Alaskan Native Art

Overview

Students explore Alaskan Native art by identifying patterns and describing what they see. They create a short art narrative on their artwork using clear event order words, aiming for a focused beginning, middle, and end.

Learning intentions

• Students will be able to describe an Alaskan Native artwork using details about actions, thoughts, and feelings.
• Students will be able to use temporal words (first, next, then, finally) to explain how they made their artwork.
• Students will be able to share their ideas in a small-group conversation and listen to others.
• Students will be able to write a short narrative with a sense of closure.

Success criteria

• I can name at least two visual details in an Alaskan Native art example (shapes, symbols, colors, or patterns).
• I can use temporal words to tell the steps of my art process in order.
• I can include what I was thinking and feeling at least once in my narrative.
• I can end my writing with a clear closure (what happened at the end or how I feel now).

Curriculum links

• Writing: narrative recounts a well-elaborated event or short sequence of events, includes details for actions/thoughts/feelings, uses temporal words, and provides closure.
• Reading: students practice comprehension of informational text at grade level with scaffolding.
• Speaking and listening: students participate in collaborative conversations about a topic in small and larger groups.

Lesson structure (20 minutes)

1. 0–3 min · Engage with an artwork. Teacher shows 1 large image of Alaskan Native art (or a printed display) and asks, “What do you notice first?” Students turn and talk to a partner, then share one noticing.

2. 3–7 min · Mini-reading and comprehension checks. Teacher reads a short, kid-friendly informational paragraph about the art (who made it, what materials/patterns are used, and what it may represent), pausing to ask, “What is this telling us?” Students point to or discuss answers using sentence frames: “The art shows…” and “It might mean…”

3. 7–10 min · Model art-plan narrative. Teacher demonstrates on a chart how to turn art-making into a narrative: “First I… Next I… Then I… Finally I…” and adds one thought/feeling sentence, such as “I was excited because…” Students help choose 1–2 temporal words to use.

4. 10–15 min · Create: quick Alaskan Native-inspired design. Teacher gives materials and a simple prompt: “Make an image with repeating patterns (or symbols) inspired by Alaskan Native art. Choose 3 colors and plan 2 repeating designs.” Students create their artwork while following the plan they will write about.

5. 15–19 min · Write the art story (short narrative). Teacher circulates, offering support. Students write 4–6 sentences using temporal words and including at least one action detail and one thought/feeling detail, ending with closure: “Now I feel…” or “When I finished, I…”

6. 19–20 min · Share and listen. Teacher calls for quick pairs: Student A reads one sentence and Student B responds with “I noticed…” or “I heard…” Students rotate if time allows.

Resources

• Large printed image or projected image of Alaskan Native artwork (teacher-selected and kid-friendly)
• Short grade-appropriate informational paragraph (printed for teacher; optional copies for students)
• Art paper (12x18 or smaller) and pencils/erasers
• Coloring materials (crayons/colored pencils/markers)
• Pattern/symbol example cards (optional) for inspiration
• Sentence frames on a chart or board:
• “First, I…”
• “Next, I…”
• “Then, I…”
• “Finally, I…”
• “I was thinking…”
• “I felt…”
• “Now/I finished, and…”
• Partner talk prompts (on board): “I noticed…” “I think…”

Assessment

• Teacher observation during partner talk: listens for at least one detailed noticing and appropriate use of “first” language.
• Check writing-in-progress: confirm students include temporal words and at least one action + one thought/feeling detail.
• Quick share-out at the end: student can read part of their narrative and another student can name a specific “I heard/I noticed” response.

Differentiation

• Support for emerging writers: provide a word bank (first, next, then, finally; excited, proud, happy, curious) and offer 2–3 sentence templates they can complete.
• Support for multilingual learners: allow sentence frames and encourage pointing to their artwork while speaking before writing; permit oral dictation to teacher or peer for 1–2 sentences.
• Challenge for advanced writers: require 1 additional closure sentence that explains how the artwork changed their thinking or what they learned.
• Sensory/attention support: keep materials at desks, use a 1-minute timer for writing, and provide a visual “beginning-middle-end” guide with simple icons.