Art appreciation is one of those things homeschoolers typically would love to add in, but rarely seem to find the time. And who wants to spend big $$ on an art curriculum. We have enough to worry about just finding that perfect math book! Well here is an easy way to pull together an inexpensive (FREE) art appreciation study that takes little time (one lesson per month).
Concordia University has put together a series of free art appreciation lessons. Each level includes 10 lessons that roughly correspond to the months September through June.
Each lesson includes background on the artist, information about the work, directed observation, activities, and recommended literature that would go well with the picture study.
The first level of study is Grade 1 Lessons. We don’t have to worry ourselves about “grade level.” Just enjoy these well-written activities with the entire family. Art has a way of crossing all age barriers.
If you are looking for more, use the month to study other works of the featured artist. Or take an idea from these 8 ways to easily teach art appreciation.
Selected Works
The Peaceable Kingdom — Edward Hicks
Double Meaning: Edward Hicks’ “The Peaceable Kingdom”
Three-lesson Core Knowledge lesson plan that incorporates art painting activities.
Unit Studies Using Art as the Thread
Ideas from Susan Jeffus, incorporating the animals from The Peaceable Kingdom.
Winter Landscape — Pieter Brueghel
The Strawberry Girl — Sir Joshua Reynolds
Sir Joshua Reynolds by Estelle M. Hurll
Subtitled “A Collection of Fifteen Pictures and a Portrait of the Painter with Introduction and Interpretation,” you’ll find a discussion of The Strawberry Girl in Chapter XIV.
Abraham Lincoln — Daniel Chester French
Hands of an Artist: Daniel French’s Lincoln Memorial
An NPR audio.
(You may want to install an ad blocker before viewing.)
The Large Turf — Albrecht Dürer
Mary Cassatt: A Unit Study
Lots of resources, selected works, and printables in our unit.
The Country School — Winslow Homer
Additional Resources
Discovering Great Artists by Kohl and Solga
Winner of a Practical Homeschooling Reader Award, contains over 150 hands-on activities based on the styles of great artists. Artists covered include Mary Cassatt, Paul Cezanne, John Constable, Albrecht Durer, Winslow Homer, and Norman Rockwell.
Artist Notebooking Pages
Simple pages for recording information about an artist, and narrating and drawing/illustrating a work of art.
Monthly Art Appreciation Lessons Free ~ Part 2
More from Concordia.
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