Van Gogh at Secondary Schools

Vincent van Gogh: A close look at The Harvest

This lesson is about the making of Van Gogh's painting The Harvest (1888).

12 to 17

Art and design, Geography

20 min

Imitating, adapting and surpassing

Vincent van Gogh looked for inspiration in his everyday surroundings and in the work of other artists. Students can independently complete this lesson about imitating, adapting and surpassing.

Hockney - Van Gogh

An interactive lesson about looking carefully, and about the parallels between the work of David Hockney and Vincent van Gogh. It includes a drawing exercise for pupils to do on their mobile phones. They can carry out this lesson independently.

Who was Van Gogh?

A short film about Vincent van Gogh, for use as an introduction to other lessons about the artist and his work.

10 to 13

Art and design, History

60 min

UV - Van Gogh's friend (2)

Masterminds & Masterpieces – Using your own drawings and paintings, you’ll discover what a conservator-restorer sees when studying a painting with UV light. (Age 10 - 12)

10 to 14

Design and technology, Art and design, Science, History

30 min

UV - Van Gogh's friend (1)

Masterminds & Masterpieces – In this lesson, you’ll see how a conservator-restorer uses UV light to study Vincent van Gogh’s paintings closely. Then you’ll construct your own UV research light. (Age 10 - 12)

10 to 14

Art and design, Science, Design and technology, History

30 min

The rediscovered church

By studying the painting of a church in Nuenen, the class will find out how Vincent van Gogh created the illusion of three-dimensional space on a flat surface. They will learn about proportions and do arithmetic and measurement exercises based on the painting.

10 to 12

Art and design, Mathematics

75 min

UV - Van Gogh's enemy

Masterminds & Masterpieces – Using two of your own drawings, you’ll carry out an experiment to show the influence of UV light on works of art. Note: You’ll need at least a couple of weeks to complete this experiment. The lesson involves two parts – and a lot of patience. (Age 10 - 12)

10 to 13

Design and technology, Art and design, Science

5 min

Vincent van Gogh - my story

A short film about Vincent van Gogh, for use as an introduction to other lessons about the artist and his work.

11 to 15

Art and design, History

30 min

Vincent van Gogh: fact or fiction?

There are many stories about Vincent van Gogh, but not all of them are true. This interactive lesson will introduce the class to the best-known facts – and myths – about Vincent.

UV – Van Gogh’s friend

Masterminds & Masterpieces – an interactive lesson with an experiment to help students discover how a conservator-restorer uses UV light to examine Vincent van Gogh’s paintings. This lesson also includes instructions for making a UV light. Students can carry out this lesson independently. (Age 12 <)

UV – Van Gogh’s enemy

Masterminds & Masterpieces – an interactive lesson with an experiment to help students discover the influence of UV light on their own pictures, and also on the work of Vincent van Gogh. Students can carry out this lesson independently. Note: You need patience for this experiment (at least 2 weeks). (Age 12 <)

Loving Vincent -Living paintings

This lesson is about the relationship between several of Vincent's paintings and the film Loving Vincent, into which they were incorporated. The lesson can be used in preparation for watching the film 'Loving Vincent'.

Seeing with a Japanese eye

Japanese prints were a huge source of inspiration for Vincent van Gogh. Explore, together with your pupils, the impact of Japanese prints on Van Gogh’s work in this interactive lesson with video.

Before Vincent became an artist

A brief description of Vincent's life before he decided to become an artist, with a short quiz at the end.

9 to 12

Art and design, Geography, History

10 min

Do you know Vincent?

A short presentation about Vincent van Gogh, for use as an introduction to other lessons about the artist or his work.

7 to 12

Art and design, Geography, History

40 min

Copying is allowed!

The pupils use Japanese prints as inspiration for new work of their own, just as Vincent Van Gogh did. They can do this lesson (with video) on their own.

Van Gogh and Japan quiz

Vincent van Gogh was inspired by Japanese prints. Through a video and six quiz questions about representation and design, the pupils explore what Vincent learned from Japanese prints.

Vincent van Gogh: a starving artist?

Many people think Vincent van Gogh was a starving artist, but that's not entirely true . . . In this short lesson, students can work independently to find out why.

Loving Vincent - The movie

What is involved in making a movie about Vincent van Gogh? A course, in association with EYE Filmmuseum and the Holland Animation Film Festival, about ways to tell stories and animation as a popular cinematic form and technique. Can be subdivided into a discussion before and after watching 'Loving Vincent'.

Loving Vincent - A fiction full of facts

This lesson is about fact, fiction, and the characters in the film 'Loving Vincent', with some optional follow-up assignments at the end. If you use the lesson in preparation for seeing the film, be aware that it contains some potential spoilers. The lesson can be divided into 'before' and 'after' sections if desired.

14 to 18

Art and design, History, Film

20 min

Painted emotions

Vincent van Gogh's works can stir up many different emotions. In this lesson, students will learn independently about the connection between Van Gogh's work and the emotions that it arouses.

Painting like Vincent

The students will mix their own paints and make paintings of objects from their everyday lives.

9 to 12

Art and design, English

10 min

Mealtime! The Potato Eaters (1)

The students will each make a sketch at home of the evening meal. At school, they will make paintings based on these sketches in the lesson 'Mealtime! The Potato Eaters (2)'. Suggestion: before assigning the homework, give the introductory lesson 'Do you know Vincent?'.

Vincent's letters

After a brief introduction to the letters between Vincent and his brother Theo, the students write letters about their own art works.

8 to 11

Art and design, Handwriting

15 min

Find the five differences: The Yellow House (2)

In this brief game, the class will take a close look at Vincent van Gogh's painting 'The Yellow House' and then find the differences in five modified versions. Set 2.

Vincent's self-portraits

Using Vincent van Gogh's self-portraits, the class will learn about the basic proportions of the face. Then they will paint their own self-portraits.

A haiku for Van Gogh

The students will write their own haikus, short poems of 17 syllables at most, inspired by Vincent van Gogh paintings.

12 to 15

English, Art and design

90 min

Elements of art: colour

Through the work of Vincent van Gogh, the students will learn about colour as an element of art. After an interactive introduction to the concepts of colour type, saturation, brightness and contrast, the class will practise and sketch.

Spot the difference: The Yellow House (2)

Extension of 'Spot the difference: The Yellow House (1)'

Spot the difference: The Yellow House (1)

Students will look at Vincent van Gogh's painting The Yellow House and try to spot five differences between different versions. Set 1.

Elements of art: Light

Through the work of Vincent van Gogh, the students will learn about light as an element of art. After an interactive introduction to the terms light source, light direction, light-dark contrast and shadow, they will practise what they have learned and make sketches.

Looking with your . . .

By examining several paintings by Vincent van Gogh, the students will learn that you can 'look with your ears'. Students can complete this lesson independently.

Painting the outdoors indoors

Working indoors, the class will paint a subject from the outdoors – just as Vincent van Gogh often did.

Painting the outdoors indoors

Working indoors, the class will paint a subject from the outdoors – just as Vincent van Gogh often did.

Van Gogh's letters

After a brief introduction to the correspondence between Vincent and his brother Theo, the students write letters about their own art works.

12 to 15

Art and design, English, Linguistics, Foreign language, Literature

50 min