grade 8 art assignments

*Grades 6-8

We’ve listed all of our Middle School art lesson plans here. These activities are best suited for Grades 6-8 – or – ages 11-14 years. Grade levels are given as a guideline only.

Oil Pastel Hearts

K-2, Grades 3-5, Middle School

Black Capped Chickadees

By Andrea Mulder-Slater Charley Harper was an incredible artist and illustrator who is best known for his stylized, simplified interpretations of nature and wildlife. Students will learn about Charley as …

Snacking Cardinals

by Andrea Mulder-Slater Charley Harper was an incredible artist and illustrator who is best known for his stylized, simplified interpretations of nature and wildlife. Students will learn about Charley as …

by Andrea Mulder-Slater Mandalas help to bring balance, peace and calm. This makes creating them a perfect activity for children (and adults) of all ages. This lesson uses readily available …

Getting to Know You

by Andrea Mulder-Slater The first days and weeks of school can be exciting and terrifying, all at once. Arming yourself with a few “getting to know” you exercises can help …

Design Your Own Nutcracker

by Andrea Mulder-Slater Nutcracker dolls symbolize good luck in German tradition, but where did they come from? This drawing lesson will teach children the answer to this question, and more. …

Drawing with Glue

by Andrea Mulder-Slater If you are looking for a sure fire way to get a great response from your students, walk into the art room and tell them they will …

Gingerbread Village

By Andrea Mulder-Slater Every year my daughter and I decorate a gingerbread house (or two, or three). We don’t bake from scratch, but instead work with pre-baked, pre-cut slabs of …

A Cup of Cocoa

by Andrea Mulder-Slater The only thing better than chocolate, is chocolate in a cup! Big mugs of hot chocolate (or hot cocoa) are the theme of this cozy art lesson. …

Paper Pumpkins

by Andrea Mulder-Slater Here’s a super quick way to make paper pumpkins that look real enough to pick! [This is a small snippet of a lesson we have inside The …

6 Ways to Make Sketchbooks

by Andrea Mulder-Slater When I was a student at art school, my drawing professor had one rule and that was to draw, every single day. From her I learned there …

Pop Art Owls Drawing Art Lesson with Video Tutorial

K-2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, Grades 9-12

Glue Flowers

Negative Space Plant Drawings

Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, High School

Criss Cross Doodles

by Andrea Mulder-Slater Using materials found in every art room, students will draw criss cross lines to create shapes for doodles to live! Then, by following a few basic prompts, …

Design a Miniature Garden

K-2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8

Architecture Mood Board

Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, Grades 9-12

Draw and Paint a Sea Turtle

Sometimes lesson planning comes down to the wire. Maybe your students went through a project much faster than expected, or you simply did not have the time to get ahead of things. We’ve all been there. It’s not unheard of to scour the internet and social media for ideas, but sometimes we still come up short. No art teacher is perfect, and we all need a lesson idea in a pinch from time to time! We don’t want these activities to be fluff or busywork. Instead, we want them to help our students build skills and scaffold learning.

The next time you find yourself in need of a last-minute activity or lesson, look no further. The following seven activities are easily adaptable for various grade levels. They also require minimal material prep and use supplies you likely have in your art room.

1. Personal Soda Can Label

We live in a consumer world where new beverages, food, candy, and snacks are constantly introduced to the market. Teachers and students experience product and brand design —often without even realizing it. Looking at the typography and imagery of different products can spark interesting conversations with both elementary and secondary students.

One way for students to explore the idea of consumerism through product design and advertising is by creating a personal beverage label. This will require students to brainstorm a brand and identity for their product by picking the flavor, color, and overall look. Use the handout below  to get your students started planning their designs.

Once students have designed their labels, you can take this activity a step further by attaching the design to an aluminum can. Have students participate in a reflection or critique activity. Ending the activity here might be appropriate for your elementary students, but you could take it a step further for your middle and high schoolers. Have students use their aluminum can with a custom label for observational drawing. Beginning students often struggle with matching the text and typography on traditional soda cans. Using the label they initially created will help them build confidence in their drawing skills. After practicing observational drawing skills, students add shading to create the illusion of form. High school students can also explore more package design and advertising elements.

Suggested materials: Paper, drawing materials, aluminum cans (optional) Suggested grade levels: Elementary, middle school, high school

2. Crushed Soda Can Drawing

Another simple yet effective way to recycle aluminum cans in your classroom is to crush them and use them for observational drawing. When students learn to draw, they eagerly want to draw things as realistically as they can. Students often feel frustrated and disappointed when they aren’t able to draw things perfectly. One way to reduce the pressure of realistic drawing is to begin with an imperfect object. Crushing cans and spray painting them white can serve as a beautiful and cost-effective way to teach basic drawing skills.

Students can draw the cans from life or use a reference photo. If they use a reference photo, you could introduce your students to the traditional grid method or provide them with alternative ways of making a grid.

Cover the cans with white paint so students can focus on the simplified shapes without worrying about labels or text. Strong lighting can also help students to identify values easily. If you don’t have aluminum cans on hand but still want to try this activity, use these images as references .

To adapt this lesson and take it even further for your secondary students, explore new and advanced techniques to create a background with contrast and emphasis. Students research and experiment with a technique they have wanted to try. Provide them with a demonstration and sampling of some ideas to get them started.

Here are some exciting advanced techniques:

• Monoprinting
• Painted Paper Weaving FLEX Lesson (can be found in FLEX Curriculum )
• Paper marbling

Suggested materials: Paper, drawing materials, aluminum cans Suggested grade levels: Upper elementary, middle school, high school

3. Ashley Mary-Inspired Organic Shape Painting

Exploring abstract and non-objective art can be an empowering experience for students. However, sometimes the freedom to create can leave them paralyzed or push them to overwork their pieces. One way to introduce students to proper painting techniques while exploring color, pattern, and shape is to learn about the contemporary artist Ashley Mary . Mary’s playful paintings are reminiscent of the free-form collages of Matisse. Comparing Mary, a contemporary artist, with Matisse, a classical artist, can provide a foundation for inspiration and discussion. To learn more about Ashley Mary, download our complimentary FLEX Curriculum Artist Bio . Find this and many more artist bios in FLEX Curriculum .

Before students begin painting, have them choose a color scheme. Encourage students to work with a limited palette to push them to make more intentional color decisions. Students create shapes and patterns one paint layer at a time. If using watercolor, this can be a wonderful exploration of how transparent and translucent colors mix and layer. The free-form nature of this painting style also fosters intuitive thinking.

Suggested materials: Paper, acrylic or tempera paint, watercolor Suggested grade levels: Elementary, middle school

4. Water Droplet Drawing

If you are looking for a skill-building activity to boost your students’ confidence, this is it! Inspired by art teacher Jennifer Sell , this water droplet drawing activity is the perfect way to introduce students to shading and form at any age level. For best results, use a material that blends easily, like graphite, charcoal, chalk, or oil pastel. Use these videos to help guide your students as they navigate through the activity.

To adapt this for your advanced learners, students create the same drawing with two different media. Compare and contrast the process, medium characteristics, and end results.

Suggested materials: Paper, chalk, graphite, charcoal, or oil pastel Suggested grade levels: Upper elementary, middle school, high school

5. Textured Slump Mold Slab Bowl

Are you in need of a one-day clay activity that requires minimal materials? Creating slump molds is a great way to introduce or review making slabs with students. All you need is clay and a mold, like a bowl, to press the clay inside. This idea also can introduce surface texture on clay. Students roll a slab, add texture, then press into the slump mold. If you plan on doing more clay lessons with your students, this is a quick project for students to practice the glazing process.

Suggested materials: Clay, bowls for molds Suggested grade levels: Elementary, middle school

6. Op Art Drawing

Optical illusions are always exciting for students, and learning how to make them is even better! Some op art designs require more math and complexity, while others are on the simpler side. These op art sphere and cube designs are perfect as an introduction to your younger artists. Check out this video for a step-by-step guide to create them.

If you plan on doing more complex op art activities with your advanced or high school students, these simple drawings will make great bellringer prompts. Connect several spheres and cubes to create more elaborate patterns and compositions. For more op art lesson ideas, check out the Connecting Op Art and Math in FLEX Collection.

For a brief introduction to op art that you can share with your students, check out the FLEX video below:

Suggested materials: Pencil, markers, ruler, paper Suggested grade levels: Elementary, middle school, high school

7. Color Mixing Lines

The process of color mixing never ceases to amaze students, no matter how many times they have experienced it. This activity allows students to observe color mixing and explore creative drawing processes.

To start this project, students use a water-based marker or watercolor paint. If students use markers, create shapes of color right next to or slightly overlapping each other. Prep an eyedropper filled with water or a paintbrush dipped in clean water. Stand the painting up vertically and carefully drop water on the paper. Watch as the water mixes with the color and drips down the page together.

Use the same method with watercolor paint with a wet-on-wet technique by painting the paper with water first. Add color with the paper held vertically.

Once the paint drips are dry, students identify the positive and negative shapes created by the drips. Students can trace the shapes and fill in designated areas with line patterns.

Suggested materials: Water, watercolor, markers, paper Suggested grade levels: Elementary, middle school

Alexander Graham Bell said, “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” With all that art teachers have to do daily, we understand the importance of preparation. However, there are only so many hours in the day, and sometimes we don’t have enough time to get it all done! If you find yourself behind, overwhelmed, or stuck, try one of these activities. They are sure to engage students from start to finish, adaptable for all grade levels, and you can easily tie them into your existing curriculum when you’re in a pinch.

What’s your go-to lesson when you are in a pinch?

How do you prep in advance for a last-minute activity?

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

Abby Schukei

Abby Schukei, a middle school art educator and AOEU’s Social Media Manager, is a former AOEU Writer. She focuses on creating meaningful experiences for her students through technology integration, innovation, and creativity.

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10 Fun And Creative 8th Grade Art Projects

• Art Education

Introduction:

Eighth grade is often a time of tremendous growth in the lives of students, as they transition from children to adolescents. With this change, comes a heightened opportunity for creative exploration and self-expression. In this article, we will explore ten fun and creative 8th grade art projects that will captivate students and foster their artistic development.

1. Self-Portrait Collage

In this project, students create a self-portrait using various materials such as magazine clippings, fabric scraps, buttons, and more. They are encouraged to think about their personal characteristics, interests, and experiences when selecting materials and images to include in the collage.

2. Abstract Acrylic Painting

Students learn about the use of color, space, and form in abstract art before creating their own unique acrylic painting on canvas. The focus is on experimentation with techniques such as blending, layering, and texture.

3. Paper Mache Globe

Working together as a class or in small groups, students create a paper mache globe to display geographical features like oceans, continents, rivers, and mountains. This project also incorporates geography awareness into the curriculum.

4. Pop Art Selfies

Inspired by pop artists like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, students turn their selfies into pop art masterpieces using bright colors and bold patterns.

5. Stained Glass Windows

Using tissue paper or transparent plastic film cutouts on clear contact paper or acetate sheets, students design “stained glass” windows inspired by famous examples from around the world.

6. Clay Sculpture

Allowing for endless creativity possibilities, students bring their imaginations to life in 3D form by creating clay sculptures individually or collaboratively.

7. Optical Illusion Art

Using lines and patterns to create visual illusions of movement or depth of space can be a captivating project for middle schoolers. Students develop a design that tricks the eye and challenges viewer’s perception.

8. Nature Mosaics

Encourage students to head outside and collect items such as leaves, sticks, pine cones, and stones to create nature-inspired mosaic art. The combination of organic materials and structured artistic design makes for an engaging project.

9. Stop-Motion Animation

Utilizing smartphones or tablets and free stop-motion animation apps, students work in teams to create short animated films with clay figures, drawings or cutouts. This project encourages storyboarding, problem-solving, and collaboration among group members.

10. Printmaking

Introducing printmaking techniques like linoleum block carving or simple relief printing using foam sheets allows students to think about art in a new way. They can explore patterns and repetition while learning about original printing processes.

Conclusion:

These ten fun and creative 8th grade art projects will inspire students passionate about art and encourage self-expression. Each project offers opportunities to learn new skills, build confidence in artistic abilities, and forge a lifelong love of creativity.

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8th Grade Art Lessons Elements of Art Unit Light & Dark Art Projects for Grade 8

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Description

Plan and Teach Art with a NO Prep, Fun, Ready-Made Grade 8, Elements of Art, COMPLETE Art Lesson Unit! This Elements of Art Unit introduces and teaches the Elements of Art and the Theme of this Unit with an introduction video and lesson activities , includes 7 Step-by-Step Art Tutorials for each Element, AND includes 7 Choice-Based Art Lessons to allow for experimentation and exploration-based, student-choice learning. This Grade 8 Art Unit teaches the Elements of Art through the theme: LIGHT AND DARK for high engagement and increased student interest.

Do you want your Grade 8 students to make art, learn about the Elements of Art, and develop their drawing and art making skills ? Are you short on time or are you looking to access a fully planned art unit that teaches the Elements of Art, includes full step-by-step art tutorials AND Choice-Based Art Lessons ? Do you need a full video that you can play in your classroom to introduce the Elements of Art and the Theme of the Unit at an age-appropriate level? Are you looking for highly engaging, high interest art lessons to help you plan and be ready for teaching art like a pro no matter your art skills in minutes? This Art Resource is Ready for easy black-line printing!

♡A perfect solution for a busy teacher with a whole year to prep!♡

☛ Because this is a complete unit, it is also a wonderful program for Homeschool Families as a Homeschool Curriculum to follow as a grade specific guide.

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Benefits of a Complete 8th Grade Art Unit

• Advanced Artistic Skill Development: Builds on foundational skills, introducing more complex techniques and concepts, preparing students for high school art.
• Critical Thinking Enhancement: Incorporates art critique and history, fostering deeper analysis and understanding of art's impact on society.
• Creativity and Individual Expression: Offers opportunities for personal artistic exploration, helping students develop their unique voices.
• Cultural Awareness and Appreciation: Includes diverse art forms and artists, broadening students' perspectives on different cultures and histories.
• Problem-Solving Skill Growth: Challenges students with creative projects that require decision-making and innovative thinking.
• Confidence and Resilience Building: Encourages presenting work and receiving feedback, which fosters self-confidence and resilience in handling critiques.
• Emotional and Mental Well-being Support: Serves as a therapeutic outlet for self-expression and emotional exploration, beneficial for adolescent development.
• Preparation for Future Endeavors: Provides a foundational understanding of various art aspects, aiding those interested in pursuing art academically or professionally.

THIS GRADE 8 ELEMENTS OF ART RESOURCE INCLUDES:

*Fully-Planned, Non-Editable PDFs in a Folder

1) UNIT PLAN

-a unit plan to share the scope and sequence for this unit

2) 2 INTRODUCTION LESSONS TO THE ELEMENTS OF ART LESSONS

-1 Video in the folder that introduces the Elements of Art, Why Artists use them, and the theme of this unit: LIGHT AND DARK

-2 Introductory Lessons with full lesson plans and worksheets to introduce the Elements of Art and practice drawing each element of art plus sheets to color and practice using the elements before they full artworks to scaffold learning.

3) 7 Fully-Planned Art Lesson Tutorial, 1 Artwork for Each Element of Art and in the theme: LIGHT AND DARK

Each includes:

-Complete Lesson Plan with Lesson Hook, Participation Strategies, Steps for Instruction, and how to Conclude the Lesson

-Step-by-Step Tutorial for making the Artwork

-Includes Artwork Examples & Display Sign

-Rubric, Assessment, & Reflection

THE 7 FULL ART PROJECT TUTORIALS:

- Element of Art Line Artwork: In this art lesson students will be creating a candle line artwork that explores using fine tip marker to explore creating a detailed design using line as a way to explore creating light and dark values through the use of hatching, but also as a way to create detailed designs on the surface and background of the composition.

- Element of Art Color/Colour Artwork: In this art lesson, students will be creating a sun and moon artwork that focuses on using a warm color scheme and a cool color scheme using pencil crayons in each of the sections of the sun and moon artwork. There is also a poem included about the Sun, Moon, and color schemes to inspire and hook students on the lesson, but also integrate literacy into the art lesson. This is a great lesson for exploring pencil crayons/colored pencils and how the concept of the sun and moon equate to the theme “light and dark”.

- Element of Art Value Artwork: In this art lesson students will be creating Value artwork in the theme of “Light and Dark” with Watercolor Paints to explore the Element of Art Value. Students will follow a tutorial to draw the artwork and create a variety of values of black with paint. This will be an artwork that focuses on exploring the idea of light and dark and how it is connected to “warmth and cold” by allowing artists to add their own character of choice sitting at a campfire in the cold and darkness surrounding it.

- Element of Art Shape Artwork: In this art lesson students will be creating a light bulb artwork and will use contrast in the design, to pair with the theme “light and dark”, to help place emphasis on the light bulb as the focal point of the artwork. In addition, students will use geometric shapes and organic shapes to create design in the background. There is also an included article about both geometric shapes and organic shapes in relation to light and dark to ignite learning and deepen knowledge on the elements and the theme.

- Element of Art Form Artwork: In this art lesson students will be creating an artwork that explores creating a close-up artwork, magnified on an eyeball using charcoal to create the artwork. Students will use charcoal (any kind) to develop a sense of form, through creating a range of value, on a two-dimensional surface in each of the illustrations.

- Element of Art Space Artwork: In this art lesson students will be creating an artwork of a landscape with streetlights using white charcoal or pencil crayon or soft pastel, and will use size, overlapping, and placement in relation to the horizon line and focal point as a strategy to explore the element of art space and create the illusion that some lights and clouds are closer to the viewer than others to create implied depth or the illusion of depth and space on a two-dimensional surface.

- Element of Art Texture Artwork: In this art lesson students will be creating an artwork of a beetle and will be using graphite to explore creating value and texture of the smooth and rough areas of the beetle and surrounding areas. This is a great way to play with graphite as a medium for art making (graphite sticks preferable, but any type is fine).

4) 7 Choice-Based Art Projects to Explore the Elements of Art & the Theme: LIGHT AND DARK.

There are 7 Choice-Based Art Lessons for each Element of Art. They have no example to allow students to develop their own choice, student-led concepts but allow them to play with mediums, techniques, and concepts to practice each of the Elements of Art. You may use or integrate them into the learning any time you would like either before a full art tutorial lesson to practice & play before they explore an element in depth OR use after to reinforce concepts and techniques learned and to allow for student-led investigations of ideas and skills.

Choice-based learning leads to student empowerment, higher engagement as they investigate their own ideas, and inspires students to want to learn new things. Choice in the classroom is linked to higher student effort and task completion which leads to more learning in the classroom. It also gives the learner a greater sense of control over their own ideas and interests and the ability to integrate their background and imagination. Choice-based learning allows students to grow at their own pace and investigate their ideas in addition to investigating concepts learned in class. Adding this allows students multiple ways to reach a learning objective.

-Planning, Rough Draft, Artwork pages

-Rubric, Reflection pages

-*no examples included as this is Choice-based learning and is teacher-guided and student-led learning for exploration & experimentation and creative freedom.

5) Viewing Art Lesson Activity

Students will learn how to, then view an artwork (Rembrandt) from art history and will use their critical thinking to identify Elements of Art in the artwork and consider the importance of viewing art. Students will listen to a poem and a reading about Art as a Reflection of Identity of a Group or Culture, and will learn about how to interpret art, how to determine a message in art, about mood and characteristics of form, and will assess, explain, and provide evidence of how museums or other venues reflect history and values of a community. In addition, students will distinguish different ways art is used to represent, establish, reinforce, and reflect group identity. Finally, they will learn about the Career of Art Curators.

6) Choice-Based, End of Unit Art Project

Teacher will guide students through an End of Unit, choice-based artwork where students create an artwork that focuses on using two different Elements of Art and their theme, LIGHT AND DARK, in the design. As a class, students will create student-led criteria for the artwork, then each student will develop their own artwork supported with the resources and their teacher. Students should also consider conveying mood and characteristics of form in their design.

_________________________________

NATIONAL ART STANDARDS THIS UNIT COVERS:

VA:Cr2.1.8a - Demonstrate willingness to experiment, innovate, and take risks to pursue ideas, forms, and meanings that emerge in the process of artmaking or designing.

VA:Cr2.3.8a - Select, organize, and design images and words to make visually clear and compelling presentations

VA:Cr1.1.8a - Document early stages of the creative process visually and/or verbally in traditional or new media

VA:Cr3.1.8a - Apply relevant criteria to examine, reflect on, and plan revisions for a work of art or design in progress.

VA:Pr4.1.8a - Develop and apply criteria for evaluating a collection of artwork for presentation.

VA:Pr5.1.8a - Collaboratively prepare and present selected theme based artwork for display, and formulate exhibition narratives for the viewer.

VA:Pr6.1.8a - Analyze why and how an exhibition or collection may influence ideas, beliefs, and experiences.

VA:Re.7.1.8a - Explain how a person’s aesthetic choices are influenced by culture and environment and impact the visual image that one conveys to others.

VA:Re8.1.8a - Interpret art by analyzing how the interaction of subject matter, characteristics of form and structure, use of media, artmaking approaches, and relevant contextual information contributes to understanding messages or ideas and mood conveyed.

VA:Re9.1.8a - Create a convincing and logical argument to support an evaluation of art

VA:Cn11.1.8a - Distinguish different ways art is used to represent, establish, reinforce, and reflect group identity.

HOW TO PREP:

-Review the Unit Plan to find the sequence for teaching the art lessons

-Start with the Introductory Art Lessons & Video

-Print your master copy and organize into a binder. Use the binder cover as the cover for the binder or the inside title page for a section in a binder.

-Photocopy student pages as necessary

-Use the binder as a quick reference for easy planning with simple or flexible art mediums

-Pick an Art Lesson & Teach

HOW TO USE:

-Follow each lesson plan as it specifically will tell you how to teach the lesson from the lesson hook, participation strategies, steps to teach, and conclusion.

-Print it off and keep it organized in a binder or a tub to make it easy to grab and teach!

-Photocopy student pages in advance & keep organized in folders for advanced, organized prepping.

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Images and Lessons are Copyright Products to Ms Artastic & Artastic Collective

-Enjoy using this resource year-after-year with the students in your classroom

-Use this in creative ways! Explore and have as much fun with it as you would like

-Buy additional licensing for sharing with other teachers.

YOU MAY NOT:

-Use this on OutSchool

-Use this for your own commercial business (it should be used as a teaching resource for your classroom).

-Share the video on any PUBLIC website or blog such as YouTube/Vimeo or a classroom blog/website where anyone in the public can view it. This should be used for YOUR CLASSROOM only- no one else should see it. You, the owner can use it over and over.

-Put this your Blog or any other publicly accessed website where anyone can grab it.

-Share this product with other teachers, administration or districts. Admin can buy additional licensing to allow sharing.

-Sell this product or give it out for free or photocopy it for others.

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Rhythm and Repetition Painting Art Lesson

Grades: 4-8th.

This art lesson on rhythm and repetition was inspired by an exercise in the book “Hooked on Drawing” by Sandy Brooke (pages 32-34). My 7-8th grade art class did this project. It is important to note here that they could not trace the actual object to create a stencil, they had to look at the object and draw it onto cardboard. The rule in my class is that you can not trace unless it is YOUR drawing !

OBJECTIVES:

• Student will learn that artist use visual rhythm to create a feeling of movement in a piece of art.
• They will demonstrate understand of visual rhythm by creating an original piece of art that shows rhythm being achieved through the repetition of the elements of art.

Pre-cut Poster board (8.5×11″), 12×18″ 90lb+ paper, watercolors

• Introduction: Music rhythm-have students give an example of rhythm in music (tapping on the table). Visual rhythm may be best understood by relating it to rhythm in sound. There are parallels between rhythm in music and art: repetition of notes (a “beat”) in music or a color or shape (the elements) in art-patterns of notes or the elements repeated. There is also an arousing of the senses in both-hearing in music and sight in art. Through both art and music a feeling of order or predictability is created through rhythm.
• What is visual rhythm? A visual tempo or beat. The principle of design that refers to a regular repetition of elements of art to produce the look and feel of movement. It is often achieved through the careful placement of repeated components which invite the viewer’s eye to jump rapidly or glide smoothly from one to the next.
• Rhythm originated in the Greek word rhymthmos , meaning measured flow, which they passed into Latin as rhythmus , meaning movement in time. Its first uses in English were literary, in reference to themetrical rhyming of verses. English speakers began to use rhythm concerning repetition of musical beats in the late 18th century, and about visual elements in the same period.
• How is visual rhythm achieved: Rhythm is achieved through the repetition of the elements of art (line, shape, color, etc.)

ACTIVITY: Rhythm and Repetition Painting

• Choose one object to draw.

• Use the “stencils” of your object to draw the object repeatedly 12-15 times on a sheet of 12×18” watercolor paper. Overlap the shapes.

• Use watercolors to paint background cool colors & objects warm colors. Change color or value every time you encounter a new shape.
• Black & white objects against a color background
• Zentangles on the objects color background
• Zentangle background and color objects

This post was written by Michelle C. East 2017 (All rights reserved).  If you choose to use any of this lesson (written or photos), please link back to this blog Create Art with ME !

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How to Use These Resources

TVO Learn is designed to meet each student where they are on their learning journey. Learning Activities are comprehensive and require guided instruction from an adult, while Resources for Learning, Apply the Learning prompts and Vocabulary lists work well to reinforce specific skills or to enable independent exploration of a subject. Use these helpful tips to get the most from TVO Learn.

Curriculum Overview

In the Grade 8 arts curriculum, learners are encouraged to be creative every day.

• In grade 8 Dance, students refine their kinesthetic awareness and use all the elements of dance (body, space, time, energy, relationship) to create dance works that express a point of view about a variety of issues, concepts and themes.
• In grade 8 Drama, students continue to focus on role play and the development of believable characters as foundational components of both process drama and theatre performance.
• In grade eight Music, students perform in a variety of ensembles and use musical knowledge, musicianship, and creative abilities to create musical works for specific purposes.
• In Grade 8 Visual Arts, students’ own art making becomes infused with a variety of images and approaches. They are very aware of elements from popular culture and eager to incorporate them into their art.

The arts curriculum is divided into four strands:

• Visual Arts

Interested in learning more? View Curriculum For French resources, please visit idello.org

On this page:

Learning activities, resources for learning, apply the learning.

Learning Activities provide opportunity for deeper exploration of a subject. Organized by grade and topic (or strand), students should be guided through each Learning Activity by an adult. Before clicking on a topic to prepare for or begin this guided instruction, be sure to read these helpful tips about how to get the most out of TVO Learn.

To access this learning activity, please visit this page in a desktop or tablet browser.

Chosen by TVO educators, these resources support the curriculum outlined above. Review the below list of options along with the activities. Then, read, watch, listen or play to build understanding and knowledge.

Please be aware by accessing the resources below you will be leaving TVO Learn and entering other TVO domains that are subject to different privacy policies and terms of use.

Complete the suggested activities using these resources and other TVO resources.

Choose from the following to consolidate learning across The Arts.

Imagine you are a theatre critic. Write a critique of a movie or theatre production you have reviewed. What voices are present in the piece? Whose are missing and why?

• Create a mask or visual effect to represent the moods of different characters in your favourite play or drama.

Why might theatrical performances be important to in times when very few people could read and write? Why might theatrical performances be important to language learners?

Think about your exposure to music from when you were born until now. How has the role of music in your life changed?

Consider the music that you notice or enjoy in your environment. What factors might influence someone to compose a particular type of music?

Write a review or critique of a song or album that explain how successful it was in engaging the audience and portraying an overall theme or message.

• Explore the idea of cultural appropriation by historical and contemporary artists. How can artists incorporate the work of other artists or cultural traditions to make original art while also showing respect for others?
• Explore how stereotypes can be reinforced or challenged in art works.
• Create a stop motion animation that tells a simple story and demonstrates the principle of movement through sequential images in which the character or object moves in relation to the frame.

Explore and interpret images of social issues that are explored in historical arts works, contemporary art works and media works.

Review this list of vocabulary associated with the curriculum. Practice spelling, research definitions, and find these vocabulary words when engaging with the TVO resources or completing learning activities.

Students should understand and be able to apply these words in context.

isolation of body parts

performance space

weight transfer

corridor of voices

role on the wall

improvisation

major/ minor tonality

chromatic scale

tone colour

musical notation

time and place

directional lines

foreshortening

gradation in size

illusionary space

illusionary texture

one point perspective

real texture

tertiary colours

two point perspective

weights of forms

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GRADE 8 ARTS & CULTURE

Download free printable Grade 8 Arts and Culture Worksheets, Assignments, Tests and Projects

Art movement of Cubism

Careers in dance

Careers in drama

Careers in music

Careers in visual arts

Characterisation

Collage and montage

Creating illustrations

Dance drama for human rights

Dramatic crossword puzzle

The element of colour

The element of line

Takkie logo design

Musical terminology

Performing African fables

Performing poetry, prose and drama

Photographic documentation

Rich and poor in music

Script writing

Starting a school radio station

Stereotyping in drama

The importance of copyright

Traditional dance

Waste and art

Writing a script for stories

Lesson Plans

Find a lesson plan.

Canada and Ideas of Land: Online Gallery Visit

This program delves into understanding and exploring artist’ connections to land and leads students to consider their own contemporary, traditional and/or cultural connections of what land means to them. By looking at both 2D and 3D works of art, students will discover how Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists have interpreted their sense of belonging on the land in Canada, and how it is exemplified in their artistic practices. During this visit, we aim to discover, inquire and create works of art that explore how artists are influenced by Canada’s land and people. The artists we focus on include: Christi Belcourt, Manaisie Akpaliapik and Kathleen Munn.

Lesson Plan 1: Collections, Museums & Portable Art

This first series of learning activities focuses on learning from actual objects, by speculating and researching about their place in history and significance in people’s lives. These activities will help students to understand and question the reasons for collecting objects, displaying them in public collections, and the associated efforts of museum employees in making this happen.

• Visitor Guidelines
• Info, Hours & Directions
• Admission Prices
• Group Visits
• Tourist Information
• Accessibility
• About the AGO
• Programs & Events Calendar
• Current Exhibitions
• Upcoming Exhibitions
• Past Exhibitions
• Community Gallery
• Host Your Event
• AGO Collections
• The Thomson Collection
• Collections in Focus
• AGO X RBC Emerging Artists Program
• Conservation
• Requests for Loans
• Image Licensing
• Courses for Adults
• Courses for Children/Youth
• Summer Art Camp
• Family Programs
• Youth Programs
• Access Programs
• Library & Archives
• Print and Drawing Study Centre
• Learn & Make
• Norma Ridley Members’ Lounge
• Espresso Bar
• Art Rental & Sales
• Venue Rentals
• Get Involved
• Annual Pass
• Curators’ Circle
• Women’s Art Initiative
• Legacy Giving
• Corporate Partnerships
• Fundraising Events

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

Free end-of-year letter templates to your students 📝!

37 of Our Favorite Easy Art Projects for Kids

Get their creative juices flowing.

The stress of tests and social dynamics can prove challenging for students, and for this reason, they need an opportunity to express themselves freely. Art provides a powerful outlet for creative expression while also proving therapeutic. Plus, a good art project can be particularly effective at getting kids to unplug from their devices. A simple art project can even fill some of downtime during the day for early finishers. Regardless of whether you teach preschool or high school, there is an art project for everyone. So gather some art supplies and try one of these easy art projects for kids!

Easy Art Projects for Pre-K Students

1. paper bag jelly fish.

As far as easy art projects for kids go, this one is perfect for preschoolers since it works on their hand-eye coordination and their cutting skills in particular. In addition to paper bags and scissors or pinking shears, you will need some paints, paintbrushes, googly eyes, and glue. If you’re really feeling ambitious, you can grab some sparkles too!

Learn more: Paper Bag Jelly Fish at No Time for Flash Cards

2. Tissue Paper Apple

Since everyone associates apples with fall and the start of school, this will be the perfect craft to start the school year off on the right foot. Simply draw an apple outline on a piece of paper and have small red and green tissue paper squares ready to be crumpled and glued by tiny hands.

Learn more: Tissue Paper Apple at Burlap + Blue

3. Fork Print Tulips

This project is both cute and simple, requiring only a fork, some heavyweight paper, and some paints. This project would be especially perfect for a Mother’s Day gift.

Learn more: Fork Tulip at Toddler at Play

4. Paper Bag Monster

First, paint the bag any color you want. Once dry, cut out shapes from card stock and assemble your monster!

Learn more: Paper Bag Monster Puppets at I Heart Crafty Things

5. Paper Plate Lion

All you need to re-create this adorable lion is orange and black paint, paintbrushes, paper plates, and scissors. Grab some Popsicle sticks to glue to the back and you’ll have a ferocious puppet show on your hands in no time!

Learn more: Paper Plate Lion at My Bored Toddler

6. Popsicle Stick Rainbow

Grab some blue card stock, cotton circles, and Popsicle sticks and have your students work on their gluing skills. This craft will prove effective at teaching little ones their colors. Choose either colored Popsicle sticks or have kids color them themselves.

Learn more: Popsicle Stick Rainbow at My Bored Toddler

7. Paper Plate Octopus

Kids love octopuses, especially adorable ones like these! This craft would be perfect for little ones still learning to count since they have a whopping eight legs to make.

Learn more: Paper Plate Octopus at Simple Every Day Mom

8. Macaroni Necklace

A staple of many of our childhoods, macaroni necklaces work on the dexterity of little fingers while also making perfect gifts. Add in some large beads as well for variety.

Learn more: DIY Macaroni Necklaces at Made To Be a Mama

Easy Art Projects for Elementary School Students

9. paper plate snake.

Have your students paint a paper plate with watercolors and then once dry, help them cut it in a swirl shape. Finally, add some googly eyes.

Learn more: Colorful Paper Plate Snakes at Pink Stripey Socks

10. Paper Roll Koala

This super-cute koala would make an adorable desk buddy since it stands up on its own. Kids will enjoy personalizing their koala’s face!

Learn more: Paper Roll Koala at Arty Crafty Kids

11. Leaf Pattern Drawing

We just love art projects that fill the entire page, and this one certainly fits the bill. The combination of crayon and watercolor paint create this multi-dimensional leaf print.

Learn more: Leaf Pattern at Art Projects for Kids

12. Woven Rainbow Fish

This project is perfect for working on students’ hand-eye coordination while being a cursory introduction to sewing. It’s challenging enough for even upper elementary school students while still being relatively simple.

Learn more: Rainbow Fish at Crafty Morning

13. Thumbprint Bugs

These thumbprint doodles are just so sweet and would perfectly complement a science lesson all about bugs. After having students try their hand at some of the thumbprint examples, let them use their imagination to see what other ideas they can cook up. You can even have them create bug jars out of card stock to put their new friends in!

Learn more: Thumbprint Bugs via Toot’s Mom Is Tired

14. Umbrella With Rain

Another fun art project that is really affordable to create since you only need paper plates, some paints, a roll of string, and some blue beads. We just love this clever approach to creating raindrops!

Learn more: Umbrella With Rain at Easy Peasy and Fun

15. Popsicle Stick Pencil

Nothing says back to school more than a cute pencil-themed craft. Have students add their names to them and then use them to decorate a September bulletin board in your classroom.

Learn more: Popsicle Stick Pencil at Crafty Morning

16. Craft Stick Airplane

Kids will unquestionably go crazy over these clothespin-and-Popsicle-stick airplanes. Regardless of whether they choose paint or permanent markers, students will enjoy personalizing their tiny flying machines.

Learn more: Craft Stick Airplane at Making Life Blissful

17. Pom-Pom Caterpillars

Since kids love pom-poms and caterpillars, this will be the perfect craft to grab their attention. Make sure to supply them with a fun variety of pom-poms and googly eyes.

Learn more: Pom-Pom Caterpillar at Easy Peasy and Fun

Easy Art Projects for Middle School Students

18. chalk christmas lights.

This is the perfect easy art project to do around the holiday season. You’ll need to create a stencil from card stock so you can create your light shapes. Once that is done, you can begin creating “light” with some chalk pastels. A silver Sharpie can be used to create your light string since it will show up nicely against the black paper.

Learn more: Christmas Light Chalk Stencil Art at Buggy and Buddy

19. Gratitude Journal

This project doubles as an art and writing activity since students can use their finished journals for writing prompts. These personalized journals beat store-bought ones any day!

Learn more: Handmade Gratitude Journal at Kids Activities Blog

20. Textured Hot-Air Balloon

This project is the perfect excuse to use up all your crafty odds and ends like feathers, glitter, and sequins. We love how unique each creation will be once they’re done.

Learn more: Textured Hot-Air Balloon at Artsy Momma

21. Layer Cakes

Regardless of students’ experience with oil pastels, this project will be a good introduction to the medium. Have students follow a step-by-step tutorial for drawing the outline of the layer cake, then let them use the pastels to bring their drawings to life.

Learn more: Cakes at Little Yeti

22. Chalk Planets

This is an inexpensive way to enhance a science unit on space while still getting creative. It’s inexpensive too since all you will need is some black paper and chalk.

Learn more: 18 Awesome Art Projects for Your Classroom at Teach Junkie

23. Back-to-School Rocks

Kids love painting rocks so why not make it school-themed? Show students some of these examples to copy or let them come up with some of their own, then spread them around the school’s grounds.

Learn more: Painted Rock Ideas at Color Made Happy

24. Dictionary Page Drawing

Easy art projects for kids that also double as vocabulary lessons? Yes, please! This project will prove especially educational as students are tasked with illustrating a word on an old dictionary page.

25. Paper Collage Painting

Students will enjoy creating their collages from a variety of materials. Even better—this project is a great way to encourage recycling since old cereal boxes and other food labels can be ripped into strips and repurposed.

Learn more: Painting With Paper at Megan Coyle Artist & Illustrator

26. Crayon Resist Art

This simple project can be done without a lot of instruction and will work for students of any age. This project runs on the same idea as some Easter egg–decorating kits in that the paint or dye sticks to the areas not covered in wax, or in this case, crayon.

Learn more: Fun Watercolor Resist Art at Kids Activities Blog

27. Number Art

If you have some math whizzes in your class, they will likely enjoy this number-themed art project. Grab some large number stencils and paints and you’ll be ready for this low-setup project.

Learn more: 5th Grade Number Project at Art Room Blog

28. Woven Baby Turtle

Select three mini Popsicle sticks, paint them, and then glue them together to form your turtle’s body. Finally, select your yarn and weave it around your turtle. Be sure to have a lot of fun colors to choose from!

Learn more: Weaving Cute Baby Turtles at Pink Stripey Socks

Easy Art Projects for High School Students

29. yarn-wrapped letter.

All you will need to create this craft is some leftover cardboard, a bunch of different yarns, and some scissors. Teens especially will enjoy this project as the end result can be used as decoration in their bedrooms and eventually their dorm rooms!

Learn more: 14 Crafts for Teens and Tweens at Art Bar Blog

30. Elevated Macaroni Necklace

Some easy art projects for kids and teens can even double as fashion! Despite their association with preschool, these are definitely not your little brother’s or sister’s macaroni necklaces. Swapping out twine with an actual chain makes these necklaces look surprisingly high-end.

Learn more: 12 Pasta Necklaces We Need Right Now at Mum’s Grapevine

31. Neuro Doodle Design

This is a simple and mindful art project that can be enjoyed by students regardless of their art experience. This art process was invented by Russian psychologist and architect Pavel Piskarev in 2014.

Learn more: Simple Mindful Art Project at Inside Out Art Teacher

32. Crepe Paper Flowers

This is the perfect project for early finishers to do since each flower only takes 5 minutes to create. In addition to being a fun project, these flowers would also make for beautiful classroom decor.

Learn more: Easy Crepe Paper Flowers at DIY Candy

33. CD Fish

Easy art projects for kids that utilize outdated technology? Why not? Although this project could work for any age group, older kids will be able to personalize their fish using a variety of add-on materials. Be prepared to explain to your students what CDs are since they were born long after their demise!

Learn more: Make Your Own Fish Aquarium at Super Simple

34. Pencil Sculpture

While this project can get complicated, simpler structures can be completed using fewer pencils. The preparation is minimal, requiring just a bunch of pencils and elastics, but the reward will be big when you see what your students create!

Learn more: Geometric Sculpture From 72 Pencils at Instructables

35. Ribbon Garland

This project is another good time-filler since it can be worked on and then picked up again later and continued. It’s also a good lesson in recycling since you can ask students to bring in any fabric or ribbons that may be sitting around their houses unused.

Learn more: Easy DIY Fabric Garland at Project Nursery

36. Origami

Origami paper is inexpensive and can be bought in bulk, making this an affordable and low-preparation art project. Additionally, it is perfect for high school students who are better equipped to follow along with an instructional video.

Learn more: 12 Origami Projects for Kids at Mom Loves Best

37. Layered Landscape

Keep those cereal boxes and old magazines since they’re perfect for ripping up to create layered art! We especially love how much room there is in this project for individual creativity.

Learn more: Layered Landscape at Art Camp Studio

What are your favorite easy art projects to do in the classroom? Come and share your ideas in our  We Are Teachers HELPLINE group  on Facebook.

Plus,  get ideas for great auction art projects .

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8th Grade Art Lessons

• Kindergarten

Ice Skating

Monarch Butterfly

Best of Winter Art

Autumn Patterns

Haiku Poetry Art

Magic Color Pendulum

Sonia Delaunay

Radial Design

Best Paper Airplanes

Holy Week Cross

Works of Mercy

Illuminated Manuscript

Mysteries of the Rosary

Spirit Dove

Color Wheel Guitar

Creative Color Wheel

Gothic Cathedral

Famous Buildings

Nativity Angel

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