My Top Five Resources for Back2School

The end of August is synonymous with back-to-school season for many educators and families. I grew up as the child of two public school teachers. The end of summer was often spent in one or both of their classrooms. When I became a teacher, I was usually excited about the new school year and setting up my classroom. There's always a bit of sadness saying goodbye to summer, but I was ready to get back to teaching too.

For 12 years I taught art in K-12 public schools. I took great pride in the classroom environment I created, and the curriculum I developed. I shared my experiences in articles, professional development courses, conferences, and more. Below are my five most-popular resources downloaded by educators from around the world.

1. Inspiring Artist Posters, vol. 1

How I used this resource: I designed this series of posters with artists from my curriculum. I included a quote from the artist to inspire students' creativity. I printed the posters in grayscale on colorful paper. I filled my bulletin board with these images at the beginning of the school year with the message, "Art is for Everyone!"

2. Greg Mike Lesson Plan

How I used this resource: At the beginning of the school year, I like all of my grade levels to participate in the same project for a school-wide display. This was perfect for Fall Open House where many students' families came to the school. Each student made their own monster character inspired by Atlanta street artist, Greg Mike.

3. Kehinde Wiley Unit Plan

How I used this resource: This project evolved from when I first began teaching about Wiley's work in 2012. Originally, I had students pose in front of a blank wall for a photograph, and students altered the printed photo with colored pencils. Years later, I updated the project to incorporate green screen technology and the results became much more vibrant and detailed.

4. Artist Mini-Challenge Bundle

How I used this resource: Mini-challenges developed from a change in my teaching schedule. Every Wednesday the school schedule was shortened to allow for professional development in the afternoon. The shorter school day resulted in shorter class times every Wednesday. I decided to create new, short activities to introduce on these days and give students a break from their current projects. Each mini-challenge featured a contemporary artist and a design prompt for students to complete. 

5. Artist Biography Poster Template and Examples

How I used this resource: I created this series of posters to highlight specific artwork from my curriculum. The poster included a small photo of the artist, the country they are from, and a short biography. I also created a template for students to create their own after researching about an artist of their choice.