It is rare that we get enough money for all the art supplies we want (or even need). If you are struggling, THIS POST was created for you, but what do you buy if money just lands in your lap unexpectedly?
 
Schools often have to spend EVERYTHING or their budgets are cut for the following year because they did not use it all. I always email our budget person at the end of the year and ask if there is any left-over money they need spent… Usually it’s a no, but sometimes this means a lump of money may fall in your lap and you may have as little as 1 day to spend it. I would always buy paper, canvas, brushes, glue, etc. as they generally don’t go bad… but, if you are looking for something that can open new project possibilities up, below is a list of items suggested by other art teachers when money has become available unexpectedly.
 
The links will take you to the items on Amazon, and the prices are general and may be different if you view this post months or years after it was created. Some links may even be dead, but it will give you an idea of the kinds of items others have bought for their classrooms. If you must order from an approved list of vendors, many will also carry these products. 
 
Under $100
Silk Screen Class Kit $45
Block Printing Kit $60
Needle Felting tools $25 and Wool $30
Large Class Loom $45
Epoxy Clay airdry clay 4 pounds $57 to $70
Clear Packaging tape for sculptures $20 for 6 rolls.
Ceramic Tools $12 per 18 piece kit.
Canary Cardboard Cutters 10 pieces $70
Professional Hot Glue Gun $35
Posca Markers 29 Color Reversible Set $60; 15 Color Standard Set $40
Professional Large Watercolor Paper $75
Prisma Color Pencils 72 count set $60 each
Watercolor Pencils Class Pack $70
Heavy Duty Stapler – Make your own sketchbooks $20
Spray Glue for mounting artwork and more $25 per can.
Sketchbooks, 24 pack for $20
Plaster Gauze 50 pack $85 or 30 for $50
 
Under $500
Gelli Plate Class Packs: 8x10 inch $220, 5x5 inch $130, 5x7 inch. $150
Printing Press $499
Well rated standard Color Printer $499
Drying Rack: Counter Top $170;
Throwing Wheel for pottery $175
Nice Paper Cutter $400
Commercial Grade Paper Cutter, 400 sheets at a time $300
Sewing Machine for the classroom $220
​Giant Classroom (tapestry) loom $250
 
Under $1000
Circut Maker 3 Kit $400-$600
 
Over $1000
Display Wall 7 Panel or 13 panels. $1500
Color POSTER printer $2200-$3000
Electric Kiln $3000
iPads, Photoshop Bundles, etc…

MORE links and materials HERE.

What do you do when students are focused and engaged in artmaking?
 
First, you should pause, soak it in, take a picture even. Remember rare moments like these. Teachers are often “putting out small fires,” keeping students on task and focused.
 
On a regular basis we are:

• Monitoring phone use/misuse
• Monitoring material use/misuse
• Redirecting distracted students
• Watching the clock so bathroom passes don’t become free-roaming passes
• Giving directions… again and again
• Reminding students to have a proper set-up
• Giving individual tips & techniques

 
IF you can get beyond these things, then you have additional options.

• Build relationships with students by sitting with them and circulating
• Research new projects at www.artedguru.com
• Find new video resources
• Update supply counts
• Update professional activities for the annual performance review
• Grade projects
• Create small assessments and worksheets
• Create sample artwork for future projects

 
Last but not least, make your own artwork. This may seem counterintuitive to some, but it is good for students to experience professional art-making. They get to see that not only are you a teacher, but you live and breath art. It shows them that your instruction is experienced-based. If your administration has a problem with you using school time to make personal works of art, consider giving the artwork as a reward to a hard-working student, or selling it to buy more supplies for your students. This is easier to justify.
 
Reply to this post and share what you do when your students are focused and engaged in art-making?

Engaging all student from talented to challenged in the same class.

Art teacher Amanda asks, “…I have a drawing class of about 15 kids.    About half the class has super high talent.   They turn in great work … the other half works fast, and their work is below average ability level for high school.  Of course, I redirect, ask them to add details, refine etc.   They almost always finish WAY before the other group.  What suggestions do you have?  More practice work for early finishers?”
 
Though it feels like Amanda is asking for some scaffolding help, I think some pre-work foundations may be really helpful. I find that when students rush, it’s because they are skipping really important pre-work. As an art teacher, I know my students get excited to “make stuff” but often jump in without planning.
 
When I write my lessons, I identify the main thing I want my students to learn or demonstrate. For example, in a perspective lesson, we draw a hallway in one-point perspective and add surreal elements.
 
My learning target is for students to use one point perspective with traditional drawing tools. I require that their drawing includes doors, lockers, and ceiling/floor tiles. I walk them through the process and provide video resources to demonstrate all 3 perspective drawing techniques. No matter how “good” the drawing is, if it includes these three items, I will assess a passing grade of at least 70%. That is my base, or “ground floor.” But how do we get there and avoid the tendency for students to rush? And what do you do so that your more advanced students can be meaningfully challenged? 

Let’s minimize the rushing issue first…
 
I will require a thumbnail sketch. It might take the form of a blank hallway hand-out where students do doors, lockers, and tiles with a ruler, T-square, or other tools I want them to use. When they show me the sketch, I assess it, ask for re-works, or approve it. I then allow them to work on final paper to do the hallway drawing. They see me again for approval, and go back to their sketch and work out ideas for surreal elements that follow the rules of perspective. That again is shared with me for approval, and they can add their surreal elements to their final drawing. When students rush, it tells me that they need more frequent check-ins; AKA, more foundation work. This might be tedious, but even your advanced students will benefit.
 
As students become more familiar with your expectations, you can do check-ins less formally by looking over their shoulders and giving them the okay to move forward when you see they are incorporating the depth you are hoping for.
 
How do we keep more advanced students engaged? I let students know what they need to do to meet expectations (70%) and then list what they can do to exceed expectations to earn a higher grade (90%+). For this assignment it might look like this:
 
Meet expectations (70%) with:

• A hallway that includes a door, set of lockers, and tiles following the rules of perspective.
• All lines drawn with a ruler & T-square
• Surreal element(s) in the hallway that follow the rules of perspective.

 
Exceed expectations by:

• Adding additional observed items in the hallway in perspective. (vents, water fountains, trash cans, posters, display cases, windows, etc…)
• Having multiple surreal elements in perspective
• Incorporating textures and shadows that demonstrate an attention to detail
• Including stipple/crosshatching
• Incorporate other techniques you learned in class

 
Stopping all work periodically for peer check-ins can also be helpful. I will often do a mid-project critique that can help students re-focus.
 
If behavior is an impediment to success, then re-work your seating charts. I have mixed classes with 9th through 12th graders. I will often put a senior next to a freshman because their presence will cut down on immature behavior. Putting talented students with peers who struggle can be helpful too. The advanced students can almost operate as a student-teacher, but their work can often inspire the work of the poor performing peer.
 
If students are not doing well because they are distracted or not working, include a time-on-task element to your grading rubric. I grade my student’s “participation” through my “Studio Habits” grade. They know that if they are off task, it will be recorded. Those who finish early know they must stay engaged in the art making process. To that end, I have 180 sketchbook prompts they can choose from if they finish early. They know that if they rush, they will not be rewarded with “free time.”
 
If you have found this helpful, I have written a whole book based on my pedagogy of teaching art. You can find it on Amazon HERE. If you are looking for differentiated lessons for all levels of skill, THIS may be a helpful resource.