Fifth-grade students are ready to learn that their combined efforts, even in creative endeavors, can lead to the accomplishment of larger projects than they might achieve on their own. In the process, the students learn how many small pieces contribute to the creation of a large work, which might otherwise seem daunting. The element of surprise can be incorporated into these valuable lessons by assigning each student a small square cut from a picture, with the task of copying that square proportionately to a much larger piece of paper. Use a famous painting such as the Mona Lisa as the basis for this exercise. When each student has completed his or her square, assemble all the squares on the wall of the classroom to create a giant, unique rendering of the original artwork.
Connecting visual arts to other academic disciplines is a benchmark for 5th-grade art learning, according to the New York City Department of Education. The subjects from history lessons in social studies class or the characters from books read in English classes can be used as subjects for the creation of mixed-media pictures using newly learned artistic techniques.
Sequential unit projects, requiring students to engage in a series of progressive steps to create the final product, is another important benchmark of fifth-grade art learning, according to the New York City Department of Education. Weaving presents an ideal opportunity for students to develop an artistic work from raw material to a finished product. The Southern Alleghanies Museum of Art runs a 5th-grade art workshop in which students start with raw wool, card it on hand cards, dye it with unsweetened Kool-Aid, then spin it on hand spindles. The students then create small cardboard looms, design a color pattern, and weave a sample piece, which can be displayed as a wall hanging or used as a coaster, or sewn into a small bag or onto a clothing item.
A heightened awareness of self-image is being developed by fifth-graders, and this awareness can form the basis of any number of art projects. Self-portraits can be executed in a number of artistic materials and styles, from twig-drawn outlines on the ground to impressionist paintings. Student's names can also be used to create block printings, op-art designs, and contrasting or complementary color combination exercises.