Visual Arts Education — Grade 4

Pottery traditions

In Intrigue of the Past, page 4.5

Students will learn how Indian people of North Carolina made and used coiled pottery, summarize why archaeologists study pottery, and make and decorate a replica of a North Carolina coiled pot.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 and 8 Visual Arts Education and Social Studies)

Observing connections: North Carolina pottery and face jugs (Lesson 3)

This is the third lesson in a series of three in which students are creating art based on their observations: Lesson 1 Observing connections—art, poetry and the environment; Lesson 2 Observing connections—changing landscapes; Lesson 3 Observing connections—North Carolina pottery and face jugs.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 Visual Arts Education and Social Studies)

By Lisa Mitchell.

A guided journey into the past

In Intrigue of the Past, page 5.7

In their study of archaeological resource conservation, students will use guided imagery to discover and judge an alternative way to enjoy artifacts without removing them from archaeological sites.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 Visual Arts Education, English Language Arts, and Social Studies)

Creating your own rock art

In Intrigue of the Past, page 5.4

Students will use regional rock art symbols or their own symbols to cooperatively create a rock art panel. They will also use a replica of a vandalized rock art panel to examine their feelings about rock art vandalism and discuss ways to protect rock art and other archaeological sites.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Visual Arts Education and Social Studies)

Resources on the web

A lens into the past

This ARTSEDGE lesson uses photographs to describe the transition from old world to New World experienced by immigrants to the United States. Students gain an understanding of the new life of immigrants in this country, and learn how the medium of photography... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–4 Visual Arts Education, English Language Arts, and Social Studies)

Provided by: ArtsEdge

It came from Greek mythology

This page contains six EDSITEment lessons based around teaching Greek mythology. Students will study basic plots of three Greek myths and discuss three types of themes in Greek myths. They will also explore contemporary uses of terms from Greek mythology... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Visual Arts Education and English Language Arts)

Provided by: EDSITEment

History in quilts

Students will recognize how people from different cultures and time periods have passed down the tradition of quiltmaking. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Visual Arts Education and Social Studies)

Provided by: National Endowment for the Humanities

Creating comic strips

This lesson from ARTSEDGE looks at the way we communicate information/ideas through various mediums (words, symbols, illustrations, etc). When analyzing comic strips, students notice that each has a different style, point of view, setting, plot, and summary,... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–4 Visual Arts Education and English Language Arts)

Provided by: ArtsEdge

Chinese calligraphy and ink painting

Introduces students to the art and culture of Chinese calligraphy and Chinese ink painting through watercolor painting and Chinese instrumental folk music. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 Visual Arts Education)

Provided by: The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts