My Favorite ArtworkActivities & Teaching Strategies
Active learning helps six-year-olds connect art to their own experiences. When students talk about their favorite artwork, they practice naming emotions and describing visual choices, which builds early art vocabulary and confidence. Circle shares and gallery walks make abstract ideas concrete by grounding discussions in real examples from the room.
Learning Objectives
- 1Identify specific visual elements (e.g., color, line, shape) in an artwork that contribute to their personal preference.
- 2Explain their emotional response to an artwork using descriptive vocabulary.
- 3Articulate the reasons for choosing a specific artwork as their favorite to a small group.
- 4Compare their artwork preference with a peer's, noting similarities and differences in their reasoning.
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Circle Share: Favorite Choices
Gather students in a circle with artwork images or drawings. Each student holds their favorite and shares one reason and feeling in 30 seconds. Class members nod or repeat a key word to affirm. Rotate until all share.
Prepare & details
Which artwork is your favorite and why do you like it?
Facilitation Tip: During Circle Share, hold up each artwork briefly so all students can see it, then pause for 3–4 seconds after each share to let peers process before moving on.
Setup: Tables or desks arranged as exhibit stations around room
Materials: Exhibit planning template, Art supplies for artifact creation, Label/placard cards, Visitor feedback form
Pair Interviews: Why I Like It
Pair students and give interview prompt cards with key questions. Partners take turns asking and drawing one element from the other's favorite artwork. Switch roles after 5 minutes and share one new idea with the class.
Prepare & details
How does looking at this artwork make you feel?
Facilitation Tip: For Pair Interviews, provide sentence starters on cards: 'I like this because...' or 'The colors remind me of...' to support students who need language scaffolding.
Setup: Tables or desks arranged as exhibit stations around room
Materials: Exhibit planning template, Art supplies for artifact creation, Label/placard cards, Visitor feedback form
Gallery Walk: Spot Favorites
Display student-chosen artworks around the room. Students walk with sticky notes, jot a feeling next to three favorites, then discuss in small groups why classmates picked theirs. Groups report one shared reason to class.
Prepare & details
Can you tell your friends why you chose this as your favorite?
Facilitation Tip: During Gallery Walk, place artworks at child height and add a small notepad for students to jot one word or draw a quick symbol about how each piece makes them feel.
Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter
Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback
Journal Draw: My Response
Students select a favorite artwork image, draw their favorite part, and write or dictate one sentence on feelings. Share journals in pairs for peer feedback before class display.
Prepare & details
Which artwork is your favorite and why do you like it?
Facilitation Tip: For Journal Draw, model drawing your own response first, then invite students to include at least one label or simple sentence describing their feeling.
Setup: Tables or desks arranged as exhibit stations around room
Materials: Exhibit planning template, Art supplies for artifact creation, Label/placard cards, Visitor feedback form
Teaching This Topic
Start with familiar examples, like a favorite picture book illustration, to lower the pressure of choosing abstract art. Avoid praising only realistic or 'pretty' choices. Instead, highlight diversity by naming what you notice: 'I see you chose the one with the wobbly lines because it makes you giggle.' Research shows young children develop aesthetic reasoning by seeing peers model diverse responses, so rotate student exemplars each week to normalize varied tastes.
What to Expect
Successful learning looks like students naming specific reasons for their choices, linking colors or shapes to feelings, and respectfully listening to peers. They should use simple art vocabulary such as 'bright red' or 'curvy lines' and express emotions beyond 'happy' or 'good.' Quiet students should contribute at least one idea during pair interviews or gallery walks.
These activities are a starting point. A full mission is the experience.
- Complete facilitation script with teacher dialogue
- Printable student materials, ready for class
- Differentiation strategies for every learner
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionDuring Circle Share, watch for students who say their favorite artwork is only the one that looks 'real' or 'pretty.'
What to Teach Instead
Use the moment to highlight variety: 'Look around the circle. Ahmed likes the scribbly one because it feels bouncy. Who else chose something that isn’t realistic? Let’s clap for our different favorites.'
Common MisconceptionDuring Pair Interviews, observe students assuming their partner must agree with their choice.
What to Teach Instead
Prompt pairs to notice differences: 'Did your partner pick the same artwork? If not, ask them one question about their choice. Partners, practice asking, 'Why do you like that one?'
Common MisconceptionDuring Gallery Walk, listen for students limiting their feelings to 'happy' or 'good.'
What to Teach Instead
Point to a calm artwork and model: 'This blue one makes me feel peaceful. Can someone share another feeling word for this one?' Invite students to echo feelings they hear from peers.
Assessment Ideas
After Journal Draw, collect journals and look for students who connected their chosen artwork to a feeling beyond 'happy.' Note words or symbols that show personal connection.
After Pair Interviews, pull a group together and ask: 'What is one thing you noticed about your partner’s favorite that you didn’t think about before?' Listen for students referencing visual elements or emotions.
During Circle Share, note students who use descriptive language like 'swirly' or 'sparkly' when explaining their choice. Quiet students should respond to at least one peer’s share with a thumbs-up or a smile.
Extensions & Scaffolding
- Challenge: Invite early finishers to create a mini-poster pairing their favorite artwork with a short poem or song lyric that captures its mood.
- Scaffolding: Provide a word bank of emotions (excited, calm, curious) and visual elements (colors, shapes, lines) on a chart for reference during all activities.
- Deeper Exploration: Over several weeks, compile student favorites into a class 'Art Museum' display. Add a comment box where students can respond to peers' choices with sticky notes, fostering ongoing dialogue.
Key Vocabulary
| Artwork | A piece of art, such as a drawing or painting, that someone has created. |
| Favorite | Something or someone that you like more than all others. |
| Feeling | An emotional state or reaction, like happy, sad, or excited. |
| Reason | An explanation for why you like something or why you did something. |
| Visual Element | Parts of an artwork that you can see, such as colors, shapes, or lines. |
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