A successful art teacher must create a program that begins with the child’s
interest, background, skill level, and the child’s mental and physical
development. A project that works
for a third grade child may not interest or be appropriate or even safe for a
younger child. Frank Wachowiak and
Robert Clements provide a helpful outline of physical and emotional attributes
of various age groups along with an age specific art project to go along with
the characteristic in the Emphasis Art-A
Qualitative Art Program for Elementary and Middle Schools 5th ed.
HarperCollins New York 1993 textbook.
For instance:
. . .First and Second Graders
Have a limited span of interest and are easily fatigued.
Implications for Art Teaching
Give a series of objectives throughout the lesson, rather than all at the
beginning.
(p.34 Wachowiak, Frank and Clements, R.)
. . . Third and Fourth Graders
Have a better command of small muscles
Some Related Instructional Objectives
Students will draw details of clothing and features
(p.45 Wachowiak, Frank and Clements, R.)
. . .Fifth and Sixth Graders
Are becoming more dependable, responsible, self-critical, and reasonable.
Some Related Art Instructional Objectives
Students will use their own evaluation of their artwork-describing both
strengths and weaknesses-as a guide toward making changes in it.
(p.51 Wachowiak, Frank and Clements R.)
Do you have an example of an art project that worked with an older group that
wasn’t appropriate for a younger student when you tried it?
Fortunately, along with textbooks, and art magazines
there are resources online that will
help you in selecting the best art project for the age group you teach.
Age Specific Art Lesson Plans
Sanford A Lifetime of Color-Teach Art
http://www.sanford-artedventures.com/teach/teach.html
Teacher Created Project Lesson Plans
http://www.theteachersguide.com/Artlessonplans.html
Core Knowledge Lessons
http://www.coreknowledge.org/CK/resrcs/lessons/ArtMusic.htm
Getty Museum
http://www.getty.edu/education/for_teachers/building_lessons/guide.html
Art Magazines
Arts and Activities Magazines features lesson plans and interesting projects online.
http://www.artsandactivities.com
School Art also has free and with subscription art lesson ideas.
http://www.davisart.com/Portal/SchoolArts/SAdefault.aspx