8th Grade Elements of Art Projects 8th Grade Art Lessons Light vs Dark

This Grade 8 Elements of Art Complete Art Lesson Unit is a fully planned, no-prep art curriculum that guides students through the 7 Elements of Art using the theme Light and Dark. It includes an introduction video, 7 step-by-step art tutorials and 7 choice-based lessons, so students build drawing and visual expression skills while making their own creative decisions.

It is made for middle school art teachers, general educators teaching visual art and homeschool families looking for a grade-specific art curriculum. Use it as a unit plan, for sub plans, or as a complete term of art.

WHAT TEACHERS ARE SAYING

★★★★ “Thank you so much for this resource! I really enjoy how it gives a review of all the elements of art that need to be reviewed throughout the year. It also gives different worksheets that correspond with each element of art, which is useful for students to understand the differences of each element.” Jennifer C.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (NON-EDITABLE PDFS IN A FOLDER)

• Unit plan with the scope and sequence
• Introduction video on the Elements of Art, why artists use them, and the Light and Dark theme
• 2 introductory lessons with full lesson plans and worksheets to practice drawing each element, plus coloring and practice sheets to scaffold learning
• 7 fully planned art tutorials, one per element, each with a lesson plan (hook, participation strategies, steps for instruction and conclusion), a step-by-step tutorial, artwork examples, a display sign, and a rubric, assessment and reflection
• 7 choice-based art lessons, each with a lesson plan, planning, rough draft and artwork pages, and rubric and reflection pages (no examples, so students develop their own ideas)
• Viewing Art lesson activity on a Rembrandt artwork, with a poem and reading on art as a reflection of group or cultural identity, interpreting art, museums, and the career of art curators
• Choice-based end of unit art project using two Elements of Art and the Light and Dark theme, with student-led criteria

THE 7 ART PROJECTS

• Line: a candle artwork in fine tip marker, using hatching for light and dark values and detailed line designs
• Color: a sun and moon artwork with warm and cool color schemes in pencil crayons, with a poem that brings in literacy
• Value: a watercolor artwork of a character of the student's choice at a campfire, mixing a range of black values to show light, dark, warmth and cold
• Shape: a light bulb artwork using contrast for emphasis, with geometric and organic shapes in the background and an included article on shapes
• Form: a magnified close-up of an eyeball in charcoal (any kind), building form through a range of value
• Space: a landscape with streetlights in white charcoal, pencil crayon or soft pastel, using size, overlapping and placement to create depth
• Texture: a beetle drawn in graphite, exploring smooth and rough textures (graphite sticks preferred, any type works)

HOW TO USE IT

Review the unit plan for the teaching sequence, then start with the introductory lessons and video. Print a master copy and organize it in a binder or tub, photocopy student pages as needed, and pick a lesson to teach. Each lesson plan walks you through the hook, participation strategies, steps to teach and conclusion.

Use the choice-based lessons before a full tutorial so students can practice and play, or after it to reinforce concepts and let students investigate their own ideas. Choice gives students more control over their ideas, lets them bring in their own background and imagination, and offers multiple ways to reach a learning objective.

National art standards covered: VA:Cr1.1.8a, VA:Cr2.1.8a, VA:Cr2.3.8a, VA:Cr3.1.8a, VA:Pr4.1.8a, VA:Pr5.1.8a, VA:Pr6.1.8a, VA:Re7.1.8a, VA:Re8.1.8a, VA:Re9.1.8a and VA:Cn11.1.8a.

FAQ

How long does each lesson take?

It is flexible. The introductory lessons take 1 to 2 periods (30 to 45 minutes) with the video. Each art project takes 1 to 3 periods, each choice-based lesson about 1 period, the optional Viewing Art activity 30 to 40 minutes, and the optional end of unit project 1 to 3 periods. You could use it for an entire semester, or pick and choose lessons.

Do I have to teach every lesson?

No. You can skip pages or lessons to shorten it, or teach it all to make it longer. Length also depends on your teaching style and your class.

What grade is it for?

Grade 8. It is designed for middle school visual art and can be used in classroom art programs or as a homeschool art curriculum.

ALL TEACHER REVIEWS (3)

★★ “This was a nice resource as it planned out all of the art projects I needed for the year and centerd them all around a theme. However, I did find the instructions a bit hard to follow and overall ended up getting bored of the theme as the year went on.” Rachael G.

★★★ “We used this in our homeschool curriculum for 8th/9th graders. My students enjoy the projects but have complained that the verbiage used in the video and on the typed pages is very repetitive. They usually ask that we skim over it for gist. That feedback aside, I’ve found this resource a wonderful way to provide more structure to our art lessons. Having step-by-step instructions allows my kids to progress at their own pace, as one is always focused on detail and the other much more loose and speedy with creativity. I do most of the projects alongside them and have enjoyed exploring various mediums more frequently.” Tammie H.

Get free, classroom-ready art lessons and printables in my Free Art Lesson Library.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathleen McGiveron (Ms Artastic) is an artist who has been featured on NBC LX News and designs art lessons for kids and educational resources for teachers. She is the founder of Ms Artastic and hosts the Ms Artastic YouTube Channel and Podcast.

TERMS OF USE

Images and lessons are copyright products.

YOU MAY: use this in your own classroom or homeschool program, with your own students only. Additional licenses are available for multiple educators.

YOU MAY NOT: use it on OutSchool, post or share it online (including on blogs or websites), email, distribute or give it away for free, or convert it into another format or sell it.

Sincerely,

Ms Artastic