Art 1 Pacing Guide

 If you're a high school art teacher looking for help organizing your curriculum, this is my Art 1 pacing guide. It has a bulleted agenda of what I teach each day with visuals when possible. My school is on a 90 day semester block schedule. We meet 78 minutes per day - your mileage may vary.

This link will allow you to make a copy (for free) into your own google drive where you can edit it to fit your needs. Clicking the links within the document will take you to the individual listing on TpT if you want more details or images to help you visualize the lesson. Enjoy!

Toy Story Gets A Glow Up

One of my favorite two point perspective lessons for my upper elementary students was inspired by the movie Toy Story. This year, I finally did not have any of my previous students who completed this lesson in a high school class and was able to move that lesson up to Art 1. 

If you've been following this account for awhile you already know  I've been mixing up my two point perspective lessons over the past 4-5 years trying to find something that resonated. We did perspective rooms, streets and houses. We've done them in pencil, watercolor and acrylic. Nothing was hitting the way that Toy Story lesson always seemed to with the younger kids, so I thought "why not?" The great news is that 14-18 year olds are still inspired by Toy Story. We are a 1:1 ipad school and my students are lucky enough to have the procreate app. 

The basic format of my perspective unit still remained the same. Starting with 1 point boxes, comparing 1 and 2 point perspective. Introducing angles like bird's eye and worm's eye. One of the fun ideas I added to this recycled lesson was showing short 3-5 minute clips from the movie and freezing the screen. This allowed students to identify the horizon line, vanishing points and angles.

I had a collection of toys in the room with a set up for them to photograph for reference and they were welcome to bring their own in as well. All students experienced a high level of success with this lesson and were eager to work on it. I find with paper pencil, students get so discouraged having to erase the lines over and over again, ruining their paper. This felt like the perfect time to go digital.

If you'd like to "just press play" on this video heavy resource you can find it here.

If you're an elementary teacher who'd like to see the original post use this link.

Seasonal Grid Drawings

Semester 2 proved to be a little more challenging for the new square paper / no measure grid drawings. In the fall we used leaves, which were readily available for both students and myself. I brainstormed other items that might provide a similar range of challenge and came up with a few. If you're looking for more grid drawings, I have now added:

Food (lemons, peppers, red onions)

White Eggs (on neutral backgrounds, in cartons and on plastic easter grass)

Pool (Billiard) Balls 

Here is the fun set up in my home when I realized I could borrow the balls from a neighbor but did not have my own table. Thankful my daughter has sweatshirts in EVERY color

What objects have your students enjoyed drawing using the grid method?

Square is where it's at for grid drawing

I've been a HUGE fan of grid drawing my entire career. Starting with my elementary kids I would introduce the concept of using grids to my students often with preprinted grids on cartoon characters as an early finisher activity. 

As students mature in their skills we transfer the responsibility of grid making to them. And you know who doesn't love a grid project? Every student who struggles with reading a ruler. Sure, there are workarounds. I can print the grid on it for them, they could work on gridded paper or worksheets. They can use a light box to trace a pre-drawn grid, we can place a grid on top digitally. When drawing isn't the main skill, like this printmaking lesson that is a great accommodation.

Most of those techniques require a lot of extra preparation from the teacher. They also take away what students need to use this technique again on their own: the ability to execute a grid, consistently on the reference photo and their own paper. Let's face it, if they can't make a good grid, it's not a helpful tool. In this case, the grid becomes a barrier to success.

This year I started using a NO MEASURE grid method. If students can draw a straight line from corner to corner, they don't need to measure a thing. The only limitation to this method are that you must either use a square or make sure the reference photo and the final paper are the same proportion. Both of these steps require no extra effort, time or resources from the teacher.  We tested this new format with a colored pencil leaf drawing. After seeing the boost in confidence for all of my students I decided to create some additional lessons that are ready to go for a sub at a moment's notice. You can find the whole bundle here.

In this resource I include a step by step video demo of not just how to set up the grid, but how to see implied lines in a photo to convert a photo into a line drawing. This is an important step to teach. Not all students can visualize what you are asking them to do. We start with a basic star shape to help them see the lines where there are none.

If you'd like to check out this method, you can download a FREE sample here

Student Performance Measures in the art room

Yesterday was the deadline for submitting our evaluation proposals to admin for approval. In our district we have a 3 year wave of formal observations. Our state has a digital platform for teachers to submit paperwork, data and to communicate with admin on our goals.

I have been using variations of the same SPM (Student Performance Measure) for the past several years and wanted to share what I have found to be an easy data collection system.

For my annual goal, I typically choose my art 1 classes because I have the most sections of that class. We do have relatively small class sizes compared to the rest of the country for which I am incredibly grateful. However, with a class cap of 20, that means if a few students don't hit goal, it greatly impacts your numbers.

During the first week of class during the drop add period, I give students an independent drawing activity. This is similar to a baseline assessment in any other class and is helpful in a number of ways. I can see where they are struggling and prepare to deliver instruction to meet the deficits.  It gives us a nice "before" visual for a before and after comparison. I'm not actively teaching content on the first week so as kids transfer in they haven't missed key instruction.

Over the years I've found the best combination for my art 1 class is to have them draw the following 3 items on copy paper with zero instruction.

1. A face

2. A house

3. Free Choice (Something you can do well)

They have 30 minutes of our 80 minute block each day for 3 days in a row to work on this. It's also a nice balance to the hectic 1st week when there are assemblies and my room feels like a revolving door. They submit these 3 items online, which also gives me a chance to teach them what I am looking for when they take digital photos of their work to submit. If I have students enter class later in the week this is a nice assignment to provide them as well when students are midway through a new project.

These are two sample submissions:

I attach a very small point value so that they do it. Being the beginning of the year I stress that it's a great way to start with a 100% average. 

The data that I am collecting from these drawings is not the same as the rubric that the student would receive. I am looking for their use of value and shading to define 3D form.

As the semester progresses I enter the portion from the rubric that attends to this area only. So in this case, the second column of data is from their implied shape drawing activity:

The third column is their still life project:

Using excel to input data makes the next step very easy. I average the two grades from the projects and find the difference in their baseline score. This demonstrates the amount of growth in each student.  Here are the formulas I use in excel:

Find the average of 2 projects (in this case they are columns C & D)

Find the difference between the baseline pre-assessment score and the average of 2 projects:

At this point, if I have enough students meeting the benchmark I am done and submit my middle of year data to the online system. If I still have kids below I can average in a 3rd project such as their portrait drawing. For my final submission we place student baselines on the center table and I select their best use of value (still life, portrait or impossible form) to place next to it. We do a critique in class and I videotape a quick walk thru of the before and after projects. These are some stills from the video that I share with my supervising principal.

Please feel free to drop your questions in the comments. I also have samples from my years with elementary if you need help with that age level. Here are the specific prompts that we have to answer on our system:

Art History Bell Ringers

I've been using bell ringers as a soft landing / transitional time since seeing the impact it made with my cooperating teacher during my student teaching at a 6-8 middle school building. Even with 40 minute classes, there was value to giving students time to make a mental shift from their other classes to art. 

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While she focused primarily on 3-5 minute sketches and doodles, I have been modifying my own use of this time to best fit the needs of my students. My current (and favorite) use of this time at the high school level is to sneak in bite sized chunks of art history.

I select an image that pairs with what we are doing in the classroom. We follow an inquiry-based model where students are given a series of daily question / prompts to get them connecting to and thinking about the art and artist. After 2-3 days of looking, I have them sketch the work and on the last day I give them the relevant details (title, artist name, date and fun facts).

This video highlights the way that I pair images and questions with projects we are doing in class.

If you are just getting started, you could recycle the same 5 questions each week with new artworks like this:

Day 1: What do you think this work is about? 

Day 2: How do you think this was made?

Day 3: What questions do you have about this work?

Day 4: Describe the work using the elements and principals of art

Day 5: Copy down information about the artwork (Title, Artist, Date, Size, Media, Country)

Teacher tip: I post these on google slides and make a new copy of the document every year. I "cover" the slides we have not gotten to yet and change the text from white to black each morning to reveal the new prompt.

I have several variations and themes for bell ringers here if you need help building your own. This is the original post created during our hybrid schedule in 2021.

Teaching Abstract Art With Paul Klee

When it comes to introducing children to the world of abstract art, I find Paul Klee is one of the most captivating and approachable artists. His playful style lends itself to a variety of engaging art projects that are scalable for different age groups and abilities. Here are some of my top reasons to start with Klee when teaching abstract art

1. Imagination and Playfulness

Klee’s work is infused with a sense of play and imagination that resonates with children. His use of bold colors and shapes invites viewers to interpret the artwork in their own way, encouraging creativity and personal expression. When teaching kids about Klee, I like to emphasize the importance of imagination in art, prompting students to push their boundaries and create their own abstract pieces.

2. Accessible Techniques

Klee often employed simple shapes and lines in his compositions. This accessibility makes it easier for children to replicate his techniques in their own artwork. Whether it’s through drawing geometric shapes or experimenting with color mixing, kids can engage directly with Klee’s methods, fostering a sense of accomplishment and confidence in their artistic abilities.

3. Exploration of Color and Emotion

Klee was a master of color, using it not just to please the eye but to evoke emotion. He believed that colors could express feelings, which is a powerful concept for children to explore. Educators can guide students in understanding how different colors affect mood and perception, encouraging them to choose colors that resonate with their own feelings in their creations.

4. Cultural and Historical Context

Teaching about Paul Klee also opens the door to discussions about the historical context of art. As a part of the Bauhaus movement and influenced by various styles, Klee’s work can serve as a springboard for conversations about modern art, the evolution of artistic expression, and the connections between art and culture. This contextual understanding can enrich students’ appreciation of art beyond just aesthetics.

5. Diverse Subject Matter

Klee’s subjects ranged from playful to profound, often reflecting themes of nature, music, and childhood. His ability to blend reality with abstraction allows children to explore various topics, from storytelling through art to interpreting the world around them. This versatility can inspire students to create pieces that reflect their own experiences and interests.

6. Encouraging Individual Interpretation

One of the most exciting aspects of abstract art is its inherent ambiguity. Klee’s works invite multiple interpretations, teaching children that art doesn’t have to depict reality in a literal way. This can encourage critical thinking and discussion among students, as they learn to articulate their thoughts about what they see and how it makes them feel.