When I ask fellow elementary and middle school art teachers about their biggest challenges, I often hear, ‘behavior‘ and ‘listening.’ And it’s true. Our students’ attention spans have definitely decreased, while the number of distractions has skyrocketed. That’s where Bite-Sized Learning can be a game-changer! And as you’ll see, art lessons are a natural fit for microlearning.
What is Bite-Sized Learning in Art?
Bite-Sized Learning(tm) is an educational approach that breaks down content into small, easily digestible pieces. By microlearning various art tools, techniques, and concepts, kids can retain information more easily.
And because you’re delivering bite-sized nuggets of knowledge, it’s much easier to keep their attention. It’s also less overwhelming, too.
Most of the time, the content is delivered digitally through ebooks or video. But that’s not a hard and fast rule. Or, even feasible in some art rooms due to a lack of technology.
Simple art worksheets, exit tickets, bellringer journals, and even brief articles about artists are all examples of Bite-Sized Learning in art. The key is to provide short activities that are geared towards teaching a very specific piece of content.
So let’s look at some ideas that you can implement easily!
11 Quick Bite-Sized Learning Art Lesson Ideas
1. Elements of Art & Principles of Design
The elements and principles are a natural fit for Bite-Sized Learning. Each element or principle can be broken down into a list of key concepts which can be taught one bite at a time.
For example, simply defining or demonstrating each element and principle is a short activity. So is creating a simple, 5-point value scale, drawing examples of free-form shapes, or listing reasons why a piece of art shows symmetry.
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More Info2. Art Vocabulary Quick Draw
Give middle school students an art term and its definition, like “contrast” or “pattern,” and ask them to create a quick sketch that illustrates the term. This visual reinforcement helps build their vocabulary and comprehension but gives them autonomy in their creation process.
3. Bite-Sized Art History Lessons
For middle school classes, introduce a famous artist or art style in a few sentences, and show a few examples of their work. Then, ask students to create a small, but quick drawing inspired by that artist or style. For instance, you could do “5-Minute Van Gogh-inspired skies” with markers.
Creating art history lessons using the Bite-Sized Learning approach can be tricky. We art teachers tend to turn them into lectures. Resources for microlearning in art should focus on the “less is more” approach.
4. Simple Directed Drawings
Directed drawing activities are another fantastic way to incorporate microlearning in elementary art. These simple, step-by-step exercises are great for bell ringers or fast finishers. And, they’re perfect for building confidence while learning in bite-sized amounts, too!
Be sure to use directed drawings with few steps so they can be completed quickly. Also, they don’t need to take up an entire page in a sketchbook. Remember, these are just warmup sketches, not final artworks.
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More Info5. Color Mixing Challenges
Have a lot of leftover paint from the last class? Have students mix paints to create new colors within a time limit. This helps them understand color theory through hands-on experience, and they end up with personalized colors to use in projects.
Bonus points for letting kids name their new colors!
They may only get 1 or 2 colors created in 5 minutes. And that’s fine. Stash the worksheet away in an art folder or student portfolio until the next available time.
6. Quick Sketchbook Prompts
You may already be doing this. But some sketchbook prompts are designed to be fast and easy. And they’re a perfect fit for Bite-Sized Learning lessons in art.
Skip long, detailed, esoteric prompts. Aim for ones that are clearly defined and can be implemented quickly. Be sure to give a finite amount of time to work on them (3 – 5 mins.) The goal isn’t completion. It’s participation in the drawing process.
Some examples might be:
- Draw your favorite snack
- Create a doodle using only circles
- Draw your first name in bubble or block letters
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More Info7. Bite-Sized Art Technique Lessons
Try teaching a specific skill, like shading, blending colors, or using cross-hatching for texture, in 5-10 minutes. Students can apply this technique immediately or in future projects to reinforce their learning.
Bonus points for creating a private YouTube channel with a series of mini art technique videos for random student consumption. I think you’ll find middle school kids prefer microlearning art techniques through video rather than in-person lectures.
8. Texture Rubbings & Drawings
Hand out crayons and paper and let your elementary classes explore the different real textures. They can create texture rubbings, which helps them understand texture in art while giving them a fun, sensory experience.
If you’re on a cart, you can glue textured items like sandpaper and lace to pieces of cardboard to make passing them around easier. Allow kids to take turns creating texture rubbings to learn different tactile textures.
Alternatively, your students could simulate as many visual textures as possible in 5 minutes. For this Bite-Sized Learning activity, first brainstorm textures such as bumpy, wavy, rough, fluffy, and cloudy. Write the words on the board. Then have them quickly draw out as many as they can.
9. Pattern Practice
Give students markers or colored pencils and have them draw patterns in their sketchbook or on a small piece of paper. This can teach rhythm and repetition as elements of design. The idea of using an indelible tool helps cut down on their desire to draw and erase repeatedly.
For upper elementary and middle school, consider showing them a few patterns to start with. Then, teach them how to freewheel off the idea. Ask, “How can you use the elements and principles to change this pattern into your own idea?” This teaches kids how to think creativity and take ownership of their learning.
10. Bite-Sized Art Critiques
Art critiques work well for both individual or small group activities where kids can pick up new vocabulary words from their peers.
To that end, display a famous artwork or a peer’s work. Ask students to spend 2-3 minutes analyzing and discussing it using art vocabulary. This bite-sized critique builds visual literacy without requiring a full critique session.
Alternatively, you could post a list of art vocab words on the board and have students choose words from the list to include in their discussion.
11. 5-Minute Portraits or Self-Portraits
Give middle school students a small mirror and ask them to make a quick self-portrait in a unique style. This helps them improve observational skills. But it also teaches them to think out of the box. Creating self-portraits works well as a bell ringer activity, too.
Conclusion
Those of us with decades of teaching experience know that long, drawn-out lessons can leave students bored and disengaged, leading to art room challenges.
Bite-Sized Learning offers a solution by keeping lessons short and focused. By breaking down complex concepts into manageable chunks, you can grab your students’ attention, reduce behavior issues, and make learning both fun and effective. Start small, and watch your students thrive!
I’d love to hear your ideas for turning your art curriculum into bite-sized chunks. Do you have plans for implementing a microlearning approach into your art lessons? Drop a comment below!
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