a few of my ₍ 𝓚ATALEYA TOUSSAINT ₎ lesson plans as abbott elementary’s all-grade art teacher!
random disclaimer: realistically abbott is incredibly underfunded and doesn’t normally have the money for a proper arts program, let alone having a full-time art teacher. however, as someone who has an insane amount of disposable cash and cares about young black children’s educations, i take it upon myself to purchase any materials needed for my lessons using my trust fund. i really don’t mind since it doesn’t put a dent in my money whatsoever. i’m definitely not above criticizing the district and harassing them for more creative funding, though. the kids i teach are so creative and deserve to be able to nurture those talents consistently without worrying if their art teacher can even show up that week.
all of the pictures shown are teacher examples made by yours truly in my free time! ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧
O1. RECIPE SCRAPBOOKS
this lesson involves them picking their favorite recipes from their families to turn into small cookbooks. the project spans over the course of a couple days just to give the kids more time to perfect everything. then on the last day, i bring in loaves of my famous chocolate chip banana bread to match my teaching example and give to the students. of course, i also provide altered versions for any students with food allergies. students are normally allowed to choose 1-3 different recipes. the main materials are construction paper and newspaper clippings along with small amounts of paint, glitter, buttons, and craft fabric.
O2. CERAMIC PAINTING
different fully made ceramic pieces, such as plates, cups, vases, etc. are provided by one of my lovely close friends who owns a pottery studio! students will then use various ceramic paint colors to create their very own designs. meant to be a practical lesson that they can take home and use for many years to come. in addition, we will incorporate a presentation from my friend as a special guest speaker who will talk about the process of making ceramic pieces. there will also potentially be a small history lesson on the different types of dishes made in other cultures.
this will be reserved for the older students who have better motor skills and more patience than the kindergarten students. everyone gets an embroidery circle after creating their own design and will spend class periods working on it. these will probably be done around a time like final testing, so that it can be a free period of quiet time, music, and working on their beading to calm their minds. i wanted to wrap this into a lesson about heritage, so i asked students to find beading patterns on the internet or in their family that connect to their ethnicity or nationality. to substitute, the younger kids will be creating beaded jewelry like necklaces, bracelets, and rings with charms. they'll still be following with the heritage lesson as well.
O4. DIY FELT WALLETS
the kids will be making little wallets to hold cards and coins. many of my lessons focus on practical pieces and creations that the students can use for multiple years to come so it doesn't feel like something they should have to throw away. the kids will be making the bases with felt, buttons, stitches, etc. and then i'll take the responsibility of stitching them together and adding the plastic window piece. the students can also put monopoly money in there to pretend like they have an income 😭.
in this lesson, students are making two different kinds of shirts: school shirts to wear during field trips with 'abbott elementary' on them and casual shirts to wear outside of school. they can choose between painting their shirts with acrylic paints or participating in tie-dyeing. this is done during the late spring, closer to summer, so that it can be a fun outdoor activity for the kids. still currently debating if i should give all my students custom airbrushed shirts with their names as a gift or if that's overkill lmao. i was also originally wondering if we should do bleach painting, but i thought that was a bit too advanced for elementary students, and i didn't want to be held liable for someone drinking it or something 💀
O6. DIY PICTURE FRAMES
lastly, mini pictures frames also made from felt and other materials. i honestly took inspiration from my k-pop days as a teenager when i used to make top loaders and frames for photocards. but we'll be substituting the photocards with pictures of their families and friends! i will be bringing my polaroid camera to class so if students want to take pictures with their classmates and add them to their frames immediately then they can. we will also be adding a stand to the back of the frames so they can be displayed on desks and dressers.
✿ [ additional lessons ]
flower pressing. chalk art. calendar making. pasta coral reefs. birthday cards. customized tote bags. lamp making. scrapbooking ( students have their own scrapbooks to fill up with different small items every day, so they can learn about collages and textures ). name place cards for their desks. air dry clay magnets. picasso inspired self portraits. bag pins. pipe cleaner flowers. sun catchers. koi ponds. mosaic pictures. oil pastel paintings. cherry blossom vases. and more!
ꪆৎ LILI'S COMMENTS : i lowkey don't know shit about teaching kids or a whole lot about art so i felt like a larper making this 💀. i really wanted the students to have cool memories in my art class, so i tried to choose activities that were interesting, challenging, and unique ( so no hand-painting turkeys or stuff like that ). will hopefully be making a moodboard for my house in this dr soon yay!
