Starting High School Art Mid-Year: Curriculum for January Hires
For an art teacher who starts a grade 9–12 position in January, Art Complete – High School provides 100+ resources on analysis, interpretation and studio practice, from concept to final artwork. You can open it the day you buy and use it to give students who spent the fall without a steady teacher a semester of serious work.
Open the high school art page →Art Complete – High School is a no-prep curriculum for grades 9–12 with 100+ resources, starting at $149.90. A teacher hired in January can start the semester with it: analysis of style, symbolism, composition and intention across cultures and periods, and studio work in drawing, painting, mixed media, design and conceptual approaches, using traditional or digital media. Units can be taught as a sequence or one at a time.
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
Inheriting high school art students halfway through
Older art students are protective of their work. If you take over in January, some of them have projects they care about and others have nothing to show for the fall. A senior building a portfolio for college applications wants to know whether you understand what they are doing. A sophomore who took the class for the credit wants to know how much will be asked of them. Both are watching what you do in the first weeks. Meanwhile, the course description may say something general like 'Art II', and the documentation stops there. You need to decide quickly whether to continue the previous teacher's direction or set a new one, and you need a way to judge each student's skill without making them repeat beginner exercises they find insulting. Critique culture may be gone, or there may never have been one. High school art also asks more of interpretation: students should talk about intention and context, not just whether something looks good. That takes structure that a new teacher has not had time to build.
Why it fits
Why it suits a January takeover
The curriculum builds toward student independence, which helps when students are at very different points.
- Analysis lessons on style, symbolism and intention restart critique with shared language in week one.
- Concept-to-final-artwork projects give advanced students a frame for independent work you can still grade.
- Experimental and conceptual approaches challenge students who are bored with technical exercises.
- Traditional and digital media options let you plan around the equipment the school actually has.
- Differentiated tasks give beginners a way in without slowing down students with strong skills.
- Units on contemporary contexts and media art connect to the images students see every day.
Getting started
Taking over a high school studio: the first two weeks
A suggested approach, not a calendar from the product. Change the order to suit your school.
- Start with one shared critiquePick an analysis lesson on composition and intention and use it with an artwork you project. Running a structured conversation on day one tells students how the class will work from now on.
- Ask to see what existsHave each student show you a piece from the fall or an older work. A short conversation per student tells you more than any record and shows you respect what they have already made.
- Give a short shared studio taskAssign a drawing or mixed media exercise from the practice section to the whole class. One common task gives you a fair baseline across all skill levels.
- Split by independence levelMove students who are ready into a concept-to-final-artwork project. Others stay with more guided studio lessons. The differentiated materials make both groups possible in the same room.
- Set criteria before the next gradeBefore the first major work is due, go over the criteria with the class. Students who know what you are looking for push back less on grades from a new teacher.
Which version
Choosing the right version for the spring
The standard version ($149.90) contains all 100+ resources, more than one semester can use, so it carries into next year if you stay. For $189.90 you also get Teach-Life-Balance, a digital teacher course built around a planner, guides and templates. It adds no art content. Consider it if the move into a new school is taking all your time. Teach Lessons also sells the Complete Art Education Bundle for High School ($59.90) as a separate, smaller set if you want extra material later.
Honest limits
What it leaves to you
Supplies, tools, software and devices are not part of the product. Studio work depends on what your school provides. You also need your own images or devices to show artworks. AP portfolio requirements, college application guidance and exhibition planning are not covered. Check the units against your state's fine arts requirements and your school's course descriptions. Colleagues in your department can use it after you send Teach Lessons a short message. If the curriculum does not fit, you can exchange it for store credit of equal value within 7 days. Cash is not paid back.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is this approved for state fine arts standards or the National Core Arts Standards?
No. It is not approved, adopted or endorsed by any state or standards organization, and alignment is not guaranteed. It is written for U.S. high school art classes and covers analysis, interpretation and studio practice. Before you use it as the basis for the semester, compare it with your state standards and your school's course description.
Can it support students who are preparing portfolios?
The concept-to-final-artwork projects and the focus on growing independence give portfolio students room for serious work. It is not a portfolio preparation program and does not cover AP or college admission requirements. Those students may need extra guidance from you or a counselor. Ask early who is applying where.
I have Art I and Art III students in the same period. Will it work?
Combined levels are common in high school art, and the differentiated tasks help. Beginners can work through guided lessons on composition and materials while advanced students take on experimental or conceptual projects. You manage the room; the curriculum gives each group something specific to work on.
We have a computer lab but few traditional supplies. Is that a problem?
The curriculum includes both traditional and digital media approaches, so you can put more weight on design and digital work if that is what the school has. The product does not include software or devices. Check which programs your school's computers can run before you plan around them.
How do I get the materials before my start date?
Access is instant. After purchase, a download link arrives by email and the files are saved in your customer account under Orders. You can read through the units over a weekend and arrive with the first two weeks chosen. Everything included is listed on the product page.
What happens if it is not what I expected?
Within 7 days of purchase you can exchange it for store credit of equal value, for example toward the middle school art curriculum if your schedule turns out to include younger students. There is no cash refund, so read the product page carefully before buying.
Give your students a semester worth showing
Read through the contents on the product page and decide whether the standard version is enough for you.
Open the high school art page →