Blackwell PTSA's Art Program
1. What is the Blackwell Art Program?
2. Art Lessons
3. Work Areas
4. How to plan, execute and finish your lesson
5. Kiln Instructions
What is the Blackwell Art Program?
Blackwell's Art Program is the primary way Blackwell students get full hands-on art lessons in their classrooms.
- 100% volunteer led
- 100% funded by Blackwell PTSA
- Provided, monthly or bi-weekly, to each and every Blackwell student for all 6 years of their Blackwell Elementary career
Anyone who is interested in prioritizing art in our classrooms, is encouraged to participate.
There are many ways to do this:
- leading art lessons
- supporting art lesson (many helpers make for the most successful art lessons!)
- creating a lesson
- organizing art supplies
- setting up a lesson
- cleaning up after a lesson
What's the best fit for you?
- keep reading!
- come to art room and poke around!
- ask your teacher or another parent in your classroom
- shadow a lesson being taught in your class or in another classroom.
Okay! I'm in.
Now where do I start?
- if you want to help with a lesson, set up or clean up, connect with your teacher to meet other volunteers.
- if you want to teach a lesson- ask your teacher when you can lead a lesson, ask them to help you find a few support volunteers and pick a lesson to teach!
Art Lessons
As an art volunteer you can:
- use art lessons created by the school district, called Art Smart lessons
- use lessons that other art volunteers have created and shared in the art room
- find lessons online, from your previous experience etc
- create your own!
1. Complete Art Smart Lessons for each grade are available here – these follow the recommended LWSD art curriculum guidelines, Art Smart Lessons.
2. Lots of our Blackwell volunteers have created lessons and left inspiration in the art room. Poke around and check out the walls, shelves and even the USB sticks hanging on the wall near the calendar for ideas!
3. Pinterest & YouTube are full of free lessons and inspiration. TeachersPayTeachers is a website that offers lots of preplanned lessons for a fee (not covered by PTSA or the art program). **note**access to these sites may be limited if you are using LWSD wifi.
4. Feel free to create your own lessons! There are SO many supplies in the art room for you use. Find something that inspires you!
The supplies available in the PTSA art room are there to be used, so let your creativity run wild, be inspired by great artist/your neighbors/friends or find great lessons online!
**best practices**
Put things on the reorder list BEFORE you use the last of something!
Pull the items you'll need for a lesson 24-48hrs before your lesson and label them!
Have a great idea for new item we should have, put it on the reorder list!
Lessons that are typically done every year (often combined):
- clay lesson (often used as a gift)
- glass lesson (often used as a gift)
- Square 1 Art Lesson - done on paper with guidelines (fundraiser for the art room)
- Mother's Day gift
- Father's Day gift
- Winter holiday gift
- NW Art Lesson (showcasing the Junior League Art) - none for 2026/27 school year.
Every class is encouraged to do one clay and one glass project per year.
Go to https://www.blackwellptsa.org/art/clayandglass to learn more about the processes (to be updated by 5/5/26)
Art Smart Curriculum and Lessons
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K |
1st
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2nd Bird's eye view snow people PPT Template for the "Bird's eye view snow people" lesson
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3rd
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4th
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5th Color Theory-Square1-Grid Trees PPT
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Work Areas
The Art Workroom (located in “b” wing - first workroom on your right after the main stairwell going up to the second floor) contains general art supplies such as paint, paper, paint brushes, inking, markers, colored pencils, pastels, clay materials and tools, etc. Be creative, have fun and feel free to use different mediums throughout the year! The kids love trying new things!
The Kiln Room (located in the custodial room, off the lunchroom). We have 1 Kiln. It works for both clay AND glass. Detailed kiln instructions are in the kiln room. Don't hesitate to ask for help- many volunteers have been operating the kiln for years!
There is a kiln calendar in the art room- simply reserve the kiln dates that you want, by putting your teacher's name on the calendar. Kiln needs to be started by 1pm, so please ensure you empty your kiln by 12pm the day after you run your cycle. Please allow a few minutes to vacuum the inside (bottom) of the kiln before the next user loads.
Plan Your Lesson
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Be sure to use the calendar in the art room to inform others of your intent to use materials on specific day/time
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Plan or familiarize yourself with the lesson
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Practice the project
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Prepare your supplies24-48 hrs before your scheduled lesson
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Arrive early to set-up lesson in the classroom and to communicate with your teacher
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Briefly talk about the artist and the lesson you are teaching (ex. perspective, Monet's lilies, origami etc.)
- Many times you can actually create a sample lesson in front of the class, by using the projector and white board.
- Some people like to have a prepared PowerPoint to share with the students. If you choose to do this- keep it short! Students want to do the art!
Ending the Lesson
- Make sure the student’s name is somewhere on the art (back of page, etched in the clay etc)
- Dry art on cubbies in hallways or tops of cupboards in the classroom
- Return all materials (cleaned) to the art room
- Put the materials away neatly for the next volunteer to use
- Please keep the workroom neat
Supplies
- Please keep the workrooms clean! Clean paint brushes thoroughly and use Masters Brush Cleaner.
- Put items back and clean counters. We all use and share this space!
- If we are low on a particular supply, please post on the supply list for reorder ASAP
Kiln Instructions
Start Here: Welcome to the Kiln
How to Start the Kiln: Glass ONLY
How to Start the Kiln: Clay Bisque ONLY
How to Start the Kiln: Clay Glaze ONLY
Kiln Maps- use these for mapping where kid art is placed in the kiln
How to RESET Programs (Art Room Leader or with permission of PTSA President ONLY)
