Unit Plan 10 (Grade 2 Art): What Is Happening in This Artwork?

Focus: Identify subject matter and describe possible meaning in artwork.

Grade Level: 2

Subject Area: Art (Visual Arts • Responding)

Total Unit Duration: 1–3 weeks, 50–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

Students become art detectives, learning to look closely at pictures and talk about what they see and what might be happening. Using kid-friendly artworks, they practice naming the subject matter (people, animals, places, things) and using clues like actions, expressions, and setting to guess the story or feeling. Students learn to use sentence starters and simple art words to explain their ideas, and to listen respectfully to classmates’ different interpretations.

Essential Questions

• What is subject matter, and how can I tell what a picture is “about”?
• How can I use clues in the artwork to describe what might be happening or how it feels?
• Why might different people see different stories or meanings in the same artwork?
• How does talking about what we see and what we think help us enjoy art more?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Identify the subject matter in an artwork by naming people, animals, objects, and places they see.
2. Use simple sentence starters (e.g., “I see…”, “I think… because…”) to describe what might be happening in the picture.
3. Explain a possible meaning or story for an artwork using visual clues (actions, expressions, setting, colors).
4. Listen to classmates’ ideas and notice that different people may have different but reasonable interpretations.
5. Share a favorite artwork from the lesson and describe both the subject matter and a possible meaning in their own words.

Standards Alignment — 2nd Grade (NCAS-Aligned)

• VA:Re8.2a — Identify subject matter and possible meaning in artwork.
  • Example: Students describe what is happening in a painting.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can tell what the artwork is about by naming who and what I see.
• I can use clues in the picture to say what I think is happening.
• I can say, “I think this means ___ because I see ___.”
• I can listen to other ideas and understand that there can be more than one meaning.
• I can talk about subject matter and possible meaning in a kind and clear way.