Art 1 Curriculum for High School
When I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Art Education, I felt confident in my ability to create lesson plans. However, stepping into my first year of teaching, where I was responsible for Art 1 (beginning art) and Art 2, I quickly realized that theory and practice can be very different. I vividly remember coming home, spreading my college materials across the floor, and feeling completely overwhelmed.
After a brief moment of panic, I turned to a book on the Elements of Art and Principles of Design, which reignited my inspiration. If I were to start from scratch and teach someone how to draw, what would be the first things I would focus on? The answer was clear: LINE and SHAPE. This became the foundation for my first project.
That initial project, called “Bug Patterns,” involved students repeatedly drawing a shape and a bug. Although the results were visually impressive, the students found the project too easy, so I decided not to repeat it. This experience, however, taught me valuable lessons about student engagement and curriculum design.
Check out these Elements of Art and Principles of Design resources:
- Elements of Art and Principles of Design bundle
- Elements of Art and Principles of Design Flash cards
- Elements of Art and Principles of Design Posters
Designing an Art Curriculum
Jump to the Art Curriculum Map
Over the past 15 years, my approach to teaching Art 1 has evolved, but that initial “aha” moment about the importance of incorporating the Elements of Art and Principles of Design remains a guiding foundation. Art 1 is often the only art class some students will take, so my goals for beginning art includes:
1. Teaching students how to draw.
2. Presenting a variety of concepts including art history/cultural contexts, and materials.
3. Incorporating “Some” of the “Elements of Art and Principles of Design” into every unit (to eventually go over all of them by the end of the year)
4. Ensuring each unit builds on the previous one, allowing for continuous review and understanding of new concepts.
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Perfecting the Art 1 curriculum has taken years and continues to evolve with each new generation of students. The art standards in California have also changed to align more closely with the National Standards: Creating, Presenting, Responding, and Connecting.
To meet these standards, each unit in my curriculum now includes:
1. Introduction to the Unit: Engaging students with active learning to explain the goals (Responding, Connecting, and possibly Creating).
2. Art History/Cultural Context: Providing inspiration for the project (Connecting, Presenting).
3. Practice/Experimentation: Teacher-led demonstrations (Connecting, Responding).
4. Research/Brainstorm: Encouraging creativity and connection (Creating, Connecting).
5. Project: The art production (Creating).
6. Critique: Facilitating constructive feedback (Responding).
7. Self Evaluation/Reflection: Promoting personal growth and understanding (Responding).
Art Curriculum Map
The art curriculum map is designed to introduce beginning art students to the basics of drawing and gradually build on those foundational skills. We begin the school year by familiarizing students with the class structure and guiding them in creating sketchbooks and portfolios. These tools will be used for every art unit throughout the year, ensuring a consistent and organized approach to their artistic development
Our first drawing lesson (and a class favorite) is the Basic Drawing Skills with Wyland Project, where students learn to break down complex images of marine life into simple shapes like circles, squares, and triangles. This approach teaches students to think like artists, focusing on basic shapes that are easier to draw rather than the entire image. This project promotes basic drawing skills and builds confidence in our students’ beginning abilities which sets them up for success as they move on through the year.
Following the Wyland project, we build on the skills they’ve learned by introducing perspective in the Fantasyscape Project. In this project, students learn to create depth and continue practicing contour drawings, further enhancing their understanding and application of drawing techniques. This methodical progression helps students develop assurance and competence in their artistic abilities, ensuring a solid foundation for more advanced art concepts. Each unit builds on the previous one, progressing from value shading in pencil during the first semester to value painting in the second semester.
Here is what our Art 1, beginning art curriculum looks like
1ST sEMESTER:
| Units & links: (in consecutive order) | Materials |
|---|---|
| 1. Handmade/ Hand-Sewn Sketchbooks: Theme: “What is Art” Collage→ (functional Art Piece to be used throughout the year) TPT Link to: Handmade Sketchbook “What is Art” Unit. Important Concepts Covered: “What is Art?”, collage, sketchbooks, sewing, book binding, design, Mod Podge, organization, craftsmanship, etc. | –Book Pages: 12X9 (folded) –Chipboard: cut to 7X10 –Binding tape –Modge podge glue –Binding string –Scissors –Glue sticks –Needles –Construction Paper -Magazines -Old Paint Brushes for Mod Podge |
| 2. Street Art Portfolios: (Functional Art piece to hold student’s work for the year) TPT Link to: Street Art Portfolio Important Concepts Covered: Portfolios, organization, street art, Banksy, Shepard Fairey, stencil art, name design, animal symbolism, spray paint/ printmaking techniques, implied line, negative/ positive shapes, chalk pastel, markers, etc. | – Portfolio: 2ply Tagboard 36X24 (2 pieces per student) – Stencils: 2ply Tagboard, 9 X 12 – Tracing paper: 9X 12 –spray paint OR Acrylic Paint for sponge painting –Markers –Sharpies –Xacto knives –Xacto blades –Scissors –cutting mats –Fine tip pens –Pencils -Animal pictures |
| 3. Optical Illusion Art: (we use this as our 1st semester side Project: Introduce this at the beginning of the semester, students work on this during free time, if they finish an assignment early, when they have a sub, etc. and it’s due at the end of the semester.) TPT Link to: OP Art Drawing Unit Important Concepts Covered: Optical Illusion art, Line, implied 3D form, Value, colored pencil techniques, Blending, etc. | –9×12 Paper –Fine tip pens –Sharpies –Prismacolor Pencils –Pencils –Prisma blenders (optional) |
| 4. Basic Drawing Skills & Wyland: TPT Link to Wyland Digital Sketchbook Lesson Video explaining the Wyland Digital Sketchbook Lesson Important Concepts Covered: Drawing basics, gesture lines, contour lines, blind contour, Value, Geometric shape, organic shape, composition, realism, negative space, Robert Wyland, etc. | –9X12 White Drawing Paper –Prismacolor pencils –Pencils –Shading Pencils –Erasers –Blending stumps –Ball point Pens –Fine tip pens –Rulers and/or Triangles -Sea animal Reference images (optional) or access to internet for inspiration |
| 5. Perspective FantasyScapes & Surrealism: TPT Link to LInear Perspective Fantasyscape Drawing Unit Alternate, smaller Unit: TPT Link to: 1 point perspective Art Museums Lesson Important Concepts Covered: Linear Perspective: 1pt, 2pt & 3pt, Line: Horizontal, vertical, diagonal, orthogonal, parallel, perpendicular, contrast, pattern, texture, surrealism, Salvador Dali, Rene Magritte, Frida Kahlo, pen techniques: cross-hatching, scumbling, hatching, stippling, etc. | –Drawing Paper: 18X12 –Large Paper for Vanishing Points: 18X24 (scratch Paper) –Yard stick –12” Ruler –Triangles –Pencils –Erasers –Fine tip pens –Ball point Pens –Sharpies –Sharpie Chisel Tip Marker – Black (optional) –Prisma colored pencil (for Museum Lesson Only) |
| 6. Still Life: (3 mini Projects- Traditional, Glass & Fruit) TPT Link to the UNIT: Direct Observation Still Life Drawing: “3-projects in one” TPT link to the single project unit: Traditional Still Life in Black Charcoal TPT link to the single project unit: Glass Still Life in white Charcoal on black paper TPT link to the single project unit: Cut Fruit Still Life in oil pastel Important Concepts Covered: Still Life, light logic, value, basic shape, negative space, sighting, perspective, foreshortening, form, drapery, charcoal techniques, oil pastel techniques, monochromatic color, composition, etc. | –Pencils –Erasers –Pencil Erasers (optional) –Compressed charcoal –White Pastels (optional) -Charcoal pencils white/black –Grey Paper cut to 9”x12” –Black Erasers –Sharpeners –Blending stumps –Chamois (Cut into shareable pieces) –Oil Pastels –Sticks for scratching –Color pencils –White drawing paper cut to 8X8 –White charcoal –White chalk pastels –Black Drawing paper 9X6 Access to a camera & still life objects. |
2nd sEMESTER:
| 7. POP Art Unit: (we use this as our 2nd semester side Project: Introduce this at the beginning of the semester, students work on this during free time, if they finish an assignment early, when they have a sub, etc. and it’s due at the end of the semester.) TPT Link to: POP Art Drawing Unit Important Concepts Covered: POP art, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Marker techniques, Grid Drawing, etc. | –White Paper cut to 20 X 22 (2” Grid) –Red Sharpies –Sharpies –Markers –Pencils –Erasers –Yard stick –Prismacolor pencils -Pop Art images -View finders (optional) |
| 8. Expressive Self Portraits & Chuck Close: in Charcoal and Graphite TPT link to: Expressive Self Portraits Important Concepts Covered: Portraits, expression, value, form, grid drawing, contrast, charcoal & graphite techniques, composition, light logic, photorealism, chuck close, balance, symmetry, proportion, scale, face mapping, etc. | –9X12 White Drawing Paper –Black Charcoal –Shading Pencils –Pencils –Erasers –Blending stumps –Pencil Erasers (optional) –Rulers -View Finders (optional) |
| 9. Hero Project in Tempera Paint: TPT Link to: Hero Project Important Concepts Covered: Grid Drawing, impressionism, pop art, realism, color theory, monochromatic, analogous, contrast, complimentary, painting techniques, tempera paint, etc. | -Tempera paint: Red, blk, wht, blue, yellow –Railroad board: 28X24 (2” Grid W/2” border) –Paint brushes –Paint palettes with lids –Yard stick –Pencils –Erasers -View finders -Hero Pictures -Portion cups (optional) -Plastic bags (optional) |
| 10. Fauvism Landscapes: in Oil Pastel TPT Link to: Fauvism Landscape Unit Important Concepts Covered: Landscape, foreground, middle ground, background, painting techniques, oil pastel techniques or chalk pastel techniques, composition, fauvism, Matisse, etc. | –Paper: 12 X 9 –Oil pastels or Chalk pastels –Tempera paint –Paint brushes –Paint palettes with lids –Pencils –Erasers –Sticks for scratching -Landscape pictures |
| 11. Non-Objective Acrylic Painting: TPT Link to: Non-Objective Musical Painting Unit Important Concepts Covered: Abstract art, non-objective art, Kandinsky, acrylic paint techniques, music, emotions, color theory, layering, transparent vs. opaque, line, shape, etc. | –Acrylic Paint –Paint brushes -Any size Canvas board or Acrylic -Paper -Water cups -Circle templates/Stencils –Pencils –Erasers -Headphones/access to music -Cardboard or paper plates for palettes |
| 12. 3D Art History “In the Round”: TPT Link to: Architectural Letter Sculpture Unit Important Concepts Covered: 3d Art, Art in the round, sculpture, additive vs. subtractive method, balance, papier-mâché, 3d building techniques, creativity, gesso, Acrylic painting techniques, problem solving, innovation, etc. | -Cardboard -Newspaper –4oz cups or toilet paper rolls –Acrylic Paint –Paint brushes -Cardboard or paper plates for palettes -Water cups –Papier-mâché (Wheat paste) –Blender for mixing Papier-mâché –Bowls Papier-mâché –Box cutter 0r Xacto knives, Xacto blades –cutting mats –Scissors –Flexible Chipboard strips for edges straight cardboard strips for edges –Pencils –Gesso –Gesso Brushes or old brushes -Various craft materials |
| 13. Art History Animals: in Chalk Pastel TPT Link to: Art History Animals UNIT Important Concepts Covered: Art History, review of past art movements studied through the year, Chalk Pastel techniques, composition, etc. | –Chalk pastels –Pencils –Erasers –Pastel pencils (optional) –Pastel Paper 12 X 18 –Pencil Erasers (optional) |
Our goal is to ensure that students not only learn how to draw but also understand the broader context of their work, engage in meaningful practice, and develop critical thinking skills through reflection and critique.
This curriculum is the result of years of refinement, and as educators, we will continue to adjust and perfect it with each new group of students. Beginning the year with sketchbook and portfolio creation sets a strong foundation for their artistic journey. As we explore various techniques and projects, I am excited to witness the creativity and growth of each student.
Feel free to share your thoughts, experiences, and questions in the comments below. Let’s create and learn together!
