Unit Plan 16 (Grade K Art): Art Sharing Circle

Focus: Share opinions about artwork using simple criteria like color, neatness, and favorite part.

Grade Level: K

Subject Area: Art (Visual Arts • Responding)

Total Unit Duration: 1–3 weeks, 30–45 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this unit, kindergarten students practice being an audience for artwork. They learn how to look at their own and classmates’ art and share simple opinions using kid-friendly criteria such as color, neatness, and favorite part. Instead of just saying “I like it,” students learn to say why they like something, and they practice speaking kindly and listening when others share. By the end of the unit, students can name something they like about artwork and use simple words to explain their opinions in an Art Sharing Circle.

Essential Questions

• What does it mean to share my opinion about artwork?
• How can I talk about art using simple words like color, neatness, and favorite part?
• Why is it important to be kind and respectful when I talk about someone else’s art?
• How does listening to other people’s ideas help me see art in new ways?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Look at artwork and notice simple features such as color, neatness, and favorite part.
2. Share a basic opinion about artwork using a sentence starter (e.g., “I like the ___ because ___.”).
3. Use kind and respectful words when talking about their own and classmates’ art.
4. Listen while others speak in the Art Sharing Circle and wait for their turn.
5. Begin to understand that different people can like different things in the same artwork.

Standards Alignment — Kindergarten (NCAS-Aligned)

• VA:Re9.Ka — Share opinions about artwork using simple criteria (color, neatness, favorite part).
  • Example: Students say what they like about a classmate’s artwork.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can look carefully at artwork.
• I can say what I like about a picture and why.
• I can use simple words like color, neatness, and favorite part to talk about art.
• I can speak kindly and listen when others share.
• I know it’s okay if my friend and I like different parts of the same artwork.