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25 Unique Art Projects for Middle Schoolers

It’s time to get creative!

Examples of art projects for middle schoolers, including animal mosaics and skyline printmaking.

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

Art projects for middle schoolers include this large comic strip. A child is seen drawing scenes onto a large piece of paper on the floor.

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

A candle is drawn using oil pastels.

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

Pieces of different scrap paper and a drawing of a girl are cut up and pasted together in this example of art projects for middle schoolers

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

A parrot sitting on a branch with a tree behind it is created from bits of broken glass.

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

Several 3D snowflakes are shown made of blue and gray paper and sparkles and sequins.

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

Swirls of bright color are shown outlined in black.

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

A hand is drawn on a piece of paper with information written on it about different periods in art history in this example of art projects for middle schoolers.

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

Two self portraits are shown side by side in this example of art projects for middle schoolers. The faces are drawn on and the heads open up to drawings of trees, etc.

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

A hand drawn playing card has a wolf instead of the usual King design.

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

A bunch of brightly colored paintings of different candies are shown.

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

A brightly colored skyline has prints of black buildings on it.

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

A television has been constructed from a box and features a 3D drawing of a girl painting in this example of art projects for middle schoolers.

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

Two actual soda cans are covered in labels that have been drawn on by students.

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.

The arts are important since they help enhance many skills and reduce stress. Check out our favorite art projects for middle schoolers.

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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

35 Art Lessons and Projects for Middle School - HS

– love learning -your best ed lessons guide, Scott

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middle school art projects

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.

drawing assignments for middle school

#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.

drawing assignments for middle school

A variation with a cropped composition on expressive eyes.

drawing assignments for middle school

#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.

drawing assignments for middle school

#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.

drawing assignments for middle school

#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!

half cartoon portrait

#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.

drawing assignments for middle school

#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.

elements of art review project

#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.

drawing assignments for middle school

#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.

drawing assignments for middle school

#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.

drawing assignments for middle school

#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.

drawing assignments for middle school

#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!

drawing assignments for middle school

#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!

drawing assignments for middle school

#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.

drawing assignments for middle school

#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.

drawing assignments for middle school

#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.

drawing assignments for middle school

#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.

drawing assignments for middle school

#19 Linoleum block printing

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

drawing assignments for middle school

#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.

drawing assignments for middle school

#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.

drawing assignments for middle school

#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! 🙂

drawing assignments for middle school

#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.

drawing assignments for middle school

#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.

drawing assignments for middle school

#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—

drawing assignments for middle school

#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.

light bulb drawing

#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.

drawing assignments for middle school

#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.

drawing assignments for middle school

#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.

drawing assignments for middle school

#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.

drawing assignments for middle school

#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!

hand sewn pop tart

#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..

drawing assignments for middle school

#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.

color wheel eye

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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.

Art Activities For Middle School Students

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.

Art Activities For Middle School Students

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 .

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It is Back to School Art Lesson Planning season and I am so excited to share my ULTIMATE Back to School Art Project Ideas & Guide for Engaging Art Lessons for kids from Kindergarten to Middle School with you! These are some HOT new Art Lessons that explore Artists & Art History and a variety of Themes that you can use to help plan your YEAR! There are over 650 Art Resources in the Ms Artastic TpT store now and they will help you facilitate art instruction in your classroom.

Let’s take a look at some of the amazing resources in this guide!

It is Back to School Art Lesson Planning season and I am so excited to share my ULTIMATE Back to School Art Project Ideas & Guide for Engaging Art Lessons for kids from Kindergarten to Middle School with you! These are some HOT new Art Lessons that explore Artists & Art History and a variety of Themes that you can use to help plan your YEAR! There are over 650 Art Resources in the Ms Artastic TpT store now and they will help you facilitate art instruction in your classroom.

Amazing Back to School Art Lessons for Teachers

Here are some FABULOUS New Art Lessons that you can use this year in your classroom! Get ready to excite and engage your students with a variety of art mediums while exploring Art History and fun themes!

drawing assignments for middle school

By the Way… The Artastic Collective: Membership for Art Teachers Opens for Enrollment August 3rd!

The  Artastic Collective Membership  is the most  complete & diverse Curriculum for Art Teachers and instructors  to access and use in their classrooms! With a library that explores a range of mediums, cultures, themes, and moments in art history, this curriculum is designed to meet all your classroom needs. From ready-to-use art lessons, video tutorials, a complete year-long art teacher course, drawing video series, and community forum,  this is the ONLY membership you need to find the art lessons you want.

3 Free Ms Artastic Art Lessons for your Classroom!

HAPPY BACK TO SCHOOL!

I know this is always a love/hate thing. I hope you had a great break and rested up and I hope this guide generates some ideas of what you might be teaching this year in your classroom to engage your students and get them WANTING to make some art!

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It is Back to School Art Lesson Planning season and I am so excited to share my ULTIMATE Back to School Art Project Ideas & Guide for Engaging Art Lessons for kids from Kindergarten to Middle School with you! These are some HOT new Art Lessons that explore Artists & Art History and a variety of Themes that you can use to help plan your YEAR! There are over 650 Art Resources in the Ms Artastic TpT store now and they will help you facilitate art instruction in your classroom.

Find Drawing Tutorials & Art Lessons on the Ms Artastic YouTube Channel!

Finally, if you need some ideas or need to take a break in your classroom or from recording lessons for online instruction, I have lots of Art Video tutorials that are classroom friendly on my YouTube Channel!

drawing assignments for middle school

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drawing assignments for middle school

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100 Silly Drawing Prompts to Engage Your Students

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The first five minutes of any art class can become chaotic quickly. It’s important to have a daily routine for students to follow. Using bell ringers is a great strategy to help settle students and save time. It sets the tone for a productive class.

sketchbook with pencils

Bell work can be presented in various ways. From answering questions to writing down vocabulary words , the possibilities are endless!

One engaging idea is to start each class by having students complete “The Daily Draw.”

Students come into class, take out their sketchbooks, and complete the drawing prompt as they wait for further instructions. This practice serves as a way to get students involved and ready to learn in a quick, easy way.

A drawing prompt is a great way to start class, but it’s just one option. If you’re looking for more ways to get your students seated and settled, be sure to check out the  Insider Secrets for Successfully Managing the Classroom PRO Learning pack! There’s an entire section devoted to successfully starting each class period.

The key to effective bell work is to make it as engaging as possible.

Below you’ll find a list of 100 Silly Drawing Prompts . These prompts are a great way to get your students warmed up for class. You might even find your students rushing to your room to see what silly drawing idea you’ll come up with next!

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100 Silly Drawing Prompts

  • Draw a llama surfing.
  • Draw a fish swimming in something other than water.
  • Combine two animals to create a new one.
  • Draw a shark eating a cupcake.
  • Draw a crab at a birthday party.
  • Draw a seahorse in a blizzard.
  • Draw a dinosaur crying.
  • Draw an animal with arms for legs and legs for arms.
  • Draw a pug on a treadmill.
  • Draw a horse throwing a horseshoe.
  • Draw a shark waterskiing.
  • Draw a walrus in a beach chair.
  • Draw a circus elephant standing on a ball.
  • Draw a koala bear sitting on a trash can.
  • Draw a lizard putting on lipstick.
  • Draw a squirrel roasting a marshmallow.
  • Draw an octopus with spoons for legs.
  • Draw a mouse riding a motorcycle.
  • Draw a flamingo doing ballet.
  • Draw a butterfly eating a steak
  • Draw a cat chasing a dog.
  • Draw a lobster dancing.
  • Draw a cat playing a sport.
  • Draw a chicken skydiving.
  • Draw a piece of fruit in outer space.
  • Draw a Pop Tart lifting weights.
  • Draw a loaf of bread at a disco.
  • Draw a rainstorm of sprinkles.
  • Draw french fries on a rollercoaster.
  • Draw a food eating another food.
  • Draw a walking taco.
  • Draw chicken wings flying.
  • Draw a banana slipping on banana peels.
  • Draw a cookie with googly eyes instead of chocolate chips.
  • Draw a pineapple rollerblading.
  • Draw a piece of asparagus snowboarding.
  • Draw an annoying orange.
  • Draw a donut riding a skateboard.
  • Draw a turkey leg eating a turkey sandwich.
  • Draw a cheeseburger wearing a dress.
  • Draw a banana in pajamas.
  • Draw a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on vacation.
  • Draw an apple talking to your art teacher.
  • Draw a hot dog flying.
  • Draw a lemon making orange juice.
  • Draw an ice cream cone eating a Popsicle.
  • Draw a garden of lollipops.
  • Draw your art teacher on an island.
  • Draw a teacher eating a pizza while dancing.
  • Draw a person with fruit for hair.
  • Draw a basketball player dunking a chicken.
  • Draw a pirate in a hammock.
  • Draw your teacher as a zombie.
  • Draw your art teacher with a beard.
  • Draw yourself with a super power.
  • Draw a clown sneezing out flowers.
  • Draw a person with donuts for eyes.
  • Draw a cowboy in Antarctica riding a polar bear.
  • Draw yourself as a fairy.

Make Believe

  • Draw something other than a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
  • Draw a troll riding a unicorn.
  • Draw what your imaginary friend would look like if we could see them.
  • Draw a dragon breathing rainbows.
  • Draw an alien driving a car.
  • Draw an elf jumping on a trampoline.

Objects/Places

  • Draw a super scary Valentine’s Day card.
  • Draw the strangest pair of glasses you can imagine.
  • Draw a design for a $3 bill.
  • Draw a bicycle riding a bicycle.
  • Draw a Ferris wheel on top of a mountain.
  • Draw a pencil sharpener eating something other than a pencil.
  • Draw a marker painting.
  • Draw a sweater made out of candy.
  • Draw a pair of shoes made out of flowers.
  • Draw a bowl of cereal under the sea.
  • Draw a crying crayon.
  • Draw a cabin on top of a cloud.
  • Draw your own version of Mount Rushmore.
  • Draw a pair of scissors running.
  • Draw a squirt gun squirting paint.
  • Draw a mountain topped with glitter.
  • Draw the Statue of Liberty eating pizza.
  • Draw lightning striking the tallest building in the world.
  • Draw a treasure chest in an underground cave.
  • Draw the Eiffel Tower eating a baguette.
  • Draw an eye with tree branches for lashes.
  • Draw a snowman sailing.
  • Combine two holidays to make a new one.
  • Draw a plant with a face.
  • Draw the moon fighting the sun over a turkey sandwich.
  • Draw a crime scene where a donut lost its donut hole.
  • Draw a foot doing a handstand.
  • Draw a stick figure falling.
  • Draw something gross.
  • Reinvent your favorite team’s logo.
  • Draw an emoji in real life.
  • Draw a cactus in a milkshake.
  • Draw the moon howling at a wolf.
  • Draw a can of soda pouring out rainbows.
  • Draw your name as an animal.

These ideas are not only great for bell work but can be used for sketchbook prompts as well. If you’re looking for even more sketchbook ideas, check out an additional 100 right here .

What silly drawing prompt would you add to this list?

What kind of bell work do you do in your art room?

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.

drawing assignments for middle school

Abby Schukei

Abby Schukei, a middle school art educator and AOEU’s Social Media Manager, is a former AOEU Writer. She focuses on creating meaningful experiences for her students through technology integration, innovation, and creativity.

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KinderArt

Teaching Middle School Art Lessons

Home » Teaching Middle School Art Lessons

Teaching Middle School Art Lessons

More Learning Levels

Kindergarten to Grade 2

Grades 6-8 (Middle School)

Grades 9-12 (High School and Adults)

Teaching Art to Middle School Students (11-14yrs

Middle School students are comfortable with inventing new images and are flexible with changing visual symbols.

They are comfortable working with a variety of media but are critical of their own work and the work of others. They can often become discouraged with their efforts and may lose interest in art if not redirected.

Emphasis should be on hands-on studio activities and enhancing visual literacy.

Grade 6, 7 and 8 Emphasis:

  • Establish self-esteem and self-confidence.
  • Refine motor skills and sharpen intuitive abilities.
  • Expand aesthetic awareness and develop aesthetic judgement.
  • Increase exposure to art history. Analyze a work of art by comparing it to another from a different time or culture.
  • Discuss elements of art and principles of design while identifying aspects that contribute to the effectiveness of art.
  • Use personal and cultural experiences as subject matter.
  • Analyze how technical and aesthetic elements contribute to the ideas communicated in works of art.
  • State preferences for works of art based on detailed analysis.
  • Describe how a society or culture influences the arts.
  • Create art by selecting and using elements of art and technical skills to achieve a desired effect.
  • Analyze works of art.
  • Explore areas of artistic interest in greater depth as they develop their own critical and problem solving skills.
  • Use a variety of materials to create art.
  • Describe the benefits of gaining skills in the arts.

>>Click HERE for our list of Middle School Art Lessons<<

Favourite art lessons for middle school.

A Unique Drawing Experience Blind Contour Drawing Chuck Close Portrait Drawing Classic Still Life Drawing Color Collision Creative Principles and Elements of Art Doodle Drawings Emotion Painting Face Study (Draw the Other Half) Gesture Drawing

Gesture Drawing Happy Accident Painting How to Draw Shaded Bottles Line Painting Flowers Op Art Shaded Shapes Media Collages Metal Tooling Craft for Kids Mixed Media Still Life Painting No Fire Clay Heads Pattern Drawing and Painting Pen and Ink Drawing Positive/Negative Bugs

Rock and Wire Mobile Spider Web Pattern Drawing Tissue Paper Collage Flowers Tissue Paper Landscapes Viewfinder Painting Wandering Ink Drawing Exercise Weaving a Watercolor Wet Chalk Drawings Yarn Painting

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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.

Creative Color Wheel

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

drawing assignments for middle school

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

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

drawing assignments for middle school

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

drawing assignments for middle school

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

drawing assignments for middle school

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.

drawing assignments for middle school

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.

drawing assignments for middle school

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.”

drawing assignments for middle school

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.

drawing assignments for middle school

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!

drawing assignments for middle school

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

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February 26, 2021 at 2:29 pm

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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!

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September 2, 2021 at 11:13 pm

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

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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.

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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!

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January 28, 2024 at 5:34 pm

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

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drawing assignments for middle school

20 Challenging Scale Drawing Activities for Middle School

  • Math Education

drawing assignments for middle school

Introduction:

Scale drawing activities offer middle school students the chance to develop important math and spatial skills while engaging their creativity. These challenging activities provide hands-on experience with concepts such as ratios, proportions, and scale factors. In this article, we’ll explore 20 engaging scale drawing activities that will challenge and inspire your middle school students.

1. Blueprint Design:

Have students create a blueprint of their dream home using a specific scale factor. They’ll practice calculating area, drafting to scale, and work on architectural design principles.

2. Map Creation:

Students can make a scaled map of their neighborhood, school, or even a fictional place like a fantasy world or a sci-fi city.

3. Model Building:

Ask students to choose an everyday object or a famous landmark and create a scaled-down model using various materials like balsa wood, cardboard or plastic.

4. Solar System Representation:

Have the students illustrate the solar system to scale, demonstrating the vast differences in size and distance between celestial bodies.

5. Sports Stadium Design:

Students create a miniature version of their favorite sports stadium by choosing an appropriate scale factor to make it fit within their workspace.

6. Theme Park Layout:

Challenge the class to collaborate on designing an amusement park with different rides using specific scale factors.

7. Cross-Section Illustration:

Ask your students to select an everyday object or machine and then create an enlarged cross-section illustration that shows its inner workings in detail.

8. Fashion Designs:

Encourage students who have an interest in fashion to draw clothing designs using human model templates at various scales.

9. City Planning:

In this activity, middle schoolers act as city planners, creating scaled blueprints for urban development that includes public spaces, roads, and amenities for citizens.

10. LEGO Scale Artistry:

Have your students recreate famous artworks such as “The Starry Night” or “Mona Lisa” at scale, using LEGO bricks as their medium.

11. Origami of Life:

Ask students to create an origami version of a biological cell or an ecosystem, incorporating organisms to scale.

12. A Miniature Museum:

Students can build a diorama that represents a historical event or place, ensuring that all elements are accurately scaled.

13. Scaled Measurement Conversions:

Help students practice converting measurements to different units by having them redraw objects or scenes at varied scales and unit systems (metric and imperial).

14. Nature Walk Maps:

Send students on a nature walk, then have them draw maps representing what they’ve encountered along the way to scale.

15. Sense of Perspective:

Challenge your class with an art activity that requires understanding of perspective and 3D representation – for instance, creating a scaled drawing of a room with furniture and other objects.

16. Upcycling Designs:

Have students select an old, broken item and redesign it into something new and functional, using scale drawings to help visualize their transformation.

17. Climatic Infographics:

Students can develop an infographic that showcases various climate types on Earth by illustrating how the magnitude of a specific weather element (such as rainfall or temperature) changes from one region to another.

18. Scale Drawing Battlebots:

Organize a friendly competition in which students design their own battlebots to specific dimensions and then fabricate physical prototypes for potential competitions.

19. Miniature Gardens:

Task your students with creating small botanical gardens featuring plants living together in harmony while taking scale into consideration for accurate representation.

20. Transportation Solutions:

Corresponding with the topic of city planning in activity #9, ask students to delve deeper into transportation infrastructure, proposing potential solutions for traffic congestion via scaled drawings of roadway models.

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20 Challenging Scale Drawing Activities for Middle School

November 22, 2023 //  by  Rachel Rear

Are you a teacher looking for ways to teach your students lesson topics on scale drawing, proportions, and ratios in a variety of lively and interesting ways? Are you a parent looking for supplementary things to do to reinforce what your child is learning at school, or offer them educational but fun things to do in the summer or over a break?

The following engaging scale drawing activities will help middle school math learners gain knowledge about proportions and ratios and excel in scale drawing through engaging exercises and projects that are fun for students!

1. Video Introduction to Scale Drawing

To start off, here’s a video that’s really easy to understand and explains basic knowledge of scale drawings and mathematical relationships. It’s so easily accessible that most middle school students would be able to follow it in a whole class lesson.

Learn More: YouTube

2. Teach How to Measure Landmarks

Here’s another video (with music, too!) that teaches students how to come up with proportions to calculate the true size of different things in a campground, such as a lake or a totem pole! Then it explores and offers examples of how some art uses scale to create impressively huge pieces!

3. Teach Scale Drawing Using Grids

Pique the interests of the budding artists in your classroom with this ingenious method of creating scale drawings! You’ll teach them how to use a grid to accurately recreate a picture of their choice using skills like geometry and measurement. Once they’ve mapped out an identical grid on their pictures and on a blank piece of paper, you’ll encourage them to pay attention to the details as you have them recreate each square using the appropriate line strokes and shading techniques.

4. In-depth Lesson on Ratio and Proportion

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This website is a collection of four videos designed to explore different aspects of scale drawings, ratios, and proportions. Each contains a pretty basic lesson that can connect back to earlier lessons! Students could use these to refer to on their own if they need a refresher or to answer review questions! The videos offer clear and concise instruction that will help reinforce student understanding.

Learn More: Virtual Nerd

5. Pop-up Quiz

A great “check-in” activity in class after students learn what scale drawings are. This activity quizzes kids with review questions on their understanding of scale factor as they help a student draw a floor plan of his classroom! This would be a great “check for understanding” to see how much of these concepts students have absorbed.

Learn More: Open-up Resources

6. Scale Drawing of Geometrical Figures

This simple lesson introduces the concept of proportion to students using scale drawings of geometrical figures. It’s a great tool to help direct students to acquire a basic understanding of these geometry principles.

Learn More: Mrs. E Teaches Math

7. Comic Strip Drawing

For kids who “can’t draw”… Show them a way to use scale to create art with this cute activity! This activity takes smaller comic strips and requires students to draw them on a larger scale. It’s super fun and gets middle school students excited about proportions (because there are kid-friendly comics involved!) This coloring activity could turn into some lovely classroom decor!

8. Beginner-Friendly Step-by-Step Guide

Here’s another follow-up lesson that uses a comic strip image to help students learn about scale and proportion-this one has a simple step-by-step guide for teachers (or whoever is assisting students,) too!

Learn More: Math-n-spire

9. Incorporate Sports Themes!

For students who are into sports, this next one will be fun! Students are asked to calculate the actual dimensions in the size of a basketball court based on a scaled drawing… This kind of real-life application helps students understand how math is relevant to their world!

Learn More: Il Classroom

10. Add a History Angle!

As an added benefit, this lesson utilizes an art history angle, as it uses the work of Piet Mondrian to get kids interested in both art and math by recreating the work Composition A using its actual measurements on a smaller scale. Colorful, educational, and fun!

Learn More: Bits and Pieces of Middle School

11. Scale Draw Everyday Objects

This one is sure to catch kids’ attention because it involves actual objects-snacks and candy, which middle schoolers love and can’t resist! Students can scale their favorite food wrappers up or down! This could be really fun around a holiday if you wanted to have a party as a treat and let kids eat the snacks and candy they are scaling!

Learn More: Fast Times of a Middle School Math Teacher

12. Learn Basic Geometry

This lesson teaches students to use different colors to help them identify the missing side of a rotated congruent triangle and would be a great lesson to connect some of the more artistic or creative ones in this collection by touching on the “real math” of geometric figures.

Learn More: Equation Freak

13. Learn Scale Factor

This video does a great job of explaining scale factor using appealing actual objects like cars, paintings, dog houses, and more! This could really help students who needed a review after learning about scale and congruency.

14. Play “Interior Decorator”

This project uses a hands-on approach by including the actual lengths of real materials to help students play “interior decorator” for a dream house, and you could even add a layer to it by having students calculate the total cost of their room design on a separate piece of paper!

Learn More: Everybody is a Genius

15. Incorporate Art Techniques!

Give your middle schoolers a real challenge by introducing them to the concept of vanishing points. They can follow along as you demonstrate the step-by-step procedure to draw a landscape that disappears off into the distance, perfectly demonstrating to them how to use scale in their artwork! The end results are stunning pieces of artwork to display proudly in your classroom!

Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers

16. Group Puzzle

For more of a collaborative approach to understanding the concept of scale, this activity takes a well-known work of art and divides it into squares. Students are only responsible for redrawing one square on a piece of paper, and as they find where their square belongs in the larger piece, the work of art comes together like a group puzzle!

17. Scale Draw an Aircraft

Here’s a really interesting project that would pair well with a field trip to an Air and Space Museum, or with participation in The Starbase Youth Program, if it is accessible to you! (https://dodstarbase.org/) Students use scale measurements to draw an F-16 to scale and then decorate it however they want!

Learn More: For Love of Learning

18. Learn About Proportions

This is a really quick and simple video that explains proportional relationships and their purpose to shrink the scale of larger things down so they can be worked with!

19. Incorporate Social Studies

This mapping activity is meant to pair with a study of Lewis and Clark in a history or social studies class, but it could be modified for any class that has outdoor access to a park, garden, playground, or really any outside area! Students would turn a real space, filled with three-dimensional objects, into a map of the area!

Learn More: Our Journey Westward

20. Create Scale Models of Animals

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How big is big? This more complex project provides a challenge for students by asking groups to create models of enormous animals. It would make a great culminating project to a unit on scale drawings!

Learn More: California Academy of Sciences

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Chuck Schumer on His Campaign to Oust Israel’s Leader

The senate majority leader, chuck schumer, explains why he decided to speak out against benjamin netanyahu, the israeli prime minister..

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In a pointed speech from the Senate floor this month, the majority leader, Chuck Schumer, called for Israel to hold a new election and for voters to oust the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Soon after, Annie Karni, a congressional correspondent for the Times, sat down with Mr. Schumer to understand why he did it.

On today’s episode

drawing assignments for middle school

Annie Karni , a congressional correspondent for The New York Times.

Chuck Schumer is wearing a suit and glasses. He looks off in the distance with a stern look on his face.

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Mr. Schumer, America’s highest-ranking Jewish elected official, said he felt obligated to call for new leadership in Israel .

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COMMENTS

  1. Middle school art lesson plans. Grades 6-8 (ages 11-14 years).

    Find fun and creative drawing activities for grades 6-8 (ages 11-14 years) on KinderArt.com. Learn about artists, techniques, and themes such as mandalas, Charley Harper, gingerbread, and more.

  2. 47 Inspiring Art Activities For Middle School Students

    Find creative and engaging art projects for middle school students of different skill levels and interests. From 3D snowflakes to self-portraits, from faux stained glass to mosaics, these activities will inspire your kiddos to unleash their artistic potential.

  3. Incredible Middle School / Jr. High Art Lessons

    Welcome to the home page of the Jr. High / Middle School level art lessons! Lessons are now categorized by grade level, subject, integration, art period, artist, and medium. Lessons are submitted by teachers and artists across the world.

  4. How to Get Middle School Students Excited About Drawing

    Learn four ways to make drawing fun and engaging for your students, from simplifying grid drawing to exploring exciting artists. Find examples, tips, and resources to improve your drawing curriculum.

  5. 25 Unique Art Projects for Middle Schoolers

    20. Skyline printmaking. Painted Paper Art/Printmaking via paintedpaperart.com. 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.

  6. 5 Successful One-Day Art Lessons for the Middle School Classroom

    Learn how to create engaging and fun art projects in one class period with these five simple lessons. From crumpled paper stained glass to watercolor and salt paintings, students will explore color, shape, and technique.

  7. 35 Art Lessons and Projects for Middle School

    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. - love learning -your best ed lessons guide, Scott.

  8. My Favorite Middle School Art Projects » Make a Mark Studios

    My Favorite Middle School Art Projects. September 16, 2021 by Stephanie. 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.

  9. Middle School Art Lessons By Subject

    The Holiday Poster. Monochromatic Abstraction. Glass Blowing and Fusing Lessons. Watercolor Techniques. Line, Color and Movement. Starry Night Interpretation. Depicting Birds in Nature. The Color Game. Color Theory Practice.

  10. Middle School Art Lessons by Medium

    Enlarging the Mona Lisa. Split face self-portrait. Van Gogh Watercolor Fields. Two Abstraction Lessons. Pasta Puzzles. Visual Puns or Composite Imagery. Expressive hands with Stippling value shading. Anamorphic Art. Learning How to Draw or Paint Hands.

  11. 100 Sketchbook Prompts Your Students Will Love

    Draw junk food and the wrapper. Draw your favorite food. Create your own restaurant. Draw the restaurant, your executive chef, and a 12-item menu. Draw the ingredients or process of your favorite recipe. Draw salt and pepper shakers. Draw fresh fruit or vegetables, or something fresh from the oven.

  12. The 30 Best Art Activities For Middle School Students

    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.

  13. Middle School Art Lessons By Art Period

    This is the Middle / Jr. High level art lessons category for art period or style. See lessons on this page categorized by art period. ... Middle School Art Lessons By Art Period. Ancient. 3D Egyptian Mummies Aboriginal Dot Painting Hieroglyphic Cartouches Art of Japan Aztec Ceramic Suns

  14. Amazing Back to School Art Lessons for Teachers

    July 17, 2021. It is Back to School Art Lesson Planning season and I am so excited to share my ULTIMATE Back to School Art Project Ideas & Guide for Engaging Art Lessons for kids from Kindergarten to Middle School with you! These are some HOT new Art Lessons that explore Artists & Art History and a variety of Themes that you can use to help ...

  15. Art Lessons: High School & Middle School, Easy Art Lessons

    Tailored with middle school and high school art students in mind, ...

  16. Day 1

    In this video you'll find a guided drawing lesson for beginners. I teach these lessons to my middle school art students throughout 6th, 7th, and 8th grade a...

  17. 100 Silly Drawing Prompts to Engage Your Students

    Draw a seahorse in a blizzard. Draw a dinosaur crying. Draw an animal with arms for legs and legs for arms. Draw a pug on a treadmill. Draw a horse throwing a horseshoe. Draw a shark waterskiing. Draw a walrus in a beach chair. Draw a circus elephant standing on a ball. Draw a koala bear sitting on a trash can.

  18. Teaching Middle School Art Lessons

    Create art by selecting and using elements of art and technical skills to achieve a desired effect. Analyze works of art. Explore areas of artistic interest in greater depth as they develop their own critical and problem solving skills. Use a variety of materials to create art. Describe the benefits of gaining skills in the arts.

  19. Middle School Creative Color Wheel Art Lesson for kids

    She has been teaching for over 20 years in public and private schools. Leah currently teaches art to Tk-8 graders at a parochial school, and at The Crocker Art Museum, in Sacramento, CA. Middle school students will use color theory in this creative color wheel project. Designing individual parts to make a creative whole is so fun!

  20. Basic Art Sketchbook Assignments

    Drawing&Painting: Sketchbook Assignment 6, Due Friday 10/28. Page 1: Make 15-20 gesture drawings on one page, but only take one minute per drawing. Sketch 2: Set up a still life of 3 or more objects and draw them using shading and value. Try to draw them to scale and with the proportions correct.

  21. 20 Challenging Scale Drawing Activities for Middle School

    In this article, we'll explore 20 engaging scale drawing activities that will challenge and inspire your middle school students. 1. Blueprint Design: Have students create a blueprint of their dream home using a specific scale factor. They'll practice calculating area, drafting to scale, and work on architectural design principles. 2. Map ...

  22. 20 Challenging Scale Drawing Activities for Middle School

    The following engaging scale drawing activities will help middle school math learners gain knowledge about proportions and ratios and excel in scale drawing through engaging exercises and projects that are fun for students! 1. Video Introduction to Scale Drawing. To start off, here's a video that's really easy to understand and explains ...

  23. Middle School Drawing Online Classes for Kids & Teens

    Discover engaging middle school drawing classes for kids & teens. Build artistic skills and creativity through online lessons led by passionate experts. Search. Browse . Popular. ... Private One on One Drawing Lessons: Realistic Drawing. Lynda Diamond. Save. Average rating: 4.5 Number of reviews: (210) €87. per session. 1-on-1. tutoring. 9-14 ...

  24. Chuck Schumer on His Campaign to Oust Israel's Leader

    Hosted by Michael Barbaro. Featuring Annie Karni. Produced by Will Reid and Michael Simon Johnson. With Eric Krupke. Edited by Marc Georges and Paige Cowett. Original music by Dan Powell and ...