Colorado Teacher Quality Standard 2
Teachers establish a safe, inclusive and respectful learning environment for a diverse population of students.
Element A
Teachers foster a predictable learning environment characterized by acceptable student behavior and efficient use of time in which each student has a positive, nurturing relationship with caring adults and peers.
Story & Entering Artwork
Week 1: Magic Rocks (Symbol of Entry)
I can describe what I would see inside a picture.
I can follow classroom routines and expectations.
Week 2: Magic Devices / Wands (Exploration Tools)
I can be a magic rock that helps me enter artwork.
I can listen and respond to my partner’s ideas.
Week 3:
I can create a device or wand that helps me explore artwork.
I can share my ideas with others.
Week 4:
I can create an artwork that shows a world with a setting and characters.
I can imagine what is happening inside the artwork.
Week 5:
I can imagine stepping into another student’s artwork.
I can describe what I see, hear, and feel with a partner inside their world.
I can show kindness and respect when discussing others’ work.
Week 6+:
I can explain my artwork as if someone is inside it.
I can describe how to enter artwork.
I can explain how artwork creates a world or story.
Mr. Zach- Lesson Slide Deck
Imagination and art create shared spaces where students feel safe, included, and able to explore ideas together.
Essential Question
How can we use imagination to step into artwork and understand it from the inside?
Lesson Overview
This ongoing TAB-based unit explores imagination, storytelling, and perspective-taking through the creation of magic rocks, magic devices, and immersive artworks. Inspired by Katie and the Sunflowers, students are introduced to the idea that artwork can be entered and experienced.
Students first become magic rocks as symbolic tools of transformation, then expand into creating devices/wands that allow them to “transport” into artwork. Through this process, students create worlds with characters and settings and engage in partner discussions where they evaluate artwork from within the experience.
The unit emphasizes predictable routines, relationship-building, and shared imaginative exploration, fostering a classroom environment where students feel safe, respected, and engaged. The unit remains ongoing.
Magic Rocks & Wand Worlds (Ongoing 6-Week+ TAB Unit)
Colorado Academic Standards – Visual Arts Kindergarten
Standard 1: Observe and Learn to Comprehend
Analyze how images and artworks create worlds, settings, and meaning
Standard 2: Envision and Critique to Reflect
Use art and storytelling language to describe and evaluate artwork
Standard 3: Invent and Discover to Create
Create imaginative artworks using experimentation and personal ideas
Standard 4: Relate and Connect to Transfer
Connect artmaking to personal storytelling, perspective-taking, and community
Student Examples
In process works
The magic wand/device portion was not executed as effectively as intended. Students created two devices (one to take home and one for classroom use) which took a significant amount of time. In the future, this would be improved by having each table group create a collective device, allowing more time to focus on developing and refining the artwork itself. This shift would support deeper engagement in creating more detailed and complete imaginative worlds.
The unit is still ongoing and has strong potential for continued development. The concept of entering and evaluating artwork from within has created a meaningful and engaging approach to critique, and there is opportunity to further expand both the artistic work and the depth of student reflection
