Unit Plan 5 (Grade K Art): Shapes in Our World

Focus: Identify and use shapes in artwork by exploring circles, squares, triangles, rectangles, and more through hands-on experimentation.

Grade Level: K

Subject Area: Art (Visual Arts • Creating)

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

I. Introduction

In this unit, kindergarten students discover that shapes are everywhere—in the classroom, outside, and in art. They learn to notice basic shapes like circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles, then experiment with using these shapes in drawings and simple collages. Students begin to see how shapes can build pictures such as houses, people, animals, and imaginary places. By the end of the unit, they can name common shapes, find them in their world, and use them playfully in their own artwork.

Essential Questions

• What shapes do I see in my classroom and world?
• How can I use shapes like circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles in my art?
• How can shapes help me build pictures of things (houses, people, animals)?
• How does experimenting with shapes help me create and explore in art?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Name and point to at least three basic shapes (circle, square, triangle, rectangle).
2. Find and identify shapes in the classroom environment or in simple pictures.
3. Experiment with drawing and arranging shapes on paper to create simple shape pictures.
4. Use cut or drawn shapes to build a simple image (e.g., a house, a robot, a shape creature).
5. Describe one or two ways shapes helped them make a picture.

Standards Alignment — Kindergarten (NCAS-Aligned)

• VA:Cr2.Ka — Explore elements of art (line, shape, color, texture) through hands-on experimentation.
  • Example: Students experiment with making different kinds of lines.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can name shapes like circle, square, triangle, and rectangle.
• I can find shapes in our classroom or in pictures.
• I can draw or use shapes to make a picture.
• I can tell someone how shapes helped me build my artwork.