My Art Theory 1 kids had about 2 weeks to finish these watercolor paintings. They had to find an image in a magazine that had an example of atmoshpheric perspective and copy it. They could add a little of their own imagination if they so wanted. I took them outside to show them this in real life, but it was a very clear day. So I later showed them some landscape photos that were better examples.
My Art Theory 2 kids had about 2 1/2 weeks to do drawings that combine different animals and humans. I also asked that their hybrid must be interacting with some other form of life. I showed them work by Matt Furie, Misako Inaoka, and some pieces from antiquity like the Sphinx and Medussa.
I sent my Photoshop students in pairs on a photo scavenger hunt around our school campus on a block day. They had to take pictures of 5 hubcaps, 4 textures, the primary colors, etc. They then had to use a snowboard template and use only the photos they shot and any other photoshop tools to make a snowboard design. They had about a week to make their designs.