In this middle school art lesson, students create a personal “avatar” using colored pencils to visually represent their identity, interests, personality, and values. Over multiple class periods, students begin by brainstorming meaningful symbols, colors, and traits, then develop and refine sketch ideas before creating a final composition. They apply colored pencil techniques such as layering, blending, and shading to produce a detailed and expressive artwork. The lesson emphasizes creative decision-making, symbolism, and strong craftsmanship. Students complete the project by adding final touches and writing an artist statement explaining the meaning behind their design choices. Continue Reading Creating a Personal Avatar
Global Classroom Connect Lesson Plans
Introductions
Artful Introduction
Students create a visual self-introduction to share with a partner in Taiwan. Over four days, they take profile photos, paint watercolor backgrounds, write and translate “Who am I?” sentences, and assemble all pieces into a finished artwork. The final product combines images, writing, and Chinese translations and is mailed to Taiwan to help students begin a cross-cultural friendship. Continue Reading Artful Introduction
This is How We Do It!
Students explore the concept of culture through a read-aloud of This Is How We Do It, comparing their daily lives with children from around the world. They then work in pairs to generate thoughtful questions for Taiwanese students and identify important details about their own lives. Using these ideas, students write two short paragraphs—one with questions for their international buddy and one describing themselves in depth. Students translate their writing into Mandarin using Google Translate and share their work on Padlet to begin a cross-cultural exchange with partner students in Taiwan. Continue Reading This is How We Do It!
Doves for Peace
Students will color and decorate the front of a paper dove. They will introduce themselves and write a wish for their Taiwan buddy on the back of the dove. Continue Reading Doves for Peace