Art looks great in a classroom and it is a fun subject to teach, but it can be hard to figure out how to store all of the artwork your students work on over the year. I send home each assignment after it has been displayed in the classroom or around the school. Some teachers have to keep all of the artwork and send it home at certain times.
Here are five tips for making art storage work in your classroom.
2- Use pizza boxes. My school has pizza day once a month. Ask your custodian to save you enough boxes for a class set. Students can decorate the outside of the pizza box as an art or early finisher activity. You could also call your local pizza restaurant and see if you can purchase a class set at a reduced cost.
3- Make poster board or large construction paper folders. Staple two pieces of paper together along three sides. Have students decorate the front of their folder. Store folder in an art drying rack or in an upside-down desk.
4- Use zipper-close plastic bags. I love freezer and giant size zipper-close plastic bags. I use them for sorting everything (see this blog post) in my classroom. Write each student’s name on the bag, place it in a plastic bin and all artwork can be kept safe in these bags.
5- Use magazine holder boxes or use cereal boxes with a diagonal cut from the top to halfway down. Provide each student with their own box that they can use to store their artwork.
Drying Rack Idea
I do not have a drying rack in my classroom, nor would I have room for one. I use magnet clips that stick to my whiteboard as my drying rack for paper art projects. Once students finish their art piece, they write their name on it with a black marker and hang it on the whiteboard. Students love to admire each other’s art while it is drying.
Fast Finisher Art Activity
This is my favourite faster finisher assignment because it still enables students to be productive and creative. Since students work on their art projects at different paces, it is important that students have something meaningful to work on when they are done with their art projects. I assign this sketchbook assignment as a yearlong assignment. I divide the school year up into thirds and set 3 different due dates. A sketchbook is a great tool for students to develop their artistic abilities. It is also really good to leave for a supply teacher if you are going to be away. Once students understand and practice this assignment, they can work independently. Find this resource on Shopify CAD and Teachers Pay Teachers USD.