Unit Plan 33 (PreK Art): Growing as an Artist

Focus: Talk about how artwork has improved over time and how it shows personal experiences.

Grade Level: PreK

Subject Area: Art (Visual Arts • Connecting)

Total Unit Duration: 1–3 weeks, 20–30 minutes per session

I. Introduction

In this unit, preschool children look at their own artwork from different times in the year and notice how they have grown as artists. With gentle support, they compare “before” and “now” pictures, noticing more colors, more shapes, new details, or clearer ideas. Children talk about how their artwork shows things from their own lives (family, favorite places, celebrations) and how they can draw or paint those things more clearly now. By the end of the unit, children begin to understand that practice helps them grow and that it is okay for their art to change and improve.

Essential Questions

• How has my artwork changed from before to now?
• What can I draw or paint now that I could not do at the beginning of the year?
• How does my artwork show things from my life (family, home, playground, special days)?
• How does it feel to see that I am growing as an artist?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Children will be able to:

1. Look at two pieces of their own artwork (earlier and recent) and notice at least one difference (more colors, more details, clearer people or places).
2. Use simple language to say something they can do now in their artwork that they did not do before.
3. Talk about how their picture shows a personal experience (family, favorite place, activity) in simple terms.
4. Share a short idea about why they are proud of their newer artwork.
5. Listen to classmates as they talk about their own growth as artists.

Standards Alignment — PreK (NCAS-Aligned)

• VA:Cn10.PKa — Create artwork based on personal experiences and talk about it.
  • Example: A child draws their family and describes it.

Success Criteria — Child-Friendly Language

• I can look at an old picture and a new picture and say how my art has changed.
• I can say something I can do now in my art (more colors, more shapes, more people).
• I can tell someone who or what from my life is in my picture.
• I can say one reason I feel proud of my artwork now.
• I can listen to my friends when they talk about their art.