Unit Plan 34 (Grade 2 Art): Final Artwork Selection
Grade 2 artists select end-of-year exhibition pieces based on effort and improvement, then explain their choices using kid-friendly criteria like neatness, details, and use of space.
Focus: Choose artwork for an end-of-year exhibition based on effort and improvement, and practice talking about why each piece was selected.
Grade Level: 2
Subject Area: Art (Visual Arts • Presenting)
Total Unit Duration: 1–3 weeks, 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students look back at the artwork they created throughout the year and choose one or a small set of pieces for a final display. They learn that being an artist also means being a chooser—picking work that shows hard work (effort) and getting better (improvement), not just what looks “pretty.” Using simple classroom language, students decide which artworks show their best trying and biggest growth, then share why they are proud of their choices. By the end, they understand that selecting artwork for display is an important part of being an artist.
Essential Questions
- How do I choose artwork that shows my best effort and improvement?
- Why is it important to think about how I have grown when I pick art for display?
- What do I want my displayed artwork to tell others about me as an artist?
- How does choosing artwork for an exhibition make our class gallery more meaningful?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Review several pieces of their own artwork from the year and notice effort and improvement.
- Use simple criteria (effort, neatness, details, use of space, improvement) to choose artwork for display.
- Select one or a small number of artworks for the end-of-year exhibition based on those criteria.
- Share a short explanation of why a chosen piece belongs in the display.
- Describe one thing they feel proud of in their selected artwork and one way it shows growth.
Standards Alignment — 2nd Grade (NCAS-Aligned)
- VA:Pr4.2a — Select artwork for display based on effort and improvement.
- Example: Students choose one piece for a hallway display.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can look at my artwork and see where I showed good effort.
- I can choose art that shows I have improved since the beginning of the year.
- I can tell why my chosen artwork is a good choice for our class display.
- I can explain one thing I am proud of in my displayed piece.
- I can say how my displayed artwork shows that I am growing as an artist.