Unit Plan 11 (PreK Art): My Family Picture

Focus: Create artwork based on personal experiences of family and talk about it.

Grade Level: PreK

Subject Area: Art (Visual Arts • Connecting/Creating)

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

I. Introduction

In this unit, preschool children create a My Family Picture inspired by their own lives. They think about the people (and sometimes pets) who are important at home and learn how to show them in a drawing or simple mixed-media picture. Children practice using shapes and lines to represent people, choosing details like hair, favorite colors, or activities to show who is who. They also practice talking about their art, sharing who is in the picture and something they like to do together. By the end of the unit, each child has a family-inspired artwork and can share at least one idea about their picture.

Essential Questions

• Who is in my family or who do I live with?
• How can I show my family in a picture?
• What details can I add to show what we do together or where we are?
• How can I use my picture to tell others about my life?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Children will be able to:

1. Think about their own family or home and name at least one person or pet they want to draw.
2. Create a My Family Picture that includes one or more figures (people or pets) using basic shapes and lines.
3. Add simple details (hair, colors, favorite objects, or place) to show something about their real life.
4. Share their artwork by saying who is in the picture and at least one thing about them or what they are doing.
5. Begin to understand that art can show personal experiences and special people in their lives.

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 make a picture that shows my family or people I live with.
• I can add details to show who is who or what we like to do.
• I can say, “This is my (mom/dad/grandma/brother/pet).”
• I can tell a grown-up something we do together in my picture.
• I know that my picture is about my life and the people I care about.