Unit Plan 10 (PreK Art): What Is Happening Here?
Preschool art unit where children look at pictures and identify actions or simple stories, using clues to say things like “The dog is running” or “The girl is jumping.”
Focus: Identify actions or simple stories in artwork.
Grade Level: PreK
Subject Area: Art (Visual Arts • Responding)
Total Unit Duration: 1–3 weeks, 20–30 minutes per session
I. Introduction
In this unit, preschool children look at pictures and artworks to figure out what is happening in them. They notice the people, animals, and objects in a picture and use clues (where they are, what they are doing) to say simple ideas like, “The dog is running,” or “The girl is jumping.” Children practice using short sentences to describe actions and simple stories instead of just naming objects or colors. By the end of the unit, children can describe at least one action or very simple story they see in a picture, beginning to understand that artwork can show events and stories.
Essential Questions
- What do I think is happening in this picture?
- What are the people or animals doing?
- How can I tell a friend what I think the story is in the artwork?
- How can I use picture clues to help me figure out what is going on?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Children will be able to:
- Look carefully at artwork and identify who is in the picture (people, animals, objects).
- Use simple sentences to say what is happening (e.g., “The boy is running,” “The cat is sleeping.”).
- Use picture clues (body position, facial expression, objects) to think about actions and stories.
- Listen to classmates share their ideas about what is happening and notice that pictures can have more than one idea.
- Begin to separate “what I see” from “what I think is happening” in very simple ways.
Standards Alignment — PreK (NCAS-Aligned)
- VA:Re8.PKa — Identify what is happening in artwork.
- Example: A child says, “The dog is running.”
Success Criteria — Child-Friendly Language
- I can say what I think is happening in a picture.
- I can tell what a person or animal is doing (“running,” “sleeping,” “playing”).
- I can use clues in the picture (body, face, things around) to help me decide.
- I can listen to what my friends think is happening too.
- I can use a full sentence like, “The ___ is ___ing.”