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Lower Elementary Montessori Art Teach Method

Sensory Cognitive Child Art Method

I’ve spent years and years researching and observing how children learn art, and what I’ve found is that children are able to grasp different artistic skills at different planes. In this new blog series, I’ll be sharing my insight on the art teaching methods that work for each age group of Montessori students.

Children of all ages can be taught visual arts and be guided through the artistic process. Each developmental phase requires different teaching styles and approaches.

Below you’ll find a general arts literacy guide for Montessori Lower Elementary ages following the International Standards for the Arts Education & Sensory Visual Arts method that aligns with a child’s growth – Nature of Art®.

Montessori Lower Elementary Art Teaching Methods Resources

If you would like to understand more about which types of art projects children can work on, register for my free video course, Phases of Arts Development, which discusses teaching methods for Lower Elementary Montessori students (ages 7-9).

You can learn about Art Literacy Standards and the benefits of visual arts by reading Defining Visual Arts (paperback book).

Get more information on how to bring art lessons into the Montessori classroom by reading Introducing Visual Arts into the Montessori Classroom (paperback book).

montessori art how to

If you would like to understand more about the phases of art development, register for this free mini digital course.

Lower Elementary, Ages 7-9, Montessori Visual Arts Teaching Curriculum

Children at the lower L, age can do a number of different types of art projects. They can conjure up their own ideas and imaginative creations. Montessori lower elementary students can now plan with intention and think their ideas through to completion, going through the four steps of the artistic process.

At this age, students love to explore and discover what results different art mediums can produce. They encounter visual arts and Montessori art projects with lots of curiosity and a willingness to try different techniques.

Stretching Students’ Art Skills

Children can follow simple guided-art instructions and remain focused on their work for up to 1.5 hours. However, it’s still important to keep projects simple, with just a few un-complicated steps. Montessori art projects should start to introduce line, shape, form, texture, color, and symmetrical balance ideas.

You can also start introducing your lower elementary Montessori students to art language and the Elements & Principles of Design. For more information, reference Defining Visual Arts to better understand art language for young children.

Students’ fine-motor skills are becoming more controlled due to all the activities in their day-to-day Montessori curriculum and academic studies. Drawing and painting can be done with higher levels of control. The most important thing to focus on is giving children tasks that will continue to develop their fine-motor skills.

Children in lower elementary also need lots of exploratory sessions that allow them to experiment with varied mediums and techniques. Children are now drawing and painting with a 2D perspective and can be introduced to texture.

Art-Teaching Methods for Lower Elementary

Based on my proprietary sensory art method, I recommend teaching Montessori art through a combination of three methods: process-based art, creative-mode, and simple copy-mode.

  • Process-based art is about exploring and using their own imagination; it’s not necessarily focused on the child’s final piece of artwork.
  • Creative mode gives children the opportunity to explore mediums and conjure up creative images based on their own imaginations, thoughts, and ideas.
  • Copy mode refers to a systematic, step-by-step art instruction. Copy-mode should not be copy what you see in the image type lessons.

Lower Elementary Montessori Art Activities & Mediums

Here are some great Montessori Lower Elementary art projects for your students who are 7-9 years old, in the elementary grades. These types of art activities will help develop their fine motor control and small muscles in fingers and hands while teaching the Elements & Principles of Design. (You can find non-toxic, kid-friendly art supplies needed for these art activities at Nature of Art for Kids.)

  • Drawing: crayons, color pencils, graphite pencil, oil pastels, etc.
  • Painting: watercolor paints, tempera paints, acrylic paints, watercolor crayons, watercolor pencils etc.
  • Color Theory: primary color mixing, dropper color mixing, etc.
  • Clay Modeling: earth clay, non-harden plasticine clay, air-dry modeling clay, beeswax forming, etc.
  • Crafts: paper folding, nature and paper collage, mosaic arrangements, sewing basics, wool felting, string weaving, nature crafting, 3D constructing, etc.

Learn more about Montessori art teaching methods for lower elementary and get some Montessori art projects ideas by registering for my FREE mini digital course, Phases of Art Development Video.

3 to 6 Art – Early Childhood Montessori Teaching Resources

Sign-up to receive video

The Phases of Art Development is a quick digital course that explains how art making can help students develop their creativity, fine-motor skills, and focus. More importantly, I share what types of projects students at every age are capable of completing safely, and without making a mess.

Best of all—it’s free! To sign up for the course, click here.

All rights reserved © 2024, Nature of Art®

No part of this blog may be used or be reproduced in any manner whatsoever including reproducing, publishing, performing, and making any adaptions of the work – including translation into another foreign language without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Nature of Art® Publishing P.O. Box 443 Solana Beach, California 92075.

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3 to 6 Art – Early Childhood Montessori Teaching Resources

Sensory Cognitive Child Art Method, montessori

This is a guide to teaching art literacy to 3 to 6-year-old students. There is a downloadable resource available for Montessori guides. In this blog, I will highlight the important aspects of teaching early childhood art lessons. Below, you will find more information on Montessori Early Childhood for ages 3-6, following the International Arts Standards.

Children of all ages can learn visual arts and benefit from guided artistic exploration. Each developmental stage necessitates specific teaching methodologies and approaches. After extensive research and observation of children’s art education. I have discovered that youngsters acquire diverse artistic skills at various developmental planes. You can get more insights by ordering the book Montessori Art Guide – Early Childhood First Plane HERE

3 to 6 kids painting rocks, early childhood

Art Overview for Ages 3-6

Art making for young children involves exploration and discovery. Montessori students in the first plane, 3 to 6 years old, are prepared for simple art tasks. The most effective approach to teaching art lessons at this stage is through process-based art.

Process-based art focuses on the experience rather than the final artwork’s appearance. It emphasizes exploration and imaginative expression rather than creating recognizable pieces.

3 to 6 Art – Early Childhood Montessori Teaching Resources kids making clay

When implementing process art, provide a brief introduction to how art mediums function and can be utilized. Children in the 3-6 age group are highly curious about art materials and are rapid learners. Art lessons in Montessori early childhood education should encourage students to experiment freely. Without predetermined outcomes, fostering a spirit of exploration.

Incorporating specific activities in the Montessori art curriculum can aid in enhancing young students’ fine motor skills. Engaging in art activities helps refine both large and small muscle groups, promoting controlled movements in young learners. Introducing activities like clay modeling, brush stroking, and safe scissor usage can expedite the development of fine motor skills in children at this stage.


3 to 6 Art – Early Childhood Montessori Teaching Resources

Exploring Different Nature of Art® Modes

  • Creative-Mode: This mode serves as the foundation for process-based art learning, where children initiate their art-making journey. In creative mode, students are encouraged to explore art mediums without a specific reference or image to replicate. They rely on their imagination, thoughts, and ideas to craft unique creations.
  • Introducing Copy-Mode: Copy-mode entails structured, step-by-step art instruction. However, in early childhood education, direct replication of images should be avoided. Children at this stage enjoy imitating simple tasks observed in adults, like cleaning, painting, or gardening. Incorporate these activities into art lessons, allowing them to mimic your actions.
  • Transitioning to Copy-Mode: Begin with students replicating a basic design involving one to two steps. Once they grasp the initial concept, encourage them to transition back to creative-mode. This helps them to personalize and complete their projects according to their imagination and preferences.
3 to 6 Art – Early Childhood Montessori Teaching Resources

Art Activities & Mediums

Explore these engaging Montessori Early Childhood art projects designed for children aged 3 to 6. These activities aim to enhance fine motor control and strengthen small muscles in the fingers and hands. All while providing opportunities to engage in both creative-mode and copy-mode techniques. For the necessary non-toxic and kid-friendly art supplies, you can check out Nature of Art for Kids.

  • Doodling: Utilize crayons, colored pencils, tempera sticks, and more.
  • Painting: Experiment with watercolor paints, tempera paints, finger paints, homemade veggie dyes, etc.
  • Color Theory Play: Engage in activities like watercolor painting, dropper painting, and squeeze bottle painting to explore color theory.
  • Clay Modeling: Work with materials such as earth clay, homemade playdough, sculpting tools, beeswax, and non-hardening plasteline clay to mold and create.
  • Simple Crafts: Enjoy activities like paper cutting, string weaving, gluing, block building, and constructing with large popsicle sticks to foster creativity and dexterity.


Sensory Cognitive Child Art Method, montessori

Early Childhood DOWNLOAD FREE GUIDE

Having the right art material for your early childhood classroom is just the first step. If you want more information on how to use each material. Or how to set up an art shelf with the materials. Plus how to teach lessons that actually help early childhood students learn art.

I’m currently selling my brand new, Early Childhood Art Guide. It includes everything you need to know to successfully bring art lessons into your early childhood classroom—without the stress. I go into more detail about art materials (such as how to use them and where to find them). And a ton of other valuable information that makes teaching art and setting up your shelf so much easier. And, right now, you can order yours today!, so don’t miss out!

3 to 6 Art – Early Childhood Montessori Teaching Resources

Sign-up to receive video

The Phases of Art Development is a quick digital course that explains how art making can help students develop their creativity, fine-motor skills, and focus. More importantly, I share what types of projects students at every age are capable of completing safely, and without making a mess.

Best of all—it’s free! To sign up for the course, click here.

3 to 6 Art Resources

If you would like to understand more about which types of art projects children can work on, register for my free video course, Phases of Arts Development.

You can learn about Art Literacy Standards and the benefits of visual arts by reading Defining Visual Arts Paperback (paperback book).

3 to 6 art guide for Montessori education

Buy Guide Now!

arts and craft book by Spramani Elaun

Spramani’s Books

Teach children visual arts

Art Book Shop

Curriculum For Children

Get step-by-step art curriculum to teach visual arts. Check out our 4 art curriculums:
Painting
Drawing
Color Theory
Clay Modeling

Buy Art Curriculum

All rights reserved © 2024, Nature of Art®

No part of this blog may be used or be reproduced in any manner whatsoever including reproducing, publishing, performing, and making any adaptions of the work – including translation into another foreign language without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Nature of Art® Publishing P.O. Box 443 Solana Beach, California 92075.

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Practicing Brushstrokes for Chinese New Year – Montessori Art

chinese new year cultural arts kids

With the Chinese New Year just a few days away (in 2020, it falls on January 25th), why not use the holiday as inspiration for cultural arts or history art lessons? Chinese calligraphy and many pieces of Chinese art focus on brushstrokes and can easily be incorporated into a Montessori art lesson plan.

Thousands of years ago, painting and calligraphy emerged simultaneously, largely in part because they require the same tools: brush and ink. You might be surprised to know though, that calligraphy was considered to be “fine art” long before painting ever was. In fact, it wasn’t until the Song dynasty (960-1279), that painting was finally thought of as art.

montessori art lesson chinese

We can learn a lot about Chinese art—both painting and calligraphy. Namely, the importance and variety of the Chinese brushstroke.

3 to 6 Art – Early Childhood Montessori Teaching Resources

Sign-up to receive video

The Phases of Art Development is a quick digital course that explains how art making can help students develop their creativity, fine-motor skills, and focus. More importantly, I share what types of projects students at every age are capable of completing safely, and without making a mess.

Best of all—it’s free! To sign up for the course, click here.

Sumi-e Brushstrokes

Sumi-e ink painting is perfect for children to learn because of its simplistic pictorial nature-inspired images created using simple brushstrokes and without very many details or added texture.

In fact, I would say sumi-e paint exercises are ideal for beginner painters to start out with since it focuses on controlling brushstrokes—balancing between thin and thick. This is actually how I start painting lessons in my classes.

sumi-e brushstroke painting kids

I’m currently in the process of building out a complete lesson around Chinese brushstrokes, but here’s a look at the exercises I’ll be including.

montessori art painting chinese ink brushstroke
  • Lesson 1: Load paintbrush without twisting the fibers
  • Lesson 2: Wipe excess ink off the brush using the sides of a jar or ink stone
  • Lesson 3: Practice making thin, long brushstrokes with the tip of the paintbrush
  • Lesson 4: Practice making thick brushstrokes with a larger amount of the paintbrush
  • Lesson 5: Practice making spirals and lines very slowly
  • Lesson 6: Practice making dots and dashes
  • Lesson 7: Practice making bamboo leaves, with simple short and long strokes all in only one try
montessori chinese new year art project kids

Now, here’s a quick look at the Chinese New Year—feel free to share this information with your students!—and a way to practice brushstrokes to celebrate the holiday.

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is celebrated by more than 20% of the world. It’s the most important holiday in China and to Chinese people all over. It is a festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese calendar.

2020 is the year of the rat.

2019 is the year of the pig.

In Chinese culture, pigs are the symbol of wealth. Their chubby faces and big ears are signs of fortune as well. Pigs have a beautiful personality and are blessed with good fortune in life.

Chinese New Year Art Project

Year Of The Pig, Chinese Sumi-e Ink Painting Lesson

The Chinese New Year is a great time to show students a way to embrace Montessori cultural arts. Here is a simple sumi-e ink brushstroke lesson. You will be creating—to celebrate the Year of the Pig—using simple brushtrokes and in just six steps.

chinese brushstroke art lesson for children how to
Basic round pointed tip paintbrush can work

Supplies:

chinese new year, pig, painting art project for kids

Steps:

  1. Make the head with a rounded line circle shape
  2. Inside of that circle, create the pig’s snout with another, smaller rounded line circle; add two slight dots for the nostrils
  3. Paint two eye marks above the snout, plus two ears on the top of the head
  4. Make a long oval line to shape the body, attached to the head
  5. Add two line strokes at the bottom of the oval shape for its legs
  6. Make a curly corkscrew twirl on the side of the oval body; this will be the pig’s tail
year of the pig, cultural art for kids, project kideas
spramani montessori art trainer in china
Teaching art lessons and training Montessori Teachers 3 – 6, in Yiwu, Province Zheijiang China.

If your students get excited about this project, make sure you sign up for my newsletter to get more Montessori art lesson ideas to share with them!

Buy Sumi-e Ink Now!

3 to 6 Art – Early Childhood Montessori Teaching Resources

Sign-up to receive video

The Phases of Art Development is a quick digital course that explains how art making can help students develop their creativity, fine-motor skills, and focus. More importantly, I share what types of projects students at every age are capable of completing safely, and without making a mess.

Best of all—it’s free! To sign up for the course, click here.

All rights reserved © 2024, Nature of Art®

No part of this blog may be used or be reproduced in any manner whatsoever including reproducing, publishing, performing, and making any adaptions of the work – including translation into another foreign language without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Nature of Art® Publishing P.O. Box 443 Solana Beach, California 92075.

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5 Ways to Become an Art-Trained Montessori Teacher Over Winter Break

  • Montessori Art Training

Usually when I tell Montessori teachers they can start teaching art in their classroom, they look at me like I’m crazy! So many of them tell me they have no training, they’re not creative, or they struggle with just drawing stick figures! Trust me though, you CAN become an art-trained Montessori teacher!

In fact, winter break is one of the best times to get started. Think about how excited your students will be to come back to school and find out you’ll be introducing art lessons to them. They’ll love it! Not only will it help develop their creativity and art literacy, but it helps them make connections between all the other subjects they’re learning—such as the Great Lessons.

So, now I’m sure you’re thinking, “Look, Spramani, I definitely want to become a better Montessori teacher, and it would be really cool to start providing visual arts in my classroom, but how can I become art trained in a matter of weeks? Winter break is only so long.”

I’ve done the hard work for you. After 20 years of observing the way kids learn art, I’ve created a simple way to teach art that works perfectly in the Montessori classroom. It really doesn’t require much leg work from you, and students get to explore the entire artistic process. Of course, you’ll have to sign up for my Art Teaching Blueprint and get all the info you need (I’ll touch on what the course is and why it’s so awesome further below), but here are five things to do to get you started to becoming art trained over winter break.

1. Buy Some Supplies

The first step to becoming art trained is setting yourself—as well as your classroom and students—up with the right tools and supplies. (I’ve broken down the essential art supplies every Montessori classroom needs in this blog post.) Starting with a stocked classroom gives you the foundation to explore the visual arts.

2. Set Up an Art Shelf

As you know, subject-based shelves are the basis of a successful Montessori classroom, so it only makes sense that you should set up an art shelf. You can read how to set up an art shelf in your classroom here. A proper art shelf supports art literacy and helps keep all your supplies organized in one easy-to-reach place for your students to access.

3. Build an Inspiration Gallery

Another way to get your classroom set up for teaching art is to create an inspiration gallery. It can give students a place to observe and talk about artwork, which can increase their art literacy, language, and self-esteem. While an inspiration gallery is a simple concept, there are some tricks to it. For instance, you don’t want to solely include fine art examples; it’s important to incorporate students’ own work too. (If you want to learn more about how inspiration galleries work, read this blog post.)

4. Pick Up a Book

Once you’re all set with supplies, an art shelf, and an inspiration gallery, it’s time to start your training. You can give yourself a great base by doing some quick reading. I’ve written two visual art books that create a framework for learning the subject. Defining Visual Arts focuses on the latest standards and the most important projects, mediums, and techniques to teach. Introducing Visual Arts to The Montessori Classrooms gets a little more specific in providing solid guidance for teaching art in a Montessori environment. Either one—but of course, both—of these books are helpful in giving you the context for how children learn art and are a great option in kicking off your art training.

5. Register for my FREE teacher course: Phases of Art Development Guides & Art Project Ideas!

I created a free video course to teach Montessori teachers like you the phases of art development—or what art skills your students are capable of learning in each age range. The course also includes three bonus videos of art lessons, projects, and techniques to use in your classroom, no matter what grade you’re teaching. Best of all, you can go through this mini training in the comfort of your own home (while on winter break!).

You can do it, YOU can become an art-trained Montessori teacher. I believe in you and your students will thank you for taking the time to learn how to teach art in your classroom. If you have any questions or want to connect with other Montessori teachers who are going through my course, make sure you go like my Facebook page.

All rights reserved © 2024, Nature of Art®

No part of this blog may be used or be reproduced in any manner whatsoever including reproducing, publishing, performing, and making any adaptions of the work – including translation into another foreign language without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Nature of Art® Publishing P.O. Box 443 Solana Beach, California 92075.

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Defining Art Literacy & Standards in the Montessori Classroom

I’ve learned from experience that if you’re like most Montessori teachers, you’re probably not trained in art. It can seem daunting—or maybe even unimportant—to teach art in the Montessori classroom. But the truth is, teaching visual arts and art literacy to students can have a huge impact on their education.

I get deep into all of this in my new book, Defining Visual Arts. I go over the standards for visual arts, how to understand artistic technique and process, and the art projects and mediums that are best for children. It’s really a quick guide to teaching art in your classroom.

Defining Art Literacy & Standards in the Montessori Classroom

Why Teach Visual Arts?

In my book, I also explain why it’s so beneficial for students to have art lessons as part of their Montessori education. Here are just a few of those reasons you should be teaching it.

Art offers a unique form of communication

Student learn diverse ways to communicate their emotions, ideas, and even other subjects they’ve learned in the classroom.

Art encourages critical and creative thinking

How do you express an idea like peace through watercolors? Through art, students get the chance to think creatively as they express themselves through different mediums and projects.

Art offers a tool for societal, historical, and cultural understanding

Art can be connected back to many different Montessori subjects, from science to literature to history. Experiencing art from other time periods or cultures can give students a different perspective on the other subjects they’re learning.

Art cultivates enjoyment and wellbeing

Being able to express themselves in a way that is neither “right” nor “wrong” allows students to find self-confidence and enhances their overall wellbeing. Plus, playing with paints, clay, and crafting materials is enjoyable and exciting for most students.

Art in the classroom leads to greater art literacy

Art literacy provides a standard for students to discover the artistic process. While art is usually considered to be subjective, having art literacy sort of evens the playing field for how students learn the subject.

What is Art Literacy?

To put it simply, art literacy is the knowledge and understanding required to participate authentically in the arts. It provides students with the opportunity to work through the artistic process, as a part of their education and using visual arts standards.

Defining Art Literacy & Standards in the Montessori Classroom

What are the Visual Arts Standards?

The standards we use to teach visual arts were created after extensive studies and surveys of professional artists—from musicians to sculptors. Researchers observed and analyzed the way art is created, from visualization and ideation to a finished form. All these findings were evaluated and placed into a matrix called The Artistic Process, which consists of four actions: investigate, imagine, construct, reflect.

These visual art standards can be used by teachers all over the country to develop curriculum and evaluate artistic progression in their students. The National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS) is one of the prominent organizations leading the efforts to unify art standards across the U.S.

As helpful as these standards are, they do not provide guidelines or instruction for how learning in the arts should be delivered. They give teachers the four basic art process actions children should experience while creating artwork. Deciding on the medium (such as crayons or clay), areas of focus (drawing or painting), and technique are all up to you. This is where it gets a little daunting, right?

Don’t freak out!

I’ve done years of research on the development of art understanding and abilities in children, and I’ve tailored my experience and learning to be useful and applicable in the Montessori classroom.

I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed. Even if you don’t have an arts background, you can still teach visual arts! In Defining Visual Arts, I break down the subject into five simple domains, and walk you through the mediums and techniques to use in each one. You can purchase a copy of the book online for the ultimate guide on giving your students art literacy and bring art into your classroom!

Buy Defining Visual Arts in Paperback or Digital Copy Here!

arts and craft book by Spramani Elaun

Spramani’s Books

Teach children visual arts

Art Book Shop

Curriculum For Children

Get step-by-step art curriculum to teach visual arts. Check out our 4 art curriculums:
Painting
Drawing
Color Theory
Clay Modeling

Buy Art Curriculum

All rights reserved © 2024, Nature of Art®

No part of this blog may be used or be reproduced in any manner whatsoever including reproducing, publishing, performing, and making any adaptions of the work – including translation into another foreign language without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Nature of Art® Publishing P.O. Box 443 Solana Beach, California 92075.

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5 Ways to Integrate Art Activities into Montessori Great Lessons

5 Ways to Integrate Art Activities into Montessori Great Lessons

By Spramani Elaun

One of the most common questions Montessori teachers come to me with is, “How do I integrate art with my lessons?” When you combine the concepts of art and the Great Lessons, you can seamlessly support your students learning without any disconnection. And by incorporating art with what students are already learning you’re helping to instill the concepts of those subjects by putting them into a new perspective. You’re also giving their art context by showing its relationship to other parts of their world, which can lead to an increase in their art literacy. In this blog I want to share 5 simple ways you can start to integrate Montessori art activities.

5 Ways to Integrate Art Activities into Montessori Great Lessons

Art Helps Metacognitive Reinforcement

The Great Lessons in themselves are bold, exciting; they’re a way to awaken a child’s curiosity, imagination, and even creativity. There are really simple projects you can set up that help bring art into your everyday lessons, or specifically, your Great Lessons.

Students are used to learning new ideas through text and images, imagine how much more they’ll be able to understand and retain information when you tie in a multi-sensorial process like creating art. It will help your students learn on a deeper level. Having children create with a multitude of senses helps develop metacognitive reinforcement! I dive deeper into this in my books and online course, but here’s the gist:

5 Ways to Integrate Art Activities into Montessori Great Lessons

Art Activities Support Learning

When art lessons are integrated into the Great Lessons, you create new pathways to reach different learners in different ways, which maximizes your students’ learning on these topics. They learn to express diverse ideas through methods that can’t be done in most other academic subjects. Something I’ve discovered over the years of working directly with students is that they each have a unique way of demonstrating their true understanding. Art gives them a platform where there’s no wrong or right way to express themselves and their understanding. This is particularly why science today is backing STEAM education models!

You probably already have your calendar planned out for the year, so here are 5 simple ways to add in art and relate it to the Great Lessons.

5 Ways to Integrate Art Activities into Montessori Great Lessons

First Great Lesson: Coming of the Universe and the Earth

With the first Great Lesson, you’re teaching students about astronomy, meteorology, chemistry, physics, geology, and geography. One of my favorite projects to teach is watercolor or acrylic painting of galaxies. Students can create stunning images of galaxies and stars they see in their lessons, or let their imaginations loose and paint their own interpretations. In my sample here we created cosmic rocks by acrylic painting them with the big bang, milky way, starts and so much more.

5 Ways to Integrate Art and the Great Lessons

Second Great Lesson: Coming of Life

The second Great Lesson covers topics such as biology, botany, habitats, ancient life, and animals. I enjoy integrating nature into my projects whenever possible, making botanical art an exciting subject to teach! Be sure to explore my previous blogs where I detail various ways to incorporate fall leaves into projects. In the examples provided, we conducted a drawing lesson using oil pastels to depict rainforest animals. Another photo sample showcases drawings of natural elements like leaves, seashells, feathers, and other objects found in nature, combining pencil sketches with watercolor paint.

5 Ways to Integrate Art and the Great Lessons

Third Great Lesson: Coming of Human Beings

History, culture, social studies, and invention are all parts of the third Great Lesson. Earlier this year, I partnered with a fellow Montessori teacher (for grades 4-6), and we integrated art into a lesson on ancient civilizations. Children learned basic ideas about settlements and how government is formed. I brought in several art lessons moving children through the artistic process of brainstorming, sketching, and building a 3D model of a settlement—either ancient, modern, or imaginary. If you want to learn more about how to do this, make sure you register for my Art Teaching Blueprint online course, I provide a step-by-step process for this lesson and a ton of others.

Fourth Great Lesson: Communication and Writing

The fourth Great Lesson covers different forms of communication including reading, writing, language, and structure. As students learn about pictographs and hieroglyphics, they can draw them out or create their own and then explain in writing what they mean.

5 Ways to Integrate Art and the Great Lessons

Fifth Great Lesson: Numbers

In the final Great Lesson, students learn about numbers, mathematics, geometry, and the applications of these topics. Using clay to mold and create shapes can illustrate geometrical concepts to students, such as similarities and angles.

This is just the tip of the iceberg! I get so excited about integrating visual art and the Great Lessons and have so many more easy and practical ways to do so in your classroom. There are two ways to get more info and ideas on this: 1) sign up for my newsletter to keep up with my blog, and 2) get dozens of ideas, all in one place, by registering for my course, Art Teaching Blueprint. I can’t wait to inspire more of your Montessori lessons!

3 to 6 Art – Early Childhood Montessori Teaching Resources

Sign-up to receive video

The Phases of Art Development is a quick digital course that explains how art making can help students develop their creativity, fine-motor skills, and focus. More importantly, I share what types of projects students at every age are capable of completing safely, and without making a mess.

Best of all—it’s free! To sign up for the course, click here.

arts and craft book by Spramani Elaun

Spramani’s Books

Teach children visual arts

Art Book Shop

Curriculum For Children

Get step-by-step art curriculum to teach visual arts. Check out our 4 art curriculums:
Painting
Drawing
Color Theory
Clay Modeling

Buy Art Curriculum

All rights reserved © 2024, Nature of Art®

No part of this blog may be used or be reproduced in any manner whatsoever including reproducing, publishing, performing, and making any adaptions of the work – including translation into another foreign language without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Nature of Art® Publishing P.O. Box 443 Solana Beach, California 92075.

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Building a Montessori Art Calendar to Keep Students Busy Every Month

Building Out an Art Calendar to Keep Your Students Busy with Something New Every Month

By Spramani Elaun

“Teaching” art can seem overwhelming, and creating an art calendar to keep your students busy with art all year long can seem impossible. The beginning of a new school year is both exciting but stressful for that very reason. While you’re mapping out all your projects and lessons for the year, art can sometimes take a backseat.

But I don’t want that to be the case for you or for your students! All it takes is some simple planning to get you going. I promise you, if you take some time to plan out your calendar, art lessons will flow better and be so much easier for you during the school year.

The best part of all this? There’s a simple, stress-free way to break it down.

In my course, Art Teaching Blueprint, I go over in detail how to create an art schedule (and the specific resources and materials you may need!) but here’s the basic idea to it.

Building Your Calendar

You’re going to start by counting up the number of teachable weeks in the school year. That may mean excluding the first two weeks of the year (when you’re still getting your class situated), weeks where you’re off for the holidays, and the last couple weeks of school (when you’re likely busy with testing). This number can vary depending on your schedule.

Now, you’re going to follow this formula:

# of teachable weeks / 5 domains = # of lessons per domain

  • You might be asking, what’s a domain? The way I’ve developed my art training is by breaking down visual art into five different categories, or domains. Here is an example of two:
    • Drawing
    • Painting
  •  

Let’s say you’ve counted 30 teachable weeks for the year, that would mean:

30 / 5 = 6 lessons for each domain

Knowing you only have to teach six lessons on drawing, six on painting, and so on already makes your calendar seem a bit more manageable, right?

Don’t worry, I won’t leave you here. This formula is just the basis for your calendar, you now need to fill it out with more specific lessons, or themes.

Inspiration for Your Calendar

What you decide to teach for your lessons is completely up to you, but here are some tips and monthly theme inspiration to help you finish filling in your calendar.

I’d suggest trying to integrate art projects with the lessons you’re already planning on teaching, like the Great Lessons, astronomy, physical science, etc. With this information, decide which domain makes sense for each topic. For example, if you’re learning about dinosaurs, put clay on your art shelf for students to create their own tyrannosaurus; or let them experiment with watercolors as they learn about the cosmos.

You might also want to think about holidays or special events as you map out your lessons. For instance, Earth Day is in April, so your lessons that month can focus on nature and the earth.

Here are a few other themes for each month to get you started.

  

Monthly Theme Ideas:

September

  • The Big Bang
  • Cosmic Education
    If you haven’t already, make sure you sign up for my FREE mini-course—I share a lesson on cosmic rock painting

October

  • World Peace
  • Fall Leaves

November

  • Outdoor Nature Crafts (leaves, rocks, sticks, natural paints)

December

  • Cultural Geography
    Think about crafts from different cultures around the world, like Japanese origami, skull paintings from Mexico, etc.

January

  • Winter Snowflakes
    Students can cut out snowflakes from pieces of paper, or paint a sheet full of them—each with its unique shape and design.

February

  • Zoology (like dinosaurs, birds, insects, etc.)

March

  • Geography
    Students can create maps of places they’re learning about in other lessons this week.)

April

  • Botany (seeds, plants, trees, etc.)

May

  • Astronomy

Summer

  • Beach or Ocean

Hopefully this is enough to get you started!

There are SO many ways to organize your lessons, and that’s the fun part of all this!

You can teach each lesson in succession (six straight weeks of drawing, followed by six straight weeks of painting, etc.) or rotate each lesson throughout the year.

I cover a few specific ways in Art Teaching Blueprint, and even give you a few sample calendars to follow.

So if this still feels overwhelming, make sure you check out my art certification, to enroll or email me directly at info@Spramani.com with any questions.

I’ll also be sharing a specific art project each month on the blog, so make sure you’re signed up for my newsletter for even more ideas throughout the year.

3 to 6 Art – Early Childhood Montessori Teaching Resources

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