Art in Focus

Art Quests Lesson Plans

Art Quests are activities that encourage students to investigate art concepts using preselected resources on the Internet. Select an activity from the menu to view the teaching strategies for that activity.Each Teacher Art Quest page contains: Overview Objectives Suggested Follow-Up A Student Art Quest button takes you directly to the corresponding student activity. Aesthetics Art Basics Scavenger Hunt Balance Basic Color Schemes City Planner The Art of Ancient Japan

Aesthetics Overview In this Art Quest, students will gain a better understanding of aesthetics. They will learn how the subject, composition, and content of an artwork are related to aesthetics. In exploring aesthetics, students will be able to see artworks by visiting the following museum Web sites: Brauer Museum of Art Emerson Gallery The Marion Koogler McNay Art Museum The Art Institute of Chicago Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco National Gallery of Art Carnegie Museum of Art Objectives After completing this Art Quest, students should be able to: Define the term aesthetics. Explain how subject, composition, and content relate to works of art. Classify paintings according to an aesthetic view. Suggested Follow-Up After students have completed the Test Yourself section, conduct a class discussion where students can share their answers.   Student Site Back to Top

Art Basics Scavenger Hunt Overview This Art Quest helps students understand the foundations of art. Specifically, they will explore various elements of art (shape, form, and space) and principles of art (balance and proportion). Each of the sites students visit in this activity will provide information about the elements and principles of art. At each site, students can find the answer to a corresponding question. Objectives After completing this Art Quest, students should be able to: Define the terms shape, form, space, balance, and proportion. Identify three types of balance. Describe linear perspective. Suggested Follow-Up After this Art Quest, have students work with partners to identify various elements and principles of art in works around the classroom.   Student Site Back to Top

Balance Overview In this Art Quest, students will take an in-depth look at balance. Specifically, they will learn about balancing visual forces as well as discover how to recognize balance in works of art. In doing so, students will look at various works of art at the following museum Web sites: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston The Textile Museum National Gallery of Art Amarillo Museum of Art The Grand Rapids Art Museum Hood Museum of Art Lowe Art Museum Heard Museum Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden Arizona State Museum Norton Museum of Art The Hyde Collection Art Museum Amon Carter Museum Terra Museum of American Art Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco Smithsonian American Art Museum Whitney Museum of American Art Objectives After completing this Art Quest, students should be able to: Define the term balance. Describe various types of balance and identify them in works of art. Suggested Follow-Up After this Art Quest is complete, divide the class into groups of three. Have each group identify the types of balance used in various art magazines.   Student Site Back to Top

Basic Color Schemes Overview In this Art Quest, students will gain a better understanding of color schemes. Specifically, they will be able to explore monochromatic, analogous, and complementary color schemes. They will be able to see examples of this topic by visiting the following museum Web sites: The Corcoran Gallery of Art Carnegie Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art Guggenheim Museum National Gallery of Art San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Objectives After completing this Art Quest, students should be able to: Define the term color scheme. Differentiate between monochromatic color schemes, analogous color schemes, and complementary color schemes. Identify color schemes in paintings. Suggested Follow-Up Once students have completed this Art Quest, divide the class into five groups. Assign each group one of the paintings listed in the Test Yourself section. Have each group discuss the color scheme in their assigned painting. After the groups have determined the color schemes for their painting, gather as a class to discuss group answers.   Student Site Back to Top

City Planner Overview This Art Quest allows students to take an in-depth look at an art career in city planning. Specifically, they will explore the job responsibilities of city planners and the goals of city planners. Each of the sites students visit in this activity will provide information about city planning. At each site, students can find the answers to a series of questions. Objectives After completing this Art Quest, students should be able to: Understand the job responsibilities of a city planner. Identify the qualifications necessary to become a city planner. Determine their own interest in becoming a city planner. Suggested Follow-Up Once this Art Quest is complete, have students work in small groups to determine what a city planner might do to improve an area in your community. After everyone has finished, have a representative from each group share their ideas with the class.   Student Site Back to Top

The Art of Ancient Japan Overview In this Art Quest, students will take an in-depth look at the art of ancient Japan. In doing so, students will see various examples of Japanese art by visiting the following museum Web sites: Los Angeles County Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art The Cleveland Museum of Art National Museum of Japanese History Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art Tokyo National Museum This activity is perfect for students who want to do an enrichment project or who need extra credit. If you are using this activity during class time, it will generally take two periods to complete. Objectives After completing this Art Quest, students should be able to: Identify the changes in Japanese art throughout various time periods. Explain how pottery was used throughout the various time periods in Japan. Describe the role of religion in Japanese art. Suggested Follow-Up For students who do a presentation on the ancient religions of Japan and for those who write a paper on one of the time periods, work with your school’s librarian or media resource center to help students with their research.   Student Site Back to Top