Winter Art Lesson Winter Polar Bear Art Project Winter Art Activity January Art

This Winter Polar Bear Art Lesson is a cross-curricular polar bear art project for Grades 2 to 5. It brings together directed drawing, painting techniques, a winter landscape, reading comprehension, writing activities and art reflection in one lesson.

Students create an expressive polar bear in a winter landscape with mountains, snowflakes, a blended sky and textured fur. Along the way they explore line, shape, color blending, texture, balance and symbolism, and learn about polar bears, Arctic habitats and environmental awareness. Every step is modeled, so classroom teachers, art teachers, homeschool families and substitutes can teach it even if they don't consider themselves "an art person."

WHAT'S INCLUDED (65 PAGES, NON-EDITABLE)

• Planning and teaching tools: lesson overview and materials list (p. 5), step-by-step teaching instructions (pp. 6 to 7), critical thinking discussion questions (pp. 4 to 5), participation strategies and lesson hooks, standards and curricular connections
• About Polar Bears informational reading (p. 8)
• How to Draw a Polar Bear directed drawing page (p. 9)
• 18-step visual and written art tutorial in PowerPoint and PDF versions, covering the winter landscape background and the polar bear drawing, painting, shading and assembly (pp. 41 to 58)
• Finished artwork example (p. 40)
• Bulletin board display sign: Polar Bears, Winter Artworks (p. 11)
• Art rubric (p. 10)
• Warm-ups: Draw and Design creative challenge (p. 12) and KWL chart (p. 13)
• Reading comprehension: fiction story The Polar Bear Cub and the Magic Scarf (pp. 14 to 15), comprehension questions (pp. 16 to 17), answer key (p. 18), sight word tracking list with teacher instructions (p. 19), tricky word vocabulary bank (p. 20)
• Writing and literacy: spelling word list (p. 21), spelling test (p. 22), opinion writing prompt on protecting Arctic habitats (pp. 23 to 24), narrative write and draw prompt (pp. 25 to 26)
• Reflection and assessment: art message and meaning reflection (p. 27), Top 3 Things reflection (p. 28), compare and contrast polar bear cub vs adult with answer key (pp. 29 to 30), feelings reflection (p. 31), art reflection pages (pp. 32 to 33), 3 Stars and a Wish (p. 34), artist statement pages (p. 35)
• Elements and principles extensions: radial symmetry mandala for balance (p. 36), shapes and forms winter design (p. 37), line and pattern exploration (p. 38)

HOW TO USE IT

Teach it as a stand-alone winter art lesson, as part of an Arctic animals unit, or as a cross-curricular art and literacy lesson. It also fits January sub plans, homeschool winter art and ELA study, and calm, focused art days after the holidays.

The finished polar bears make a strong bulletin board or hallway display. The literacy, reflection and assessment pages let you extend the lesson over additional days.

FAQ

Who can use this resource?

Classroom teachers, art teachers, homeschool educators and substitute teachers working with students in Grades 2 to 5.

Do I need to be an art teacher to use this lesson?

No. Every step includes visual examples and written directions, so it is easy to follow without formal art training.

How long does this lesson take to complete?

The core art project usually takes 2 to 3 class periods, depending on student age, class behavior, teaching style and time available. The literacy and reflection pages can extend it over additional days.

What art materials are needed?

Basic supplies such as white paper, black marker or crayon, and paint (watercolor, tempera or watered-down acrylic). Full material lists are in the lesson plan.

Can this be used for sub plans or homeschooling?

Yes. It is structured, predictable and student-friendly, which suits sub plans and homeschool use.

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 resource in your classroom or homeschool, and purchase additional licenses for school use.

YOU MAY NOT: use this on OutSchool, post it on blogs or websites, share it with other teachers, schools or districts, or resell, redistribute or photocopy it.

Sincerely,

Ms Artastic