Unit Plan 27 (PreK Art): My Special Drawing

Focus: Create artwork based on personal experiences and talk about it with others.

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 create a special drawing that comes from their own lives—family, pets, favorite places, or fun activities. They first think and talk about something that matters to them, then make a drawing to show that experience. With gentle support, children practice using simple words to tell about what they drew and why it is special. By the end of the unit, children will understand that their own memories and feelings can become ideas for artwork.

Essential Questions

• What is something special from my life that I want to draw?
• How can I show my family, friends, or favorite place in my artwork?
• How can I tell others what is happening in my drawing?
• Why does my special drawing matter to me?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Children will be able to:

1. Think about and name a personal experience (family, event, favorite activity) that they want to show in a drawing.
2. Create a drawing that shows at least one important person, place, or object from their own life.
3. Add at least one or two details that help explain what is happening (e.g., sun at the park, cake at a birthday).
4. Share, in simple words, what their drawing shows and why it is special to them.
5. Begin to connect feelings (happy, excited, loved) to their artwork during sharing.

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 think of something special from my life to draw.
• I can make a picture that shows people or places from my own life.
• I can add details to help others see what is happening.
• I can tell someone what my drawing is about and why it is special to me.
• I can use feeling words (happy, excited, loved) when I talk about my drawing.