This document provides a list of starter activity ideas for an art lesson, including word searches, YouTube videos, dominoes, jigsaw puzzles, mock talk shows, spot the difference games, anagrams, odd one out activities, hangman, memory games, extending an artwork, step-by-step drawing sheets, exploring elements of art, self and peer assessments, hide and reveal games, and interactive whiteboard games. The activities are meant to engage students at the start of a lesson and relate to the main lesson activity.

1. STARTER ACTIVITY IDEAS
(Create a file where these are easily accessible to use in the lesson)
• Wordsearch – with key words, don’t list the words – they have to find them
• YouTube video relating to main activity – capture students attention when they enter
room
• Dominoes – in groups match colour to name of colour / artist to artwork / key word to
definition
• Jigsaw puzzle – laminated artwork cut into sections – easy to differentiate with
smaller/larger pieces
• Chat show – question and answer using a microphone – students will learn to listen
and respect the person talking – can only talk if got the microphone
• Spot the difference – on sheet or on board – encourages students to look closely at an
artwork – can bring group together by circling differences on interactive whiteboard –
edit pictures on Photoshop to create own resources
• Anagram – name of an artist/artwork
• Odd one out – group work – opportunity for students to debate with each other about
which they think is the odd one out and why
• Hangman on IWB – name of artist/artwork – parts of body can be parts of famous
paintings
• Memory game – display 20 objects on board and give students one minute to try and
memorise – draw as many objects as you can remember
• Extend an artwork – photocopy part of artwork into middle of paper, students to use
their imagination to extend the piece to the edges of the paper – can then bring class
together, displaying part of artwork on interactive whiteboard and ask students to
come up one at a time to add to the artwork
• Step-by-step drawing sheets – increase the students confidence in drawing with a
step-by-step breakdown e.g. animals, cartoon characters
• Sheets focusing on the formal elements – exploring line, tone, pattern etc.
• 2 stars and a wish self or peer assessment
• 2 stars and a wish about a famous artwork – how would they improve it?
• Hide and reveal – cover over an artwork on the interactive whiteboard and erase a bit
at a time – students to get the artwork
• Blockbusters – e.g. Artists of the 20th
Century (interactive whiteboard)

2. • A class piece of art on the interactive whiteboard related to the main activity –
Revelation Natural Art