1. Elementary School Kindergarten – 6th Grade

2.  Grade 2
 Title: Art Criticism
 Type II
 Standard 4.0 Historical and Cultural
Relationships
5.0 Reflecting and
Assessing
 Respond Domain (listen, analyze, and
reflect)
 Pre-Post

3. Student Population /4 classes
 Approx. 68 students
 8 Special Ed students
Pre- Students have had several lessons
prior which defined and practiced the
terms and meanings for the elements
of art and design: line, shape, color,
form, texture, space, value and pattern.
The Art Criticism unit began with a
group of 3 students and a list of these 8
terms, dry erase markers (to circle the
terms on the visual aide), a large,
museum-quality, laminated visual
aide/work of art, and lined paper to
write sentences. Students worked
together and each wrote their own
sentences using their vocabulary terms
in their sentences. I assisted the
writing activity by helping with grammar
and some spelling. At the end of class
students held up their laminated works
of art and presented their sentences
which described what they had found.
This process took one to two classes.
 Post- Each group exchanged their
sentences and laminated works of art
with another group. Students read the
sentences written by their peers which
described the art elements found in the
paintings. Students worked together to
find and discuss other art element and
design vocabulary terms. I assisted
students while reading, interpreting,
and discussing their peer sentences
and works of art.
 After allowing 20-25 minutes for the
students to describe, analyze, and
evaluate their peer sentences and
works of art, I took up the exchanged
sentences. I encouraged the students
to paint the vocabulary terms within the
paintings that they liked the most.
Students were able to freely paint and
create those terms that they felt were
the most relevant. The finished
paintings were significant evaluations
regarding what those terms meant and
how each term functioned as an
element of art or a principle of design.

4.  This list/graphic
symbolism was on the
white board in front of
the class where I began
to instruct the unit. I
wanted the lessons to
feel more like a
scavenger hunt and not
a writing lesson. I
wanted to see evidence
that the student s were
more familiar with the
terms at the end of the
unit.

5. PRE- SCORE 3 PRE-SCORE 3

6. POST-SCORE 4 POST-SCORE 4

7.  Pre- Students performed at expectations regarding their prior
knowledge for the meanings of each of the 8 elements of art. Value,
form, and space were the terms most frequently questioned by the
students and not understood. Students loved the kinesthetic activity
of circling the terms on the laminated copies. It was good to see
them finding multiple interpretations of terms.
 Post- Students worked well in groups discussing the art vocabulary
terms. Students read and evaluated the exchanged sentences and
were curious what answers their peers recorded. The students
circled the art elements in the paintings that their peers wrote about.
This type of scavenger hunt activity was fun for them and they were
enthusiastic. The students also circled additional terms found. For
the painting activity, students clearly articulated the vocabulary terms
that they felt were the most important. At the end of the critique,
students were able to present and share those elements of art that
they felt were most significant in the work of art. The activity was
very engaging for the students and a positive and interactive way to
learn more about art and practice the vocabulary terms.

8. PRE-SCORE 3 PRE-SCORE 3

9. POST- SCORE 4 POST- SCORE 4

10.  Pre- Students performed at expectations regarding the prior
knowledge learned for the meanings of each of the 8 elements of art.
Value, form, and space were the terms most frequently questioned
by the students and not understood. Students loved the kinesthetic
activity of circling the terms on the laminated copies. It was good to
see them finding multiple interpretations of terms.
 Post-Students worked well in groups discussing the art element
terms and were curious what elements their peers recorded in their
sentences. The students circled the art elements in the paintings that
their peers wrote about. This type of scavenger hunt activity was fun
for them and they were enthusiastic. The students also circled
additional terms found. For the painting activity, students clearly
articulated the vocabulary terms that they felt were the most
important. At the end of the critique, students were able to present
and share those elements of art that they felt were most significant in
the work of art. The activity was very engaging for the students and
a positive interactive way to learn more about art vocabulary terms.

11. PRE- SCORE 3 PRE-SCORE 3

12. POST- SCORE 4 POST- SCORE 4

13.  Pre- Students performed at expectations regarding the prior
knowledge learned for the meanings of each of the 8 elements of art.
Value, form, and space were the terms most frequently questioned
by the students and not understood. Students loved the kinesthetic
activity of circling the terms on the laminated copies. The 2nd grade
level teachers supported the students in this individual/group writing
practice.
 Post- Students worked well in groups discussing the art element
terms and were curious what elements their peers recorded in their
sentences. The students circled the art elements in the paintings that
their peers wrote about. This type of scavenger hunt activity was fun
for them and they were enthusiastic. The students also circled
additional terms found. For the painting activity, students clearly
articulated the vocabulary terms that they felt were the most
important. At the end of the critique, students were able to present
and share those elements of art that they felt were most significant in
the work of art. The activity was very engaging for the students and
a positive interactive way to learn more about art vocabulary terms.