High School Art Curriculum for a First-Year Art Teacher
Starting your first year teaching high school art, Art Complete – High School gives you 100+ resources for grades 9–12 that move students from guided technique toward independent, concept-driven work. It includes analysis of fine art, design, media art and visual culture alongside studio practice in traditional and digital media, so you have a full year mapped before your first critique.
View the HS art curriculum →Art Complete – High School (Grades 9–12) from Teach Lessons is a ready-to-teach art curriculum with 100+ resources for $149.90, or $189.90 with the Teach-Life-Balance course. It covers analysis and interpretation of art from different cultures, periods and contemporary contexts, plus drawing, painting, mixed media, design, and experimental and conceptual work in traditional and digital media. It suits a first-year teacher who wants a full sequence. Supplies are not included.
The curriculum
Art Complete – High School, Grades 9–12
Start with the full curriculum. The other resources below are optional add-ons. Open any cover for the full contents and price.
The real problem
Why high school art is hard to plan in year one
High school art students expect more than a project of the week. A ninth grader in Art I and a senior building a portfolio may share your room, and both need work that moves them forward. The difficult part for a new teacher is the shift from instruction to independence. Early on you teach a technique step by step, but by the upper grades students should be developing their own concepts, and someone has to plan how that handoff happens. Critique is another skill you are expected to have on day one. Leading a useful conversation about style, intention and composition takes structure, or it slides into "it looks cool." You also need written work that lets students explain their choices, because a grade based only on how polished a piece looks punishes students who took creative risks. Put that on top of supply orders, kiln or printer schedules, and possibly a digital media section, and the planning load in year one is large.
Why it fits
What the curriculum gives a new high school art teacher
The resources pair interpretation with studio work and step up in independence across the four grades.
- Analysis of style, symbolism, composition and intention gives critiques a structure students can follow.
- Projects run from concept to final artwork, so you can grade the thinking as well as the result.
- Experimental and conceptual approaches give advanced students room to work beyond assigned technique.
- Traditional and digital media are both covered, which helps if your school has a computer lab.
- Material from contemporary contexts and media art connects coursework to visual culture students already know.
- Growing independence across grades 9–12 helps you plan different expectations for Art I and upper levels.
Getting started
One way to open the first two weeks
A suggested start; rearrange it for your course levels and studio setup.
- Sort units by course levelMap the earlier, more guided resources to your intro classes and the conceptual work to upper levels. That gives each section its own track from the start.
- Start with an interpretation lessonOpen with analysis of a single artwork's style and intention. It sets the language you will use for critiques all year. Post the key terms where students can see them during later projects.
- Assign a skill-building drawing taskUse a drawing or design resource to see each student's level. It costs little in supplies and shows you who needs foundations. Keep these drawings as a baseline to compare with work later in the year.
- Hold your first structured critiqueUse the analysis vocabulary from week one to run a short critique. Students practice talking about composition before their work is graded. Keep it short and focused on one element so every student speaks.
- Introduce the concept-to-final processLaunch a longer project and grade the concept stage first. You get early grades and can redirect weak ideas before materials are used. This also teaches students to plan before they start.
Which version
Which version to buy
The $149.90 version includes all 100+ resources and covers a full first year across levels. The $189.90 version adds Teach-Life-Balance, a digital course with a planner, guides and templates focused on teacher workload. It adds no art content. It may help if you are running several course levels, a gallery show and supply ordering at once, but the art curriculum works without it. The Complete Art Education Bundle for High School ($59.90) is a separate, smaller product. If you also cover middle school sections, combining this with Art Complete – Middle School and using TEACHMORE15 gives 15% off both.
Honest limits
Limits worth knowing before you buy
No supplies, software, cameras or videos are included; you supply materials, devices and any images you show beyond the worksheets and slides. It does not replace your school's portfolio requirements or AP guidelines if you teach those. It is written for U.S. high school classrooms, but check it against your state's visual arts standards and course codes. Pacing across semesters is yours to set. Team use needs a short message to Teach Lessons first. If it is not a fit, you can exchange it for store credit of equal value within 7 days; there are no cash refunds.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is it aligned to state or national arts standards?
Teach Lessons does not claim the curriculum is approved, endorsed or certified against the National Core Arts Standards or any state framework. It is written for U.S. high school art and covers analysis, interpretation and studio practice. Compare it with your state's visual arts standards and your course descriptions, and add anything your district specifically requires.
Can I use it for AP Art and Design?
It is not described as an AP course and makes no claim about AP portfolio requirements. The conceptual and experimental work and the concept-to-final process can support upper-level students, but check AP guidance yourself and treat this as supporting material. Many teachers would use the analysis and conceptual resources with AP students while relying on official AP course materials for portfolio rules.
I teach Art I and Art III in the same year. Does it handle both?
The resources increase in independence across grades 9–12, so you can use guided technique lessons with Art I and conceptual work with Art III. The worksheets are differentiated, and you can run a shared analysis lesson with different expectations for each level. This keeps you from writing two separate lessons for every topic in your first year.
Does it include digital art?
It covers both traditional and digital media and media art in its analysis content. It does not include software, and the specific tools you use depend on what your school provides. If your school has a computer lab or tablets, you can run the digital media portions there; if not, the traditional media work stands on its own.
How do I grade student art fairly in my first year?
Because projects go from concept to final artwork, you can grade planning, process and written reflection on intention, not just the finished piece. That gives students who take risks a fair chance and gives you evidence for each grade. Share the grading criteria at the start of each project so students know what counts.
Is there a sample to look at?
The product page lists what is included. Every Complete Curriculum follows the same structure, so the browser preview on the middle school music product shows the general format of the worksheets. If you want to confirm a specific topic is covered, check the full list on the high school art product page before buying.
Walk into your first critique with a plan
Check the full list of included resources on the product page and decide whether the planner course is worth adding.
View the HS art curriculum →