Unit Plan 36 (Grade 2 Art): Year-End Reflection & Celebration

Focus: Reflect on artistic growth across the year, revisit favorite projects, and connect artwork to personal experiences while using simple criteria to talk about improvement.

Grade Level: 2

Subject Area: Art (Visual Arts • Connecting • Responding)

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

I. Introduction

In this unit, students look back on their whole year in art and celebrate how they have grown as artists. They revisit favorite projects, notice how their skills have improved (neatness, use of space, details), and talk about how some artworks connect to real experiences in their lives. Students choose a few favorite pieces to reflect on, create a simple “My Year in Art” page or mini-book, and share what makes them proud. By the end, they can describe at least one way their art has changed, one artwork that connects to their life, and one goal or hope for future art.

Essential Questions

• How has my artwork changed and improved from the beginning of the year to now?
• Which projects are my favorites, and why do they matter to me?
• How does my art show real people, places, and moments from my life?
• How can simple criteria (neatness, use of space, clear main subject) help me talk about my growth?
• What do I want to remember and celebrate about myself as an artist this year?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Look at early and recent artworks and identify at least one way their skills improved (neatness, use of space, details, color).
2. Use simple criteria (neatness, use of space, clear main subject) to evaluate at least one favorite artwork.
3. Choose one or more favorite projects and explain why they are important or special.
4. Create a “My Year in Art” page or mini-book that shows a favorite artwork and explains how it connects to a personal experience.
5. Share one statement about growth and one hope or goal for future art.

Standards Alignment — 2nd Grade (NCAS-Aligned)

• VA:Cn10.2a — Create artwork inspired by personal experiences and explain those connections.
  • Example: Students draw a family celebration and describe its importance.
• VA:Re9.2a — Evaluate artwork using simple criteria such as neatness and use of space.
  • Example: Students use a checklist to assess their own work.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can see and say how my art has improved this year.
• I can use simple criteria (neatness, space, main subject) to talk about a favorite artwork.
• I can choose a favorite project and tell why it is special to me.
• I can make a “My Year in Art” page that shows a real memory or experience from my life.
• I can share one thing I am proud of and one thing I want to keep getting better at in art.

III. Materials and Resources

Tasks & Tools (teacher acquires/curates)

• Student artwork collections from the year (a mix of early and recent pieces).
• Simple criteria chart with icons for:
  • Neatness.
  • Use of space.
  • Clear main subject.
• “My Year in Art” reflection pages or mini-book templates with prompts such as:
  • “My favorite artwork is ___ because ___.”
  • “This picture shows ___ from my life.”
  • “I got better at ___.”
• Simple checklist aligned with VA:Re9.2a for favorite artwork:
  • “Neat coloring/cutting.”
  • “Used space (not all in one corner).”
  • “Main subject is clear.”
• Sentence starter cards for sharing and reflection:
  • “At the start of the year, my art looked ___.”
  • “Now my art looks ___.”
  • “I feel proud of ___.”
• Drawing paper or cardstock, crayons, markers, and colored pencils for any new small drawings or covers.
• Optional: folders, staples, or tape to turn pages into a simple mini-book; stickers or stamps for celebration.

Preparation

• Organize student artwork into simple portfolios or folders with early and later pieces.
• Create and post anchor charts:
  • “Ways My Art Grew This Year” (neater • more details • better space • stronger color).
  • “Art and My Life” (family • friends • pets • places • activities • feelings).
• Copy criteria checklists and “My Year in Art” pages/mini-book templates.
• Decide how students will share their reflections (small-group share, whole-class circle, or short “artist share” time).

Common Misconceptions to Surface

• “My old art is bad, and my new art is good.” → Old art shows where we started; new art shows how we grew. Both are important.
• “Only the best-looking picture can be my favorite.” → A favorite can be about a special memory, strong effort, or big improvement.
• “My art is just random; it doesn’t connect to my life.” → Art often shows our favorite things, people, places, and feelings, even in simple ways.
• “Talking about my art is bragging.” → Sharing about art helps us celebrate learning and feel proud of our hard work.

Key Terms (highlight in lessons) reflection, growth, favorite, memory, experience, neatness, space, main subject, celebrate, proud

IV. Lesson Procedure

(Each session follows: Launch → Explore/Make → Discuss/Share → Reflect. Timing for a 50–60 minute class.)

Session 1 — Looking Back at Our Year in Art (Core Session — Addresses Standards: VA:Cn10.2a, VA:Re9.2a)

Launch (8–10 min)

• Show two or three sample artworks (teacher or student examples with permission): one from early in the year and one or two from later.
• Ask:
  • “How is the later artwork different or better?”
  • “Where do you see more neatness, space, or details?”
• Point to the “Ways My Art Grew This Year” chart and connect student ideas to these words.
• Explain that students will look at their own art today to see how they have grown and to pick favorites to celebrate.

Explore/Make (30–35 min)

• Part A: Portfolio Comparison and Favorites
  • Students spread out 4–6 pieces from their portfolio (mix of early and recent).
  • They sort into two piles: “Earlier in the year” and “Later in the year.”
  • They choose 1–2 favorite artworks, using guidance like:
    • “Which one shows your best effort?”
    • “Which one shows a special memory or favorite thing?”
• Part B: Using Criteria on a Favorite Artwork (VA:Re9.2a)
  • Students take a simple checklist for one favorite piece and mark:
    • Neatness.
    • Use of space.
    • Clear main subject.
  • Teacher circulates, prompting:
    • “How did you use your space?”
    • “Where do you see your neatest coloring or cutting?”

Discuss/Share (5–7 min)

• Ask a few volunteers to show (or describe) a favorite artwork and answer:
  • “One reason this is my favorite is ___.”
  • “One way it shows I improved is ___.”

Reflect (3–5 min)

• Quick prompt (spoken or written):
  • “One way my art is better now than at the start of the year is ___.”

Optional Session 2 — “My Year in Art” Page or Mini-Book

Launch (5–7 min)

• Show a simple example of a “My Year in Art” page or mini-book that includes:
  • A drawing or small copy of a favorite artwork.
  • A sentence about what it shows from the artist’s life.
  • A sentence about growth.
• Ask:
  • “What does this page tell you about the artist’s year?”
  • “What do you learn about their life and their art?”

Explore/Make (25–30 min)

• Step 1: Planning with Prompts (VA:Cn10.2a)
  • Students use a planning page or the first part of the mini-book to answer:
    • “My favorite artwork shows ___ from my life.”
    • “This is important to me because ___.”
    • “I got better at ___ this year.”
• Step 2: Creating the “My Year in Art” Page/Mini-Book
  • Students draw or glue a small image of their favorite artwork.
  • They add short sentences using sentence starters and word banks.
  • Optional: Students add a small new drawing representing themselves making art or celebrating their growth.

Discuss/Share (10–12 min)

• In pairs, students share their pages or mini-books, taking turns reading one sentence and pointing to the picture.
• Partners respond with a simple compliment:
  • “I like how your art shows ___ from your life.”

Reflect (3–5 min)

• Prompt:
  • “My favorite artwork is special to me because ___.”

Optional Session 3 — Celebration Circle & Future Hopes

Launch (5–7 min)

• Explain that this session is a celebration of their year as artists.
• Review sentence starters on the board:
  • “This year, I grew as an artist by ___.”
  • “Next year, I hope to ___ in art.”

Explore/Make (25–30 min)

• Step 1: Celebration Circle (VA:Cn10.2a, VA:Re9.2a)
  • Students sit in a circle with their favorite artwork or mini-book.
  • Each student shares:
    • The name or short description of their favorite artwork.
    • One way it connects to their life.
    • One way it shows improvement (neatness, space, details, etc.).
• Step 2: Future Hopes Card (Optional)
  • Students create a small “Future Art Hope” card with a simple drawing and sentence:
    • “Next year, I want to get better at ___.”

Discuss/Share (10–12 min)

• Invite volunteers to share their future hope card.
• As a class, talk briefly about how they can support each other as artists in the future (try, practice, be kind).

Reflect (3–5 min)

• Whole-class prompt:
  • “This year, I learned that I am an artist who ___.”

V. Differentiation and Accommodations

Advanced Learners

• Encourage them to compare multiple artworks and write more detailed reflections about specific changes (e.g., “I started drawing stick figures, and now I add hands, feet, and clothing details.”).
• Invite them to add extra pages to their mini-book (e.g., “Art I Found Hard,” “Art I Want to Try Next Year”).
• Challenge them to explain how their favorite artwork might look different if they made it again with what they know now.

Targeted Support

• Provide a simple before/after organizer where students glue or draw one early piece and one later piece and circle growth areas with a marker.
• Offer more structured sentence frames:
  • “Before, I drew ___. Now I can draw ___.”
  • “My favorite picture shows ___ from my life.”
• Work with a small group to talk through choices and reflections using pointing and simple questions.
• Allow drawing-based responses where students draw themselves “then” and “now” as an artist, with labels.

Multilingual Learners

• Use bilingual or picture word banks for key words: before, now, better, favorite, family, home, play, pet, happy, proud.
• Allow students to first share their story in their home language, then support them in creating a short English version.
• Accept labeled drawings or brief phrases to explain favorite art and life connections (“My grandma,” “park,” “I play soccer”).
• Model simple, repeatable sentences:
  • “My art shows ___.”
  • “I got better at ___.”

IEP/504 & Accessibility

• Provide enlarged reflection pages and checklists for students with visual or processing needs.
• Break tasks into small steps with visual cues:
  • Step 1: Choose a favorite.
  • Step 2: Circle what got better.
  • Step 3: Draw or glue a small picture.
  • Step 4: Tell or write one sentence.
• Allow oral reflections or recordings, with an adult or peer scribing if needed.
• Offer adapted tools (chunky crayons, pencil grips, or stamps) to help students participate in drawing and writing comfortably.

VI. Assessment and Evaluation

Formative Checks (each session)

• Session 1 — Portfolio sorting and criteria checklists show students identifying favorites and noticing simple improvements using neatness, space, and main subject.
• Optional Session 2 — “My Year in Art” pages or mini-books show students connecting favorite artwork to personal experiences and naming growth.
• Optional Session 3 — Celebration circle and future hope cards show students expressing pride and setting simple goals.

Summative — Year-End Reflection & Celebration Task (0–2 per criterion, total 10)

1. Identification of Artistic Growth (VA:Re9.2a)

• 2: Student clearly names at least one way their art has improved (e.g., neater coloring, more details, better space use) with an example.
• 1: Student mentions getting “better” in a general way but does not give a clear example.
• 0: Student cannot identify any growth, even with support.

2. Use of Simple Criteria (VA:Re9.2a)

• 2: Student uses at least two simple criteria (neatness, space, main subject) when talking about a favorite artwork.
• 1: Student uses one criterion word or idea, but not consistently.
• 0: Student does not use criteria meaningfully, even with prompts.

3. Connection to Personal Experience (VA:Cn10.2a)

• 2: Student clearly explains how a favorite artwork or “My Year in Art” drawing shows a real memory, person, place, or activity from their life.
• 1: Student hints at a real-life connection but explanation is unclear or very general.
• 0: Student does not describe a meaningful connection to personal experience, even with support.

4. Completion of Reflection Artifact (Page or Mini-Book)

• 2: Student completes the “My Year in Art” artifact with a picture and at least one understandable sentence about their favorite and growth.
• 1: Artifact is partially complete or needs adult help to make sense.
• 0: Artifact is mostly incomplete or off-topic, even with support.

5. Expression of Pride and Future Goal

• 2: Student states at least one thing they are proud of and one thing they want to keep improving in art.
• 1: Student shares only pride or only a goal, or both are very vague.
• 0: Student cannot share a meaningful pride point or goal, even with prompting.

Feedback Protocol (TAG)

• Tell one strength (e.g., “You noticed how your backgrounds now have more details than at the start of the year.”).
• Ask one question (e.g., “Can you show me where we see your real-life memory in this picture?”).
• Give one suggestion (e.g., “Next year, you might try adding even more details to show how you felt in that moment.”).

VII. Reflection and Extension

Reflection Prompts

• Which artwork from this year makes you feel most proud, and why?
• How does your art show something important about who you are?
• What is one new skill you want to practice more next year?
• How did sharing your art with the class make you feel as an artist?

Extensions

• Year-in-Art Wall: Create a display where each student’s “My Year in Art” page is hung next to their favorite artwork.
• Family Reflection Letter: Students draw and write a short note to their family: “My favorite art project this year was ___ because ___.”
• Future Artist Time Capsule: Have students place a copy of their future hope card in a class envelope or box to “open” next year as a reminder of their goals.

Standards Trace — When Each Standard Is Addressed

• VA:Cn10.2a — Session 1 (noticing how favorite artworks connect to personal memories or interests), Optional Session 2 (creating “My Year in Art” pages/mini-books inspired by real experiences and explaining why they matter), Optional Session 3 (sharing growth stories and future hopes that link artwork to the student’s life and identity as an artist).
• VA:Re9.2a — Session 1 (using simple criteria like neatness, use of space, and clear main subject to evaluate favorite artworks), Optional Session 2 (applying criteria as they talk about their favorite project and growth), Optional Session 3 (reflecting on growth using words connected to criteria to describe improvements across the year).