OVERVIEW
The fourth grade Visual and Performing Arts curriculum is designed to push students explore art in deeper and more creative ways as they build on everything they’ve learned in earlier grades. They experiment with more complex techniques, learn how to plan and revise their artwork, and begin making artistic choices that show personal style and meaning.
Unit 1: Line
Learning Targets
Students will identify and use different types of lines to show movement and emotion.
Students will combine lines to create detailed drawings and designs.
Students will explain how artists use line to guide the viewer’s eye.
Students will use line to create emphasis and visual interest.
Essential Questions
How do artists use line to communicate ideas?
How can lines create movement or mood in artwork?
What happens when different lines are combined?
Questions to ask at Home
How did line help you make your artwork more expressive?
What kinds of lines do you use the most in your artwork?
Can you find interesting lines in objects around the house?
Unit 2: Shape
Learning Targets
Students will identify geometric and organic shapes in artwork.
Students will use shapes to build more complex compositions.
Students will combine shapes to create patterns, objects, and scenes.
Students will explain how artists use shape to organize and structure art.
Essential Questions
How are shapes used to build artwork?
What’s the difference between geometric and organic shapes?
How do shapes help communicate ideas?
Questions to ask at Home
What shapes did you notice or use in your artwork?
Did you create something new by combining shapes?
Can you find geometric and organic shapes at home?
Unit 3: Color
Learning Targets
Students will identify and mix primary, secondary, and intermediate colors.
Students will explore color families (warm, cool, complementary, analogous).
Students will use color intentionally to express mood or meaning.
Essential Questions
How can color change the feeling of artwork?
Why do artists mix colors?
How do color choices affect the viewer?
Questions to ask at Home
What colors schemes have you learned about?
How did your color choices affect your artwork?
Can you find warm or cool colors around your home?
Unit 4: Form
Learning Targets
Students will create 3D artwork using building, sculpting, or drawing techniques.
Students will use shading to show volume in drawings.
Students will explain how artists use form to create realism.
Essential Questions
What makes a form different from a shape?
How do artists make artwork look three-dimensional?
Why is form important in art?
Questions to ask at Home
What forms did you create or study today?
How did you show 3D qualities in your art?
Can you find objects in your home shaped like spheres, cubes, or cylinders?
Unit 5: Pattern
Learning Targets
Students will create patterns using lines, shapes, and colors.
Students will use pattern to create rhythm in artwork.
Students will explain how pattern helps organize or energize art.
Essential Questions
What makes something a pattern?
How do artists use pattern to make artwork more interesting?
How does repeating elements create movement?
Questions to ask at Home
What type of pattern did you create today?
What did you repeat to make your pattern?
Can you spot patterns at home or outside?
Unit 6: Texture
Learning Targets
Students will identify real (actual) and visual (implied) texture.
Students will experiment with materials to create textured surfaces.
Students will use lines and patterns to draw visual textures.
Students will explain how texture adds interest to artwork.
Essential Questions
How can we see or feel texture in art?
How do artists create the illusion of texture?
How does texture change the look and feel of artwork?
Questions to ask at Home
What textures do you gravitate towards when creating artwork?
Did your artwork have real texture, visual texture, or both?
Can you find interesting textures around your home?
Unit 7: Rhythm and Repetition
Learning Targets
Students will identify repetition and rhythm in artwork.
Students will use repetition to create visual movement.
Students will design artwork that leads the viewer’s eye through the page.
Students will describe the effect rhythm has on artwork.
Essential Questions
How do artists create rhythm in artwork?
Why does repeating elements change the way art feels?
How does rhythm guide the viewer’s eye?
Questions to ask at Home
How did repetition create movement?
How did you represent rhythm or repetition in your artwork
Where can you see rhythm or repetition around you?
Unit 8: Reflection, Revision, and Review
Learning Targets
Students will evaluate their artwork and describe strengths and areas to improve.
Students will revise artwork by adjusting details, fixing mistakes, or adding to their ideas.
Students will use peer or teacher feedback to make improvements.
Students will reflect on how their skills have grown.
Essential Questions
Why do artists reflect on their work?
How can revision improve artwork?
How can feedback help us grow as artists?
Questions to ask at Home
What did you notice when you reviewed your artwork today?
What changes or improvements did you make?
What feedback helped you?