What is art?

Art is the expression of ideas and emotions through a physical medium, like painting, sculpture, film, dance, writing, photography, or theatre.

7 Forms Of Art

The 7 Forms of Art are:

• Painting
• Sculpture
• Architecture
• Literature
• Theater
• Cinema
• Music

5 Strategies for Teaching Art in the Classroom

1. Develop a Strong Artistic Foundation

For younger children or beginners, starting with basic skills and concepts builds a foundation to work from. Essential drawing techniques such as shading and perspective rely on lines, shapes and forms. More complex techniques are introduced as children progress, and can flow into illustration, painting and collage. Other valuable concepts that can be introduced include colour theory and the basics of sculpture and printmaking.

2. Teach Art History to Develop Context

Many children only learn about art history after they’ve been creating art for years. However, an early introduction to important art movements and representative artists adds context to lessons and supports a deep appreciation of art overall.

3. Encourage Learning Through Projects

Some hands-on fun projects in the classroom may include self-portraits, nature-inspired art, simple animal sculptures, even a group mural. Letting children create art without direction is fun indeed, while introducing a defined art project can encourage focus, critical thinking and problem-solving as a child works to meet certain goals. In learning about art, both methods serve a purpose.

4. Integrate Art With Complementary Subjects

Rather than treating art as an isolated subject in the creative fields, integrating art into other lessons such as science, math, history and music can be enlightening. This approach effectively demonstrates how knowledge is interconnected and can help ensure the information is retained. For example, you could teach a science lesson about the life cycle of a butterfly, then ask the children to create an art project based on this theme.

5. Incorporate Discussion and Feedback into Lessons

Communication is a crucial element of teaching art in the classroom. Encourage children to discuss their completed work and offer constructive feedback to help them improve. Examining projects as a group also helps create a collaborative classroom environment.