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Published on 15 July 2026
Description:
Art teachers get to know students while creating opportunities for connection and community. Early learners build foundational art-making skills as they share stories from their summer; elementary students put their own unique twist on famous artworks; middle-school students create artist trading cards in a project that grows into a schoolwide art-making experience; and high-school students sculpt clay vessels inspired by cherished family heirlooms.
Categories:
Early ChildhoodElementaryMiddle SchoolHigh SchoolK-12AssessmentChoice-BasedClassroom PracticeContemporary ArtCritique/DiscussionIdeationInterdisciplinary ConnectionsManaging The Art RoomMeeting Individual NeedsSocial Emotional LearningSTEAMCelebrationCommunicationCommunityHistoryHumorIdentityImaginationMessagesMindfulnessObservationStoriesCollageDrawingMixed-MediaPaintingGraphiteMarkersNon-TraditionalPaperCardboardLanguage32 articles from this collection:
The Connection Issue | September 2026
Editor's Letter | Connection
SchoolArts editor-in-chief Frank Juárez explores how connecting with students and nurturing curiosity can lead to unexpected discoveries.
Amaco Brent
AMACO (American Art Clay Company, Inc.) continues to be a leader and innovator for ceramics in the areas of art, technology, and education.
Table of Contents
Bailey
For 50 years, Bailey Pottery has been a trusted supplier and leading manufacturer of high-quality ceramic equipment, offering top glazes, wheels, kilns, and tools at the lowest prices, backed by an expert sales team ready to assist teachers & potters of any skill level.
Meeting Individual Needs | Designing an Art Curriculum with Purpose
An art teacher treats curriculum design as a creative process, developing lessons that build skills over time and connect learning across grade levels.
Professional Development from Davis
Davis provides learning that is relevant to contemporary approaches and issues. Presented on-demand, virtually, or in-person by master teachers who are experts in the most current classroom pedagogy and the practical, discipline-specific, targeted application of research-backed content. Learn from educators who are recognized leaders with a plethora of applicable classroom successes.
Managing the Art Room | Welcome to the Art Studio: How Open Houses Cultivate Connections
A visual arts specialist fosters critical thinking, problem solving, and meaningful discussion during open houses.
Advocacy | Building Relationships through Advocacy
Dr. Mark Graham discusses how advocacy happens in many forms – through policy, opportunities for students, visibility, connection, and more.
Blick Art Materials
As a leading art supply company, we provide artists, educators, students, and our associates with the tools, assistance, and training needed to grow, innovate, and reach their creative potential. BLICK Art Materials is family-owned and serving artists since 1911.
Early Childhood ClipCard | Growing Abstractly
Young students use painting and printing techniques to create abstract representations of growing plants and trees.
Elementary ClipCard | Random Pick Creation
Elementary students test their problem-solving skills as they incorporate random elements into imaginative scenes.
General Pencil
The General Pencil Company is a historic, family-owned American manufacturer based in Jersey City, New Jersey, that has been handcrafting traditional wood pencils and fine art supplies since 1889.
Middle School ClipCard | Popcorn Still Life
Middle-school students render still-life drawings of popcorn, focusing on shape, value, texture, and form.
High School ClipCard | Cheeming Boey–Inspired Cup Drawings
High-school students draw on a nontraditional, curved surface using permanent ink, adapting their designs as they work.
Kiln Calibration Made Simple: A Guide for Educators
Kiln calibration is crucial for educators to ensure consistent and reliable firings in the classroom. This guide focuses on the importance of calibration, highlighting benefits like improved glaze results and fewer ruined pieces. Learn how to use pyrometric witness cones and measure heat work accurately to optimize kiln performance.
Contemporary Art in Context | Lynn Simmons
Sculptor and installation artist Lynn Simmons combines found objects and natural materials to create works that invite viewers to contemplate the narratives they evoke.
Media Arts Essentials from Davis
The new Media Arts Essentials program bundles Davis’s media arts resources with resources on how to facilitate successful implementation. Get sixteen hours of professional development with a wealth of lessons and support for educators across grades K–12.
Making Primary Connections
Young students start the school year by sharing summer experiences through illustrations, practicing visual storytelling, symbolism, and other foundational art-making skills.
Mayco Colors
Mayco Colors has been helping art educators inspire creativity in the classroom since 1954. We provide high-quality ceramic products, along with ready-to-use lesson plans and educational resources designed specifically for the classroom.
Family Heirloom Vessels: Sculptures Inspired by Cherished Memories
High-school students reflect on cherished memories and sculpt clay vessels inspired by meaningful family heirlooms.
Covering the Masters: Reimagining Iconic Works
Elementary students develop a renewed interest in master studies when challenged to put their own twist on famous artworks.
NAEA National Convention 2027
Registration is open! Secure your spot now for the 2027 NAEA National Convention, taking place March 4–6 in New York City. Engage in premier professional learning and make meaningful connections at NAEA27. Join us and be inspired!
The Beat Goes On: Creating Connections with Altered Albums
Middle-school students integrate music, history, math, science, and language arts as they paint visual interpretations of songs on vinyl records.
Birthday Twins: Connecting Personal Art-Making to Art History
High-school students create personalized birthday-themed designs and a second artwork inspired by an artist who shares their birthday.
Royal Brush
Description to come
3D Mini Museums: Reinterpreting Art through Materials and Form
Elementary students reinterpret iconic artworks as mini dioramas, incorporating air-dry modeling clay to create a three-dimensional focal point.
Artist Trading Cards: From One-Day Lesson to Schoolwide Collaboration
Middle-school students create and exchange artist trading cards in a project that grows into a schoolwide experience connecting students and staff.
Skutt
The #1 kiln used in schools. Kids Need Clay helps schools start and sustain ceramics programs with full support.
Focus In | Not a Luxury, a Necessity: ArtStart’s Commitment to Arts, Youth, and Community Well-Being
A Wisconsin-based arts nonprofit brings dynamic youth programs to rural communities to build stronger, healthier, and more connected lives.
Square 1 Art
Simple. Creative. Art Fundraiser. Celebrate your child‘s art on keepsakes and raise funds for your school!
THE SHOP | September 2026
Products, educational opportunities, and more!
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