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Seeing and Making: Visual Art for Grades 3-5

Grade 3-5 · Christian · NGSS/CCSS-aligned

Your child makes real art with what's in the house, learns to look at famous works long enough to have opinions, and ends the semester hanging their own five-piece exhibition. You supply paper, pencils and wall space.

What your child will learn

The whole year, in plain English. Tap any unit to see every skill inside, nothing is hidden.

The Elements, by Makingpeek inside ▸

Line, shape, value, color, texture, space, form and composition: each learned hands-first with paper and pencil, each then found in a real named masterwork, ending in a labeled family gallery.

  1. Line: the first tool

    Do the activity, then show Clara you can talk about kinds of lines and the jobs they do.

  2. Shape: flat friends

    Do the activity, then show Clara you can talk about geometric and organic shapes.

  3. Value: light and dark do the heavy lifting

    Do the activity, then show Clara you can talk about using dark and light to make things look solid.

  4. Color: the wheel and its moods

    Do the activity, then show Clara you can talk about the color wheel, complements, warm and cool.

  5. Texture: how things feel to the eyes

    Do the activity, then show Clara you can talk about making flat paper look furry, bumpy or smooth.

  6. Space: near, far, and the magic of overlap

    Do the activity, then show Clara you can talk about making a flat picture look deep.

  7. Form: shapes go 3D

    Do the activity, then show Clara you can talk about seeing the simple 3D forms inside real things.

  8. Composition: why some pictures just work

    Do the activity, then show Clara you can talk about arranging a picture so eyes go where you want.

  9. Element scavenger show (unit review)

    Do the activity, then show Clara you can talk about naming the art elements in their own work.

Looking, Cultures, and the Portfoliopeek inside ▸

The describe-analyze-interpret-judge looking method, art traditions of Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe treated with equal seriousness, a two-week observational drawing bootcamp, and a curated five-piece exhibition with artist statements.

  1. How to look at art (longer than 8 seconds)

    Do the activity, then show Clara you can talk about describing, analyzing, interpreting and judging an artwork.

  2. Art of Africa: pattern, purpose, power

    Do the activity, then show Clara you can talk about pattern and meaning in African art traditions.

  3. Art of Asia: the confident line

    Do the activity, then show Clara you can talk about confident strokes and empty space in Asian art.

  4. Art of the Americas: story in symbol

    Do the activity, then show Clara you can talk about story-telling symbols in art of the Americas.

  5. Art of Europe: windows and light

    Do the activity, then show Clara you can talk about how European painters chased light across centuries.

  6. Observational drawing bootcamp I

    Do the activity, then show Clara you can talk about drawing what you actually see.

  7. Observational drawing bootcamp II

    Do the activity, then show Clara you can talk about seeing their own drawing improve week over week.

  8. Curate the portfolio

    Do the activity, then show Clara you can talk about choosing their five best pieces and saying why.

  9. The exhibition (capstone)

    Do the activity, then show Clara you can talk about presenting their exhibition and their growth.

From the parent guide

Your child makes real art with what's in the house, learns to look at famous works long enough to have opinions, and ends the semester hanging their own five-piece exhibition. You supply paper, pencils and wall space.

Unit 1 · what to expect

Line, shape, value, color, texture, space, form and composition: each learned hands-first with paper and pencil, each then found in a real named masterwork, ending in a labeled family gallery.

The full guide covers all 2 units: where kids get stuck, what to say, and how to tell it's working. Included with the course.

Ready when you are

Free for 30 days · then $29/mo or $290/yr for the whole family · Cancel anytime, no questions asked.

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Seeing and Making: Visual Art for Grades 3-5, Grade 3-5 Homeschool Curriculum