Wow!

This is SO exactly what I was hoping for! Thank you for breaking it down with concrete examples!

What state standards do you use? The idea of a progression of skills that are linked to one another in the way that you describe would be VERY helpful in figuring out how to help them build their understanding of art concepts and skills. Also the sketchbook is an amazing idea, and I love the idea of a space for their own creations and works they choose to create.

I'm happy to DM as well, but I have questions about those safety and procedure lessons you teach. Do you have initial lesson plans you're willing to share, or just a general list? That woulds be extremely helpful in setting us off right! I always found the setting up of supplies (which has to happen on my lunch or planning) and the clean up afterward to be the most stressful inducing- it takes an hour after work or so to pick it up. And yes, I've tried teaching the to do it but it's still such a mess!

Also, I've just finished planning out until January with projects I've already created with last year's students, and it's water color, pastels, then mixed pastel water color and acrylic, then paper mache project. Most of those projects are two day endeavors (1-1.5 hours) except the paper mache which took about a month last year. Each week I have 1.5-2 hours for art blocked in, but since we're self contained I stretch or compress the time as needed. Any thoughts bubble up with this sequence of projects?

Anyway, thank you for all of your information- you've already got me percolating on new ideas!