20 Lesson Plans

1. Beginning of the Year/ Have my students do an ABC book about themselves at the beginning of the year. This way they can all get to know each other.

2. Science/ Volcano lesson: Have the students get newspaper, cardboard, aluminum foil, and a small medicine bottle and make an erupting volcano. Using vinegar, baking soda and detergent helps allow the volcano to be active.

3. Reading/ Read the book entitled The Very Hungary Caterpillar to the students and ask them to create their favorite animal from the story out of tissue paper or construction paper and present it to the class.

4. Math/ Caterpillar Counting: Have the students construct a pattern using the following shapes: squares, circles, or triangles. Draw a specific number of dots on the body parts of the caterpillar, which will help them count by tens or etc.

5. Science/ The Water Cycle: Have the students draw out the water cycle allows them to actually see how the water cycle takes place. Conduct an evaporation experiment where the students can chart the water evaporating by using a gauged cylinder.

6. Math/ Solving Story Problems: Using the concepts of color, students will use representations to model addition and subtraction.

7. Reading/ Monsters Love Adjectives: As the book Go Away, Big Green Monster! is read to the students they will identify the adjectives by playing the game entitled “Thumbs Up”, raising their thumbs every time they hear an adjective.

8. Self-Portrait Collage: Have the student make a mixed collage self portrait and write a poem using decorative letters.

9. Social Studies/ Mixed Media Landscape: The students can make a cityscape, seascape, or landscape using crayons, oil pastels, watercolors, and tempera paint (any combination or all can be included in their artwork. Must use more than one method).

10. Social Studies/ Diorama: Allow the students to choose a topic they are interested in (as it relates to science, social studies or literature) and present it in a shoebox using 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional elements. Make sure to cover the shoebox entirely.

11. Social Studies, Reading/ Paper Mache: Using a specified theme, have the students create a Paper Mache mask related to the topic of discussion.

12. Science/ Painting Techniques: Create a painting of your own using any type of technique, but NOT a paint brush.

13. Literature/ Read information pertaining to Pablo Picasso. Incorporate his artwork into their own by making a sculpture from pantyhose and close hangers.

14. Literature/ Find appropriate children’s websites pertaining to artists studied in the class and have the students research them and compile the information into a presentation.

15. Take a field trip to the local Museum. Study and observe the contents as well as the local history. As an extension, have the students replicate something they found to be interesting on the field trip.

16. Contact the local museum and request an exhibit for your classroom to display their personal artwork. Set aside a special parents night and invite everyone to attend the exhibit.

17. Colors: Teach the students the concepts of primary, secondary, and intermediate colors by using oil pastels or tempera paint. This concept can be achieved by allowing the students to mix the colors and review the end product.

18. Puppets: Have the students create hand-made puppets and devise a skit and present it to the class.

19. Teach the students about recycling by allowing them to create artwork using only materials that they have recycled.

20. Conduct a field trip to the High Museum of Art and teach them about true art. Contact your local chamber of commerce and inquire if your town has any local artists. If so, invite them to your classroom for the day.