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### Art Appreciation Lesson Plan for 2nd Grade
**Lesson Title:** Understanding and Appreciating Art
**Grade Level:** 2nd Grade
**Duration:** 45 minutes
**Objective:**
Students will learn to observe and discuss various pieces of art, identify basic elements of art, and articulate feelings and preferences about artworks.
**Materials Needed:**
- Reproductions of famous artworks (preferably prints)
- Colorful markers or crayons
- Chart paper
- Sticky notes
**Common Core Standards:**
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics and texts.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.4: Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.
### Lesson Plan
#### Introduction (10 minutes)
1. **Greeting and Warm-Up:**
- Greet the students and briefly discuss how they feel about art.
- Show a world map and point out where some famous artists came from to give a global context.
2. **Define Art Appreciation:**
- Explain that art appreciation is looking at and thinking about art, and that everyone can appreciate art in their own way.
#### Main Activity (25 minutes)
1. **Gallery Walk:**
- Tape up reproductions of various famous artworks around the classroom (e.g., works by Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, and Kahlo).
- Give each student a few sticky notes.
- Have students walk around and look at each artwork. They should write one word or a short sentence about what they feel or think when they see each piece and stick their notes near the artworks.
2. **Group Discussion:**
- Gather students on the rug and discuss their sticky notes.
- Ask questions like:
- “What colors do you see?”
- “How does this painting make you feel?”
- “Why do you think the artist created this?”
3. **Exploring Art Elements:**
- Briefly introduce the basics of line, shape, color, and texture using some of the artworks as examples.
- Discuss how different elements might make an artwork feel calm, exciting, happy, or sad.
#### Conclusion (10 minutes)
1. **Drawing Exercise:**
- Ask students to choose their favorite artwork from the gallery walk.
- Provide them with paper and markers/crayons and ask them to draw their own version inspired by that artwork.
- Encourage them to use colors and shapes that show how they feel about the painting.
2. **Reflection:**
- Have a few students share their drawings and explain why they chose that particular artwork and how it made them feel.
- Wrap up the lesson by summarizing the importance of art and how it can be appreciated in many different ways.
**Assessment:**
- Observe student participation during the gallery walk and group discussion.
- Evaluate the drawn artwork based on the students' ability to capture elements and express feelings.
- Look at sticky notes for thoughtful responses and engagement.
**Extensions:**
- Create a classroom art gallery where students’ interpretations are displayed alongside the famous works they were inspired by.
- Plan a virtual tour of a museum to see more artworks and discuss them in class later.
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With this lesson plan, students will have a foundational experience in observing, discussing, and creating art, thus beginning their journey in art appreciation.