Art History Monday

One of the challenges in teaching art for any grade level is to present engaging and exciting art history lessons. Sometimes the subject of art history can seem boring to students. When I began teaching art to elementary students, I introduced art history lessons through songs, stories, and artist prints. Once I began teaching on the secondary level, I decided to incorporate "art history Mondays" into my art curriculum. This allowed me to have a consistent reading and writing component in the art room. It also allowed me to focus on one artist each month. Every Monday, I would teach a lesson or facilitate an activity related to that specific artist.  Below is a list of four fun art history activities  I used in the classroom.

1. Artist Bingo
 Students of all ages love to play games.  We offer exciting bingo games featuring artists such as Charles White .

2. Word Search 
I used this activity after introducing the class to an artist and their work. This activity is a great way to keep students focused and quiet. We have several word search activities, including one that features Frida Kahlo.

3. Crossword Puzzles
Crossword puzzles are a fun but simple way to foster critical thinking. We offer several crossword activities featuring artists such as Beauford Delaney.

4. Art Jounalist
Our creative writing lessons feature a newspaper template in which students write a creative story about artists such as Augusta Savage.