Basquiat Crown Art Project Jean Michel Basquiat Art Lesson Crown Art Activity

This Basquiat Crown Art Project is a Jean-Michel Basquiat art lesson for teachers, art teachers and homeschoolers working with younger students. Students create crowns inspired by Basquiat using layered oil pastel marks, expressive lines and cut paper shapes.

The finished pieces have a bright background, energetic doodle-like marks, white details and bold yellow crowns. Along the way students explore symbols, line, repetition and personal expression, and a poem hook and student reading page connect their work to the artist’s graffiti roots, his crowns, and the way he used words, lines and color.

WHAT TEACHERS ARE SAYING

★★★★ “I loved this for third and fourth grade Black History month. It really gets the students to understand Basquiat as an artist and person. The crowns ended up to be very well decorated and the student's personalities came out in their products.” Susan M.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (NON-EDITABLE PDF)

• 1 Cover Page
• 1 About the Resource Page
• 1 Critical Thinking Questions Page
• 3 Lesson Plan Pages
• 1 Poem Hook Page about Jean-Michel Basquiat
• 1 Student Reading Page about Jean-Michel Basquiat
• 1 Color Poster Sample Page
• 1 Rubric Page
• 1 How-to Draw: a Basquiat Crown Page
• 1 KWL Chart Page
• 1 The Message Reflection Page
• 1 Questions and Wonders Page
• 1 Artwork Reflection Page
• 1 Peer Feedback Page
• 1 3 Stars and a Wish Page
• Artist’s Statement Pages
• 1 Full-Page Example Artwork Page
• Step-by-Step Tutorial with visual and text directions for background marks, layered lines, crown drawing, outlining, cutting and gluing

WHY IT WORKS

The shapes are approachable and the process is clear, so younger students can make something bold and expressive without getting overwhelmed. The red background, black marks, white line details and yellow crowns give strong contrast that stands out on bulletin boards, in hallways and at art shows.

FAQ

Who is this for?

Teachers, art teachers and homeschoolers who want a Jean-Michel Basquiat art lesson for younger students.

Is it editable?

No. It is a non-editable PDF.

Does it include information about the artist?

Yes. It includes a poem hook and a student reading page about Jean-Michel Basquiat.

What materials are used?

Oil pastels, red or choice-color construction paper, and yellow construction paper.

Are there reflection or assessment pages?

Yes. It includes a rubric, KWL chart, reflection pages, peer feedback, 3 Stars and a Wish, and artist statement pages.

ALL TEACHER REVIEWS

★★★★ “This was a great way for my students to learn more about Black History Month and the artists that make incredible work!” Brittany G.

★★★★ “My kindergarteners have loved this project! They said it was so easy!” 1st G.

★★★★ “I used this for 3rd grade. They created this after learning about Basquiat from a google slides presentation. Easy resource to follow!” Adria W.

★★★★ “I used this resource for Black History art project. My students enjoyed this.” Denise M.

★★★★ “This is an excellent resource, my students were really engaged and enjoyed learning about Basquiat and his art. Students are still talking about his art well after Black History Month!” Tameika J.

★★ “This is a great PDF. Although when I try to print I am unable to. The document request a password and I could not find one in the document or here on TPT. Would love any assistance, if possible. Thanks” Dolla F.

★★★★ “My students loved this resource, and they were very engaged.” Nicole W.

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. She was the featured cover educator in OCO Magazine for October 2025.

TERMS OF USE

This resource is for single educator use only.

YOU MAY: use it in your own classroom or homeschool, and purchase additional licenses if more than one teacher will be using it.

YOU MAY NOT: share, copy, upload, post online, distribute or resell this resource in any form.

Sincerely,

Ms Artastic