Navajo Sand Painting Art Game

Ready to ignite your elementary art curriculum with engaging, no prep multicultural art projects? This Navajo sand painting art lesson will boost confidence and creativity. Kids will enjoy learning about the traditions and customs of why sand paintings are made. Moreover, they’ll appreciate the difficulty in creating them.

And, it’ll help time-starved teachers like you create art lesson plans based on the rich history of the Navajo and Pueblo people. 

During this art project, your class will learn about the ceremony in which the sand painting is created. Use this lesson plan to teach about how pigments are mixed with sand to create different colors. Students will design a sand painting with play sand and tempera paints using the step-by-step guide and PowerPoint.

Plan lessons for students about First Nation art history in a way that excites them. Finally feel confident in your art curriculum and be organized and prepared to teach art!

What’s Included In My Indigenous Art Lesson

Can I be honest with you? Art history can sometimes be boring for kids. There, I said it. Teaching about artists and cultures doesn’t have to be a snoozer, though! 

I’ve designed 3 different ways for students to attempt this sand painting art project. All will engage kids to create! Choose which way works best for your classes:

• Roll a dice game to add randomness to your student’s artwork
• “You Pick” idea worksheet for kids to choose their own elements
• Digital spinner wheels, so kids can randomly pick elements and you can integrate technology in the art room
• Printable dice template in case you have no dice
• Step-by-step picture directions to guide students through the art process
• Graph paper, rectangular and square, to help plan out your sand painting design
• Drawing practice worksheet, for kids who want to sketch out their ideas
• Sand painting art history handout which explains its origins with the Navajo and Pueblo people
• “Big Ideas” reflection worksheet where students write about their art process 
• Self-assessment worksheet so kids can think about how they performed during the project
• Art grading rubric which assesses expectations, craftsmanship, work habits, creativity, and clean-up
• 8 “I CAN” Statements aligned to the Studio Habits of Mind to use during instruction or post on your bulletin board
• 4 Art exit tickets with quick, thought-provoking prompts
• Art history coloring pages to keep kids inspired by traditional sand painting outside of the art room

Ways to Use This Navajo Sand Painting Art Project

This sand painting art lesson is flexible and can be used in many ways throughout your art room and beyond. It’s great for maternity or emergency art sub plans, early finisher activities, and even for virtual art class or an after-school art club.

Why You’ll Love It

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

I love the roll a dice game. The students in my class love them too. Thank you for creating these worksheets. I can use them for other projects as well. I am using them for a Navajo Buffalo hide art project now.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My 5th grade students really enjoyed creating this Navajo inspired art during out Westward Expansion unit. I tend to focus more on Native Americans and the Trail of Tears during this unit, and this worked wonderfully with my students. They came up with some awesome art!

You Will Receive

• 1 Non-Editable Printable PDF (Navajo Sand Painting Art Project)
• 1 Non-Editable PowerPoint 
• 5 Digital Spinner Videos (downloadable, and links to them on Google Slides and YouTube)
• Paperless Google Drive Digital Resource