Unit Plan 4 (Grade 4 Art): Elements of Art Review

Focus: Apply line, shape, color, value, and texture intentionally to create organized compositions and analyze how these choices affect mood, emphasis, and structure.

Grade Level: 4

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

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

I. Introduction

Students revisit and deepen their understanding of the elements of art—line, shape, color, value, and texture—and see how these tools make artworks feel balanced, exciting, calm, or focused. Through guided looking and hands-on practice, they identify elements in real artworks and then use them intentionally in their own piece. By the end of the unit, students can explain how their choices in line, shape, color, value, and texture affect the mood and emphasis of their composition.

Essential Questions

• How can I use line, shape, color, value, and texture on purpose in my artwork instead of just by accident?
• How do the elements of art help create mood, emphasis, and structure in an artwork?
• What makes a composition feel balanced and organized?
• How can I talk about my own artwork and others’ using art vocabulary?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Identify and name line, shape, color, value, and texture in classroom artworks and visual examples.
2. Create a small composition that uses at least three elements of art intentionally to organize space and create emphasis.
3. Describe how specific element choices (e.g., warm colors, thick lines, high contrast) affect the mood or focus of an artwork.
4. Use simple design ideas like balance and emphasis to arrange shapes and colors in an organized composition.
5. Reflect on their own work, using art vocabulary to explain what they did well and what they might improve next time.

Standards Alignment — 4th Grade (NCAS-Aligned)

• VA:Cr2.4a — Apply elements of art and principles of design intentionally to create organized and balanced compositions.
  • Example: Students use symmetry and contrast to improve visual balance.
• VA:Re7.4a — Analyze how elements of art and principles of design create mood, emphasis, and structure.
  • Example: Students identify how warm colors create energy in a painting.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can find and name line, shape, color, value, and texture in artworks.
• I can use at least three elements of art on purpose in my own composition.
• I can explain how my choices in color, line, and value change the mood or focus of a picture.
• I can show balance and organization in how I place shapes and colors.
• I can talk about my artwork using art words like line, value, balance, and emphasis.