Welcome back to Golden Road Arts for another look at integrating art literacy into the classroom. Last time we were here, we demonstrated how to add art literacy into lesson plans. And today, we have some ideas for incorporating art literacy into schoolwork this fall.
5 Fall-Themed Schoolwork Ideas to Incorporate Art Literacy
From motor skills development and critical thinking to emotional expression and communication skills, art literacy is an essential component in childhood development. Let’s look at how to use the rich, evocative months of fall to engage kids with art and creativity.
1. Fall Story Illustrations
Read a fall-themed book in class and discuss the plot, characters and theme of the story. Children can then create an illustration or collage inspired by the story using autumnal colors. This approach helps children link art to narrative, while also improving listening and comprehension skills. “Fall Leaves” by Loretta Holland is one potential choice, though there is an abundance of seasonal books and poems for kids.
2. Fall Leaf Rubbings
Colorful leaves dropping to the ground are a sure sign fall has arrived. For a fun art lesson, collect leaves of different shapes and sizes and place them under a piece of paper. Children can rub over the area with a crayon, highlighting the leaf’s intricate details. You could then discuss how the veins of the leaf transport water and nutrients throughout the tree or plant.
3. Fall-Inspired Art History Lessons
In our teacher’s guide for adding art literacy to lesson plans, we discussed the importance of integrating art and history into lessons. With the changes of autumn proving inspirational for artists throughout the ages, you could use various artworks as an introduction to different eras. Showcase fall-themed art from Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh and Edward Hopper, and then discuss their life and works.
4. Fall-Themed Storytelling
The changing seasons are rich in symbolism and imagery. By learning how concepts like falling leaves symbolize change and the passing of time, children can enhance their communication skills and storytelling. And as children learn to express ideas and emotions using symbols and metaphors, they can apply these concepts to science, mathematics, history and other subjects.
5. Corn Mosaics
The development of fine motor skills is another reason why kids need art for their development. To foster these skills, encourage children to create a mosaic using multi-colored corn kernels. By placing corn on cardboard in intricate patterns, kids gain a greater understanding of lines and shapes, bringing benefits to math, geometry (and more), and stimulating creativity and hand-eye coordination.
Watch Free Art Literacy Lessons for Children
Golden Road Arts creates accessible art literacy and instructional guides for children of all ages. Our in-person Oregon live events and online content library ensure that kids have free access to high-quality, engaging art education. Browse our free art lessons today.
