• Art instruction has many benefits.children pictures image by Vladimir Kirienko from Fotolia.com
  
  The benefits of art in the classroom are numerous. Teaching art provides children with the opportunity to explore their own individuality and creativity. In addition, art serves to improve fine motor, social and problem solving skills. There are many different facets of art ranging from primitive stick figures to the more modern digital art.
  
  

Mixed Medium Painting

• Give each student a piece of paper for mixed mediums, a brush, a few colors of acrylic paint, watercolors and a container for water. Have the students first decide what they want to draw and sketch it out. A light colored pencil is best, as it will not show up once the piece is painted. Encourage the students to make use of all the space available to them. The acrylic paint can be used for definition, outlining and contrast. Watercolors can be used to fill in shapes or add background images and distant landscapes. Once the students play with the two different mediums, they will have a better understanding of both. Paper towels and sponges can also be used to blot the images and change colors and textures.
  
  

Perspective

• Read the book, "James and the Giant Peach" by author Roald Dahl to help students gain an understanding of perspective. Give each student a piece of art paper and some colored pencils. Have the students fold the paper in half. Inform the class that they will draw two scenes: one of the city from a giant's perspective and the other from an ant's.
  
  

Nature Still Life

• Have each student bring in something from outside, such as a cracked robin's egg, a pretty leaf, a colorful rock or a pine cone. Collect the items and set them up on a table for the students to see. Discuss the fine details of each item and how and where the shadows fall. Give each student a piece of tan drawing paper, a dark pencil and chalk. Have the students draw what they see, including the shadows and light.