Unit Plan 22 (Grade 6 Art): Comparative Artwork Study
Compare artworks across cultures and eras as Grade 6 artists analyze elements, design principles, and context to explain mood, meaning, and evidence-based interpretations.
Focus: Compare artworks from different cultures or time periods by analyzing how elements of art, principles of design, and cultural/historical context influence mood and meaning.
Grade Level: 6
Subject Area: Art (Visual Arts • Art Analysis • Culture & Context)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students act as art detectives, comparing artworks from different cultures and time periods. They practice looking closely at color, line, shape, space, and other elements of art, and notice how principles of design like balance, contrast, and emphasis shape the overall mood and structure of each piece. Students also learn to look for context clues—what the artwork reveals about the culture or time in which it was made—and to explain how culture and history influence what we see and how we interpret it.
Essential Questions
- How do elements of art and principles of design work together to create mood and structure in an artwork?
- In what ways does culture or historical context show up in an artwork’s subject matter, style, and materials?
- How can comparing artworks from different cultures or time periods help us better understand similarities and differences in human experience?
- Why is it important to consider both what we see and when/where it was made when interpreting art?
- How can I explain my ideas about artwork using evidence from what I observe?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Identify and describe how elements of art (color, line, shape, texture, value, space) and principles of design (balance, contrast, emphasis, rhythm) create mood and structure in selected artworks (VA:Re7.6a).
- Use visual vocabulary to compare two artworks, pointing out similarities and differences in how they organize space and guide the viewer’s eye (VA:Re7.6a).
- Identify cultural or historical clues in artworks (subject matter, symbols, clothing, architecture, materials) and explain how these relate to the time and place the work comes from (VA:Cn11.6a).
- Complete a comparison organizer that connects formal choices (elements/principles) and context (culture/history) for two artworks from different cultures or time periods (VA:Re7.6a, VA:Cn11.6a).
- Communicate a short comparative explanation (written or oral) that uses specific visual and contextual evidence to show how each artwork reflects its cultural or historical context (VA:Cn11.6a).
Standards Alignment — 6th Grade (NCAS-Aligned)
- VA:Re7.6a — Analyze how elements of art and principles of design create mood and structure in artwork.
- Example: Students identify how color affects emotional tone.
- VA:Cn11.6a — Identify how art reflects cultural or historical context and describe how context influences meaning.
- Example: Students study ancient art and explain its cultural purpose.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can describe how color, line, and other elements help create the mood of an artwork.
- I can explain how balance, contrast, or emphasis affect the way an artwork is organized.
- I can find clues in an artwork that tell me something about the culture or time period it comes from.
- I can compare two artworks and explain at least one similarity and one difference using art vocabulary.
- I can describe how culture or history influences what I see and what the artwork might mean.