3 Ways to Use Open-Ended Art Projects to Help Students Understand Theme
There are many ways to use open-ended art projects to help students understand theme. It’s also very beneficial that they learn this concept because it helps in other areas of learning as well. Keep reading to see the top three ways I use for my art students as well as the educational benefits.
Setting Up the Art Projects
Students read books/stories and determined the themes together. Then, they wrote a short statement about the themes individually. Finally, they created a work of art to communicate the overall theme of the book. This was beneficial as a different way for them to interact with the theme.
3 Ways to Use Open-Ended Art Projects to Help Students Understand Theme
1. They had to understand the themes of the story and then synthesize that into one image.
2. Students used the elements of art and principles of design to create their works: created depth using the space on their paper to show foreground, middle ground, and background. They used repetition of color and shape.
3. This was open-ended because they chose what image would depict the theme best, but they also had to think critically about which elements of art they would use to help communicate the theme.
Visual Arts and Common Core Standards
In addition to the points above, there are several visual arts and common core standards that projects like this include:
Knowing the differences between a variety of media processes and using them to create works of art that communicate ideas. (CP)
Developing perpetual skills and using visual arts vocabulary while creating and studying works of art. (CA)
Recognizing that visual arts concepts and skills are integrated with knowledge in other subject areas for use in everyday life. (C)
Being able to determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text and summarize the text. (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.2)
Describe in depth the character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (character’s thoughts, words, or actions). (CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.4.3)
Elements of Arts Posters Mega Pack
Every classroom needs Elements of Art Posters!
This MEGA PACK of Elements of ART POSTERS will be has it all! So many ways to mix and match, so many variations to make use with students both hands-on, visual, and easy-breezy!
Posters Included:
Color, Shape, Form, Space, Line, Texture, Value
These are the seven elements of art identified by the Kennedy Center for the Arts.
This package contains everything you never dreamed you needed in an Elements of Art poster pack:
Printable posters in an 8.5"x11" format (standard printer size)
Printable posters in an 18"x24" format (larger poster size)
PNG image files for each poster
I print my 8.5"x11" sized posters on card stock or white tagboard and they last for years. These laminate well also. There are over 100 images and over 100 pdf pages included in this pack. Print what you need! Make it work for your classroom!
I’m Amanda, and I align standards and integrate content to help teachers meet the needs of the Whole Child in art class! I have yet to find a standard that I couldn’t teach through art, and I want to share it all with you.
Not sure where to start with bringing art and content together? This freebie guide is packed with 25 ideas to align your art lessons with math and ELA standards. Your students will be crafting art and practicing algebraic thinking. Win-win!
I want all students to feel successful in the art room, so I created a standards-based Daffodil Collage lesson to do just that! The lesson includes an artist study, student reflection, and more, so push your artists to their full potential.
Follow along on my Instagram page for more tips on teaching the Whole Child in the art room!
Connecting art and content together doesn’t have to be mind-boggling. I’ve made it simple with 25 math and ELA art lesson starters - for free! Plus, I included 15 worksheets for students to reflect on their art-making journey.