Unit Plan 28 (PreK Art): Planning Our Art Show
Preschool art unit where children help plan a class art show by sorting artwork, choosing pieces, and organizing how displays will appear.
Focus: Organize artwork for display by helping sort, choose, and plan how pieces will be shown in an “art show.”
Grade Level: PreK
Subject Area: Art (Visual Arts • Presenting)
Total Unit Duration: 1–3 weeks, 20–30 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, preschool children learn what an art show is and how artists and teachers plan where artwork will go before it is displayed. Children look at class artwork from across the year, help sort pieces into simple groups (like “families,” “colors,” or “outside”), and make choices about which artworks to include. With teacher guidance, they help decide where groups of artwork might be placed on the wall or bulletin boards. By the end of the unit, children understand that planning and organizing are important steps in getting ready to show art to others.
Essential Questions
- What is an art show?
- How can we choose and group our artwork to get ready for a show?
- Where could we put our pictures so people can see them easily?
- How does it feel to help plan our class art show?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Children will be able to:
- Describe, in simple words, what an art show is (a place where many artworks are displayed).
- Look at class artwork and help sort it into basic groups (by topic, color, or project).
- Help choose which artworks will be part of the class art show with teacher support.
- Suggest simple ideas for where artwork might go on the wall (high/low, in a line, all together).
- Show pride and ownership in planning how their class art will be displayed.
Standards Alignment — PreK (NCAS-Aligned)
- VA:Pr5.PKa — Help prepare artwork for display with teacher assistance.
- Example: Children assist in placing artwork on a bulletin board.
Success Criteria — Child-Friendly Language
- I can say what an art show is.
- I can help sort our artwork into groups.
- I can help pick which artwork to put in our show.
- I can share an idea about where artwork should go on the wall.
- I feel proud helping plan our class art show.