Samantha Petrosi recently completed a section about pop art for her seventh grade class, using the ever-popular ring pop as the subject.

Pop art takes the ordinary and turns it into art. Remember Andy Warhol and the tomato soup can? Wayne Thiebaud was an American painter known for his colorful works of art of common objects, like pies, cakes and lipsticks.

Ring pops were the subject here. They help the students understand color blending, making them look three dimensional.

There is a difference between pop art and famous art, Ms. Petrosi explained. While a masterpiece like the Mona Lisa is undeniably famous—a timeless icon of art history—pop art is all about the present. Pop art is of things trending in society that are turned into art. However, you can take a famous work of art and make it into pop art. Kids often wear trendy t-shirts that combine pop and famous art. The pop art unit happens to be Ms. Petrosi’s favorite because it is most relatable to her students.

