Elementary Art Lessons, Projects & Teaching Ideas for K–5

Because art is fundamental to who we are. Art has always been a basic form of human communication. From cave walls to classroom walls, art helps us express ideas, tell stories, and better understand the world around us. I believe art is an essential part of every child's education, which is why I chose the name Art is Basic. Here you'll find K–5 creative art lessons, teaching ideas, and printable resources to help K–5 art teachers inspire young artists.

A red bulletin board displays various colorful, handmade animal and character masks crafted by 3rd and 4th graders.

Paper Mache Masks — 3rd & 4th Grade

These paper mache masks by the 3rd/4th grade received lots of compliments when they were hanging in the hallway. The class was studying Native American history in their Social Studies and we looked at some Pacific Northwest Coast…

February 17, 2014
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A grid filled with various colorful shapes, textures, and numbers.

100th Day of School Art Project: Kindergarten

Our 100th day of school was this past Friday and I thought I would participate with a 100th day art project for the first time ever. If your 100th day of school has already passed, this might be…

February 11, 2014
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A colorful heart-shaped drawing, titled "Map of My Heart," features birds, children, and handwritten words like "panting," "soah," and "swimming." Smaller drawings and "Love Rina" fill the corners in true 1st Graders' style.

Map of My Heart | A Valentine’s Day Art Project for Kindergarten

My students made maps of their hearts! This is a charming project that gives you a window into the lives of your students. First, they drew a large heart and then inside the heart they included things or…

February 5, 2014
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Circular badge with "Art Ed Blog of the Year 1st Place" written on it, and a banner displaying "2013" at the bottom.

Vote for Art is Basic!

Hey readers! I’m happy to announce I’m in the running for the top 10 art ed blogs of the year over at The Art of Ed. I would be so honored to have your vote for Art…

February 3, 2014
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Colorful hand-drawn flowers of various shapes and sizes using watercolor techniques, with a small blue butterfly at the bottom.

Have You Ever Drawn Flowers with Watercolor Pencils?

The week after winter break was up in the air. Due to construction, we weren’t sure if we were going to be able to use our art room and we didn’t know if we would have easy access…

January 31, 2014
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A collage of colorful My Little Pony characters and toys on a pink, snowflake-covered background.

Creating a Collage with a Preschooler (My Little Pony!)

What did I do on our two “cold” days off school this week? Well, besides snuggling under the warm covers and working on some school work, my 4 year old and I made some canvas collages for her…

January 29, 2014

A collage of 2nd grade children's mixed media masks features a yellow monster, a green creature, a brown dog, and a brown owl.

Mixed Media Masks for 2nd Grade

How many of you have also been off of school Monday and Tuesday this week? This is our 4th day off of school because of cold weather. It is supposed to be -45 windchills tomorrow morning, so we…

January 27, 2014
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Two images of a renovation: one showing a cluttered sink before, and the other with an added sink, a new door built, and space ready for art room construction.

Construction on the Art Room

Our school is building an addition! The addition will double the physical size of our school. Included are several more classrooms, a teacher’s workroom, a performing arts center, multi-purpose room and AN EXTRA ART ROOM. Over winter break,…

January 22, 2014
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Colorful abstract flower art with a yellow center on a silver textured background and surrounding wavy designs, resembling faux stained glass.

Faux Stained Glass Paintings on Transparency Sheets

In the “better late than never” category, last Spring we made these super fun faux stained glass paintings in the 5th/6th grade class. For this project, you will need clear transparency sheets, Sharpie markers, Gallery Glass Paint (the…

January 16, 2014
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Bulletin board featuring snowflake cutouts labeled with names, colorful houses, and a snow-themed background, highlighting our Winter Food Drive.

Winter Food Drive Bulletin Board

I wanted to show you the winter food drive bulletin board with lots of snowflakes! It was a great community project for the kids and our Student Council.

January 12, 2014

A clay model of an Egyptian mummy and its open casket, painted with bright colors and designs, created by 4th and 5th Graders as an art project.

Egyptian Clay Sarcophagus Art Project for 4th and 5th Graders

This is a clay lesson that has been a big hit with my students. You can see my previous posts about this project here and here. The 4th/5th grade class studies ancient Egypt in their social studies class…

January 11, 2014
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Illustration of a hand pointing to a pennant with "GO!" text and "More School Spirit Ideas" written above, ideal for promoting School Events.

10 More Spirit Day Ideas for School!

We are coming up with lots of good ideas for Spirit Days at our school. The first post on Spirit Day ideas was popular with Google searches, so I must not be the only one who is always…

January 4, 2014
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A boy shows his drawing to a group of students, with text above reading, "He showed it to everyone in the entire school.

“I Heard You Can Draw!” Book Review

I was happy to receive a review copy of I Heard You Can Draw: A Story for Class Artists Everywhere, written by M. D. Savran, who is an art teacher and author/illustrator in the Tampa Bay area. I’m…

December 31, 2013
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