Artful Me

Objective:

Students will use art to express their understanding and feelings about themselves, their families, and their homes. This lesson addresses the National Core Arts Standards for Visual Arts: Creating, Presenting, and Responding.

Materials Needed:

• Blank drawing paper (1 sheet per student)
• Pencils
• Colored markers, crayons, or colored pencils
• Pre-cut construction paper shapes (variety of colors and shapes)
• Glue sticks
• Mirrors (enough for each student to have one for their turn)
• Family photos (students can bring this from home if pre-arranged)
• Chart paper and markers

Curriculum Area:

Visual Arts: Creating & Performing Levels: Kindergarten - Grade 3

Standards:

• VA:Cr1.2.1a Engage collaboratively in exploration and imaginative play with materials.
• VA:Pr4.1.1a Select and share an artwork for personal portfolio and explain why they chose it.
• VA:Re7.2.1a Compare images that represent the same subject.

Time Duration:

45 minutes

Detailed Lesson Plan:

Introduction (5 minutes)

1. Greeting and Objective Explanation (2 minutes)

   • Welcome students to the art lesson.
   • Briefly explain the objective: Today we are going to create an art piece that represents you, your family, and your home.

2. Discussion on Representations (3 minutes)

   • Show examples of artwork depicting people, families, and homes.
   • Ask students what elements in the artworks help to show who the person is, who their family might be, and what their home looks like.

Instruction (10 minutes)

1. Self-Portrait Drawing (5 minutes)

   • Give students mirrors and ask them to observe their facial features.
   • Demonstrate how to draw a simple self-portrait, focusing on basic shapes for face, eyes, nose, mouth, and hair.
   • Allow students to draw their self-portraits with pencils.

2. Family and Home Representation (5 minutes)

   • Ask students to think about their family members and their home.
   • Demonstrate how to sketch family members using simple shapes and add details about their home (e.g., house shape, door, windows, garden).
   • Encourage students to think about what makes their family and home unique.

Activity (20 minutes)

1. Artwork Creation (20 minutes)
   • Hand out the drawing paper, colored markers, crayons, or colored pencils.
   • Instruct students to first draw their self-portrait using mirrors if needed.
   • Next, draw their family members around themselves and add their home in the background.
   • Encourage creativity: Use construction paper shapes to add to their drawings with glue sticks (e.g., a tree next to their house).

Sharing and Reflection (5 minutes)

1. Small Group Sharing (3 minutes)

   • Divide students into small groups.
   • Allow each student to share their artwork and explain their drawings (who each family member is, what makes their home special).

2. Class Discussion (2 minutes)

   • Gather back as a whole group.
   • Discuss the different family types and what makes each home unique.
   • Reinforce the idea that every family and home is special in its own way.

Clean Up and Conclusion (5 minutes)

1. Clean Up (3 minutes)

   • Guide students in cleaning up materials used during the lesson.

2. Conclusion (2 minutes)

   • Congratulate students on their wonderful artwork.
   • Recap the importance of representing themselves, their family, and home in art.

Assessment:

• Participation: Students actively engage in the activity and discussions.
• Creativity: Students demonstrate creative use of materials and ideas in representing themselves, their family, and their homes.
• Presentation: Ability to share and explain their artwork to peers.

Homework/Extension:

• Students can take their artwork home. Ask them to show their families and explain what they learned about representation in art. They can also add more details at home if they wish.

This lesson aims to foster self-expression, creativity, and an understanding of the importance of family and home through art, aligning with US education standards for early elementary visual arts.