4th Grade Art Projects Elements of Art 4th Grade Art Lessons Ocean Activities Worksheets

This Grade 4 Art Unit teaches the Elements of Art through an underwater theme. It is ready to go and no prep, for general classroom teachers, art educators and homeschool families, even if you don't consider yourself an artist.

A video introduction hooks students on the Elements of Art, followed by a step-by-step art tutorial for each element and a set of choice-based art lessons for experimentation and student-led learning. Everything comes as fully planned, non-editable PDFs in a folder, with black-line printables for easy photocopying.

WHAT TEACHERS ARE SAYING

★★★★ “I've always struggled with teaching art concepts to my 4th graders but these lessons made it so much easier! They are organized and very engaging for students.” Nettalien E.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (NON-EDITABLE PDFS IN A FOLDER)

• Unit Plan with scope and sequence, plus individual lesson plans
• Introduction Video on the Elements of Art, why artists use them and the unit theme
• 2 Introductory Lessons with full lesson plans and worksheets to practice drawing and coloring each element before the full artworks
• 7 Step-by-Step Art Tutorials, one per element, each with a complete lesson plan (hook, participation strategies, steps and conclusion), tutorial, artwork examples, display sign, rubric, assessment and reflection
• 7 Choice-Based Art Lessons, each with a lesson plan, planning, rough draft and artwork pages, rubric and reflection (no examples, by design)
• Viewing Art Lesson Activity with a poem and a reading about art galleries and museums
• Choice-Based End of Unit Art Project

THE 7 ART PROJECTS

• Line: a sea turtle with line patterns in the shell as the focal point
• Color: rainbow whales in soft pastel color mixing, with a poem about whales and color mixing
• Value: a monochromatic soft pastel shark
• Shape: a clownfish and anemone in organic shapes on a geometric shape mosaic background, with an article about geometric shapes and clownfish
• Form: an octopus using tint, hue and shade in soft pastel to create the illusion of form
• Space: overlapping fish that use size, overlapping and placement to create depth
• Texture: a marlin using line to create texture with ink and watercolor

HOW TO USE IT

Review the unit plan, start with the introductory lessons and video, then print a master copy into a binder and photocopy student pages as needed. Use the choice-based lessons before a tutorial to practice and play, or after to reinforce skills. In the Viewing Art activity, students identify the Elements of Art in an artwork from art history, interpret its message and mood, and infer its time, place and culture. The end of unit project has the class set student-led criteria, and each student creates an artwork using two Elements of Art and the underwater theme.

The unit is flexible: teach every page or pick and choose. Introductory lessons take 1 to 2 periods (30 to 45 minutes), each art project 1 to 3 periods, each choice-based lesson about 1 period, the Viewing Art activity 30 to 40 minutes and the end of unit project 1 to 3 periods. Used in full, it can stretch across a semester.

NATIONAL ART STANDARDS THIS UNIT COVERS (GRADE 4)

VA:Cr1.1.4a Brainstorm multiple approaches to a creative art or design problem. VA:Cr1.2.4a Collaboratively set goals and create artwork that is meaningful and has purpose to the makers. VA:Cr2.1.4a Explore and invent art-making techniques and approaches. VA:Cr2.2.4a When making works of art, utilize and care for materials, tools, and equipment in a manner that prevents danger to oneself and others. VA:Pr4.1.4a Analyze how past, present, and emerging technologies have impacted the preservation and presentation of artwork. VA:Pr6.1.4a Compare and contrast purposes of art museums, art galleries, and other venues, as well as the types of personal experiences they provide. VA:Re.7.2.4a Analyze components in visual imagery that convey messages. VA:Re8.1.4a Interpret art by referring to contextual information and analyzing relevant subject matter, characteristics of form, and use of media. VA:Cn11.1.4a Through observation, infer information about time, place, and culture in which a work of art was created.

FAQ

How long does each lesson take?

It depends on your teaching style and class. See the timing above, and shorten or lengthen the unit by choosing which lessons to teach.

Why do the choice-based lessons have no examples?

They are teacher-guided and student-led, so students develop their own ideas and experiment with mediums, techniques and concepts.

Is it editable?

No. It is a set of non-editable PDFs.

ALL TEACHER REVIEWS

★★★★ “Loved doing these ocean themed activities with my 4th grade class.” Amy M.

★★★★ “Awesome resource for lesson planning in the art room!” Madison P.

★★★★ “This is a wonderful art resource that engages students and teaches the students the elements of art. Beautiful final products!” Candace Z.

★★★ “I like this resource in general, but I wish there were more examples included! Particularly ones that look like they could have been done by a grade 4 student.” Shannon D.

★★★★ “This underwater-themed art unit is a fantastic way to teach 4th graders the elements of art while keeping them engaged with a fun and creative project! The lessons are structured and easy to follow, with clear instructions that guide students through each step. I love how the unit incorporates learning about the elements of art, such as color, texture, and shape, while giving students the freedom to create their own underwater masterpieces. The projects are visually captivating, and students enjoy bringing their ideas to life. If you’re looking for a comprehensive and enjoyable art unit, this resource is a must-have for any 4th-grade classroom!” Linda R.

★★★★ “My students look forward to Friday art each week, we loved how intricate these projects were, set aside time for them. Also I loved the additional resource that were provided to support the students as well. Thank you!” Emily T.

Get free, classroom-ready art lessons and printables in my Free Art Lesson Library.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathleen McGiveron (Ms Artastic) is an artist who has been featured on NBC LX News and designs art lessons for kids and educational resources for teachers. She is the founder of Ms Artastic and hosts the Ms Artastic YouTube Channel and Podcast.

TERMS OF USE

Images and lessons are copyright products.

YOU MAY: use this in your own classroom or homeschool program with your own students only. Additional licenses are available for multiple educators.

YOU MAY NOT: use it on Outschool, post or share it online (including blogs or websites), email, distribute or give it away for free, or convert it into another format or sell it.

Sincerely,

Ms Artastic