Unit Plan 13 (Grade K Art): Celebration Art Project
Kindergarten Art: Students create celebration-inspired artwork using imagination and real traditions, showing people, symbols, and activities from special days.
Focus: Create artwork inspired by a celebration, using imagination, play, and observation of real traditions or special days.
Grade Level: K
Subject Area: Art (Visual Arts • Connecting/Creating)
Total Unit Duration: 1–3 weeks, 30–45 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, kindergarten students will design a Celebration Art Project that grows out of both real celebrations and their own imagination. After looking at examples of celebration art (parades, birthdays, cultural holidays, school events), students brainstorm ideas for their own special-day artwork. They think about colors, shapes, people, and symbols that show a celebration, then turn those ideas into a finished piece that may show a real event, an imagined festival, or a mix of both. By the end of the unit, students understand that art can show real and imagined celebrations, and that they can generate ideas through imagination, play, and observation.
Essential Questions
- How can art show celebrations, traditions, or community life?
- Where do my celebration art ideas come from—my real life, my imagination, or both?
- What colors, shapes, and symbols help people see that my artwork is about a celebration?
- How can I turn my ideas into a finished celebration artwork?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Look at celebration artwork and notice how artists show holidays, traditions, or community events.
- Generate at least one idea for a celebration artwork based on personal experiences, imagination, or both.
- Create a celebration-themed drawing or simple mixed-media piece that includes people or symbols of a special day.
- Use colors, shapes, and details to help viewers see that the artwork shows a celebration or tradition.
- Talk about their Celebration Art Project by naming the celebration and describing what is happening.
Standards Alignment — Kindergarten (NCAS-Aligned)
- VA:Cn11.Ka — Recognize that art can show celebrations, traditions, or community life.
- Example: Students explore artwork related to a holiday.
- VA:Cr1.Ka — Generate artistic ideas through imagination, play, and observation.
- Example: Students draw something they see outside or something imaginary.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can tell when art shows a celebration or special day.
- I can think of ideas for celebration art using my real life and my imagination.
- I can make a picture that shows a celebration or tradition.
- I can say what celebration my artwork shows and what is happening in it.