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Lesson Plan

Creating Stories from Artwork

Grade Level: 3rd grade
Estimated Time: Two 40-minute sessions
Lesson Author: Isabella Rivera
Content of Lesson:
In this lesson art and writing are integrated to illustrate for students that art can be used to
tell a story, and that writing can be used to create a story based on art. Students will develop a
narrative artwork which depicts a particular story they have created. The students will be
encouraged to make conscious decisions about the composition, details, materials used, and
subject matter depicted. Upon completion of the artwork, the teacher will swap artworks among
students, and the artworks will then serve as a basis for students to write a vivid narrative.

SESSION ONE
Activity: Narrative Artwork
PA Core Standard(s):
Standard Area - 9.1: Production, Performance and Exhibition of Dance, Music, Theatre
and Visual Arts
o Standard - 9.1.3.E Demonstrate the ability to define objects, express emotions,
illustrate an action or relate an experience through creation of works in the arts
Materials Needed & Preparation:
-Plain

-Makers

-Construction

-Smocks

-Glitter

heavyweight

-Glue

paper

-Sponges

-Paint brushes

paper

-Hole Punch

-Newspaper

-Jars or cups

-Rags

-Tempera paint

-Chenille Sticks

-Painters tape

-Paint palettes

-Mod Podge

-Crayons

-Drying rack

-Magazines

-Radio

-Pastels

-Wordless music

Lesson Plan
Environment Preparations-Classroom tables will be covered with newspaper to keep the area safe and clean.
-Four chairs will be set at each table so that students will have a ample work space and a
free range of motion. There will be a smock placed on each chair.
- Blue, Red and Yellow paints and a small box of crayons will be placed on each table.
-Four jars with water, four rags and four paint palettes, and plain heavyweight paper will
be set on tables.
-A table with newspapers, magazines, construction paper, glue, Mod Podge and scissors
will be set up; another table will have various size paint brushes, sponges, chenille
sticks, markers, crayons, and pastels
Introduction/Motivation:
Can artworks tell stories? Where do we commonly see art which is meant to tell a
story? Have you ever drawn or painted a picture that you intended to portray an experience you
had or made up? After students have shared their responses to the questions, the teacher will
present a narrative artwork that he/she has made using a variety of art materials. Then the
students will be questioned about the artwork: What do you think the story of this picture is?,
What do you see in the artwork? Once the student have given a variety of responses, the
teacher will pick out elements of their artwork, explain the meaning and reveal the story they
intended to convey through the artwork. The teacher will go over the concept of a narrative
artwork and explain the expectations for the artwork students will create. The teacher will
encourage the students develop a strong mental picture of a story they want to tell and be brave,

Lesson Plan
and experiment with a variety of materials in order to help communicate their story. The
students will be instructed to be mindful of their choices and use whatever materials they want,
as long as what they choose enhances the story they are trying to tell.
To transition from the discussion into the art work space, the teacher will ask students to
count off by the total amount of group work spaces in the art section (six sets of grouped tables,
would mean students count off to six, and start back at one when six has been reached).
Procedure:

First students are asked to put on their smock. They are asked to help one another with this

task and are encouraged to ask for additional help if it is needed.

Then the students are asked to use the crayons on the table to write at least five words and
five short phrases that describe/relate to the story they want to depict (this is done to help
give them a starting point). This can be written on the newspaper taped to the tables, or on

the heavyweight paper (if they want it to become a part of their artwork).
While they work on the words, each group will individually be asked to go to the supplies

tables and choose the additional materials they will need for their particular artwork.
During the material gathering process the teacher/s will walk around and engage in with
the groups remaining at the tables. They will provide additional prompting question to

help the children develop their ideas.

Once all groups have gathered their materials, they will be instructed to go ahead and

begin work on their narrative artwork.

Students are advised to consider how they will layer their materials.
While students work to complete their artwork the teacher/s will continue to circle around

to each group and individual to assess their progress, and offer positive feedback.
During the teachers rounds the students will be asked to explain their work. They are
asked what, why, and how questions.

Lesson Plan
o What are you thinking about while youre making this artwork? What

materials enhance the details of your story?

o How is this [specific element of the artwork] expressing your story?
o What do you like about your artwork?
o Why have you chosen this? (referring to particular material)
Ten minutes before clean-up, students will be asked to wrap up their artwork.
After the ten minutes are up, each group will take turns placing their artwork on the drying
rack.

Closure:
Students will be commended for their thoughtful hard work. The teacher will review how
stories can be told through depictions in artwork. The teacher will reference their own artwork as
an example of how a story can be told through art. Then the teacher will inform the student that
the artworks they created will be used in another lesson to develop and original narrative through
writing.

Session Two
Activity: Creating a short story based off an artwork
PA Core Standard:
Standard Area CC.1.4 Writing
Standard - CC.1.4.3.M Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events.
Materials:
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Narrative Graphic Organizer

Paper
Pencils
Erasers
Chalkboard/Dry Erase Board
Artwork teacher used to write a story
Teacher created Narrative based on Artwork
Teacher selected artwork to use for guided instruction

Lesson Plan
Intro/Motivation:
Today Im excited to share with you a story that I wrote. What makes my story so
interesting is that I used a piece of artwork, that I didnt make, to create my story. Now, Im
going to read my story to you. As I do I want you to close your eyes, and try to imagine an image
that would depict the story Im reading. Think about how you would create a piece of art to
illustrate my story. What would that artwork look like? At this point the teacher asks the
students to close their eyes, and the teacher reads the story.
When the reading is done, the teacher asks the class if they have a picture in mind of how
the story could be illustrated. When students respond with a few ideas, and the teacher
commends them for their thoughts, the teacher will post a large image of the artwork that was
used to create his/her story. The teacher will look to the class and ask them if any of them had a
similar image in mind. After students have shared their agreements or disagreements, the teacher
introduces the lesson.
During our last art session, we created narrative artworks. Today, I will give you another
classmates artwork to use to write a detailed short story. The idea is to use the artists choice of
materials, details, composition, and subject matter to help you develop your story.
Procedure:

The teacher will use the chalkboard/dry-erase board, to draw out an version of the

narrative graphic organizer.

The teacher will model the process they used to fill out their narrative organizer by
referencing the artwork they selected. The teacher will emphasize how they used
characteristics of the artwork (the composition, materials used to make the piece, details

Lesson Plan
depicted in the artwork, and the subject matter) to identify components of the narrative

they decided to create.

When the teacher has modeled the process for filling out the graphic narrative, they will
draw another empty narrative organizer on the board, and take out an artwork they have

selected to base another potential story on.

With the classes input and examples based on observing the posted artwork, the teacher
will fill out the graphic organizer on the board. Then the teacher will cooperate with the

students to use the artwork and graphic organizer to orally produce a short story.
At this point, students are given a narrative graphic organizer, a peers narrative artwork,
writing paper, a pencil and an eraser. They are instructed to follow the process that the
teacher modeled and the class performed as a group. They are encouraged to carefully
consider the artwork they have been given to fill out their narrative organizer which will

help them write their short story.

The students will be informed that once they have completed filling in their graphic
organizer, they can then work on drafting their short story.

Closure:
After students have completed the first draft of their short story, they will be commended
for the work. The teacher will review how they used a graphic organizer to help develop ideas
for a story based off an artwork they were given. The teacher will draw a Venn Diagram on the
board and together the class will identify the similarities and differences between telling a story
through artwork, and telling a story through writing. The class will be informed that the stories
they developed will be revised and edited at a later time.
Expansions:

Lesson Plan

This lesson could be used to transition into a reading lesson in which students read the
stories they created, and the story is compared to the original intention of the artwork

produced by their peer.

This lesson could also be related to a social studies topic in prehistoric human life, in
which a lesson would explore how humans may have communicated through cave
paintings.