Emotions in Abstract Art

Overview

In this 60-minute session, 6th-grade students will explore the connection between abstract art and emotional expression by creating original digital artworks using drawing tablets or apps. They will then participate in a virtual gallery walk where they share and describe how their use of color and shape communicates their feelings. This lesson integrates technology, self-expression, and communication skills consistent with Common Core standards.

---

Standards Alignment

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) Connections:

• ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.4
  Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.5
  Include multimedia components and visual displays in presentations to clarify information.

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3
  Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.

• ISTE Standards for Students (Technology Integration):
  Empowered Learner and Creative Communicator - students use technology to create original works and express ideas effectively to diverse audiences.

---

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Use digital tools (drawing tablets/apps) creatively to produce original abstract artwork inspired by their emotions.
• Analyze and articulate how specific colors and shapes in their artwork express feelings.
• Demonstrate oral communication skills by presenting their work in a virtual gallery and describing the emotional content clearly and confidently.
• Reflect on how abstract art serves as a form of self-expression and communication.

---

Materials Needed

• Individual drawing tablets or computers/tablets with a drawing app installed (e.g., Sketchbook, Tayasui Sketches, or similar)
• Projector or interactive whiteboard for virtual gallery display
• Virtual gallery platform (e.g., Padlet, Google Slides, or shared digital workspace) pre-arranged by the teacher
• Headphones with microphones (optional, for virtual presentations)
• Student journals or digital note-taking app

---

Lesson Breakdown (60 minutes)

1. Introduction & Emotional Warm-Up (10 minutes)

• Begin with a brief discussion: "How can art be a way to show feelings without using words?"
• Show examples of abstract art that uses color and shape to express emotions (keep examples age-appropriate and diverse).
• Ask students quick reflective questions: "What colors or shapes come to mind when you feel happy, sad, or excited?"
• Connect the idea that abstract art can communicate complex feelings.

2. Digital Drawing Activity (25 minutes)

• Instructions: Using their tablets/apps, students create an abstract digital artwork inspired by an emotion they are currently feeling or have felt strongly recently.
  • Encourage experimentation with color (warm vs. cool tones), shapes (sharp, curved, large, small), and composition to convey mood.
  • Remind them this is not about making a picture of a thing but expressing emotion visually.
• Teacher circulates, providing feedback, and helping students articulate their artistic choices.
• Students document brief notes in their journals about the emotion and why they chose certain colors/shapes.

3. Virtual Gallery Presentation (15 minutes)

• Students upload their artwork to the virtual gallery (e.g., Padlet or Google Slides).
• Each student takes 1 minute to present their work to the class, describing:
  • What emotion inspired their work?
  • How did they use color and shape to express that emotion?
  • How do they hope viewers will feel when looking at their art?
• Encourage respectful active listening and positive peer feedback.

4. Reflection and Wrap-Up (10 minutes)

• Group discussion: "What did you learn about expressing yourself through abstract art? How can colors and shapes communicate without words?"
• Prompt students to write a short narrative (3-4 sentences) in their journals connecting their artwork to their feelings, fulfilling a writing goal within CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3.
• Teacher previews next art lesson focusing on connecting visual arts with storytelling.

---

Assessment

• Formative:
  Teacher observation of student engagement and creative risk-taking during the digital drawing activity.
  Collection of students’ written reflections describing emotional intent and artistic choices.

• Summative:
  Evaluation of student presentations using a rubric focused on clarity, emotional insight, and use of art vocabulary aligned with CCSS.SL.6.4 and SL.6.5.
  Review of narrative reflections for structure and descriptive language per CCSS.W.6.3.

---

Extension Ideas

• Students can collaborate to create a class digital mural that merges individual abstract pieces connected by shared themes or emotions.
• Use AI art generation tools to inspire new abstract artworks and analyze differences between human and AI emotional expression in art.
• Create a multimedia project combining abstract art, poetry, and music to deepen emotional storytelling skills.

---

This lesson capitalizes on digital creativity to deepen emotional literacy and communication abilities, preparing students for multimedia-rich classrooms while meeting rigorous Common Core standards.