We asked art teachers around the country to tell us what lessons they were most excited for in 2024, and the responses are so inspiring! If you’re looking for fresh ideas for any time of year, read on.
22 projects that have art teachers excited to get back to class
This year we are trying a few new things, but I still love my old standby of Explosion Books! They are so much fun and the kids are totally engaged. We use them to review the elements of art! – @lindzyt
Very excited to teach proportion using Tim Burton characters! – @ms.totoisdoingherbestguys
I love my stained glass windows project that integrates math with art! – @lesliemohlman
I am looking forward to teaching my students some jewelry making and maybe even some lapidary work. – @jennifer.hicks.351
3D candy wrapper paintings inspired by Claes Oldenburg! – Hannah M.
I am pumped to teach paper mache! We will be learning about native species in Lake Michigan and making them out of paper mache to hang in the Eco-Hallway we have been creating. – Kayleigh M.
We switch semesters in January so I will have a whole new bunch of students. I am looking forward to to doing the “I am an artist” collage with my life skill students. – Heidi L.
I’m excited to teach Intro to Commercial Art for my middle schoolers! I can’t wait to nerd out about typography and logo design. – Lindsey F.
My third graders are making clay monsters and the results are amazing! – @janepalellapeterson
I’m excited to have students work on cardboard construction projects where we will build large cardboard structures that will be weather-safe rather than throw away cardboard into landfills! – Melissa M.
Excited to teach my neon candy pop art project next semester! – Noel M.
I’m looking forward to making clay owls with my second graders! – Kristin K.
I’m excited to do radial origami projects with our 4th graders! – @mrsnicholsart
I am excited to teach screen printing to my 5th graders. I know they will love the satisfying process and the use of a squeegee! – Jenny L.
My favorite project to teach my students EVER is recycled art bowls. We use donated newspaper and magazines too. The results are always incredible! – @linskemper
I am most excited to work on creating small sculptures of their favorite Hobbit character. My 7th graders are reading “The Hobbit“ in ELA. – Jennifer H.
Excited for some Louise Nevelson assemblage sculptures! – @laurahubb55
I am so excited to show my students more flip-book/stop-motion animation for my 5th graders making anime creatures. – Ellen S.
I wrote clay art lessons tied with a famous artist and/or culture to go with MEA lesson plans for each grade level. I’m very excited to implement each project! We’re going to make kites inspired from Haiti, food sculptures inspired by Thiebaud and Oldenburg, frogs inspired by “the frog man” and endangered California yellow-legged frogs, and tiles inspired by India’s rangoli art and Diwali. – Pam H.
Clay is always a big hit. My 8th graders make clay bobbleheads! We make everything; I even show them how to make springs with wire. – Lindsey T.
I teach HS Art and Pottery. In January, all six of my classes plus 2–3 FACS classes will make bowls for our 14th Empty Bowls Dinner. In the past 13 years, we have raised almost $40,000 to help combat hunger! Can’t wait to get started! – Ruth C.
I’m excited about a watercolor and mosaic portrait unit coming up with 4th grade! – @smw.artroom
Looking for more ideas?
Our Teacher Resource Center has dozens of free standards-aligned lesson plans you can download for free. Take a look and find something that will save you planning time and immerse your students in the wonder of art.