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Native American Painting Lesson Plans

Below you will find a variety of ideas to incorporate drawing and painting! Most of these lessons are inspired by Native American authored books with Native American illustrators. Often exploring the story and its illustrations creates opportunities to make person connections with the book!
Some lessons also make connections to well known artists such as Cezanne.
The mediums are found in most classrooms and can modified to meet your needs!  
My complete TPT lessons can be accessed via the link below.
Scroll down to find a variety of multicultural tribal specific painting lesson ideas.  Each lesson incorporates Native American Culture by tribe and region, elements and principles of art, cross-curricular suggestions and materials. (more to come)
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Click on image below or HERE to access my TPT account for additional lessons, rubrics and resources.
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Native American Art "Gift Pony Painting" Lesson Plan

Tribe:      Lakota                     Region: Plains

Cross curricular connections:    Language Arts

Grade(s): 4-6

Elements/Principles of art:
Shape, Color, Contrast, Pattern


Materials Needed: 
Book: GIFT Horse, a Lakota Story by S.D. Nelson
Web Site: http://www.sdnelson.net/gallery.htm

Watercolor Pencils and Paints
Brushes
Paper towels
Tempera or Gouache paints


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Native American Art: "Buffalo Hide Painting" Lesson Plan

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Title/Technique:   Buffalo Hide Paintings: Story Telling

This lesson uses the Smithsonian Web site for an introduction to Hide Painting.  After learning about the importance and meaning of the Buffalo Hide painting, students will tell their own story on a simulated hide.

Tribe (s): Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara


Region: Plains


Cross curricular connections: Lang Arts, US History


Grade(s): 4-8


Elements/Principles of art: Shape, Symbolism,  Radial Symmetry

Materials: 
brown paper bags or craft paper
pencils and erasers
crayons

Learn about Buffalo Hide Paintings here:     http://americanhistory.si.edu/buffalo/artist.html

Description:
  • Explore Web site listed above.
  • Brainstorm; What story would you chose to paint?
  • What symbols could you use?
  • Create your story in pictures and symbols.  
  • Do you think other’s can "read"  your story? Share with a classmate and refine as needed.
  • Prepare your hide;
    • Cut 18 x 18 brown paper, measurements need not be exact.
    • Fold in half and tear shape of 1/2 of the hide!. Think of the fold as the backbone, tear a tail, legs and a neck.  These should be “bumps”....not really a long leg shapes.
    • Crumple paper, open, flatten.... repeat!  Keep crumpling until the paper resembles a rough texture.
  • Lightly sketch your design, using a radial symmetry, on the hide.
  • Use tempera or acrylic to add color.


Native American Art Project: Birch Tree Symbolism

$5.00 $4.50
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Native American Art Project: Rainbow Crow a Lenape Legend

$5.00 $4.50
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Radial Design inspired by Dream Catchers and Your Name!

$5.00 $4.50
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1) Native American Art Projects: The Water Projectors

$5.50 $5.00
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2. Native American Art Project: The Salmon People

$5.00 $4.50
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3. Native American Art Spider Stories

$5.00 $4.50
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4. Native American Art Project: Reflective Symmetry Picture Book Inspired

$5.00 $4.50
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5. Native American Art Project: Traditional Food Mandala/Radial Symmetry

$5.50 $5.00
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6. Native American Art Project: Thirteen Moons on a Turtles Back

$4.50 $4.00
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7. Bow-wow Pow-wow Native American ArtProject Picture Book Inspired

$5.00 $4.50
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8. Fry Bread a Native American Picture Book Inspired Art Project

$5.00 $4.50
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9. Forever Sky: Native American Art Project- Picture Book Inspired

$5.00 $4.50
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10. Go Show The World: Native American Picture Book Inspired Art Project

$5.00 $4.50
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11. The First Strawberries- Art Inspired by a Cherokee Picture Book

$4.50 $4.00
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12. We Are Grateful: Native American Art & Lit Project

$5.00 $4.50
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13. Raven and Loon: An Inuit Inspired Art & Lit Project

$4.50 $4.00
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14.Rainbow Crow: A Lenape Legend Inspired Art Project

$4.50 $4.00
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15. Picture Book Writing + Illus: Klamath Legend Inspired Native American Project

$5.50 $5.00
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16. Birch Bark House-Native American Art & Lit Project

$4.50 $4.00
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17. Hopi Butterfly Dance- Native American Art Inspired by Picture Books- Symmetry

$3.50 $3.00
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18. The Hunter's Promise- Native American Art & Lit Project

$4.50 $4.00
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Native American Art: "Nieto Clan Painting" Lesson Plan

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Wolf Clan Painting using Primary colors
Title/Technique:   John Nieto Style Paintings, Contemporary Art

Tribe (s):   Apache                        Region: South West

Cross curricular connections:   Art, Social studies/structures

Grade(s): 4-5

Elements/Principles of art: Bold Color, Shape, Harmony

Materials Needed: 
  • 12 x 18 painting papers
  • Brushes and water containers or oil pastels
  • Cups of primary colors (if using paints)
  • Sharpie markers
  • Web site for Nieto images:    http://nietofineart.com/artists/john-nieto/




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