Unit Plan 35 (Grade 6 Art): Exhibition Presentation
Grade 6 art exhibition unit where students present their artwork, explain key design decisions, and describe how mounting, labels, placement, and grouping shape viewer focus and interpretation.
Focus: Present artwork and explain design choices, including how display decisions shape viewer understanding.
Grade Level: 6
Subject Area: Art (Visual Arts • Presentation • Reflection)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students step into the role of presenting artists, learning how to talk about their work and the presentation choices made in the final exhibition. They practice describing their design decisions (composition, color, texture, media) and how these choices—along with mounting, labels, and placement—affect how viewers understand their art. Through rehearsal, mini-presentations, and a final exhibition talk, students build confidence speaking about their work and notice how different display strategies guide viewer focus, mood, and interpretation.
Essential Questions
- How do my design choices (color, composition, media, texture) influence how viewers understand my artwork?
- In what ways do presentation choices (mounting, labels, placement, grouping) change what people notice first?
- What information is most helpful to share when I present my artwork to others?
- How can talking about my work help me understand my own artistic growth?
- What does it mean to be a thoughtful presenter, not just a maker, of art?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Identify at least two key design choices (e.g., color scheme, focal point, use of texture) in their own artwork.
- Describe how presentation choices (mounting, label, placement in the exhibition) shape what a viewer notices and how they understand the work (VA:Pr6.6a).
- Prepare a short verbal presentation or “artist talk” introducing their artwork, design decisions, and intended message (VA:Pr6.6a).
- Respond to simple audience questions about their artwork and its display with clear, respectful answers (VA:Pr6.6a).
- Reflect on how presenting their work changed their understanding of viewer experience and their own artistic growth (VA:Pr6.6a).
Standards Alignment — 6th Grade (NCAS-Aligned)
- VA:Pr6.6a — Describe how presentation choices influence viewer understanding.
- Example: Students explain how placement affects focus in a display.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can point to specific design choices (like color, composition, or texture) in my artwork and explain why I chose them.
- I can describe how the way my work is mounted and placed in the exhibition helps viewers understand it.
- I can give a short presentation about my piece that tells what it is, how I made it, and what I want people to notice.
- I can answer questions about my artwork respectfully and clearly.
- I can reflect on how presentation and explanation change the way people see and think about my art.