teaching elements and principles with worksheets

For many years teachers taught the elements and principles of design with
worksheets. These were collected inside folders that students were
encouraged to decorate. Sometimes, I think worksheets can
be helpful, but I believe that these should be used only if they do
not replace "human contact." Students really do prefer to be given one-
on-one attention in the art classroom. Worksheets can be very helpful
for substitute teachers and I do like them if students use these for
organizational purposes, but, worksheets should never replace slide shows,
demonstrations, lectures and private conferences. Above is a student example
of a decorated folder. I found this former student work tucked into an old
file cabinet where I did some of my student teaching along with the
following worksheets. These worksheets were assigned to ninth graders.

I can tell this student was a bit bored with this exercise.
I will need to come up with something much more
entertaining than this. Teens are not at all like college
students when it comes to art projects. They must be
tempted in order to see more positive results. It is never
enough for them to simply want to improve their own
abilities. They must be motivated with a challenge that
at least appears to be fun on the surface.

The ever present color wheel exercise. Actually, I don't
mean to be picky but, of course, I am. The blue on this worksheet
is a cerulean blue; it should be a cobalt blue in order for the
colors to be mixed properly for a color wheel exercise.

I've never met an art teacher who didn't begin a two dimentional
art project by assigning a two point perspective worksheet like
this one.

This line worksheet is a bit young for ninth graders.
Students in this age group can easily be made to feel as though
they are being patronized. Don't dumb down agenda too much.

Students in this ninth grade design course were
encouraged to draw thumbnails of their own ideas
for a larger project. This is an excellent way to promote
mapping and planning of a design concept.

These were the preliminary thumbnail sketches for the
black and white ink drawing below.

This shading exercise is relatively standard and sometimes
a worksheet with three dimensional objects is assigned
as well. Below is an example of the 3-D object examples.

I needed a one point perspective worksheet like this one
for a fifth grade art project during my student teaching
at an elementary school once. Next
time I will try to remember that I have it on file!