Art Projects End of Year Art Lessons End of The Year Art Unit Activities Plans

This End of Year Art Lesson Unit is a no-prep visual art unit for grades 2 to 8 that helps students reflect on their school year through art. It is built for classroom teachers, art educators, substitute teachers and homeschool families wrapping up May and June.

The unit opens with a video introduction and two reflection lessons, moves through three step-by-step guided art projects and seven choice-based lessons, and ends with a self-directed final project where students show what the year meant to them. 30 daily art challenges give you warm-ups, early finisher work and quick creative breaks along the way.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (NON-EDITABLE)

• Unit Plan with scope and sequence
• 2 Introductory Lessons with reflection-themed prompts and a video to kick off the unit
• 3 Full Art Tutorials with lesson plans, visual instructions and student worksheets: School’s Out Graffiti Art (colored pencil and marker, exploring line and pattern), Travels Through the Year (oil pastel and watercolor, capturing meaningful moments from the year) and Graduation Art (mixed media on graduation themes and student goals)
• 7 Choice-Based Art Lessons for independent exploration
• 30 Daily End-of-Year Art Challenge Prompts for warm-ups, exit tickets or creative breaks
• Final Choice-Based Project where students reflect on their year and apply two elements of art in their own design

HOW TO USE IT

Start with the video introduction and the two opening lessons, work through the three guided tutorials, and fill in with the choice-based lessons and daily challenges. Finish with the final project as a creative capstone. Art mediums are flexible, and the lessons connect to the Visual Arts standards.

The unit runs about 2 to 4 weeks, depending on how often you meet for art. Each art lesson usually takes 2 to 3 class sessions, depending on student skill, time available and your teaching style. It also works for homeschool year-end reflection and substitute art plans in the final weeks.

NATIONAL ART STANDARDS

• Grade 2: VA:Cr1.1.2a, VA:Cr1.2.2a, VA:Cr2.1.2a, VA:Cr2.2.2a, VA:Cr3.1.2a
• Grade 3: VA:Cr1.1.3a, VA:Cr1.2.3a, VA:Cr2.1.3a, VA:Cr2.2.3a
• Grade 4: VA:Cr1.1.4a, VA:Cr2.1.4a
• Grade 5: VA:Cr1.1.5a, VA:Cr1.2.5a, VA:Cr2.1.5a, VA:Cr2.2.5a, VA:Cr2.3.5a, VA:Cr3.1.5a

FAQ

Who is this for?

Elementary and middle school educators teaching grades 2 to 8, including classroom teachers, homeschool families, substitute teachers and art educators.

How long does it take?

About 2 to 4 weeks, depending on how often you meet for art. Each lesson typically takes 2 to 3 class sessions.

Which art materials are used?

Mediums are flexible. The guided tutorials use colored pencil and marker, oil pastel and watercolor, and mixed media.

Is it editable?

No. It is non-editable.

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 resource year after year in your own classroom or homeschool, enjoy full creative freedom with the choice-based parts, and buy additional licenses to share with other educators.

YOU MAY NOT: upload the video or files publicly, share the files outside your own classroom or household, use it on OutSchool or in a commercial setting, or sell, repost or distribute it for free.

Sincerely,

Ms Artastic