Picturing America

Picturing America, a recent initiative from the National Endowment for the Humanities, contains a wealth of resources for using art in the classroom. The site contains links to four lesson plans that teach students how to analyze art, for example, teaching the basics of composition. The site contains over 20 pieces of art from various periods in U.S. history. A short essay with background information and analysis accompanies each piece of art. There are resource guides for using art, including a guide designed specifically for younger students.