South Carolina Assessment Program

Task Details

Making Inferences about Art (Visual Arts and ELA Integration Unit)

In this 4th grade visual arts and ELA integration unit, students practice inference skills by studying linguist staffs from the Asante people of Ghana, creating a drawing of a linguist staff to convey an American proverb, and writing about their artwork and a peer’s artwork. Over four lessons, students (1) make inferences and learn about linguist staffs through readings and group discussions, (2) draw linguist staffs that represent personally meaningful American proverbs, (3) write artist statements about and practice presenting their drawings, and (4) present their drawings and write inferences about a peer's drawing during a gallery walk. This lesson includes rubrics to assess students' drawings, artist statements, and written inferences.

This unit was created in collaboration with Safari Montage and Arts Grow SC. Every public school teacher in South Carolina has access to Safari Montage through their school district. To view the full unit and resources, log into your Safari Montage account and search for the "Making Inferences about Art" lesson.

Targeted Grade Level(s)

  • Upper Elementary

Prompt(s)

  • Sample Drawing of an American Proverb
    Use this example drawing of a proverb to practice making inferences during lesson 2. The artist represented the proverb time flies when you are having fun. Ensure students understand that the drawing is not an example of a linguist staff. If you do not want to use this drawing, choose a personally meaningful proverb and create your own drawing to share with students.

Classroom Piloting Status

  • Not yet piloted

Standard(s)

Content Area Artistic Process Standard
Visual Arts Creating 1. I can use the elements and principles of art to create artwork.
Visual Arts Presenting 4. I can organize work for presentation and documentation to reflect specific content, ideas, skills, and/or media.
Visual Arts Responding 5. I can interpret and evaluate the meaning of an artwork.

Benchmark(s) and Indicator(s)

Benchmark Indicator
VA.CR.NH.1 - I can select and arrange the elements to demonstrate principles of art. VA.CR NH.1.2 - I can use principles of design to convey intended meaning in my artwork.
VA.R.NH.5 - I can explain how the objects and elements within an artwork represent ideas. VA.P NH.4.2 - I can describe the theme and media of my artwork.
- VA.R.NH.5.1 - I can identify ideas or themes presented in an artwork.
- VA.R.NH.5.2 - I can describe the organization of an artwork using art vocabulary.

Rubric and Sample Student Work

PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
Proficiency Level Description Sample Student Work Justification
Exemplary

The student clearly represents the proverb in all of the artwork:

  • Designs balanced symbol(s)
  • Creates emphasis to clearly convey meaning
Student work samples coming soon!
Proficient

The student represents the proverb in most of the artwork:

  • Designs balanced symbol(s)
  • Creates emphasis to convey meaning
Student work samples coming soon!
Approaching Proficient

The student sometimes represents the proverb in the artwork:

  • Designs symbol(s) with some balance
  • Creates some emphasis to convey meaning
Student work samples coming soon!
Emerging

The student rarely represents the proverb inthe artwork:

  • Designs symbol(s) with little to no balance
  • Creates little to no emphasis to convey meaning
Student work samples coming soon!
Needs Major Support

The student conveys no meaning from the American proverb, or the student’s artwork is off-topic or incomplete.

Student work samples coming soon!
OVERALL COMPOSITION
Proficiency Level Description Sample Student Work Justification
Exemplary

The student always demonstrates a high level of craftsmanship:

  • Fills the space in a well-balanced, unified composition
  • Produces a neat and intentional artwork
  • Applies all drawing techniques effectively
Student work samples coming soon!
Proficient

The student mostly demonstrates craftsmanship:

  • Fills the space in a well-balanced, unified composition
  • Produces a neat and intentional artwork
  • Applies drawing techniques effectively
Student work samples coming soon!
Approaching Proficient

The student sometimes demonstrates craftsmanship:

  • Fills some of the space with minimal balance or unity
  • Produces a somewhat neat or intentional artwork
  • Applies some drawing techniques
Student work samples coming soon!
Emerging

The student demonstrates poor craftsmanship:

  • Fills little to no space and lacks balance and unity
  • Produces an artwork with little to no neatness or intention
  • Applies few drawing techniques
Student work samples coming soon!
Needs Major Support

The student demonstrates poor craftsmanship, or the student’s artwork is incomplete.

Student work samples coming soon!
ARTIST STATEMENT
Proficiency Level Description Sample Student Work Justification
Exemplary

The student demonstrates clear, strong ability to write about the artwork:

  • Clearly explains information about the proverb
  • Supports the inference using specific details from the artwork and prior knowledge
  • Describes specific artistic techniques and materials used to create emphasis
Student work samples coming soon!
Proficient

The student demonstrates ability to write about the artwork:

  • Explains information about the proverb
  • Supports the inference using details from the artwork and prior knowledge
  • Describes artistic techniques and materials used to create emphasis
Student work samples coming soon!
Approaching Proficient

The student demonstrates some ability to write about the artwork:

  • Explains some information about the proverb
  • Supports the inference using either details from the artwork or prior knowledge
  • Describes some artistic techniques or materials used in the artwork
Student work samples coming soon!
Emerging

The student demonstrates little ability to write about the artwork:

  • Explains little to no information about the proverb
  • Does not support the inference using details from the artwork or prior knowledge
  • Describes few artistic techniques or materials used in the artwork
Student work samples coming soon!
Needs Major Support

The student’s artist statement does not demonstrate the ability to write about the artwork, or the writing is off-topic or incomplete.

Student work samples coming soon!
INFERRING MEANING ABOUT AN ARTWORK
Proficiency Level Description Sample Student Work Justification
Exemplary

The student demonstrates clear, strong ability to infer meaning in all of their writing:

  • Creates logical inferences about subject matter that reference specific information about the artwork and prior knowledge.
  • Creates logical inferences about drawing techniques that reference specific information about artwork and prior knowledge.
  • Creates logical inferences about emphasis that reference specific information about the artwork and prior knowledge.
Student work samples coming soon!
Proficient

The student demonstrates ability to infer meaning in most of their writing:

  • Creates logical inferences about subject matter that reference the artwork and prior knowledge.
  • Creates logical inferences about drawing techniques that reference the artwork and prior knowledge.
  • Creates logical inferences about emphasis that reference the artwork and prior knowledge.
Student work samples coming soon!
Approaching Proficient

The student demonstrates the ability to infer meaning in some of their writing:

  • Creates inferences about subject matter that may reference the artwork or prior knowledge.
  • Creates inferences about drawing techniques that may reference the artwork or prior knowledge.
  • Creates inferences about emphasis that may reference the artwork or prior knowledge.
Student work samples coming soon!
Emerging

The student rarely demonstrates the ability to infer meaning in their writing:

  • Creates illogical inferences about subject matter that may not reference the artwork or prior knowledge.
  • Creates illogical inferences about drawing techniques that may not reference the artwork or prior knowledge.
  • Creates illogical inferences about emphasis that may not reference the artwork or prior knowledge.
Student work samples coming soon!
Needs Major Support

The student demonstrates no ability to infer meaning from the artwork, or the students’ writing is off-topic or incomplete.

Student work samples coming soon!
ASKING INFERENTIAL QUESTIONS
Proficiency Level Description Sample Student Work Justification
Exemplary

The student creates a thought-provoking question about the artwork that requires logical inference.

Student work samples coming soon!
Proficient

The student creates a question about the artwork that requires logical inference.

Student work samples coming soon!
Approaching Proficient

The student creates a question about the artwork that requires some logical inference.

Student work samples coming soon!
Emerging

The student creates a question about the artwork that requires little inference.

Student work samples coming soon!
Needs Major Support

The student creates a question that does not require inference, or the student does not create a question.

Student work samples coming soon!
South Carolina Assessment Program