Middle School Art Curriculum for a First-Year Art Teacher
For a first-year art teacher with grades 6–8, Art Complete – Middle School supplies 70+ resources that pair looking at art with making it, in a planned order. You get lessons on the elements of art and principles of design, studio projects from sketch to finished piece, and analysis of artworks from many cultures, so each class has a purpose beyond keeping hands busy.
See the art curriculum →Art Complete – Middle School (Grades 6–8) by Teach Lessons is a no-prep art curriculum with 70+ resources, priced at $149.90, or $189.90 with the Teach-Life-Balance course. It covers visual literacy and art analysis, the elements of art and principles of design, composition, color and symbolism, and studio practice in drawing, painting, mixed media and design. It suits a first-year teacher who needs a full sequence. Art supplies are not included.
The curriculum
Art Complete – Middle School, Grades 6–8
Start with the full curriculum. The other resources below are optional add-ons. Open any cover for the full contents and price.
Art Complete – Ready-to-Use Curriculum for Middle School Art
Complete Art Curriculum Bundle | 14 Hands-On Art Studios | Middle School Art | Grades 5–9
BUNDLE XXL: Complete Art Curriculum for Grades 5–9 – Workbook, Projects & Activities
Art Complete – Ready-to-Use Curriculum for High School Art (Grades 9–12)
Teach-Life-Balance: The Complete Time-Saving Course for Teachers (incl. Planner, Guides & Templates)
The real problem
The real workload of a first year in the art room
An art teacher's first year is heavy on logistics before any teaching happens. You are learning where the paper lives, how the sinks drain, how long it takes 28 seventh graders to clean brushes, and what your budget actually buys. The lesson planning sits on top of all that. Middle school art also has a credibility problem you inherit: some students arrive thinking art class is free time, and some colleagues think so too. A strong year needs clear learning goals, such as how contrast creates emphasis or how an artist uses color to carry mood, and that takes more planning than handing out clay. Then there is pacing. Projects run long, absences scatter students across stages, and fast finishers need something meaningful while others are still sketching. Each of those gaps is a separate thing to prepare. Writing all of it while also learning to manage a messy, mobile classroom is where many new art teachers lose their evenings and weekends.
Why it fits
How it fits a first year of middle school art
Each resource either builds visual literacy or moves students through a studio process, and the two are meant to be taught together.
- Lessons on the elements of art and principles of design give every project a stated learning goal.
- Projects move from sketch to finished artwork, which gives you natural checkpoints for grading.
- Analysis of fine art, design and visual culture gives early finishers real work instead of busywork.
- Drawing, painting, mixed media and design projects let you match units to the supplies you have.
- Art from diverse cultures and periods brings in context and visual storytelling, not just technique.
- Mixed-ability design means a confident drawer and a hesitant beginner can both succeed in one project.
Getting started
A practical start for weeks one and two
Here is one way to open the year. Swap the order around your supply delivery and room setup.
- Inventory supplies against unitsBefore students arrive, scan the art practice units and note which ones fit what is already in your cabinets. Order for the rest, or plan those units for later.
- Teach looking before makingStart with a visual literacy lesson on the elements of art. It sets routines while the room stays clean and shows students that art class has content.
- Run a low-mess first projectChoose a drawing or design project first. You practice distribution and cleanup routines on pencils and paper before paint enters the room. Time how long cleanup takes so you can plan the end of every studio period.
- Set up a sketchbook routineUse the experimentation and sketch-stage tasks as a regular warm-up. It also gives absent students an easy way to catch up. Short daily sketches also show you how each student's drawing changes over the year.
- Grade at the sketch checkpointAssess the planning stage, not just the final piece. You get early grades in the book and can spot students who need help before they commit.
Which version
Choosing your version
There are two versions. The $149.90 version holds all 70+ art resources and is enough for a full first year. The $189.90 version adds Teach-Life-Balance, a separate time-management course with a planner, guides and templates. It contains no art lessons; it is aimed at the hours you spend outside class. A new art teacher who is also running displays, ordering supplies and covering duties may find it useful, but it is optional. If you also teach a general music section, combining this with a music curriculum and using TEACHMORE15 takes 15% off both.
Honest limits
What is not in the download
No art supplies, paper, paint or tools come with it, and there are no videos. You use your own images and devices where you want to show more artwork on screen. It is written for U.S. middle school classrooms, so check it against your state's visual arts standards and your district's expectations. Pacing and the length of each project are your decisions, especially since studio time varies so much between schools. 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, not a cash refund.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is it aligned to the National Core Arts Standards?
It is not endorsed, certified or formally aligned to the National Core Arts Standards or any state standards, and Teach Lessons does not claim it is. It is written for U.S. middle school art and covers analysis, studio practice and art in its cultural context. Check it against your state's visual arts standards before you map your year.
I have a tiny supply budget. Will that be a problem?
Drawing and design projects need fewer materials than painting or mixed media, and you choose which units to run and when. Look over the art practice units, match them to what you can buy, and save the material-heavy ones for when your order arrives or for a smaller class.
What do fast finishers do?
The visual literacy and analysis resources work well as extension tasks. A student who has finished a drawing can analyze an artwork's composition or color choices. That keeps them on art content without you creating a separate early-finisher folder. It also gives you a quick written record of what each student understands about the elements of art and principles of design.
Can I teach the same unit to 6th and 8th grade?
Yes. The materials are designed for mixed-ability classrooms and the worksheets are differentiated, so you can run a shared project and expect more depth in analysis and technique from older students. Over three years, this lets students return to a skill such as composition with more confidence and more independence each time.
How is this different from the 14 Hands-On Art Studios bundle?
The Complete Art Curriculum Bundle – 14 Hands-On Art Studios, Grades 5–9, is a separate product at $129.99 that focuses on studio projects. Art Complete – Middle School is the lead curriculum and pairs studio work with visual literacy and cultural context. Each product page lists what it contains.
Does it help with an observation?
Each resource has a clear focus, such as composition or symbolism, which makes it easy to state an objective and show student analysis alongside making. How your observation is scored depends on your school's framework. Plan an observation around a lesson that includes both analysis and making, so the observer sees student discussion and studio work in one period.
Plan the year around art, not around tonight
Review what is included on the product page and match the studio units to the supplies in your room.
See the art curriculum →