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Welcome to the Renaissance Page Box!Â
Here's your guide to what's inside the box, along with links to the lesson plans, videos, slideshows, project guides, and interactive activities. We can't wait to see what your students create!Â
Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael!
Do the names sound familiar? Meet Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael, four artists who changed the course of art history (and, yes, the namesakes for the Ninja Turtles)! This box invites kids to explore a time of rebirth, big ideas, and bold creativity through hands-on projects inspired by these four masters. To set the stage and give students a visual and historical overview before creating, we recommend starting with our short introductory slideshow.
THE PROJECTS
LEONARDO'S
LADY WITH ERMINE
Explore Leonardo's Masterpiece Portrait!Â
Open the lesson plan to get started.
Explore Leonardo da Vinci’s Lady with an Ermine through observation, discussion, and hands-on creativity. Students learn about Leonardo as both an artist and scientist. Students then color, cut, and assemble their own interactive portrait featuring a movable hand that “pets” an animal of their choice. This project supports fine motor skills, observational drawing, and understanding of symbolic meaning in portraiture.Â
Lesson Plan | Deck
DONATELLO'S
RELIEF PANELS
Let’s "sculpt"!
Open the lesson plan to explore instructions and historical inspiration.
Explore Renaissance sculpture through Donatello's innovative relief work using stiacciato, a technique using shallow carving. Students will choose one of Donatello's designs and create their own low-relief artwork on metal. This project strengthens fine motor skills, introduces sculptural thinking, and helps students understand how artists can create the illusion of depth without fully three-dimensional forms.
Lesson Plan | Deck
MICHELANGELO'S
SISTINE CHAPEL
Dive into the process of painting on the ceiling—
find the teacher guide and slideshow here!
Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel invites students to explore one of the most ambitious painting projects in art history while stepping into the shoes (and neck strain!) of Michelangelo himself. Students will create their own “ceiling-style” commissioned artwork, working from an unconventional angle to better understand the physical and creative challenges of the project. This project is about the process, not perfection!
Lesson Plan | Deck
RAPHAEL'S
CHERUB VALENTINES
Cupid conversations for Valentine Fun!
View this Valentine's Day Inspired lesson plan here.
Raphael’s Cherub Valentines invites students to explore emotion, expression, and visual storytelling through the famously mischievous cherubs. Students examine how simple facial expressions and gestures can communicate complex feelings. Students then create their own Valentine-inspired artwork, pairing cherub imagery with punny phrases. This lesson supports visual literacy, and emotional expression.
Lesson Plan | Deck
Looking Closely
Explore the blog links below for engaging discussion prompts inspired by two additional works from the Italian Renaissance Period.
