Unit Plan 11 (Grade 7 Art): Interpreting Artistic Intent
Explore how subject matter and materials shape meaning in Grade 7 art. Students interpret artistic intent using imagery, symbolism, medium, mood, and evidence-based analysis across diverse artworks.
Focus: Explore how subject matter and materials influence meaning, interpreting artwork by considering what is shown, how it is made, and possible artist intent.
Grade Level: 7
Subject Area: Art (Visual Arts • Art Appreciation • Interpretation & Analysis)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 50–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, students dig deeper into artistic intent—what artists might be trying to say or make us feel—and how that intent is shaped by subject matter and materials. Through guided viewing of diverse artworks, students examine how choices like what is depicted (figures, objects, settings) and how it is depicted (paint, pencil, collage, digital, sculpture) influence the work’s mood, focus, and message. They learn to move beyond “I like it / I don’t like it” to offer evidence-based interpretations that consider imagery, symbolism, and medium. By the end, students can compare different artworks and their own pieces, explaining how content and materials work together to communicate intent.
Essential Questions
- What do we mean by artistic intent, and how can we infer it from what we see?
- How do subject matter (what is shown) and materials (what it’s made from) influence the meaning and mood of an artwork?
- How can the same theme feel different when expressed with different media (e.g., pencil vs. digital vs. collage)?
- Why might different viewers reach different interpretations of the same artwork and artist intent?
- How can understanding artistic intent help us talk about and create more thoughtful art?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Define artistic intent and describe how subject matter and materials can provide clues to an artist’s purpose (VA:Re8.7a).
- Analyze selected artworks by identifying key imagery, symbolism, and media, and explaining how they shape meaning (VA:Re8.7a).
- Use visual evidence to propose at least one possible interpretation of an artist’s intent for each artwork studied (VA:Re8.7a).
- Compare two artworks with similar themes but different subject matter or materials, explaining how those choices change the viewer’s experience (VA:Re8.7a).
- Write a short intent interpretation statement for a chosen artwork—including one of their own—using art vocabulary and evidence (VA:Re8.7a).
Standards Alignment — 7th Grade (NCAS-Aligned)
- VA:Re8.7a — Interpret artwork by considering subject matter, symbolism, and possible artist intent.
- Example: Students explain how imagery and media choices communicate theme in contemporary artwork.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can explain what artistic intent means in my own words.
- I can point to specific details in subject matter and materials to support my interpretation of an artwork.
- I can describe how changing the medium or imagery might change the meaning or mood of a piece.
- I can respect that there may be more than one valid interpretation if each is supported by visual evidence.
- I can write or say a short interpretation statement that uses art vocabulary like subject matter, medium, and intent.