5th Grade Art About Me Grade 5 Self Portrait Identity Back to School Art Lesson

This 5th Grade About Me Self Portrait Art Project teaches real self-portrait drawing skills while students explore their identity. It brings together realistic portrait drawing, proportion, observation, value, shading and creative self-expression in one Grade 5 art lesson.

Students draw a self-portrait, then brainstorm parts of their identity such as interests, culture or heritage, favorite activities, dreams, fears and personal connections, and add those ideas to their finished artwork. It is an About Me project with real art skills built in, and it suits Back to School, Meet the Teacher, Open House, self-portrait units and homeschool Grade 5.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (NON-EDITABLE PDF AND POWERPOINT)

• Grade 5 About Me Self Portrait lesson plan
• Visual art standards
• Teacher directions
• Critical-thinking questions
• Self-Portraits and Realism anchor chart
• Creating Realism in Self-Portraits handout
• Brainstorm Identity activity
• Multiple portrait templates
• Build-a-Portrait facial feature guide
• History of Self-Portraits reading
• Visual step-by-step tutorial
• Fast-finisher activity
• Art rubric
• Bulletin board display sign
• KWL chart
• Read and Respond activity with answer key
• Elements of Art and Principles of Design activities
• Opinion, fiction and non-fiction writing activities
• Realistic vs. Expressive Self-Portraits Compare and Contrast
• Reflection and goal-setting pages
• Peer feedback
• Artist statement pages
• Finished artwork example
• Step-by-step project slides in PowerPoint
• Bonus: link to a video demonstration

WHAT STUDENTS LEARN

Students explore how artists create realistic self-portraits using observation, proportion, value, shading, line, facial features and details. They also learn that a self-portrait can share more than appearance. Artists use colors, symbols, objects, interests, experiences and personal details to show parts of their identity and personality.

Students then combine these ideas into a finished artwork: a realistic-style portrait alongside illustrations that represent who they are. The reading, writing and compare and contrast pages make it a good fit for art and literacy integration, and the display sign helps you put up a bulletin board.

FAQ

What grade level is this designed for?

5th Grade (Grade 5).

Does this teach realistic portrait drawing?

Yes. Students explore facial proportion, observation, value, shading, highlights, shadows and details.

Are portrait templates included?

Yes. Multiple portrait templates and a Build-a-Portrait facial feature reference page are included.

Is this good for Back to School or Meet the Teacher?

Yes. Students create artwork that shares both their appearance and parts of their identity, which makes a good beginning-of-the-year display.

Are literacy activities included?

Yes. It includes reading comprehension, writing activities, reflection, compare and contrast, and artist statements.

Is this suitable for homeschool?

Yes. The lesson plan, templates, teaching slides, step-by-step support and extension activities make it easy to use at home.

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 creative ways and have as much fun with it as you like. For clip art, you may use the images as clip art, website graphics, binder covers or bulletin board decorations. Additional licenses are available for school use.

YOU MAY NOT: use this on OutSchool, put it on your blog, share it with other teachers, administration or districts (admin can buy additional licenses), sell it, give it out for free or photocopy it for others.

Sincerely,

Ms Artastic