The aim of this study is to examine the effect of 'project based instruction' on on the success and retention of the students in the subject of Turkish stamps in the 6th grade visual arts course of middle school students.In the study, quantitative methods were performed with control group pretest-post trial model. The study group of the study is composed of 58 students in the 6th grade of a middle school that provides education in the province center of BartınThe research was carried out in the 6th grade visual arts course in spring semester of 2016-2017 academic year. In the experimental group, the project based learning method was used and in the control group, the lesson was done with the existing instruction program of MEB.The application lasted six weeks (6x40 min.) between 30.03.2017 and 02.05.2017.Simultaneous post test was applied to both groups as a result of experimental procedures. After 6 weeks from the application of the post-test, the success test prepared in both groups was applied as a retention test. There was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the post-test and retention point averages according to the analysis made. According to the results of there search, it was seen that the students in the experiment group with project based instruction method obtained high posttest success and retention scores at significantly higher level than the students in the control group in which the visual arts instruction program was implemented according to the existing instruction program of MEB.

Keywords:Visual Arts Course, Middle School, Project Based Learning, Success, Retention