Don't be scared of curriculum and don't reinvent the wheel! There is a strong chance your school has one. However, if you are asked to create a k-4 curriculum for your school, GOOGLE IT with "PDF" in the search string. (SAMPLE LINK) Many schools publish their curriculum online for the public to see and read. Download that and make it your own. Change it to fit your needs. It's a guide, not a manifesto. Take a deep breath, you can do this.
 
Curriculum is an overview of what students should be exposed to during your course. From year to year, skills should be strengthened, and expression deepened. A good curriculum will be general enough to personalize, and allow for student expression. Bad curriculum will outline specific lessons that must be done in a specific order. If all students must produce the same product to match a sample, it is reductive and destructive, More on that HERE.
 
IF you are asked about curriculum, check with your supervisor if they have one you should be using or if they want to follow State or National Standards. I would however not be proactive in asking. Many schools are fairly “hands-off” with their art instruction for various reasons.

1. They don’t care
2. They don’t know there are standards
3. They are too busy monitoring “core” classes
4. Administration has no art background
 
Instead, inquire with other art teachers in your department if you have them. Or ask an art teacher in a nearby school. Though it may be sad that administration may have little understanding of what you do... worse is having a supervisor who holds art to the rigors they impose on math department teachers. Art has rigor, but it’s different.
 
I have had administrators who had art experience in the past, and it was wonderful. I have had others who had no art background and wanted to implement a kind of corporate rigor which was a nightmare. (I actually left that school because of it.) Most often I have had supervisors who had no experience and generally left me alone. I am okay with that.

​Don’t invite strenuous oversight. Just don't. 

If you are a new teacher and would like a deeper dive into the pedagogy of art education, you can read my book for free on Amazon with a Prime account or buy a paper copy HERE. If you are here to also find lesson plans, I can recommend THIS BOOK as a good starting point with 50 lessons. If you are seeking advice on HOW to develop lessons, THIS POST is how I do it without resorting to Cookie-Cutter lessons from Pinterest or other poor sources. If you want to know why, THIS VIDEO will explain it.

If you need a year or more of lessons tied to the elements and principles, I created this book, which is a compilation from my other books (50 Art Lessons, and 51 Art Lessons). Click HERE to get it on Amazon.

Art is THE most important class a child can have in school. Almost everything students learn in elementary school can be taught through art, and much of middle and high school can be strengthened through art. Don’t let anyone let you feel that art is less important than any other program in your school. THIS is a good post if you feel you need to justify the importance of art to anyone (even jaded middle-schoolers). If this is your first year teaching art, go to this link HERE.
 
The excitement of your students and your own enthusiasm may tempt you to jump right into a project before setting a good foundation. My 30+ years of experience inform me that a solid start sets the tone for a whole year.

• Go over rules and expectations
• Cover important vocabulary early
• Always assign seats and create groups (Video)
• Do a first-day survey (LINK)
• NEVER start with paint or clay – Always a drawing project.

 
Though students might be more excited to dive into painting or sculpting with clay, you'll be left with a nightmare to clean up. There is a whole year to explore, so don't rush. Each exploration should build on the last. Check for understanding, see if they clean up well, and put away supplies properly. If they can’t even put away their colored pencils, why would you allow them to dive into acrylics?
 
Let students know, their studio habits will show you what they can handle. If we have a very bad day, I have no problem using crayons and copy paper to do a project. I did not go to college and get my national certification to become a maid.
 
Here are links to 6 of my introductory lessons that will allow diverse results and students seem to enjoy. I always have them sketch first, get me to sign off on their sketch, then draw on "good" paper. This video may be helpful: bit.ly/AmIDone
 
1. First Day Survey
While not a drawing project in itself, a quick first-day survey is invaluable. Asking about students’ prior experiences, interests, and goals gives you essential context for the months ahead. Pair this with a simple sketch-based activity—such as “draw three objects that represent you”—to make the survey more personal and visually engaging.
 
2. Interactive Introduction Art Game
This lesson is perfect for the very first week of school. Students work in pairs, with one blindfolded while the other describes an artwork or image for them to sketch. The results are often hilarious, lowering anxiety and setting a playful tone for your classroom. More importantly, it teaches students to listen carefully, collaborate, and support one another. You’ll quickly see who enjoys taking risks, who prefers structure, and who shines as a leader.
 
3. International Names Project
Names carry personal and cultural identity, and this lesson leverages that power. Students illustrate their names using images, symbols, or decorative motifs tied to their heritage or interests. The finished works become excellent display pieces and conversation starters. As a teacher, you gain insight into family backgrounds and passions, helping you pronounce and honor names correctly while learning what matters to each child.
 
4. Cell Phone Artwork
In this project, students design artwork that could function as their cell phone’s lock screen. It’s a clever way to connect with their digital world while tapping into personal identity. They incorporate proportion and measurement to create authentic-looking screens, which doubles as a math integration. When students share their designs, you gain an immediate glimpse into their personalities, hobbies, and creative instincts.
 
5. Comic Book Covers
Superheroes and graphic novels have a universal appeal. In this lesson, students design a parody of a famous comic cover or invent one featuring themselves as a character. This format is not only engaging but also reveals how students view themselves and the stories they want to tell. Some may lean humorous, while others may share deeper themes of identity.
 
6. Symbolic Self Portrait
Self-portraiture is a classic intro activity, but the symbolic approach adds layers of meaning. Instead of focusing on likeness, students create images where objects represent different aspects of their lives. A soccer ball might stand for teamwork, a book for curiosity, or a sunrise for hope. You’ll learn far more about your students than a traditional portrait would reveal.
 
If you have a ceramics class, beginning with art elements and principles is still helpful. Below is a good first exploration. I would have them sketch first. Share sketches for feedback, complete a new drawing based on feedback and begin to work in clay only after that. artedguru.com/home/first-time-for-clay-hs
 
All of these lessons require little "help" from the teacher but students find them engaging. While students work, you can review curriculum, organize storage, order supplies, and do what you need to do to get your program up-and-running. It is quite likely that IF you have a curriculum, these lessons will dovetail nicely into some unit.
 
If you need a resource for starting out the new year, I can recommend this edition of Art Education Magazine HERE. If you are a new teacher and would like a deeper dive into the pedagogy of art education, you can read my book for free on Amazon with a Prime account or buy a paper copy HERE.

How to create powerful teaching tools for diverse results.

Having a project sample is a double-edged sword. It can easily lead to “convergent projects” where they all look like your sample. They are commonly called “Cookie-cutter” projects which are actually destructive to the art experience. More about that HERE.
 
Assuming you understand and agree that convergent projects are pedagogically bad practice, does that mean samples are unhelpful?

No.

A sample can lead students in a direction of “success” while assuring individuality. We have all heard, “Seeing is believing” or “a picture is worth a 1000 words.” A sample can help students envision where they need to go when exploring a new idea.
 
Lesson Prompt: Make a milk carton in the style of an artist so show off their style without copying their work. This was the prompt for a very successful lesson of mine, but hard to imagine where to begin. Having a sample, of a Jean-Michele Basquiat style milk carton like THIS (<--click link) will make you go “Oh! I get it!”

To make sure no one copies my example, I will forbid them from even choosing the same artist. I actually had students sign up for an artist based on a list I provided, and they could write in someone not on the list as their choice. This way EVERY STUDENT had a different selection. You can see the full lesson HERE.
 
I could use that same example later for another lesson tied to artist’s styles. Perhaps I ask students to reimagine ANY object in the style of a famous artist. Or If I wanted to focus on Jean Michele, I could ask them to use him as a theme but pick a personally symbolic object o transform. When you think more openly about your sample, to consider “divergent projects” where successful products are all different, your examples become powerful teaching tools.

The top image from this blog post is a double example I created. I needed to make 3D forms and choose cartoons from my childhood I enjoyed. THEN I drew the forms to show shadows and highlights. Without examples of all these steps, students might have been overwhelmed or confused by the lesson. You can see that exploration HERE. 

Below are some more teacher-made examples I have used. Some are very simplified versions of projects so students get the idea or direction to explore without giving too much away. Hover over each image to see what the prompt was. 

If you need samples and lesson for your own practice for grades k-12, consider my book on Amazon HERE. For pedagogy advice, you can read my book for free is you have an Amazon account HERE.