Unit Plan 14 (Grade 2 Art): Designing for a Message
Grade 2 art unit where students plan and create artwork that communicates a personal message by trying multiple designs, selecting the strongest, and explaining how visual choices share their idea.
Focus: Plan and create artwork that communicates a personal idea, such as a feeling, favorite place, or important message, by trying more than one design and choosing the one that works best.
Grade Level: 2
Subject Area: Art (Visual Arts • Creating • Connecting)
Total Unit Duration: 1–3 weeks, 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Students learn that artists do not just “draw something pretty”—they make choices to send a message or share an idea. Using simple examples, students explore how colors, shapes, and placement can show a feeling or idea (like “happy,” “calm,” or “I love nature”). They practice sketching more than one design for the same message, then choose the one they think shares their idea the best. Finally, they create a finished artwork and explain what message it sends and why they chose that design.
Essential Questions
- How can art show a message or idea from my own life?
- What choices (colors, shapes, size, and placement) can help my message be clear?
- Why might an artist try more than one idea before choosing a final design?
- How can I explain the message in my artwork to someone else?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Think of a simple personal idea or message to share through art (e.g., “I love my pet,” “Be kind,” “I feel calm at the park”).
- Sketch two or more quick design ideas (thumbnails) for the same message.
- Choose one design and explain why it shares their message the best.
- Create a finished artwork that uses color, shapes, and placement to show their personal idea clearly.
- Tell or write one or two sentences explaining the message in their artwork and how it connects to their own experiences or interests.
Standards Alignment — 2nd Grade (NCAS-Aligned)
- VA:Cn10.5a — Create artwork inspired by personal experiences or interests and explain those influences.
- Example: Students design artwork reflecting family traditions.
- VA:Cr1.5b — Develop more than one possible solution to a design challenge and explain the reasoning behind their selection.
- Example: Students compare two layout ideas and justify which one communicates their message best.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can pick a message or idea from my own life to show in my art.
- I can draw more than one plan for my artwork.
- I can choose the design that shares my message the clearest and tell why.
- I can use colors, shapes, and space to help people understand my idea.
- I can explain what my artwork is about and how it connects to me.