Alexander Calder: Free Art Lesson Plans and Resources for Homeschooling

Alexander Calder, a twentieth century American artist, sculptor and toy maker, is the focus of this collection of free art lesson plans and resources for homeschooling. Several of these resources require only limited preparation, and items from around the house. Others may require a trip to the art store.

Alexander Calder Biographies for Kids
Hey Kids, Meet Alexander Calder - "Alexander Calder was born in 1898, in Lawnton, Pennsylvania. He was born into a family of artists. His father Alexander Stirling Calder was a prominent sculptor who created many public sculptures in the Philadelphia area. Calder's mother, Nanette Lederer Calder, was a professional portrait painter who studied art in Paris before moving to Philadelphia where she met her husband Alexander Stirling Calder."

Alexander Calder - "Alexander Calder invented the mobile. Because of Calder, babies all over the world are lulled to sleep by colorful dangling shapes. Calder also created an entire miniature circus which could be packed into briefcases and carried back and forth between America and Europe. He was certainly a unique artist."

Free Lesson Plans
Calder Style Mobiles - Students will create a mobile using bailing wire and paper machéd cardboard. The shapes are cut from cardboard and then paper machéd. When the cardboard is dry, it is sanded and painted with tempra paint. Holes are drilled, and the pieces are hung in a carefully balanced arrangement. Grade Level: 6-8

Calder's Contours - Students will create a drawing using Calder's searching line technique. To draw in this style, students will imitate his sculpture style, where only a single piece of wire is used to produce a portrait. Using only a piece of paper and a marker, students will record all the details of a person's face with a single line, never lifting their marker. Grade Level 2-8

Alexander Calder Cookies - Create an art masterpiece in you kitchen. Bake a batch of your favorite sugar cookies, and then turn them into a Calder masterpiece. Grade Level: 3-8

Calder Circus - Students will create a wire sculpture circus that was named the "funnest project ever" by almost every student. Make little wire men being fired out of cannons, tightrope walkers, and trampolines that really work!

Wire Sculpture Horse - Students will create a wire sculpture of a horse's head from a printable pattern. Grade Level 3-8

Art Masterpiece Coloring Page
Red Nose Coloring Page - Art masterpiece coloring pages provide children with an opportunity to interact with a piece of art in a very concentrated way. Not only do they look at the masterpiece, they become involved with it. This involvement with the artwork will, as a result, leave a much more lasting impression of the artwork, and possibly a greater appreciation for art in general. Grade Level: 2-6

Calder Circus Video
Watch Alexander Calder perform The Circus in this very entertaining YouTube.com video.

Free Word Search Worksheet
Alexander Calder Word Search - Review what your kids have learned with a free printable word search worksheet. This worksheet is designed to enhance your child's reading skills as well as drill facts about Alexander Calder. Grade Level: 3-8

Alexander Calder "Quotes"
"I paint with shapes."
"My fan mail is enormous. Everyone is under six."
More Quotes