You’re here because you want to step into your art room each day with renewed energy.
You love art. You love teaching.
But on some days, it can feel like you're barely keeping your head above water — struggling to connect with your students, managing constant disruptions and wondering how to pivot when a planned project goes sideways.
Every teacher I know has been in this exact place, sitting with the weight of being the only specialist in your building, the only one who truly understands what it takes to teach 600 kids a week, manage the paint, the cleanup, the behavior, the planning, all of it on your own.
If this sounds familiar, take a breath.
Because what you're feeling doesn’t mean that you're not cut out for teaching art.
It’s a sign that you’re ready to tap into the strategies of teaching art.
Teaching art to children is more nuanced than setting out crayons and teaching a draw-along….
Your art program is a combination of thoughtful planning, routines, systems, structure and a whole lot of magic.
We want you to step into your art room empowered to…
Turn chaos into calm
and build the systems, culture, and routines that transform your space where students walk in ready to create.
Plan a full year of intentional art instruction...
from designing your routines in August to your end-of-year art show, without spending your summers stressed and your Sundays scrambling.
Learn the drawing, painting, and mixed media strategies...
that align with your student’s skill set so that your students grow into confident, capable and curious little artists.
Build your own bespoke teaching toolkit
that aligns with your frameworks, systems, calendar, projects and the art assessments that you get to customize.
Start thriving
with a behavior management plan rooted in Clarity, Consistency, Connection, and Communication.
Reconnect with the reason you became an art teacher...
in the first place and use that purpose to design a program that reflects your values, aligns with your district's standards and leaves time on week nights and weekends to do the things you love.
5 Weeks to
Your Dream Art Program
Over the next five weeks, you'll move through orientation week plus 9 mini courses — two per week — each one designed to give you exactly what you need, right when you need it.
The courses follow a 3 part format: Lectures, Labs and Studio instruction
LECTURES are information-rich video lessons and keynotes that lay the foundation. Follow along in your Course Workbook and take notes as you go.
LABS are where the planning begins. You'll map out your routines, build your program structure, and customize templates for your own art room.
STUDIO sessions are hands-on. Pull out your paper and materials and create with us — planning units, experimenting with techniques, and trying out instructional tips firsthand.
And yes, there are ASSIGNMENTS.
Each course includes an opportunity to go deeper — applying what you've learned directly to your teaching practice before the next course opens.
Have questions along the way? Bring them to our weekly LIVE OFFICE HOURS inside the Community Learning Hub. Ask anything, go deeper on what's working in real art classrooms, and create alongside your fellow teachers.
Build Your Teacher Toolkit
As you work through each course, you’ll customize our templates and teacher resources to suit your specific needs.
Our video walk throughs will guide you through every step of customizing resources like lesson plan templates, curriculum maps, assessments and more while giving you creative liberty to customize posters to suit your language and design preference.
Hey there!
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTORS
I’m Patty Palmer, founder of Deep Space Sparkle.
I’ve been where you are.
When I started teaching in 2004, I walked into a crammed portable classroom with no curriculum, barely enough supplies, and more questions than answers.
I led with what I knew-- how to draw and paint-- but there were so many issues beyond what paint and paper could solve.
Why wouldn’t students push in their chairs?
Why do they interrupt?
Why do some kids finish earlier than others?
How do I seat friends together but keep the art-making flowing?
What do I do when a child starts to cry or becomes frustrated?
After years of trial and error, I developed a process that finally cracked the code on how to run an art program that aligned with my strengths and created an art room culture where students thrived.
I crafted rules that reflected my values so that my students knew what to do while in the art room.
Routines were created and used consistently. This alone helped students feel comfortable expressing themselves, create amazing art and use their time in the art room effectively.
As Deep Space Sparkle expanded, the team and our collective experiences grew together.
Heather Sparks and Mabre Lencho-Armstrong, two of Team Sparkle’s lesson creators, bring a depth of knowledge as experienced K-12 educators. They lead with creativity and curiosity and share strategies on what connects with children today.
We truly believe that every art teacher deserves to feel prepared, empowered and proud of the program they built.
Teaching Art 101 is the foundation we wish we had on our very first day in the art room.
We are here to support you as you curate your own creative classroom.
- Patty, Heather and Mabre
“Because of Deep Space Sparkle, I feel like I can actually breathe…my lesson planning is stress free. Students are more engaged. I feel prepared. I learn new techniques. I learn how to use different materials.”
— Felicia W., Veteran Art Teacher
What’s Inside
Your Course Catalog
WELCOME:
Children & Art
Rediscover Your Why
Welcome to orientation week!
Teaching art to children is one of the most inspiring and impactful roles you can have. But if you feel like the joy of teaching got buried somewhere under the weight of back-to-back classes, limited supplies, and the pressure to make it all work, this week is your permission slip to slow down and remember why you're here.
In this Course You’ll
- Create a vision for your art room by identifying your superpowers and building creative instinct.
- Explore what children are truly capable of when we build a program around their needs.
- Create your personal teaching mantra — a compass for every decision you make in your art room.
Course 101:
FIRST DAY FOUNDATIONS
Design a Classroom that Runs Itself
Sunday Scaries are a real thing. If you've been mentally rearranging tables and wondering if the schedule will somehow fall into place, this course is your permission slip to stop guessing and start building an art room with intention and purpose on Day One.
In this Course You’ll
- Design an art room space that reflects your teaching style and makes students feel safe and ready to create, whether you have a dedicated art room or teach from a cart.
- Discover what rules make sense and how to build a culture rooted in the Three R's — Respect, Routines, and Relationships that will create an art room that both you and your students can't wait to be in.
- Learn how simple connection strategies like class greetings and seating charts help you learn names fast and build trust with students before behavior issues even begin.
- Learn how to use positive language that tells students what to do instead of what to stop, keeping your energy steady and your room calm.
- Map out every transition in your class day so nothing is left to chance.
“I am impressed how Patty is always calming fears and encouraging people to do their own thing. The course has been really exciting and inspiring. I have enjoyed every lesson and presenter. This format is great.”
— Ann S., Retired Art Teacher/Volunteer
Course 102:
YOUR ART ROOM PROCESSES
Master Your
Art Room Systems
If you've ever spent your lunch break scrambling to prep materials, stayed late cleaning up after a day of painting projects, or watched the clock tick down between classes wondering how you'll ever be ready in time — this course gives you the systems that put an end to the chaos for good.
In this Course You’ll
- Learn how to arrange your seating, demonstration area, and storage so that every class flows from the moment students walk in, whether you have your own art room or are working off a cart.
- Discover the organizational systems that save you hours every week — supply buffets, table caddies, always-out materials, and art supplies storage solutions that your students can manage.
- Get a repeatable prep system for loading trays and palettes so you're never caught scrambling between classes again.
- Find practical, creative solutions for non-traditional spaces so that limited square footage never limits your teaching.
- Establish student cleanup roles, drying rack systems, and no-name project solutions that get your room reset fast — every single time.
Finding the right balance to create these systems takes time, but once you do, teaching the projects you’ve always dreamed of becomes a reality.
Course 103:
HOW TO PLAN AN ART LESSON
Plan Lessons
That Actually Work
Staring at your Pinterest boards or saved Instagram posts and wondering where to start is a hard way to spend your Sunday afternoon. And if that ‘saved’ image fails to share details that bring a project to life, teaching art might feel far harder than it needs to be. Our lesson framework, grade level adaptation process and standards checklists make it easy to tap into the fun of crafting creative and engaging lesson plans.
In this Course You’ll
- Discover a simple, repeatable lesson structure you can apply to any subject, grade level, or medium — so every lesson has a clear beginning, middle, and end.
- Learn how to reverse-engineer your standards so that your artistic intentions are always intentional, documented, and defensible.
- Explore how to adapt a single lesson across multiple grade levels — saving you prep time while honoring each child's developmental stage.
- Map out your lesson timing so you always know exactly where you are and what comes next — no more scrambling to fill time or rushing through the best part.
- Build flexibility into every plan so unexpected interruptions, fast finishers, and absent students never throw you off course.
Few art teachers have the time to create the number of lessons required each year. By understanding the anatomy of a lesson, you can adapt any lesson to your art program in just a few steps.
“Teaching art is something I do for fun; I am not formally trained...participating in this course provided a plethora of resources for me to have at the ready.”
— Delayna G., Art Teacher
Course 104:
HOW TO TEACH AN ART LESSON
Teach With Confidence In Front of Students
After learning the foundations of a successful lesson plan, you’ll dive into the details on delivering art demos that truly engage and delight young artists. You’ll learn how to differ your pacing for the various grade levels so that you can keep children focused on learning and exploring creativity, how to time your lessons so you don’t run out of time, and how to develop a fearless creator mindset.
In this Course You’ll
- Learn how to select an opening activity (book, a slide deck, art discussion) that engages kids from the moment they sit down.
- Learn how to use a Lesson Time Map to break-up the various stages of a lesson so that you can adapt any lesson to your schedule.
- Explore how to embrace and even celebrate mistakes in the moment, transforming a "that went wrong" into a "let's see what this becomes" experience.
- Consider the pros and cons of using teacher samples, when they are helpful and when to leave them on your desk.
- Build a toolkit of wrap-up activities that extend learning after clean-up and offer moments of reflection and connection.
- Learn how to teach four art lessons using the Guided, Bridge, Observation and Template Drawing Strategies.
There is no bigger joy than seeing your artists create art. The strategies in this section are my favorite because they are based on how children experience art. And there is so much beauty in these discoveries.
Course 105:
DRAWING FOUNDATIONS & DEVELOPMENT
Teach Drawing
at Every Grade Level
Drawing is the foundation of nearly every art program but if drawing is not in your skillset, that’s okay! This course shares the common drawing strategies of guided or directed drawing instruction and drawing via observation plus an approach we use to help bridge the two. You don’t need to be an illustrator to teach drawing, you just need to be able to identify where your students are at and meet them there.
In this Course You’ll
- Explore the milestones of drawing development from kindergarten through 7th grade so you can choose lessons that are appropriate for each grade level.
- Learn which drawing materials work best at each age and skill level and pair the right tool for the right lesson.
- Discover the power and the limits of guided drawing instruction and when to use it to build confidence and move children to the next stage of a lesson.
- Learn how to teach drawing through observation using contour lines, shapes and simple strategies that make drawing easy for all grade levels.
- Learn why templates or tracers are the unsung hero of the art room and what you can use to build your tracer inventory.
Learning the basics of how to teach drawing is the single most impactful teaching strategy to master. It’s so much fun and kids truly delight in the process.
Course 106:
PAINTING FOUNDATIONS
Teach Painting Without the Chaos
If painting projects with your students don’t always go as planned and you find yourself reverting to using dry materials, this course is for you. Painting can be one of the easier projects to prep and teach when you understand that material choice and grade level pairings are the secret to managing the mess. This course will set your painting expectations for both you and your students and you'll learn how to teach four amazing projects in as little as 40 minutes.
In this Course You’ll
- Learn the differences between liquid tempera, cake tempera, and watercolor — and exactly when and why to choose each one for your grade levels.
- Discover how paper choice dramatically affects painting outcomes and which papers to use (and which to avoid) so your students' artwork looks as good as their effort deserves.
- Build a brush care and supply management system that makes your materials last longer and your cleanup smoother.
- Explore painting techniques through grade-appropriate lessons — from tempera paint exploration with younger students to stunning watercolor techniques with older ones.
- Develop a painting setup and cleanup sequence you can repeat whether or not you have a sink in the room or you're working from a cart.
Never fear the mess of paint again. It’s truly where the magic happens.
Course 107:
MIXED-MEDIA FOUNDATIONS
Expand Into Mixed Media
If you've ever wanted to go beyond drawing and painting but felt overwhelmed by the logistics of managing multiple materials at once or watched a mixed-media lesson turn into a paper-scraps-everywhere situation, this course gives you the structure to make it feel manageable, meaningful, and genuinely exciting. We’ll introduce you to the principles of combining materials, managing multiple techniques simultaneously, and teaching collage techniques that are developmentally matched to your students.
In this Course You’ll
- Learn how combining even two materials (watercolor and chalk pastel, paint and paper collage, etc) opens up a world of creative possibility and self-expression for your artists.
- Learn when and how to use stations in the art room so that multiple processes can run simultaneously without it feeling too chaotic.
- Explore collage techniques by age — including templates, tools, and cleanup systems that make paper art accessible and organized.
- Learn how to break up your mixed-media projects into teaching segments so that you can adjust to your class timing and scheduling.
- Practice layering collage, painting, and drawing in a single artwork — so you can show students how to create expressive works of art.
The principles of organization are at play here and once you master mixed-media you might even have the chops to throw a dinner party. Seriously!
Course 108:
ADVANCED BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT
Handle Behavior Like a Pro
When your students are focused, teaching art feels like a dream. But when students stop listening, are disrespectful and put little effort into their art, you might feel like the situation is hopeless. While it’s not easy to shift quickly, learning how to build a behavior management plan rooted in Clarity, Consistency, Connection, and Communication helps get everyone back on track.
In this Course You’ll
- Learn how to stop the self-blame and instead focus on behavior management solutions that can help get your art room back on track.
- Learn how to create a space where children feel safe while following your art room routines by actively showing students what success looks, sounds, and feels like from the moment they walk in.
- Learn how to identify common behavioral triggers before they turn into disruption.
Learn how to manage your energy so you can set a positive tone for your class time and not work against it. - Build an effective support system in your school community so that you can collectively navigate behavioral challenges together.
- Create a Classroom Reset Plan for the moments you need it and see how the energy of your room shifts.
If there is one thing to know about managing behavior in the classroom, it’s this: you can do it!
Course 109:
PLANNING YOUR YEAR
Plan Your Entire Year With Intention
How do teachers keep track of seven grade levels, multiple projects, and a rotating schedule without losing their minds? The answer isn't a busier Sunday. It's a curriculum map built with your interests in mind. Let’s go from “winging it” on your first day to actually planning your entire year in advance.
Don’t worry about planning everything out perfectly. A curriculum map is a fluid set of intentions that will help you stick with a plan for most of the year and add in some magic when you need it.
In this Course You’ll
- Learn what a scope and sequence actually is and why it's the single most powerful tool for building an art program that builds skills progressively, grade by grade.
- Map out your entire school year by balancing media, themes, standards, and seasonal moments that align with your schedule, school requirements and personal preferences.
- Discover how to select a curriculum theme that will work for you and your students.
- Learn how to build flexibility into your plan so field trips, assemblies, and unexpected schedule changes don't unravel your whole program.
- Walk away with a complete, personalized curriculum map you can actually use — not just a template, but a real living document for the year ahead.
This course sets you up to deliver your Capstone project so that your next school year will be your best one yet!
“I knew this course was going to be great but oh wow it was even better than I could have imagined. I have learned so much and two of the most impactful things have been, learning how students might feel when I am teaching them something unfamiliar and how incredible it can be trying new techniques and types of art.”
— Saji F., Art Teacher
Your Course Workbook
Our 200+ page digital workbook is designed to be your beautiful course companion and reference guide. Capture your learning, build your systems, log your frameworks, and keep everything you need in one place.
Want the analog experience?
Add the spiral-bound, full-color printed physical workbook at checkout — your permanent teaching guide to annotate, reference mid-lesson, and keep at your desk all year. (US Addresses only)
Printed in limited quantities and available while supplies last. Early Bird registrants get priority access.
“With DSS I have been able to drive deeper and reignite my passion and excitement for art. There are so many ways to teach art and you along with your team have given me so many great tips and tricks that I am so thankful for.”
— Angie H., K-5 Art Teacher
TEACHING ART 101 COURSE TIMELINE
Create your dream art program in 5 weeks
Teaching Art 101 exists to give you the practical foundation, creative confidence, and real-world support to thrive in every season of your teaching journey — no matter your art background.
Teaching Art 101 is for you if you are…
- An elementary school art teacher who strives for harmony and creativity in your art programs.
- New art teachers who are searching for real-life teaching experiences to pair with what you learned in college.
- Experienced art teachers who are adapting their art room practices for today’s learners.
- Art teachers who value their time and want to create an art program that places equal emphasis on classroom culture and craftsmanship.
Teaching Art 101
may not be for you
if you are…
- Looking for art projects and ready-to-teach curriculums (our art teacher membership The Sparklers’ Club might be a better fit)
- Looking for a course for your children. Teaching Art 101 is best for art educators who work in a classroom setting.
- You want to keep tolerating students who don’t try or care, classes that are equal parts overwhelming and exhausting.
“Thank you Patty and the Deep Space Sparkle staff for such fulfilling and creative courses. I have learned so much, and have a wonderful record of all of the exploration, growth and mindfulness while earning PD hours.”
— Renee C., Deep Space Sparkle Course Participant
The Challenge Every
Art Teacher Knows Too Well…
Finding quality professional development for art teachers feels nearly impossible:
❌ General Teacher PD: Built around math and reading strategies with nothing for the teacher with 300 students, 7 grade levels, and a room full of art supplies.
❌ Conference Sessions: Inspiring for about 48 hours. Then you're back in your art room with a notebook full of ideas and no way to revisit what you have learned.
The reality is: No matter how much you love art or how long you've been teaching it, most art teachers never receive formal training in how to teach art to children, age-appropriately, across every grade level, in a real classroom with real constraints.
That’s what we’re here to do: support every art teacher with the tools,
resources and inspiration to shine in the art room.
A Course Built for You!
✓ 50+ videos organized into Lectures, Labs and Studio Tutorials across nine content-rich mini-courses, covering all aspects of teaching art to children from classroom culture to painting techniques to curriculum planning ($797 value)
✓ 15 customizable art room documents — lesson plan templates, rubrics, artist statements, assessments and classroom resources, editable in Canva and Google Drive to fit your unique teaching style. ($225 value)
✓ 200+ Page Digital Course Workbook to capture your notes, play with schedules and visualize your dream art program ($39 value)
✓ A Private Community of art educators who understand your unique challenges and show up for each other (hosted on our private Course Platform)
✓ 5 LIVE Sessions with Patty Palmer & Team Sparkle, each counting toward your Professional Development Hours ($345 PD value)
✓ 25 accredited Professional Development Hours of art-specific, immediately applicable learning ($750 PD value)
✓Lifetime Access so you can revisit any course, any video, at any point in your career when you need a refresher or a reset
TOTAL VALUE: $2,156
Designed to give you all of the tools necessary to craft a culture of exploration, creativity and curiosity in the art room.
Exclusive Bonuses
BONUS 01
Teacher Resource Toolkit
(Value $49)
The biggest and most comprehensive art teacher planner + curriculum guide + teacher resources we’ve ever created. This 2026-27 version features:
- Planning documents like grade level curriculum maps & project planners
- Grade Level Scope and Sequence
- Milestones in Art
- 2026-27 School and Artist Based Calendar
- Weekly and Monthly Planners (vertical orientation)
BONUS 02
Art Room Posters
(Value $39)
We know how a well-designed poster can aid in establishing your classroom culture. We created brand new posters just for you that you can customize based on your word choice, language and colors.
BONUS 03
13 Full Lesson Plans from The Sparklers’ Club
(Value $90)
- Over Under Frog (3rd)
- Axolotl Watercolor (K)
- Farm Animal Stack (3rd Grade)
- Autumn Cottage (6th Grade)
- Tempera Paint Portrait (K)
- Hidden Hedgehog (K)
- Watercolor Tulips (K)
- Watercolor Shark (6th)
- American Alligator (1st)
- Claire West Owl (6th)
- Jeff Koons Inspired Balloon Dog (k)
- Backpack with Personality (3rd)
- Printed Aquarium (5th)
Choose Your Path
Full Course Access
- ✓ 9 Courses + Welcome Module
- ✓ 200+ Page Digital Course Workbook
- ✓ Customizable Templates
- ✓ Editable Teaching Resources
- ✓ Art Room Posters
- ✓ Lessons Plans
- ✓ Private Learning Community
- ✓ Live Weekly Calls with Patty & Team Sparkle
- ✓ 25 Professional Development Hours
- ✓ Lifetime Access
Course + your first month free
- ✓ Sparklers’ Club New Lesson Bundle each month
- ✓ Sparklers’ Club 3 Bundle credits each month
- ✓ Sparklers’ Club Curriculum Plans + Resources
- ✓ Sparklers’ Club community access
- ✓ Physical Workbook add-on available $59
Are you a member of The Sparklers’ Club or Primerry PRO? Visit your member dashboard for your exclusive discount and member loyalty bonus.
What to do Next:
1. Warm Welcome
Upon registration, you’ll receive your welcome email with your login details and a detailed course information packet to help you prepare for the course and peek into what’s ahead.
If you choose to bundle and save by becoming a Sparklers' Club Member, you’ll receive a separate email from The Sparklers' Club upon registration to help you get your membership set up.
2. Join the Community Learning Hub
Once your account is set up, you’ll head over to the Teaching Art 101 Community, (hosted directly inside your Kajabi course login) to introduce yourself and connect with fellow art teachers.
3. Mark your Calendar
On June 25th, you'll have full access to the Welcome Module and can join us for the LIVE Course Orientation inside the Community — where we'll walk you through everything you need to know to get started.
From there, you'll move through 9 Modules over 5 weeks, building the systems, routines, and frameworks to create your dream art program.
Purchased a physical workbook? All physical workbooks will ship by June 22nd and arrive within 2-5 business days.
Risk-Free Registration
We know how important it is to invest ONLY in the resources and tools that save you time and make a real difference in your art room.
On June 25th when the course begins, dive into the Welcome Module and attend Course Orientation for a preview of what’s ahead.
If after reviewing the materials you decide the course isn’t the right fit, simply email us before Sunday, June 28th for a full refund.
Note: Physical workbook purchases are non-refundable once printed and shipped.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most school districts in the United States accept independent professional development toward elective PD hours, annual growth plans, or license renewal especially when the content directly supports your teaching assignment.
Because requirements vary by state and district, we recommend checking with your administrator or HR office if you need the hours to count toward formal licensure renewal. For most teachers, a conversation with your principal or curriculum coordinator is all it takes.
Download the Course Syllabus for more details on course contents for your district.
Teaching Art 101 was designed for K-7 art educators.
Throughout the course, we explore developmental understanding, teaching strategies, classroom systems and curriculum planning across a wide range of ages and abilities, so you can adapt what you learn to the unique needs of your students and teaching style.
Teaching Art 101 was designed as a summer learning experience, so you can move through the course before the back-to-school rush begins.
We recommend setting aside 3-4 hours per week during the 5-week course schedule (June 25th -- August 1st).
With lifetime access, you can move at your own pace and revisit any module anytime you need a refresher during the school year.
The Teaching Art 101 Community is hosted directly inside Kajabi, our course platform, so your course videos, workbook materials, discussions and community space are all in one place.
We recommend downloading the Kajabi app on your phone or tablet, which makes it easy to access the course and community throughout the summer.
To fully participate in Teaching Art 101, you'll need access to Google Drive, a free Canva account and basic art supplies that you likely already have on hand.
A full supply list will be included inside your Course Information Packet after registration to help you fully prepare before the course begins on June 25th.
Your course registration includes the complete 200+ page digital workbook as part of the course experience.
The optional spiral-bound printed workbook is available at checkout for teachers who prefer learning with something tangible beside them while they plan, take notes and move through the course.
While newer teachers will absolutely benefit from building strong foundations from the beginning, many experienced art teachers are joining Teaching Art 101 because they're craving fresh inspiration, stronger systems or a more intentional approach to the art program they've built over the years.
No matter where you are in your teaching journey, this course was designed to meet you in the real day-to-day experience of teaching art today.
On June 25th when the course begins, dive into the Welcome Module and attend Course Orientation for a preview of what's ahead.
If after reviewing the materials you decide the course isn't the right fit, simply email us before Sunday, June 28th for a full refund.
Note: Physical workbook purchases are non-refundable once printed and shipped.
As a current Sparklers' Club or PRO Studio member, you can locate your exclusive member offer inside your membership dashboard.
Teaching Art 101 is a professional development course created specifically for K-7 educators looking to strengthen their teaching practice and build a more intentional art program.
It's designed to support the teacher behind the lessons.
Still have questions?
Reach out to support@deepspacesparkle.com and we’ll be happy to help.