art assignment middle school

5 Successful One-Day Art Lessons for the Middle School Classroom

We’ve all been there. You start your day with grand intentions for a stellar lesson. Still, your plans are interrupted for whatever reason, and you can’t quite pull it together. Maybe too many students are absent, you have less of an essential supply than you remembered, or a pep rally is cutting your class twenty minutes short. Don’t feel guilty! It happens to the most organized of us. Whether you need a lesson in a pinch or want to plan ahead to teach a quick technique, one-day lessons make great tools to fill your toolbox.

The right one-day lesson does more than just fill time. These quick activities can also be highly engaging! Creating a project from start to finish in one sitting provides immediate satisfaction for students while giving them an opportunity for valuable skill-building. One-day lessons can also introduce larger concepts in a simple way before jumping into a bigger unit. By selecting smaller paper sizes, simplifying materials, and using basic art tools, you will be well on your way to implementing one-day lessons in no time!

The best one-day lessons have built-in potential for success.

Highly successful lessons are enjoyable and engaging. A few other things they have in common include:

• Clear and limited steps.
• Completion in one class period.
• Student autonomy (in material choice, design, color, etc.).
• Scaffolding for future skills and techniques.
• Easy clean-up.

Here are five simple, one-day art lessons that will keep your middle schoolers engaged.

1. crumpled paper “stained glass”.

It doesn’t get much easier than this! Show students a completed version and connect it to patterns found in stained glass windows. Use this History of Stained Glass download below. You can find this resource in the Nature’s Stained Glass Lesson to help you introduce historical connections. Find this lesson and many others in FLEX Curriculum.

Students will have so much fun fracturing and coloring in their paper by following these steps:

• Crumple a half sheet of paper. After re-opening the paper, examine the tons of tiny, fractured shapes and folds.
• Create a “stained glass” look using a pencil or ultra-fine permanent marker to outline every shape. It’s fun to see the look on students’ faces when you casually mention this!
• Color in each shape, using colored pencils for a soft look or markers for a bold one. Alternate colors so that no two shapes with the same color are touching.

This wonderfully simple lesson subtly requires persistence to complete and encourages thoughtful decision-making in the color arrangement. If papers are well-crumpled and students take their time applying color, this project can quickly fill an average class period and is sure to leave students feeling satisfied.

Do you want to extend your lesson?

Try the Lesson, Radial Stained Glass , to continue building the skills from this exercise. This lesson can be found in FLEX Curriculum .

2. Abstract Papercutting

It pays to maintain color-separated boxes of scrap paper throughout the school year for projects like this! Whether you need to reduce the amount you have accumulated or want a fast project to practice color theory, cutting skills, and composition, this one’s for you. Your artists can practice warm and cool or complementary colors depending on your curriculum goals. They can also demonstrate more advanced cutting techniques such as overlapping, layering, and emphasis.

Students begin abstract papercutting by following these steps:

• Select a large piece of colorful construction paper as a base.
• Cut organic shapes from contrasting colored pieces of scrap paper using scissors.
• Apply glue to the back of each organic shape.
• Arrange the organic shapes on the base construction paper to create an exciting composition.

You can seamlessly connect this activity to a unit about Henri Matisse’s cut-outs or an intermediate-level lesson to create a Recycled Paper Abstract Collage . Find this collage lesson and many others in our FLEX Curriculum .

3. Suminagashi Paper Marbling

Suminagashi paper marbling is a little-known, magical activity that wins students over every time . The process utterly mesmerizes students and teaches them how to experiment with patterns and color. As a bonus, students will generate multiple sheets of decorative paper for use in future projects. Suminagashi is so fun that students will even enjoy watching others do it!

Pre-packaged kits make a suminagashi lesson easy, or you can purchase a few bulk materials to have on hand.

Here’s how to get started:

• Fill shallow trays with water.
• Drop the paper dot that comes with the kits into the water.
• Squeeze a drop of the suminagashi ink onto the dot and watch as it magically pushes the dot through the water!
• Add several subsequent drops in varying colors to create patterns.
• Manipulate the dot and influence the ink’s pattern on the water’s surface using a paintbrush or chopstick. Students will enjoy experimenting with different techniques, such as blowing the water or gently tilting the tray to see how their patterns change. Be careful not to “overmix” the ink, or colors and patterns may become muddy.
• Gently lay a piece of paper on the water’s surface for a few seconds.
• Starting from one corner, lift the paper in one smooth motion to reveal the ink design adhered to the paper.
• Allow the paper to dry.

After an experiment or two, students will learn which colors and techniques produce their desired results. Make sure you have enough kits for each station or table group in your classroom so students can try creating several papers.

Once the papers have dried, you can incorporate them in future lessons about bookbinding, visual journaling, or collage. Try using the paper as a background in the lesson, Watercolor Coral Collage, or integrate it into a Painted Paper Weaving artwork. Find both of these lessons in FLEX Curriculum . No matter how you choose to connect this activity to your lessons, students are sure to love this intriguing process.

4. Watercolor and Salt Paintings

A fun way to scaffold watercolor projects and talk about science is by experimenting with watercolor and salt. Salt absorbs water through the process of osmosis. Students investigate color mixing by allowing painted areas to bleed into one another. Encourage them to observe how varying amounts of water and salt types in different areas correlate to the final, dried result.

This low-stakes exercise allows students to test out hypotheses about salt’s effect on watercolor paint by following these steps:

• Apply watercolor paint to watercolor paper using the wet-on-dry method.
• Sprinkle salt over the watercolor paint.
• Wet dry areas of the paper with water and then apply watercolor paint using the wet-on-wet method. Allow the paint to pool, and sprinkle salt into the pools.
• Allow areas of watercolor paints to mix, and apply salt.
• After the paper has thoroughly dried, brush the salt off the paper over a trash can and observe the effect it has created.

Once students understand how salt applications affect watercolor paint, they can try  Hide/Seek: The Art of Camouflage. In this lesson, students approach science from a different angle and practice more control of their salt application to create their desired outcome. Look for this lesson in FLEX Curriculum .

5. Value Scale Water Droplet

This small but mighty pencil and paper assignment is a tried and true plan for working with the most limited materials to generate the most significant impact. Students will be delighted as they work to create the illusion of a water droplet on paper. Plus, it’s easier than it looks!

With a piece of paper, pencil, and eraser at the ready, start creating droplets by following these steps:

• Draw one to three circles on your paper.
• Select which angle you will have a light source coming from. The example above shows the light source shining from the upper left corner of the paper.
• Sketch a crescent moon shape on the light source’s side of the circle and shade it with a medium to light gradation.
• At the outer edge of the crescent, the circle’s outline will have the deepest shaded value. It should lighten and fade toward the center of the circle. The lightest value should be at the circle’s center and out toward the opposite side. Students may want to use their erasers during the blending process.
• Add “shine” highlights on the crescent by creating rounded rectangular shapes.
• Complete the effect with the shadow cast on the side farthest from the light source by shading it with the deepest value.

Students will be thrilled to try their hand at these four additional value scale activities .

Let your one-day lessons do double duty.

There are many different times when a one-class lesson makes the most sense to implement. First, consider which skills you want your students to practice and how to maximize their learning. Is your goal to introduce a larger unit later or to briefly reinforce existing skills? Then, use one of these quick-to-organize lessons to create fun and satisfying masterpieces. You will be amazed at how engaging one-class projects can be and how prepared your students will feel to level up to the next assignment. Give yourself some breathing room, and then get back to your regularly-scheduled plans without guilt.

What are your most effective one-day art lesson ideas for middle school?

How do you use one-day lessons to scaffold larger units?

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.

Andrea Wlodarczyk

Andrea Wlodarczyk, a former middle school art educator, is a former AOEU Writer. She is a deep believer that the art room can be a brave space for students to collaborate across cultures, languages, academics, and socioeconomics and celebrate self-expression and diversity through community.

Art and Appetite: 7 Ways to Explore the Significance of Food in the Art Room

7 Engaging Ways to Teach the Elements and Principles of Art and 3 Fun Ways to Review Them

10 Easy Strategies to Apply Brain-Based Learning in the Art Room

7 Common Misconceptions When Approaching Your Art Curriculum This Year

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

Learn How to Support Stressed and Anxious Students.

25 Unique Art Projects for Middle Schoolers

It’s time to get creative!

The benefits of art education are further reaching than many people realize. Besides boosting students’ creative-thinking skills, engagement in the arts can help students improve their performance in other areas, including math and reading. It can also help with critical thinking, concentration, confidence, and motivation. Since learning about different art movements and mediums are important parts of art education, we gathered a list of diverse and interesting art projects for middle schoolers. Give one a try during your next art class!

1. Giant-sized comic strip

Regardless of your artistic abilities, creating comic strips is a fun way to express yourself. We especially love the idea of getting down on the floor and creating a larger-than-life story. You can also use this as a collaborative art project and have different groups of students tackle different parts of a story that you come up with together as a class.

Learn more: Make Your Own Giant Comic Strip at What Do We Do All Day?

2. Oil pastel candles

Before tackling this project, have your students try out creating oil pastel gradients in their sketchbooks. Then, use a guided drawing to have students draw their candle shape and size on blue pastel paper. This is so creative because while everyone has the same subject matter, no two candles and no two flames will look the same.

Learn more: Oil Pastel Candle Art Lesson at That Art Teacher

3. Mixed-media collage

Before doing this project, teach your students about a number of different collage artists. Then, have students thoughtfully compile different things to include in their collage. This project is particularly personal and will reflect each student’s individuality.

Learn more: Mixed Media Collage at Anita Sagastegui

4. Animal mosaics

Some art projects for middle schoolers are complex but well worth the effort. This is one of those projects since it is part carpentry and part art. Students will learn to safely use plywood, electric jigsaws, and sanders to create these spectacular animal mosaics. You’ll also want to teach kids a bit about the history of mosaic art.

Learn more: All in Pieces at Davis Art

5. 3D snowflakes

Get your free 3D snowflake template at the link below and then get crafting. We all remember making paper snowflakes at school or at home, but these 3D snowflakes really take this beloved project up a level. Add sparkles and sequins and you have some gorgeous classroom decor for the winter months.

Learn more: Stunning 3D Snowflake Craft at Kids Craft Room

6. Faux stained glass

While this project can be done by kids as young as toddlers, it’s also a fun project for middle schoolers. Hand out pieces of wax paper and then have students dab on large, thick piles of paint. Next, take bottle caps and have them push the paint into the wax paper for a stained-glass effect. Finally, once dry, have your students use a Sharpie to define designs throughout. Once dry, hang in the window for a dazzling effect.

Learn more: Stained Glass at Happy Hooligans

7. Neuro-Doodle designs

This is a perfect lesson for teaching about line quality and weights while also experimenting with different mediums. We love middle school art projects that give students experience with a variety of materials, and this one does just that! Students will try their hand at using felt-tip black markers, watercolor paints, colored markers, and colored pencils.

8. Figure drawing

Drawing from life is always ideal, especially when the human body is involved. Middle school students are at an ideal age to learn to sketch different poses quickly. And charcoal makes for an ideal medium.

9. Bubble wrap trees

Learning to paint can feel daunting to some students, but it definitely doesn’t have to be! Introducing students to acrylic paint before oil paint is often the best way to go. This art project uses unconventional materials like bubble wrap for a fun and somewhat easy painting project.

10. Art history timeline

The visual arts are an important part of an art education, but middle school art projects should include art history as well. This project combines both. Have students select an artist or time period and then have them create a timeline like the sample at the link below. Then have them present their timelines to the entire class.

Learn more: Art History Timeline at Hey That’s My Art Teacher

11. Self-portraits

Art projects for middle schoolers that force kids to think deeply are some of our favorites. This project teaches a typical art lesson like how to create a self-portrait but makes it more personal through additional imagery and words.

Learn more: The Real Me Art Lesson at Art With Mrs. E.

12. Yarn painting

Yarn, scissors, heavy paper, and glue are all you need to create these pretty yarn paintings. Well, maybe that and also a hefty dose of patience. This is a project that will likely take a couple of classes to complete. Art projects for middle schoolers like this one provide students with a lot of opportunity to individualize their works through creative choices.

13. Texture relief

Before working on this project, teach your students a bit about texture, and show them lots of examples of artworks that include different textures. Have students bring in different items to include as part of the texture in their project (think leaves, sticks, burlap, etc.). Then, have them cover those items in tinfoil, being careful to reveal all of the different surfaces. Once that step is done, they will need to apply black paint to the surface of the tinfoil. Once dry, have them use steel wool to reveal the texture. These make for an impressive finished product.

14. Wire stocking sculpture

This idea is so unique and it yields impressive results. Build off a lesson on cubism and sculpture by having your students construct sculptures from a soft block of wood, a wire coat hanger, a nylon stocking, and some paint.

15. Playing cards with a twist

We love art projects for middle schoolers that require patience, creativity, and even communication. To begin, students are tasked with coming up with a design for a playing card that involves an animal. They initially design just the top part of the playing card and then use tracing paper to replicate the design onto the rest of the card. Finally, pair up students and have them explain how to execute their original design to someone else.

Learn more: A Playing Card With a Twist at Just Your Everyday Art Teacher

16. Pop art candy paintings

This is the perfect project to pair with a lesson on the pop art movement. And all you need is some tempera paint and a black Sharpie.

Learn more: Pop Art! Candy Paintings at Art at Becker Middle School

17. Fingerprint self-portraits

Before working on this project, have students gather old magazines to bring in for inspiration. To begin, have students go through the magazines to find words that appeal to them and describe themselves. Then, have them draw the outline of their fingerprint on a piece of paper and paste the words down.

18. Vortex drawings

Learning to draw vortexes is a fun exercise that is developmentally appropriate for middle schoolers! Follow the video tutorial above.

19. Mixed-media still life

Students will love the agency they have over this project since they get to choose what materials to use for their mixed media (newspaper, magazines, cardboard, etc.). Learning to draw from a still life setup is a vital part of any art education, and we think the addition of the mixed media really ups the ante.

20. Skyline printmaking

Printmaking is a fun lesson to teach at any age, but we think it is perfect for middle schoolers. This project begins with creating a stamp of a cityscape out of a foam plate and then transferring it to paper using a paint roller. You may choose to have students begin this lesson by painting their background first with watercolors. 

Learn more: Printmaking at Painted Paper Art

21. One-point perspective

Learning about perspective is certainly one of the foremost lessons in any art education. This video does a good job teaching how to use one-point perspective to re-create a school hallway.

22. Keith Haring–inspired art

Keith Haring was easily one of the most influential artists of the 1980s. His legacy includes bringing graffiti art into the mainstream as well as drawing attention to the AIDS epidemic. This video is a good introduction to the artist and his work and even includes a visual art lesson on how students can create their own Haring-inspired artwork.

23. Pop art sculpture

The main objective of this project is to task your students with creating a 3D television sculpture in a pop art style. Have them bring in an empty shoebox and then provide them with a number of different materials. Before getting started, be sure to go over background, middle ground, and foreground.

Learn more: Prime Time Televisions at Davis Art

24. Personalized soda can label

This art project is simple, and it teaches students about marketing and brand design. Just have students design their very own soda can label complete with text and corresponding images.

Learn more: Personal Soda Can Label at The Art of Education University

25. Water droplet drawing

This is a great lesson on creating dimension on a flat surface. It also introduces students to the concept of shading. Your students will get a kick out of watching their water droplets come to life using nothing more than a pencil and paper.

What are your favorite middle school 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 collaborative art projects.

You Might Also Like

16 Art Projects That Only Require Basic Supplies

Kids don't need specialized supplies to make amazing art. Continue Reading

Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

Best Ed Lessons

The Best Free Educational Lessons for Homeschool, Primary, Middle and High School Students and Teachers – we are non-profit, no fees, no ads

35 Art Lessons and Projects for Middle School – HS

Here are 35 wonderfully written art lessons and projects for student in middle school and high school. These handouts were created by S. Wagner-Marx, and teach and cover a range of areas that will stretch artistic abilities and skills. You can also check out all of our  Art related pages here .

Abstract Watercolor Paintings Animal Collage Ceramic Lanterns Ceramic Ocarinas (Whistles) Cezanne Still Life Clay Looms and Weaving Common Threads Emotional Portraits Environmental Art Etched Mirror Figure Sculptures Futuristic Cityscape Gargoyles and Grotesques George Segal Inspired Figure Sculpture Illuminated Letter Japanese Batik Lanterns Multi-Stage Print Nested Glass Sculpture Notan Pop-Art ala Roy Lichtenstein Recycled Assemblage Sculptures Repousse Mask Design Repousse Masks Sacred Circles Scranimals Self-Portrait in Style of Modigliiani Silly Faces Book Social Issues Print Soda Can Stages Spirit Vessels Surreal Hand Drawing Surrealist Collage Drawing Surrealistic Imagery Tile Boxes Zoomorphic Tripod Vessel

– love learning -your best ed lessons guide, Scott

Related Posts:

Great art lessons and ideas, thank you.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Enjoying BestEdLessons.org? Please spread the word :)

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

Teaching Expertise

• Classroom Ideas
• Teacher’s Life
• Deals & Shopping
• Privacy Policy

47 Art Activities For Middle School Students: 3D Crafting, Painting, Drawing, Sculpting, And More

April 3, 2024 //  by  Eisha Mohsin

There’s nothing quite like creative art projects to break the monotonous routine of middle school students. Contrary to popular opinion, artistic ability is not an innate skill, but rather something that can be honed and developed with practice but finding art projects that are engaging and immersive can be tricky. Look no further- we’ve gathered a list of 47 art projects for middle school that your kiddos will love. Which one will you get them started on first?

1. 3D Snowflakes

This craft project is bound to be a big hit with your kiddos, especially around wintertime. All you’ll need is a few sheets of paper, ideally in varying shades of blue. Print out the snowflake template from the link above, and have them cut and stack the snowflakes onto each other for a 3D effect. Optional: decorate with glitter!

Learn More: Kids’ Craft Room

2. Line Practice

No art lesson is complete without line practice . Have your kiddies dedicate an entire lesson to just lines since this will come in handy when they’re sketching. If they need inspiration, you can us print out this handy and ask them to copy the patterns to the best of their ability.

Learn More: Kitchen Table Classroom

3. Thumbprint Art

This is a fun and versatile idea that can be tailored to suit any age group. All you’ll need is a piece of paper and some basic supplies like paints and markers. Your kiddos will love how hands-on this activity is! They get to paint with their own thumbs and be as creative as they want to with the art that they create- what’s not to love?

Learn More: Hello, Wonderful

4. Collaborative Mural

This art project idea involves giving your students large pieces of paper and acrylic paints in a vast array of colors. Divide the class into groups and let them work on this project over the course of a few lessons. Give each group full creative freedom regarding their section of the wall and watch them create a unique mural.

Learn More: What Have I Learned

5. Self-Portrait

This is an amazing activity to try with older middle schoolers. If there’s one thing most famous artists have in common, it’s that they all painted self-portraits! Examine a few famous self-portraits with your kiddos and discuss what they give away about the artist. Now, ask them to create their own self-portrait and reflect on what it reveals about them.

Learn More: Hi Mama

6. Faux Stained Glass Painting

This activity requires a slightly higher skill level than the rest but is still kid-friendly. Get a dollar store picture frame and put a printed outline of choice inside the frame to use as a template. Have your little artists paint the glass with a mix of paint and glue, then once dry, finish the piece by outlining shapes with a black permanent marker for a gorgeous stained glass effect!

Learn More: Fabulessly Frugal

7. Chalk Art Projects

Create a fun game out of this idea which only requires colored chalk. Take your kiddies out to a paved surface where they can easily draw with chalk. Give them prompts to draw, for example, their favorite food, flower, or article of clothing within a set time. Let their creativity flow! 

Learn More: Tiny Blue House

8. Grid Drawing

Get your kiddos on the grid! Teach them how to perfect more complicated art projects by drawing onto a grid. Encourage them to take the piece one square at a time, and this will help them to balance proportions in their artwork. You can make the grids bigger or smaller depending on what level of detail you’d like them to achieve. 

Learn More: Pinterest

9. Geometric Shape Drawing

This colorful project challenges your kids to draw and paint an animal, only using geometric shapes. Although this may initially seem challenging, there are several animal forms that can be artistically replicated using shapes only! What animals will they come up with?

Learn More: Tree Valley Academy

10. Halloween Pebble Paperweights

This is a super fun art project to do around Halloween time. Have your kiddos collect a pebble from outside, then paint their favorite Halloween character onto it. The best few pieces can be displayed around the class during Halloween week for an extra spooky feel.

11. Fibonacci Circles

This is an art and math lesson all rolled together in one! Have your learners draw and cut out circles with diameters that correspond to the numbers of the Fibonacci sequence, then let them each arrange them into a colorful piece of art! Marvel at the different layouts and combinations that they come up with!

Learn More: W h at Do We Do All Day

12. Sculpture Art

This cool project involves taking a rather complex art form and making it simple and accessible to middle schoolers. Instead of using cement, have your kiddies use packaging tape to create a 3D sculpture of a person. You’ll be surprised to see how realistic the final result is!

Learn More: Look Between the Lines

13. Bubble Wrap Art

Repurpose any bubble wrap you have lying around for your kiddos to create a beautiful painting. Take some black paper and a few neon-colored paints. Start by cutting the bubble wrap in circles, then paint the bubble wrap with neon-colored paints. Before the paint dries have them imprint it on a sheet of paper and add details to create these interesting pieces of artwork.

14. Thumbprint Biography

A project that’s truly as unique as your kids are! Use the photocopier to blow up each of your kiddies’ fingerprints then use the printed result as a template for them to write their biography on. Encourage them to make it as colorful as possible. It’ll be a little labor-intensive, but the results are well worth the effort!

Learn More: Julie Ballew

15. Create a Comic Strip

Does your class love comic books ? Get them to practice their storytelling skills and display their artistic prowess at the same time by downloading a comic strip stencil like this one. Challenge them to come up with a short but effective comic strip that links to your class topic, or give them free rein to create a story of their own. The possibilities are endless!

Learn More: Really Good Designs

Use up your scrap paper for this next project. Start by cutting up any spare pieces of craft paper you have into different-sized and shaped pieces. Then, let your kiddos use these pieces to create their own masterpieces! These pieces will look great displayed on the walls of your classroom. 

Learn More: Art with Mr. Hall

17. Metal Foil Art

Explore texture with this next idea. Have your students create this stunning effect by drawing their design onto some metal foil with an embossing pen. Flip the foil over then use paints or markers to add color. The raised, metallic effect is the perfect way to create a spooky atmosphere in this winter-themed craft!

Learn More: Sebenta Marta

18. Easter Egg Painting

Get egg-cited for this Easter craft! Grab a bunch of eggs and go through the process of dyeing them in pastel colors with your class. Once they’re dry, have each kiddie decorate one each! Add even more fun by awarding a prize for the best decorated egg or you could even consider hosting a classroom-wide easter egg hunt once everybody is done!

Learn More: Active Littles

19. Origami Art Installation

Origami is like magic – just when you think a piece of paper is all folded up, it unfolds into something incredible! Let your kiddos relax with the calming art of origami and together your class can create an amazing art installation. Show them how to create the pieces you need then let them have a go. The end result will be an impressive display!

Learn More: YouTube

20. Resin Art

Resin art is all the rage at the moment! From creating bookmarks to art pieces to coasters- the options are endless. Have your kiddies forage for some leaves and flowers to use in their art then help them mix and pour the resin. The best part is that if done right, the final product looks absolutely mesmerizing and makes for a great handmade gift for them to take home as well!

Learn More: Art in Context

21. Dream Catcher Creation

Dive into the mystical by guiding your kids to create their own dream catchers . You can discuss the Native American origins and the cultural significance, then provide hoops, threads, beads, and feathers for a hands-on exploration of art and history.

Learn More: Crafts by Courtney

22. Nature Scavenger Hunt Art

This one’s for the nature lovers! Organize a nature scavenger hunt where your kiddos can gather leaves, twigs, flowers, and more natural materials. Post-hunt, they can use these materials to create unique nature-inspired art pieces. What a super creative way to foster an appreciation for nature and the outdoors!

Learn More: Green Child Magazine

23. Art from Recyclables

Reduce, reuse, create! Spark creativity and environmental awareness by encouraging your learners to create art from recycled materials. Give them a variety of recyclables like cardboard, plastic bottles, and old newspapers, then watch as they transform trash into treasure.

Learn More: Clean River

24. Puppetry Arts

Combine drama and art with this fun idea! Introduce your kiddos to puppet-making, and have them create their very own characters. Once they’re happy with their puppets, get them into groups and have them script and perform short puppet shows for the rest of the class. This is the perfect way to foster storytelling skills alongside crafting abilities.

25. Clay Sculpting

Clay sculpting is the art of making something out of almost nothing – all it takes is a bit of imagination and a lot of squishing! Give your little sculptors clay to create various objects, animals, or figures. This tactile activity encourages creativity and can be a calming sensory experience for them. 

Learn More: Craft in America

26. Wearable Art

Inspire your kiddies to make some art that they can actually wear! Let them design and create their very own jewelry with this paper mache bracelet craft. This hands-on project is a fantastic avenue for self-expression and exploring the fusion of functionality and aesthetics in art. By the end of the day, you’ll have a bunch of totally unique designs for them to wear home!

27. Historical Art Re-creation

From Monet to Picasso, the history of art is varied and full of inspiration! Choose a period in art history to study with your kiddos and teach them about its characteristics. Next, let them get hands-on and recreate or reimagine artworks in that style. They’ll love this engaging way to combine art practice with historical learning!

Learn More: Teach Starter

28. Photography Challenge

Say cheese! Equip your kiddos with cameras or iPads, and set them on a photography challenge around school grounds! You can assign themes or subjects to capture, and encourage them to gain a new perspective and appreciation for their everyday surroundings. 

Learn More: Capture 24

29. Mixed Media Collage

Let chaos and creativity collide in a beautiful, artsy explosion! Give your kids the chance to explore mixed media by creating fantastic collages. Provide an assortment of different materials – fabric, magazine clippings, paints, markers, and more, and let their imaginations run wild. You can make this activity more challenging for middle schoolers by giving them a specific theme!

Learn More: The Artful Parent

30. Artistic Story Stones

Challenge your kiddos with this creative storytelling craft! Let them paint or draw on stones to create story stones, where each stone represents a different item, character, or emotion in the story. You can follow this activity up nicely with a creative writing lesson where they can then use their story stones to craft and share their imaginative narrative!

Learn More: Happy Hooligans

31. Wind Chime Crafting

Get creative with a range of different materials with this idea. Guide your kiddies to craft their own wind chimes using materials like clay, metal, or wood to explore the different materials and discover varied sounds and musical notes they make! Once they’re finished, why not hang your wind chimes in an outdoor learning space so they can be enjoyed by the whole school?

32. Found Object Sculptures

Wacky meets wonderful in this found object sculpture craft! Challenge your little artists to create sculptures from some cardboard and random objects like bottle tops, cutlery, pieces of plastic – anything they find lying around! You’re not just teaching art, you’re teaching them to see the potential and beauty in everyday items.

Learn More: The Art Teacher

33. Shadow Art

This idea explores the playful side of light and shadow. Give your kiddos some cardboard and colored cellophane and see how creative they can be! Guide them to sketch, then cut out their design, before gluing the colored pieces of cellophane down. All that’s left is to wait for the sun to come out and head outside!

Learn More: The Best Ideas for Kids

34. Kinetic Sand Art

Who doesn’t love kinetic sand? Give your kids some kinetic sand and let them shape and mold to create magnificent structures or crazy landscapes. Your class will love this calming sensory activity that fosters creativity and encourages them to experiment!

35.  Mind Maps Art

Blend visual art with brainstorming by creating colorful mind maps. This is a super way to introduce a new topic or subject to your learners, or it could map out a project. Logical thinking meets creative expression!

Learn More: Edrawmind

36. Poetry Illustration

Bring visualizations to life! Have your kiddos select their favorite poem and get them to create an illustration or artwork inspired by it. This activity fuses literary and visual arts, enriching your class’ understanding of both.

Learn More: The Art of Education

37. Mask Making

What’s behind the mask? Exploring cultural or theatrical masks can be both educational and creative! Let your kiddies design and craft masks of their own using paper, cardboard, feathers, and more, to reflect different cultural, historical, or imaginative themes. You’ll be amazed at what they come up with!

38. Watercolor Exploration

Watercolors teach the art of going with the flow, one delicate stroke at a time! Set your kids up with some watercolor paints and let them have fun exploring this unique medium. Through experimenting with different techniques, they learn about color blending and layering to create a range of different effects. 

Learn More: Georgia O’Keeffe Museum

39. Mindful Doodling

Why not practice some mindfulness with your kiddos? Encourage mindful doodling or Zentangle art to promote relaxation and creativity. Give them some markers and a blank page and let them doodle as their minds wander. This meditative activity is the perfect way to boost focus and artistic expression while keeping your classroom calm.

Learn More: Lightly Sketched

40. DIY Musical Instruments

This idea is a super way to repurpose and recycle items like old coffee cans or plastic bottles. Crafting simple musical instruments from these everyday materials not only teaches your kiddies about music and sound but also opens doors for a homemade orchestra and creative musical exploration. Let’s make some noise!

Learn More: Music In Our Homeschool

41. Urban Sketching Adventure

Take art outside! Lead your kiddos on an urban sketching adventure around the school or local area, encouraging them to sketch scenes or objects they find interesting, honing observation and drawing skills. They’ll gain a whole new appreciation for their local area and improve their artistic skills in the process!

42. Silk Painting

Explore the unique medium of silk painting. Using specialized silk paint, your little artists can create beautiful, vibrant artwork on silk fabric. This project gives them a chance to try out this amazing traditional art form and requires them to have patience, attention to detail, and a steady hand! The end results will be beautiful!

Learn More: Gathered

43. Community Art Project

Make art a community endeavor! Engage your kids in a community art project, like painting a mural in the school or crafting art for a local nursing home. It’s a wonderful way to instill a sense of community and the positive impact of art. What a super way to bring everyone together!

Learn More: Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa

44. Yarn Bombing School

Weave some fun around your school with this craft project! Introduce your kiddos to the wacky world of yarn bombing by decorating a part of the school with colorful knitted, or crocheted yarn! It’s a cozy way to explore public art and crafting.

Learn More: Twinkl

45. Zen Garden Creation

In the chaos of school, a zen garden could be a welcome moment of calm! Guide your students to create miniature Zen gardens, discussing the principles of Zen and the calming nature of raking sand and arranging the stones. It’s a peaceful activity that also introduces cultural appreciation to your class.

Learn More: Guidepost Montessori

46. Performance Art Exploration

Drama meets art in this next idea! Challenge your kiddos to create and perform short performance art pieces. Encourage them to use their bodies as part of their art as they learn about how this modern art form pushes boundaries. With no limit on creativity, the results are sure to be out of this world!

47. Animation Basics

Action! Introduce your learners to basic animation techniques through a stop-motion animation project. Have them create their own short animations, using modeling clay, paper pieces, or even LEGOS to learn about and have a go at this exciting and modern art form. They’ll love creating their animations and playing them back to the rest of the class!

The 30 Best Art Activities For Middle School Students

Categories Activities & Ideas

Art is one of those subjects that many middle schoolers look forward to.

It provides a welcome creative outlet and gives them a break from math and languages.

Coming up with compelling new art project ideas isn’t always easy, though.

Sometimes, as teachers, our creative juices just run dry.

Fear not, you bring the paints; we’ve got the ideas covered.

Below, we’ve pulled together a list of the 30 best art activities for middle school students – you’re welcome!

1. Self-Portraits With Mixed Media

Have students create self-portraits using various materials like magazine clippings, fabric, paint, and colored pencils.

This activity encourages self-expression and lets students experiment with different mediums.

2. Art History Timeline

Guide your middle school students to research different art movements, from ancient to modern times, and then have them create a timeline using drawings, paintings, or collages that represent each period.

3. Cultural Art Study

Assign different cultures or countries to students and have them research traditional art forms from that culture. They can then create their own artwork inspired by their research.

4. Nature Impressions

Take students outside and have them choose a natural object.

They can then create artwork using this object, either by drawing or painting it or using it to make impressions in clay.

5. Comic Strips

Encourage students to create their own short comic strips.

This activity can be integrated with literature, allowing students to adapt scenes from books or plays they’re studying.

6. Mural Project

As a group, students can brainstorm a theme and then create a large mural that represents that theme. This promotes teamwork and allows students to contribute to a bigger project.

7. Recycled Art

Have students bring in old or discarded items from home and challenge them to turn these materials into a new piece of art.

This teaches resourcefulness and environmental consciousness.

8. 3D Sculpture

Using materials like clay, wire, or papier-mâché, students can create three-dimensional sculptures.

This can be based on a theme, or they can have free rein to create what they wish.

9. Stop Motion Animation

With the use of simple apps or software, students can create their own stop-motion videos.

They can sculpt characters, design sets, and develop short narratives.

10. Printmaking

Introduce students to the basics of printmaking using materials like rubber, foam, or linoleum. They can carve their own designs and then make prints using various colors of ink.

11. Photography Exploration

If the right equipment is available at your school, students can delve into photography, learning about composition, lighting, and subjects.

They can then hold a small exhibition of their best shots.

12. Abstract Watercolor Backgrounds

Equip students with watercolor paints and let them create abstract backgrounds by mixing and blending different colors.

Once dry, they can use black ink or thin markers to overlay patterns or doodles on top.

13. Thematic Sketchbook

Provide each student with a sketchbook and introduce a theme every week.

This will not only improve their drawing skills but also encourage them to think creatively within set parameters.

14. Monochromatic Painting

Challenge students to choose one color and create a painting using only shades, tints, and tones of that color. This is a great way to teach them about color depth and variation.

15. Landscapes In Perspective

Teach students the basics of one-point, two-point, and three-point perspectives, and have them create a landscape or cityscape based on these principles.

16. Ceramic Tile Painting

Get your hands on some blank ceramic tiles and let students paint on them with specialized ceramic paints.

Once dried, these can be glazed and fired for a lasting piece of art.

17. Pop Art Portraits

Introduce students to the world of Pop Art, highlighting artists like Andy Warhol.

Have them create their own pop art-style portraits using bold colors and patterns.

18. Collaborative Story Illustration

Start a narrative and ask every student to draw a continuation of the story based on the previous student’s artwork. This can result in a fascinating visual story at the end.

19. Interactive Art

Allow students to create art pieces that viewers can interact with.

This could be tactile art, pieces with movable parts, or even art that involves light and shadow.

20. Origami And Paper Sculpture

Go beyond the traditional paper folding methods and challenge students to create intricate paper sculptures or large-scale origami installations.

21. Mosaic Madness

Provide students with broken tiles, glass pieces, or colored paper and have them create mosaics. This could be on boards, pots, or even furniture.

22. Clay Busts

Give each student clay and tools, and ask them to create a miniature clay bust of themselves.

23. Art Inspired by Literature

After reading a story, poem, or play in class, students can be asked to interpret and depict a scene, character, or emotion through their artwork.

24. Kinetic Sculptures

Introduce the concept of art in motion. Using wire, beads, and other materials, students can craft sculptures that move, rotate, or balance.

25. Resin Art

Introduce your students to resin as a medium and have them create coasters or hangers made with resin and filled with materials like buttons, glitter, or even flower petals.

26. Digital Art Exploration

If resources allow, students can explore digital mediums like graphic design, digital painting, or even 3D modeling.

There are many free software options available that are user-friendly for beginners.

27. Fashion Design

Engage your students in the task of designing clothes for the future. They can use bold pens or different materials to create shapes and textures.

28. Geometric Shapes

Share the concept of geometric shapes in art with your students and ask them to draw an animal using only geometric shapes.

29. Jewelry Making

Introduce students to the world of jewelry design. Using beads, wire, thread, and other adornments, they can create earrings, necklaces, and bracelets.

As they advance, techniques like bead weaving, macramé, and even simple metalwork can be explored.

This activity can be particularly rewarding as students can wear and showcase their creations.

30. Handmade Greeting Cards

Incorporate printmaking, collage, and drawing techniques to create unique greeting cards.

Students can design cards for specific holidays, birthdays, or other special occasions.

This activity can teach students about design composition and the importance of conveying a message through their artwork.

Further reading: Drawing games for your students .

Art is an opportunity to let your imagination run wild while learning about the concepts and techniques that have influenced the world of art.

It’s an important part of the curriculum that allows children to express their creativity.

Above, we’ve given you 28 art activities for middle school students that they’re sure to enjoy.

Hopefully, this will help to keep your lessons fresh and exciting.

Ready for more inspiration? Take a look at these STEM ideas .

• Recent Posts

• Homeschooling In High School: Pros And Cons - February 24, 2024
• How Do I Withdraw My Child From School To Homeschool? - February 23, 2024
• How To Not Go Crazy Homeschooling Kids: A Guide For Frazzled Parents - February 22, 2024

Related Posts:

Leave a comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Make a Mark Studios

My Favorite Middle School Art Projects

After a decade of teaching high school art, I’ve recently moved to teaching middle school art. It’s a blast and there is truly NEVER a dull moment. Through some trial and error, I’ve learned that some projects are more engaging than others. Below are some of my favorite middle school art projects that have yielded engagement and great visual end products! The ideas below use a variety of art media and include a range of 2d and 3d art projects. I hope you enjoy! Feel free to comment below if you’d like to share some of your personal idea for successful middle school art projects.

#1- 3D Shadowbox Collages

Student goal: Use found collage images to create layers of depth inside a 3D foam core shadowbox. Click here for the full lesson of this 3d shadowbox collage project.

#2- Colored Light Self Portraits

Student goal: Use colored pencils on toned paper to draw a self portrait of yourself photographed with a colored light source (we used 3 light sources- red, blue and green bulbs). Click here for more information about this lesson using colored light sources.

A variation with a cropped composition on expressive eyes.

#3- Vortex Drawings

Student goal: Use a media of your choice to draw a vortex that shows depth, rhythm and movement. Click here for a full lesson on how to draw a variety of vortexes.

#4- Alien Point of View Perspective Drawings

Student goal: Use paint stix, oil pastels, or colored pencils to render an exaggerated “alien’s point of view” space drawing. Click here for free lesson a guided worksheet of this fun, alien perspective drawing.

#5- 1/2 Cartoon Face Digital Portraits

Student goal: With a photographed portrait, creatively divide the face in half and use digital drawing methods to stylize one side as a cartoon. Click here for free guided steps on how to do the 1/2 cartoon face portrait.

*This project was inspired by a viral challenge called #cartoonme. Lots of cool inspiration photos online!

#6- Plaster Masks

Student goal: Using plaster strips upon a cardboard armature, create a wearable 3d mask. **In my class, we connected this to Hispanic heritage month and created Sugar Skull and Alebrije masks. We used this free template to create the armature for the mask.

#7- Elements of Art Project

Student goal: Divide one subject into seven sections. In each section, illustrate each of the elements of art using a variety of materials. For more information on this lesson including step by step directions, click here.

#8- Monochromatic Posterized Portrait Paintings

Student goal: Using a portrait of your choice, create a monochromatic, posterized portrait. **We used this method (with the free webpased program Pixlr) to digitally posterize our photo references prior to drawing and painting them on canvas.

#9 Limited Color Scheme Landscapes

Student goal: Using a random color scheme of only 5 colors, create a composition of a landscape that shows a sense of space with foreground, mid ground and background. ** Click here to check out how I randomly assign students their 5 colors and their landscape setting. There is also a free guided video to show students how to begin this project.

#10 Surreal Collage Perspective Rooms

Student goal: Draw a room with accurate 1 point perspective techniques and add color to all sides of the room. Then, creatively incorporate surreal collage images into the room. Click here to check out my FREE guided step by step instructions on how to draw a 1 point perspective room interior.

#11- Open ended art challenges

Student goal: Using a random art challenge prompt (such as the #blendartchallenge) , artists will use a style and medium of their choice to compose a solution.

#12-Monster Dolls (inspired by kid drawings)

Student goal: Using a drawing of a monster from a young child for inspiration, create a hand sewn stuffed animal. Use a variety of materials including felt, cloth, yarn, buttons, and more!

#13- Wire Stocking Sculptures

Student goal: Using a block of wood as your base and a nylon stocking stretched over a manipulated wire hanger, create an interesting 3d form. Use acrylic paint to create a gradient of at least 3 colors.

This is a really popular project, if you are looking for step by step directions a quick google search of ‘wire stocking sculptures’ should get ya there!

#14- Dictionary Page Drawings

Student goal: Given a random dictionary page, find at last one word on the page to illustrate visually. Use a variety of art media to contrast your drawn image with the busy background. ** For more info on this lesson, check out this link here.

#15- Geometric Creatures

Student goal : On a watercolor wash background, draw a silhouette of a creature. Break your creature into polygonal shapes and add color with marker.

#16- Collaborative School Logo “Quilt” Drawings

Student goal: Create a quilted tile section of the school logo. Use a material of your choice and a style of your choice to show your individual personality. **Note, the entire logo is visually connected by the black lines.

#17- Faux Lined Paper Illusion Drawings

Student goal: On a white piece of paper, create a “faux” lined piece of paper with bending blue lines over a shaded pencil drawing. **My students used this awesome website by Julianna Kunstler to aid in our drawings. It was very helpful.

#19 Linoleum block printing

Student goal: Create high contrast prints using a hand carved linoleum block.

#20-Oil Pastel Dragon Eyes

Student goal: Use oil pastels to create a colorful drawing of dragon eye. Imply the texture of the scales through use of blending gradients. **Note- I am definitely not the teacher who created this idea, it’s pretty popular and oh-so-fun! I would love to credit whoever originally got this going, so let me know! My students used t his resource by Art by Ro to help us draw the dragon eyes.

#21- Line Drawing Landscapes-in-a-shape

Student goal: Create a landscape in a shape that shows a sense of depth. Explore a variety of line drawing techniques such as hatching and stippling to add texture and value. **Note, this lesson comes from this post from Cassie Stephens who was inspired by an artist named Jen Aranyi.

#22- ANYTHING op art!

Student goal: Choose from a choice board (I gave them lots of choices!), create an original op art drawing! **If you are interested in a fun op art drawing from Make a Mark Studios, check it out here! 🙂

#23 Art History Reproductions

Student goal: Analyzing the brushstrokes, colors, and composition, recreate a famous artwork. **We created ours on our ceiling tiles as our 8th grade legacy works. C lick here for tips we learned along the way for painting on ceiling tiles.

#24 Non Objective Abstract Art

Student goal: Use sharpie to draw a non objective abstract artwork with a variety of lines and shapes. Using oil pastels, color in the composition fully.

#25 3D Creature Heads

Student goal: Use recyclables to build an armature of a 3d fictional creature head of your own imagination. Use paper mache or plaster strips to finalize your head . For full lesson on how to do this, check out my blog post here—

#26 Glowing Light Bulb Drawing

Student goal: Use colored pencils on black paper to create the illusion of a glowing light bulb. For step by step guided tutorial and video, check out my full post here.

#27 Watercolor Mosaic

Student goal: Create a mosaic using cut tiles from a painted watercolor background. Explore either random polygonal tile shapes or a geometric repeated shape. For full lesson, check out my blog post here.

#28 2 point perspective graffiti wall

Student goal: Create a personalized graffiti tag on an illustrated 2 point perspective brick wall. For a FREE full guided drawing lesson of how to do this, check out my blog post here.

#27 Bauhaus Geometric Shape Paper Collages

Student goal: Create an asymmetrically balanced, geometric Bauhaus-inspired paper collage. For more info on this creative shape challenge, check out my blog post here.

#28 Mixed Media Abstract Art with EMPHASIS

Student goal: Create a mixed media abstract artwork that employs the principle of design EMPHASIS to create a defined focal point. For more info on this lesson, c heck out my blog post here.

#29 Hand Sewn Pop Tart Plushies!!

Student goal: Hand sew a pop art plushie inspired by contemporary felt artist, Lucy Sparrow! Step by step tutorial for how to sew a pop tart can be found here!

#30- Primary color, Pop Art Inspired Onomatopoeia Compositions!

Student goal: Create a composition of an onomatopoeia inspired by the pop artists using techniques such as ben day dots, primary color schemes, bold outlines, and more! Click here for the lesson on how to complete this Pop art project..

#31- Color wheel in an Eye

Student goal: Using only 3 primary colors of paint, create a color of 12 analogous colors in an iris of an eye. Click here for a step by step tutorial of how to create a color wheel in an eye.

Thanks for checking out this blog post! Please  follow Make a Mark Studios on Facebook  to keep up with the latest posts! Thanks in advance!

-Stephanie Villiotis , creator of Make a Mark Studios

Share this:

• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• About Art Class Curator
• Media & Press
• Programs for Schools
• Member Login
• Search this website

Art Class Curator

Hands-on and Minds-curious Art Learning

Experience Art Book and Card Deck on Kickstarter!

Art printables, worksheets, and powerpoints.

Inside: A collection of printable art worksheets, PowerPoints, and lesson plans to use in art class. (Most of them are FREE!)

Art class should be about more than just making art! Art lessons should introduce students to a variety of works of art and allow them to explore the process, the history, and their own personal connections to the artworks they encounter.

Keeping a class full of students engaged while looking at art takes practice, confidence, inventive activities , and a variety of approaches. But most of us weren’t taught how to talk about art with kids . That’s why I’ve gathered some of my best printable art worksheets and downloads in one place! Most of these art lesson plans can be used for any grade level and there’s enough variety to keep elementary, middle, and high school students interested and intrigued.

Free Printable Art Worksheets

My favorite go-to art lessons come from the Art Appreciation Worksheet Bundle .

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3! 1. Pick an artwork 2. Print one of the Art Appreciation Worksheets 3. Watch with joy as your students connect with and interpret art

The bundle includes 25 printable art worksheets, but everyone who signs up for Your Weekly Art Break , my email newsletter full of art inspiration, gets six FREE art appreciation worksheets . Fill out the form below to receive your free art worksheets and weekly art inspiration.

Free Worksheets!

Art Appreciation Worksheets

In this free bundle of art worksheets, you receive six ready-to-use art worksheets with looking activities designed to work with almost any work of art.

Below, you’ll find a collection of the Art Class Curator posts that include art printables and downloads. These brains-on art activities will jump-start students’ critical thinking skills and breath new life into their  art projects . All of these art lesson plans are all free unless otherwise marked. Most are printable PDFs, but the ones containing PowerPoints are marked.

Free Elements and Principles Printable Pack

This pack of printables was designed to work in a variety of ways in your classroom when teaching the elements and principles of art. You can print and hang in your classroom as posters/anchor charts or you can cut each element and principle of art in its own individual card to use as a lesson manipulative. Click here to download the Elements and Principles Printable Pack.

Free Resource!

Elements & Principles Printable Pack

The Elements & Principles of Art are the foundation of every artwork, but teaching them can be a bore. Wake your students up and engage them with full color artworks, easy to understand definitions, and thought-provoking higher level thinking questions. This versatile resource can be hung in the classroom or used as an art manipulative.

Art Appreciation Printables

• Free Art Appreciation Printable Worksheet Bundle
• Art Appreciation Worksheet Bundle 25-Pack  
• I am… Dorothea Lange: Exploring Empathy
• Character Analysis Art Activity: Twitter Perspectives
• Haikus about Art
• I See, I Think, I Wonder
• “I Feel” Word Wheel: Learning Emotional Literacy in Art Education

Art Appreciation Activities & Art Appreciation Lessons

• Art Description and Drawing Activity
• Virtual Art Museum Field Trip
• Complete the Picture: An Easy Art Appreciation Game for Kids
• Interpreting the Power of the Kongo Nkisi N’Kondi

Artworks Printables

Artworks Worksheets & Artworks Activities

• Art, Horror, and The Sublime: Symbolism in Pablo Picasso’s Guernica
• Kollwitz & Cassatt: Two Views of Motherhood in Art
• Rosa Rolanda Jigsaw Art Learning Activity

Artworks Lessons

• Elements of Art Examples & Definitions
• Principles of Design Examples & Definitions
• Frida Kahlo’s The Two Fridas  Art Discussion Lesson
• Art Analysis Activity for John Gast’s American Progress
• Art Around the World in 30 Days – China
• Masterpiece Monday: Manifest Destiny Art

Art Criticism Printables

Art criticism worksheets.

• SPARK: 5 Art Criticism Steps for Inspired Art Connections and Conversations
• Art History Student Study Guide Worksheets

Art Criticism Activities

• 82 Questions to Ask About Art
• Photograph Analysis Learning Activities

Art Criticism Lessons

• 4 Steps of Art Criticism Lesson
• What is Art? – Aesthetics Lesson Bundle
• Classical Sculpture Analysis Lesson  
• Decoding Style: How to Teach Students to Read an Artwork  

Puzzles About Art Printables

Teaching students about  art and aesthetics  is a great way to make them think about art in a new way. Aesthetics puzzles ignite exciting, meaningful classroom art discussions  and flex students’ philosophical and critical thinking skills.

• Puzzles About Art: The Chimpanzee Painter
• Puzzles About Art: Call it Driftwood

More Art Printables

You can find more art lesson plans in the Art Class Curator store and on Teachers Pay Teachers . Sign up for  Your Weekly Art Break   to get six free art art worksheets and weekly art inspiration delivered to your inbox!

Get Art Inspiration To Your Inbox!

*free bundle of art appreciation worksheets*.

• Education Resources
• Art + Merch

Designing a Middle School Art Curriculum

I have designed many art curriculums in my time teaching and developing art lessons. Middle school can be a tough level to plan for. When developing a middle school curriculum you need to build off of techniques taught in elementary art classes and prepare them for high school art classes. You also have to take into account the possibility they didn’t have art in elementary school. Topics must be engaging, not too juvenile, but age-appropriate.

When creating middle school art curriculums, similar to elementary art curriculums , I use the elements of art and principles of design as the backbone. Because the elements and principles are often introduced in elementary art, in middle school art classes you want to review and reinforce the ideas they learned in elementary school.

Check out how I introduce each element of art and principle of design when creating a middle school art curriculum. There is a lot of info here, it’s going to be a long one! If you want to jump straight to the details, check out my year-long middle school art curriculum ( on TPT here and on my website here ), semester 1 middle school art curriculum ( on TPT here and on my website here ), and semester 2 middle school art curriculum ( on TPT here and on my website here ).

When designing an elementary art curriculum I prefer teaching the elements and principles in order of complexity. But, because middle school is a review, with middle school art curriculums you can jump around. Focus on building art techniques and subjects from simple to complex. Next, highlight the element or principle that is most important in the project.

In my middle school art curriculum, I like to start with a still-life drawing. Students draw a still life with little instruction, then redraw it at the end of the course to gauge their improvement. This is a homerun lesson for administrators, who love those tangible growth markers. It also gives students a boost to see how far they have come. I focus on the principle of design, contrast in this lesson. (Check out this lesson on my TPT or my website shop ).

After the still life drawing we shift focus to the element of art, value, with a shading review (check it out on my TPT ). I use printable art activities for students to work on independently before applying shading techniques to a fun optical illusion project, op art squiggles (check it out on my TPT ). This is a fun, approachable way to review shading techniques. Op art squiggles ix one of those projects that is successful no matter a student’s art ability.

Value continues to be the highlighted element of art in the next project, landscape drawing. Atmospheric perspective (check it out on my TPT) is discussed and students focus on monochromatic landscapes. Through shading practice, a fun op art lesson, and a traditional drawing, middle schoolers practice and master techniques.

Next in my middle school art curriculum is a focus on variety. After a traditional, technique-focused project with the landscape drawing, students loosen up with Zentangles (check it out on my TPT here ). Students design a zendoodle maze and fill their design with patterns. Variety is the highlighted principle of design in this fun, loose project. I love this lesson because it has a cross-curricular tie into ELA by discussing the book, The Maze Runner (another admin homerun).

After so much drawing focus it’s time to add a new material and technique, copper tooling! This is a lesser-known art material, but it’s so fun to work with. Your middle school art students will be oooohhhing and aaaaahhhhing over the shiny metallic surfaces. The bonus, copper sheets are cheap, double-sided (silver on one, copper on the other), and you can use pencils to create the design. For this project, students look at historic bronze reliefs and create their own story in one image. The principle of design, emphasis, is the highlight as students learn how to emphasize their focal points. (Check out this project on my TPT ).

Art history is an underlying theme in the next project, a focus on Egyptian cartouches. Although students return to drawing materials, they finally get to incorporate a wider range of color. This project is low supply, using colored pencils, crayons, or markers. Students write their name or initials in Egyptian hieroglyphics and use the element of art, shape, as a guide in adding decoration. (Check this out on my TPT )

REPETITION AND PATTERN

Since you can’t have pattern without repetition I like to teach these two principles of design together. Middle school artists continue to work in color using markers to create a print. First, they draw a garden design using Sharpie, filling the shapes with patterns. Next, marker is transferred from foil to their drawing to create a unique look. (Check this out on my TPT )

Although students have used color up to this point, this unit is where color is emphasized and discussed in depth! I start my middle school art students with a color review. We look at color theory, color schemes, and similar. Students work on color mixing handouts to review color mixing and the color wheel. (Check out the handouts on my website ).

Following a color review students apply their understanding of color mixing in a fun portrait project. Rather than focusing on realistic portraits, students create two blind contours, a self-portrait and a portrait of their neighbor. These drawings create such fun shapes and spaces they fill with color. (Check out this lesson on my TPT ).

Next in my middle school art curriculum is the final painting project, a roofing paper painting. This focuses on symbolism and selecting a color scheme. Students create stained glass-inspired paintings that have a big visual impact. You can read about this project in-depth on my blog or grab it ready to go on my TPT or on my website shop.

Rhythm is the next principle of design students focus on. For this art lesson students use their initials to create a mandala design. Using repetition and pattern they create a sense of rhythm around a central point to create radial symmetry. This is another quick, low-supply project. Check it out on my TPT .

The element of art, space, is the subject of two projects because it can be technically challenging. To warm up, students learn about one-point perspective by drawing their name or initials in perspective (check it out on my TPT). Next, students apply their understanding of one-point perspective to create a mixed media project incorporating perspective and self-reflection. They select a word that reflects them and add it to a perspective word bubble. Next, they take a picture of themselves showing that word. To wrap it up, they design a frame to put their picture in and place the word on top (Check it out on my TPT ).

PROPORTION & SCALE

A perfect building-off point from space is scale. Students think of scale two-dimensionally by creating another Op Art project, a face/vase design. This is filled in with more Zentangles, continuing to practice lines and patterns. Check out this lesson on my TPT . Next, they think of scale in terms of creating an illusion of space by drawing a person in perspective. Check out this lesson on my TPT .

Line is the focus of the self-portrait print project. This project is so fun because students focus on creating a Pop Art version of themselves. To make this printing project even easier, have students print in white and add color using colored pencils. Scratch foam is the material used to print, this is a cheap, easy-to-use product. The lines are created in the printing process and create a unique, interesting work of art. Check this project out on my TPT.

I don’t think a middle school art curriculum is complete without at least one sculpture project. Although it’s easy to focus on 2D lessons, they are easier to store and oversee, it’s so important to introduce students to the world of 3D art. With this lesson, students are creating animal-shaped bells. This is a fun, engaging project with an interactive final product. If you don’t have kiln access, don’t stress! Use air-dry clay and paint. Check this project out on my TPT .

As a follow-up to creating animal bells, students learn about building vessels. Using clay slabs they add texture by pressing objects into the surface of the clay. The slabs are then put together to create a hollow form. This project creates beautiful, displayable sculptures. Check it out on my TPT.

Following sculpture projects, students turn back to 2D by creating mixed media works of art. Balance is the principle of design they focus on as they create a collage of found images. Students then redraw the collage, using cubism as inspiration, adding charcoal, paint, ink, and other materials. This project allows students to experiment with composition and supplies. Check it out on my TPT here or website here .

This fun, one-day art activity creates successful results no matter what. Unity is the focus as students turn printed images into tape transfers. These semi-transparent images are then layered over a collage base to create a unique, mixed-media work of art. Check it out on my TPT here or website shop here .

Middle School Art Curriculum Wrap-Up

The final projects of my middle school art curriculum don’t focus on single elements of art and principles of design, but instead task students with harmoniously bringing them all together. First, students explore the world of graphic design and digital art by redesigning a movie poster using the free, online program, Canva. This project is fun and focuses on current topics that interest students (check it out on my TPT or on my website). Next, students further explore collage and mixed media by creating mini works of art to trade. Artist trading cards are always a hit with middle schoolers, this project is a must-try (Check it out on my TPT and on my website ). Last, but not least students redraw the still life from day one and bask in the glory of their growth as an artist.

When you design a middle school art curriculum it’s all about scaffolding. You don’t want to throw students into the deep end without them understanding or mastering a technique. In middle school, you need to build confidence for students to enjoy a project and be ready to move to the next step. Start with smaller activities and basics of art with drawing, build to color, test out sculpture, and end with mixed media bringing all the techniques together.

Are you looking for ideas to create an elementary art curriculum? Check out my blog post here .

I hope you have ideas for your next art class and feel more confident in how to scaffold lessons. Please reach out with any questions or comments! Don’t forget to follow me on  Instagram  and  TikTok  for weekly visual journal demos and other project ideas.  Subscribe here  to get freebies, project tutorials, and more straight to your inbox. Until next time!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Related Posts

Recent Posts

Another awesome resource from one of my favorite creators! I used this with both in person and virtual students. All were engaged and enjoyed learning." -Buyer, Photoshop Basics Packet

Give us a Follow

Get a free set of 8 elements of art posters when you subscribe!

Leah Newton Art

Explore. Discover. Create.

Creative Color Wheel

August 13, 2019 8 Comments

Leah Newton Art is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. This post may include affiliate links, and I may receive a commission when you click on one of these links and make a purchase.

Middle school students will use color theory in this creative color wheel project. Designing individual parts to make a creative whole is so fun! This project covers Common Core Standards for Math for grade 7 which can be found at the end of the lesson.

Grade Level

5th, 6th, 7th, 8th grades- The examples in this lesson are by 7th graders

Objective  

In this Creative Color Wheel lesson, students will design a creative color wheel using primary, secondary and tertiary colors.

3 – 60 min lessons

Materials 

• Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple Acrylic Paint. Acrylic Paint – Crayola Washable Kids Paint Set, 10 Count
• 12×18 Watercolor paper – Canson XL Series Watercolor Textured Paper Pad for Paint, Pencil, Ink, Charcoal, Pastel, and Acrylic, Fold Over, 140 Pound, 12 x 18 Inch, 30 Sheets
• Brushes – Acrylic Paint Brush Set, 1 Packs / 10 pcs Nylon Hair Brushes for All Purpose Oil Watercolor Painting Artist Professional Kits
• Rulers (yard and foot if possible)
• Black – Tru-Ray Sulphite Construction Paper, 12 x 18 Inches, Black, 50 Sheets – 054150

Inspiration/Artist 

I was inspired to make this project from this site: Click Here

Instruction with Questions

Show a couple of videos.  I like all of these, but depending on what background they have about color theory, you may only need a couple of them.  After watching them, have a discussion reviewing what they learned.

Youtube: The Colors Song | The Colours Song | Scratch Garden: Click Here

Beginning Graphic Design: Color:  Click Here

Elements of Art: Color | KQED Arts: Click Here

Brain Games – Visible Spectrum: Click Here

Use this Color Theory for kids inspired by Disney PowerPoint Presentation: Click Here

Another idea is to use this color wheel and have them color in the areas with the appropriate color.  Click Here for the PDF

An alternate plan would be to have students cut up magazines to find colors for each area of the template.

Students divide a 12×18 size paper into three sections (4 inches apart each)

Then divide it again. They should have 12 four inch size squares.

In each corner you can see (in the image below) that I had them label each corner with R for Red, RO for Red Orange, O for Orange and so on. It just amazes me that some students will ask me what comes between green and blue. Hmmmm. Anyway, this is a great reinforcement of tertiary colors.

On separate paper plates, I labeled them the same way. Only due to time, and expense, I pre-mixed the colors and set them throughout the room like stations, but I think it is even better when they mix them themselves.

Remind them to make the paint thick but smooth. Sometimes some students went back for a second coat. As you can see from the image below, I encouraged them to leave a bit of white around each edge so the paint did not bleed or mix.

Next, on a blank 4 inch size square, preferably card stock or more watercolor paper, have them draw an image. Now that sounds pretty simple, but it actually will require some practice images first. The main thing they want to do is to make lines and designs in the image. Like a face or in this case the place the hands go on the bat and the lines on the ball. I remind them we are only doing a silhouette. Like a shadow. Only the outline. I remind them to try to fill the paper with the image. In the case of the bat, use the diagonal so the image is as large as possible. It is natural for all of us to draw “small.”

I show the students how to use a window to trace each image exactly. First have them tape their large, dry colored paper to the window with the color facing out, away from them. Then trace the image on the paper. Once they are all traced, they are cut out.

Finally, pass out pre-cut 12×12 size square black construction paper. If I did this project again, I would give them a circle to place in the middle of the paper. It is really hard to find a circle when laying out the pieces. I love the ball and bat – one student did them facing out and another student inverted them. I also love the use of paw prints to add to the design. If you have more advanced students, you could use the scraps to add a complimentary color accent onto each piece.

Here are some finished Creative Color Wheel pieces!

Common Core Standards

7th grade – math – geometry.

Draw, construct, and describe geometrical figures and describe the relationships between them.

• Solve problems involving scale drawings of geometric figures, including computing actual lengths and areas from a scale drawing and reproducing a scale drawing at a different scale.
• Draw (freehand, with ruler and protractor, and with technology) geometric shapes with given conditions. Focus on constructing triangles from three measures of angles or sides, noticing when the conditions determine a unique triangle, more than one triangle, or no triangle.
• Describe the two-dimensional figures that result from slicing three-dimensional figures, as in plane sections of right rectangular prisms and right rectangular pyramids.

Solve real-life and mathematical problems involving angle measure, area, surface area, and volume.

• Know the formulas for the area and circumference of a circle and use them to solve problems; give an informal derivation of the relationship between the circumference and area of a circle.
• Use facts about supplementary, complementary, vertical, and adjacent angles in a multi-step problem to write and solve simple equations for an unknown angle in a figure.
• Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving area, volume and surface area of two- and three-dimensional objects composed of triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons, cubes, and right prisms.

About Leah Newton

February 26, 2021 at 2:29 pm

September 1, 2021 at 2:40 am

I absolutely love this activity! I will be using this with my middle school art class at our homeschool co-op. Thank you!

September 2, 2021 at 11:13 pm

Thank you for the feedback. Let me know how it goes!

September 18, 2021 at 1:49 pm

I teach 5th grade and my group this year is so creative and artistic. I am not an artist and have no artistic talent, but work hard to bring quality art projects to my classes. I have searched everywhere for a creative way to teach color. This project is amazing and thanks for sharing this for teachers like me.❤️

September 19, 2021 at 7:02 pm

I am so excited you found this lesson. I hope your students enjoy it! Let me know how it goes and how else I can support you.

October 5, 2021 at 12:52 am

This is so great! We had a lot of fun with it. I let the kids mix the colours…it was chaotic and stressful for me, but when I focused on their “talk” it was all about the colours, how much of each, no that’s too green, we need more blue…etc. So the kids got a lot out of it. Thanks so much for sharing, I will definitely do this again!

October 5, 2021 at 7:02 pm

I am so glad it was so successful! Let me know how else I can support you. Thank you for reaching out!

January 28, 2024 at 5:34 pm

Nice idea and different from the norm! Thank you for sharing!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow Along!

Subscribe for updates.