Unit Plan 5 (Grade 4 Art): Principles of Design in Action
Grade 4 art unit where students use balance and contrast to organize compositions, create emphasis, and make visual ideas clearer and more engaging.
Focus: Use balance and contrast to strengthen compositions and make visual ideas clearer and more engaging.
Grade Level: 4
Subject Area: Art (Visual Arts • Creating)
Total Unit Duration: 1–3 weeks, 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Students build on their knowledge of the elements of art by focusing on two key principles of design: balance and contrast. They learn how these principles help organize the page, guide the viewer’s eye, and make important parts stand out. By examining examples and creating their own compositions, students practice placing shapes, lines, and colors so their artwork feels balanced and uses contrast on purpose, not by accident.
Essential Questions
- How can balance and contrast make a composition feel more interesting and organized?
- What are different ways to create balance in a picture (symmetrical, asymmetrical)?
- How does contrast (light/dark, big/small, warm/cool) help important parts stand out?
- How can I use principles of design to make my art ideas clearer for the viewer?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Describe what balance and contrast mean in visual art.
- Create small practice compositions that show symmetrical and asymmetrical balance.
- Use contrast (such as light vs dark, big vs small, warm vs cool) to create emphasis in a composition.
- Apply balance and contrast intentionally in a finished practice composition to organize space.
- Explain one way they used balance and one way they used contrast to strengthen their artwork.
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.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can define balance and contrast in my own words.
- I can show symmetrical and asymmetrical balance in my sketches.
- I can use contrast (such as light/dark or big/small) to make one part of my picture stand out.
- I can make a composition that feels organized and balanced, not random.
- I can explain how I used balance and contrast to make my artwork stronger.