Free Choice Project for Christmas

Minnesota 9-12 Visual Art Standards
Used in this Lesson

  • 1. Demonstrate knowledge of the foundations of the arts area.
  • 1A. Analyze how the elements of visual art including color, line, shape, value, form, texture and space; and principles such as repetition, pattern, emphasis, contrast and balance are combined to communicate meaning in the creation of, presentation of, or response to visual artworks.

  • 1b. Evaluate how the principles of visual art such as repetition, pattern, emphasis, contrast and balance are used in the creation of, presentation of, or response to visual artworks.

  • 1c. Analyze how the characteristics of Western and non-Western styles, movements, and genres in art contribute to the creation of, presentation of, or response to artworks.

  • 1d. Apply understanding of the health and safety issues related to creating in art.

  • 2. Demonstrate knowledge and use of the technical skills of the art form, integrating technology when applicable.
  • 2a. Integrate the characteristics of the tools, materials and techniques of a selected media in original artworks to support artistic purposes.

  • 3. Demonstrate understanding of the personal, social, cultural and historical contexts that influence the arts areas.
  • 3a. Analyze how visual artworks influence and are influenced by personal, social, cultural or historical contexts, including the contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities.

  • 3b. Synthesize and express an individual view of the meaning and functions of visual art.
  • 4. Create or make in a variety of contexts in the arts area using the artistic foundations.
  • 4a. Create a single, complex artwork or multiple artworks to express ideas.

  • 4b. Revise artworks based on artistic intent and using multiple sources of critique and feedback.

  • 4c. Justify an artistic statement, including how audience and occasion influence creative choices.
  • 5. Perform or present in a variety of contexts in the arts area using the artistic foundations.
  • 5a. Present, exhibit, publish or demonstrate collections of artworks for different audiences and occasions.

  • 5b.Revise presentation based on artistic intent and using multiple sources of critique and feedback.

  • 5c. Justify artistic intent, including how audience and occasion influence presentation choices.
  • 6. Respond to or critique a variety of creations or performances using the artistic foundations.
  • 6a. Analyze, interpret and evaluate works of visual art by applying self-selected criteria within the traditions of the art form.

  • 6b. Justify choices of self-selected criteria based on knowledge of how criteria affects criticism.

    • Additional Tie-ins

  • Holiday Traditions
  • Multimedia
    • Finally students get to make a project of their own choice. They should make something that is meaningful in some way and something that they will give to another person. I always tell them that if they do a project just because they have to, it won't turn out as good as if it has some significance or is meaningful to them. So if they need to make a box, they should think about how they could use that box. It could hold jewelry or keys or spare change, etc. Or maybe they want to do a painting or drawing as a gift for someone.

    A quick demonstration of card making is done (similar to this very old and poorly done video.) and some card examples are shown.

    If students are making a clay Christmas gift, they must consider dry time and firing time to ensure their project is finished before Christmas Break starts.

    Some ideas are:
  • Christmas ornaments
  • Christmas Painting
  • Christmas cards (5 cards required for this project)
  • Christmas gift box
  • Christmas Village painting
  • snowman with candy cane
  • Anything else you can think of that's Christmasy


    • Evaluation:
    1 point -- Large enough to be impressive
    2 points -- Artistic merit (make it meaningful)
    3 points -- Unusual or original
    4 points -- Quality and workmanship
    10 points total