Unit Plan 11 (Grade 1 Art): What Is Happening Here?

Focus: Identify what is happening in artwork and describe the story or meaning using simple picture clues.

Grade Level: 1

Subject Area: Art (Visual Arts • Responding)

Total Unit Duration: 1–3 weeks, 45–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this unit, first graders become art storytellers, using their eyes and brains to figure out what is happening in different artworks. They practice looking closely at pictures to notice who is there, what they are doing, where they are, and how they might feel. Students use simple clues—like body language, objects, and background details—to tell short “picture stories” and guess what the artwork might mean. By the end, they can describe the subject matter (who/what/where) and share a simple idea about the story or meaning in both famous artworks and classmates’ drawings.

Essential Questions

• How can I tell what is happening in an artwork just by looking at it?
• What picture clues help me figure out who, what, where, and how people feel?
• How can I use my own words to describe the story or meaning of a picture?
• Why might different people see different stories in the same artwork?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Identify who or what is in an artwork (people, animals, objects).
2. Describe what is happening in an artwork using simple sentences.
3. Use picture clues (body language, facial expressions, objects, background) to guess where the scene takes place and how characters might feel.
4. Share a simple idea about what the artwork might mean or what story it is telling.
5. Listen to classmates’ ideas and understand that there can be more than one good answer about what is happening in a picture.

Standards Alignment — 1st Grade (NCAS-Aligned)

• VA:Re8.1a — Identify what is happening in artwork and what it might mean.
  • Example: Students describe the story shown in a drawing.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can say who or what I see in a picture.
• I can tell what is happening in the artwork.
• I can use picture clues to guess where the scene is and how people might feel.
• I can share an idea about what the picture might mean or what story it is telling.
• I can listen to others’ ideas and know there can be more than one good story about a picture.