design and make a twig/leaf structure out of natural and recycled materials. This project would be great...
