Unit Plan 1 (Grade 4 Art): Artistic Identity & Goal Setting

Focus: Explore personal interests and experiences to develop an artistic identity and set clear art goals for the year.

Grade Level: 4

Subject Area: Art (Visual Arts • Creating/Connecting)

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

I. Introduction

Students begin the year by asking, “Who am I as an artist?” They think about what they like to draw, make, and notice in the world, and how their experiences, cultures, and interests can inspire their artwork. Through guided brainstorming, sketching, and simple reflection, students identify subjects, colors, and themes they enjoy. They then use this self-knowledge to create a small piece that represents their artistic identity and to set goals for what they want to learn and improve in Grade 4 art.

Essential Questions

• How do my personal experiences and interests influence the kind of art I like to make?
• What does it mean to have an artistic identity?
• How can sketching and brainstorming help me generate ideas for future artworks?
• What goals can I set to help myself grow as an artist this year?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Identify at least three personal interests or experiences they could use as inspiration for art.
2. Generate multiple sketch ideas based on themes, observations, and personal interests.
3. Create a small Artistic Identity symbol or mini-poster that shows something important about who they are.
4. Describe how their interests or experiences influenced the choices in their artistic identity piece.
5. Set one or two specific, realistic goals for their art learning in Grade 4.

Standards Alignment — 4th Grade (NCAS-Aligned)

• VA:Cn10.4a — Create artwork inspired by personal experiences or interests and describe those influences.
  • Example: Students create artwork inspired by a favorite activity.
• VA:Cr1.4a — Generate artistic ideas by exploring themes, observations, and personal interests through sketching and brainstorming.
  • Example: Students sketch multiple ideas for a landscape inspired by nature.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can list several interests or experiences that could inspire my artwork.
• I can use sketching and brainstorming to come up with more than one art idea.
• I can create a small artwork that represents me and explain what it shows about who I am.
• I can describe how my life and interests influenced my artistic choices.
• I can name at least one art skill or habit I want to get better at in Grade 4.

III. Materials and Resources

Tasks & Tools (teacher acquires/curates)

• Drawing paper or sketchbook pages for brainstorming and planning.
• Pencils, erasers, colored pencils, crayons, and/or markers.
• “Artistic Identity Brainstorm” organizer (interests, favorite activities, places, people, colors, moods, art styles).
• “Idea Sketch Sheet” with space for multiple small thumbnail drawings.
• “Art Goals for Grade 4” mini-sheet or half-page form.
• Optional: simple printed symbol charts or visual prompts (e.g., hearts, stars, sports equipment, music notes, books) to spark ideas.
• Optional mirrors for quick self-observation if including faces or self-portraits.

Preparation

• Create anchor charts:
  • “Where Do Art Ideas Come From?” (interests, memories, observations, feelings, culture).
  • “Ways to Brainstorm Art Ideas” (lists, word webs, thumbnail sketches).
  • “What Is an Art Goal?” (specific, doable, helps you grow).
• Prepare copies of the Artistic Identity Brainstorm, Idea Sketch Sheet, and Art Goals form.
• Decide and model a simple format for the Artistic Identity piece (e.g., artist “badge,” mini-poster, or symbol drawing that fits on half-sheet or 9x12 paper).

Common Misconceptions to Surface

• “My art has to look like someone else’s to be good.” → Everyone’s artistic identity is different and personal.
• “I don’t have any interesting experiences.” → Everyday life (favorite games, foods, pets, places) can be strong art inspiration.
• “You only need one idea.” → Artists often sketch several ideas before choosing one to develop.
• “Goals are just ‘be better at art.’” → Goals should be specific, like “work on shading” or “try more backgrounds.”

Key Terms (highlight in lessons) artistic identity, personal experience, interest, inspiration, brainstorm, thumbnail sketch, theme, observation, goal

IV. Lesson Procedure

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

Session 1 — Who Am I as an Artist? (Core Session — Addresses Standards: VA:Cn10.4a, VA:Cr1.4a)

• Launch (8–10 min)
  • Whole-class prompt: “Think about your favorite things to do, places to be, and stories you like. How could those become art ideas?”
  • Show 2–3 sample artworks (teacher or kid-friendly images) and ask:
    • “What interests or experiences do you think inspired this piece?”
  • Introduce the idea of artistic identity and connect to the question: “What kind of artist do I want to be this year?”
• Explore/Make (30–35 min)
  • Part A: Artistic Identity Brainstorm (VA:Cn10.4a)
    • Students complete the Artistic Identity Brainstorm organizer with prompts such as:
      • Favorite activities, hobbies, or sports.
      • Favorite places (home, park, city, country, etc.).
      • Important people, animals, or objects.
      • Favorite colors, moods, or types of stories (adventure, funny, calm).
    • Teacher circulates, asking questions like, “How could that become an image in a drawing or painting?”
  • Part B: Idea Sketching (VA:Cr1.4a)
    • Students use the Idea Sketch Sheet to make at least 3 thumbnail sketches that show something from their brainstorm (e.g., playing soccer, reading, visiting grandma, favorite fictional world).
    • Encourage variety (different compositions, angles, or symbols) rather than repeating one idea.
• Discuss/Share (5–7 min)
  • In pairs, students share their brainstorm and one favorite sketch.
  • Prompt: “What does this sketch tell me about who you are or what you care about?”
• Reflect (3–5 min)
  • Quick write on the back of the sketch sheet:
    • “One idea that really feels like me is ___. It shows my artistic identity because ___.”

Optional Session 2 — Creating an Artistic Identity Piece (Extension — Deepen VA:Cn10.4a, VA:Cr1.4a)

• Launch (5–7 min)
  • Review: “We brainstormed and sketched ideas that show who we are. Now we will create one Artistic Identity piece to introduce ourselves as artists.”
  • Show a simple teacher example (e.g., an “Artist Badge” with symbols, colors, and one or two words that represent the teacher’s identity).
• Explore/Make (30–35 min)
  • Students choose one thumbnail (or combine parts of a few) to develop into a final Artistic Identity drawing or mini-poster.
  • Remind them to:
    • Include at least one personal experience or interest from their brainstorm.
    • Think about composition (where images go on the page; not everything in the center).
    • Use color and detail on key parts that show something important about themselves.
  • Teacher supports students in connecting choices back to identity:
    • “What does this symbol mean about you?”
    • “How can you arrange things so viewers notice what matters most?”
• Discuss/Share (8–10 min)
  • Students share works-in-progress in small groups, briefly explaining:
    • “This part of my drawing shows ___, which is important to me because ___.”
  • Group members give one positive comment about how clearly the artwork shows identity.
• Reflect (3–5 min)
  • Students write a 1–2 sentence statement on a sticky note or on the back of their paper:
    • “My Artistic Identity piece is inspired by ___. It shows that I am the kind of artist who ___.”

Optional Session 3 — Art Goals for Grade 4 (Extension — Solidify VA:Cn10.4a, VA:Cr1.4a)

• Launch (5–7 min)
  • Explain that now students will use their identity and first work to set goals for the year.
  • Brief discussion: “What are some art skills or habits we might want to grow? (e.g., shading, drawing people, using space, trying new materials, taking risks, finishing pieces).”
• Explore/Make (25–30 min)
  • Students complete an Art Goals for Grade 4 form, which might include:
    • “One art skill I want to get better at is…”
    • “One habit I want to work on (like focus, neatness, risk-taking) is…”
    • “A type of art I want to try this year is…”
  • Optional: students decorate their goal sheet with small symbols or tiny sketches from their Artistic Identity brainstorm.
  • Teacher may collect copies or take photos for reference later in the year.
• Discuss/Share (10–12 min)
  • In small circles, students share one strength they already have as an artist and one goal for the year.
  • Group members respond with one encouraging comment or suggestion (“Practicing shading in your sketchbook could help with that goal.”).
• Reflect (3–5 min)
  • Final reflection prompt:
    • “Right now, I see myself as an artist who ___. This year in Grade 4 art, I want to grow by ___.”

V. Differentiation and Accommodations

Advanced Learners

• Encourage advanced students to create a more complex symbol system in their Artistic Identity piece (e.g., combining multiple images or patterns to show different sides of themselves).
• Ask them to generate extra thumbnail sketches that explore different themes or moods and to explain why they chose their final idea.
• Invite them to set two-part goals (e.g., “improve shading AND try it in different media like colored pencil and marker”).

Targeted Support

• Provide a simplified brainstorm organizer with picture prompts (e.g., icons for sports, music, family, reading).
• Offer sentence frames such as:
  • “I like to… so I might draw…”
  • “This symbol means ___ about me.”
  • “My art goal is to get better at…”
• Work in a small group to co-create brainstorm lists before students work independently.
• Limit the number of required thumbnails (e.g., 2 strong ideas instead of 3–4) for students who need it, while still reinforcing choice.

Multilingual Learners

• Allow students to include words on their brainstorm and artwork in their home language, with simple English labels or translations added as needed.
• Provide visual vocabulary cards for words like interest, experience, goal, brainstorm, identity.
• Encourage students to talk about their ideas in their home language with a partner or adult before writing short English phrases.
• Accept mixed responses (sketches with arrows and short labels) that clearly show identity and goals.

IEP/504 & Accessibility

• Break tasks into clear, short steps with checklists (e.g., “1. Write interests. 2. Draw two thumbnails. 3. Choose one to make bigger.”).
• Offer alternative tools (thicker pencils, markers, adaptive grips) as needed for comfort and control.
• Allow oral reflections or scribed responses for students who struggle with writing.
• Offer extra time or reduce the number of required ideas while still including at least one identity-based artwork and one clear goal.

VI. Assessment and Evaluation

Formative Checks (each session)

• Session 1 — Brainstorm sheets and thumbnails show students connecting personal interests/experiences to art ideas and generating multiple sketches.
• Optional Session 2 — Works-in-progress and short statements show students using identity-based inspiration and making intentional choices in their Artistic Identity piece.
• Optional Session 3 — Goal forms show students identifying at least one specific art goal tied to their interests and current skills.

Summative — Artistic Identity & Goals Task (0–2 per criterion, total 10)

1. Connection to Personal Experiences/Interests (VA:Cn10.4a)

• 2: Artistic Identity piece clearly shows one or more personal experiences or interests, and the student can describe these influences.
• 1: Artwork hints at personal interests/experiences but explanation is brief or unclear.
• 0: No meaningful connection to personal experience/interest is shown or explained.

2. Idea Generation & Sketching (VA:Cr1.4a)

• 2: Student generates multiple thumbnail sketches that explore different themes or compositions based on interests and observations.
• 1: Student creates more than one idea but variations are small or not clearly tied to personal inspiration.
• 0: Student produces only one idea or does not connect sketches to personal interests/observations.

3. Artistic Identity Piece — Clarity & Effort

• 2: Final piece is complete, shows clear effort and care, and communicates at least one aspect of the student’s identity.
• 1: Piece is mostly complete and shows some effort but may be rushed or unclear in parts.
• 0: Piece is incomplete or shows minimal effort.

4. Explanation of Artistic Choices

• 2: Student explains specific choices (symbols, colors, subjects) and how they relate to identity.
• 1: Student gives a simple explanation with limited detail.
• 0: Student cannot explain why they chose what they drew.

5. Goal Setting for Grade 4 Art

• 2: Student states at least one clear, realistic, and meaningful art goal tied to their current skills or interests.
• 1: Student states a goal that is very general or loosely connected to their work.
• 0: No meaningful goal is stated.

Feedback Protocol (TAG)

• Tell one strength (e.g., “Your symbols clearly show what you love and who you are.”).
• Ask one question (e.g., “Is there another interest you might add to show even more about yourself?”).
• Give one suggestion (e.g., “Next time, you could add a background that shows where you like to be when you do this activity.”).

VII. Reflection and Extension

Reflection Prompts

• What did you learn about yourself as an artist while creating your Artistic Identity piece?
• Which part of your identity do you most want others to notice in your artwork, and why?
• How might your Grade 4 art goals help you make the kind of art you are most excited about?

Extensions

• Artist Identity Wall: Display Artistic Identity pieces with short statements, creating a class “Who We Are as Artists” gallery for the start of the year.
• Sketchbook Start Page: Have students recreate a small version of their identity piece on the first page of their sketchbook along with their goals.
• Letter to Future Self: Students write a short note to their end-of-year self about what kind of art they hope to be making and how they want to grow, to be revisited in a later reflection unit.

Standards Trace — When Each Standard Is Addressed

• VA:Cn10.4a — Session 1 (brainstorming interests/experiences that can inspire art), Optional Session 2 (creating an Artistic Identity piece directly inspired by personal experiences/interests), Optional Session 3 (connecting identity and interests to Grade 4 art goals).
• VA:Cr1.4a — Session 1 (generating multiple thumbnail sketches based on themes, observations, and interests), Optional Session 2 (developing a chosen sketch into a final identity-based artwork), Optional Session 3 (using sketches and reflection to plan future art ideas).