The Arts · Grade 2 · Art History and Community Connections · Term 4

Art as Communication

Students will explore how art can communicate ideas, feelings, and stories without using words.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• VA:Cn10.1.2a

About This Topic

Art as Communication teaches Grade 2 students that visual art conveys ideas, feelings, and stories through elements such as color, shape, line, and composition, independent of words. They examine artworks like Canadian Indigenous symbols or community murals, discussing how bold reds express excitement and soft curves suggest calm. This develops their ability to read visual narratives, answering key questions about paintings that tell stories and colors that communicate emotions.

Aligned with Ontario's Visual Arts curriculum (VA:Cn10.1.2a), the topic builds connections to personal experiences and cultural contexts. Students explore how local artists use symbols to share community values, linking to social studies and language arts through interpretation and expression. It encourages empathy by considering audience perspectives.

Active learning excels here because students design and present their own message-based artworks. Peer feedback during shares reveals how choices impact viewers, turning theory into personal discovery. This hands-on process boosts confidence and retention as they iterate based on real responses.

Key Questions

1. Explain how a painting can tell a story without any text.
2. Analyze how an artist uses colors and shapes to communicate a feeling.
3. Design an artwork that communicates a specific message to an audience.

Learning Objectives

• Explain how specific colors and shapes in an artwork communicate a particular emotion or idea.
• Analyze how visual elements like line, color, and composition contribute to the narrative of a wordless artwork.
• Design an artwork that clearly communicates a chosen message to a specific audience.
• Compare how different artists use visual symbols to represent cultural ideas or community values.

Before You Start

Elements of Art: Color, Shape, Line

Why: Students need a basic understanding of these core visual elements to analyze how they are used to communicate meaning.

Introduction to Visual Symbols

Why: Familiarity with common symbols helps students understand how artists use them to convey ideas beyond literal representation.

Key Vocabulary

Symbol	An image or object that represents an idea, feeling, or concept without using words. For example, a heart can symbolize love.
Composition	The arrangement of visual elements like lines, shapes, and colors within an artwork. How these elements are placed affects the message.
Visual Narrative	A story told through images rather than words. The viewer interprets the sequence of pictures or elements to understand the story.
Hue	The pure color that we see, such as red, blue, or yellow. Different hues can evoke different feelings or ideas.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Art communicates only if it looks exactly like real life.

What to Teach Instead

Many powerful messages use abstract shapes and symbols. Gallery walks let students interpret diverse artworks, discovering valid meanings in non-realistic pieces through peer discussions.

Common Misconception

Colors always mean the same feeling to everyone.

What to Teach Instead

Cultural and personal associations vary color meanings. Comparing international artworks in group critiques helps students appreciate diverse interpretations and refine their own choices.

Common Misconception

Artists create without planning a message.

What to Teach Instead

Intentional choices drive communication. Storyboarding tasks show students how deliberate planning shapes viewer response, with shares highlighting successful strategies.

Active Learning Ideas

Gallery Walk: Feeling Drawings

Each student draws one emotion using only color and shape, no people or objects. Display all works around the room. Students walk the gallery in pairs, writing interpretations on sticky notes placed near each piece. Conclude with artists revealing their intended feelings and comparing notes.

40 min·Pairs

Story Sequence: Wordless Comics

In small groups, students create a three-panel comic strip telling a simple story through images alone. They practice by sketching thumbnails first. Groups present to the class, who guess the narrative, then discuss effective visual choices.

45 min·Small Groups

Message Design: Symbol Posters

Pairs select a message like 'Be Kind' and design a poster using symbols, colors, and shapes. They test it by showing to another pair for interpretation. Revise based on feedback before final display.

35 min·Pairs

Community Symbol Hunt: Whole Class Share

As a class, view photos of local murals and signs. Students sketch one symbol and explain its message. Compile into a class book of interpretations for ongoing reference.

30 min·Whole Class

Real-World Connections

• Graphic designers create logos and advertisements that communicate a brand's message or feeling using specific colors, shapes, and symbols. Think of the Nike swoosh or the McDonald's golden arches.
• Museum curators and art historians interpret historical paintings and sculptures, explaining how artists from different eras used visual elements to tell stories or express societal values.
• Community artists design murals for public spaces that often share local history, celebrate cultural traditions, or advocate for social causes, using symbols and imagery understood by neighborhood residents.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Show students three different artworks (e.g., a bright, abstract piece; a calm landscape; a portrait with intense eyes). Ask them to write down one word describing the feeling each artwork communicates and one visual element (color, shape, line) that helped them decide.

Discussion Prompt

Present a Canadian Indigenous symbol (like a raven or a maple leaf). Ask students: 'What ideas or stories might this symbol communicate? How does the artist use simple shapes or colors to make it recognizable?' Encourage them to share their interpretations.

Peer Assessment

Students create a simple artwork communicating a feeling (e.g., happy, sad, excited). They then swap artworks with a partner. Each partner writes one sentence guessing the feeling and one sentence about which visual element was most effective in communicating it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What artworks best demonstrate art as communication for Grade 2?

Select accessible pieces like Inuit stone carvings for storytelling, Emily Carr's forest paintings for mood through color, or local community murals for shared values. Provide images with simple prompts: 'What story do you see?' These spark discussion on elements like line for movement. Pair with student sketches of similar ideas to build connections, ensuring cultural relevance in Ontario classrooms.

How does Art as Communication connect to other Ontario subjects?

It supports language arts by practicing narrative interpretation without text, social studies through community symbols, and health by expressing emotions visually. Students analyze art like Toronto street art for cultural stories, then create pieces reflecting personal feelings. This interdisciplinary approach strengthens communication skills across the curriculum while meeting VA:Cn10.1.2a.

How can active learning help students understand art as communication?

Active approaches like creating and sharing message posters let students experience the artist's process and audience reactions firsthand. Peer feedback during gallery walks reveals how choices affect interpretations, making abstract ideas concrete. This iteration builds deeper comprehension and confidence compared to passive viewing, as students adjust based on real responses.

How to assess Art as Communication in Grade 2?

Use rubrics focusing on element use (e.g., color for feeling), message clarity, and reflection journals explaining choices. Observe discussions for interpretation skills and peer feedback sessions for audience awareness. Portfolios of before-and-after designs show growth. Align checks with key questions like 'How does your art tell a story?' for curriculum alignment.