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Famous Artists

Fifth graders meet famous artists — van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, O’Keeffe, and Kahlo — and the styles that made each one special, connecting art to history and the wider world.

Grade 5Art History40 minutes1 class periodArtistic ProcessExplicit teaching4 StandardsNCAS
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Name famous artists.
  • ✓Know each artist’s style.
  • ✓Connect art to history.
  • ✓Get inspired.
Essential Question

Some artists changed the world with their art! Who are some famous artists, and what made each one special?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

The Famous Artists Explorer

Project this and tap each artist. Have students learn famous artists and their styles.

🎨 Explore famous artists — tap eachTry it

The Lesson · Artistic Process (Look · Explore · Create · Share · Reflect)

40 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Look — Artists Who Changed Art

5 min

Some artists changed the world — who are they?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a famous painting.
  • Ask who made it.
  • Get ready.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Wonder.
  • Get ready.
2

Explore — Famous Artists

10 min

Children explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send children to the Famous Artists Explorer.
  • Note each style.
  • Connect to history.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Tap each.
  • Note them.
  • Name.
3

Create — Create

11 min

Children create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Pick an artist’s style.
  • Make art in that style.
  • Add your own touch.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Pick it.
  • Try it.
  • Make it.
4

Share — Share

9 min

Children share.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show your art.
  • Name your inspiration.
  • Give feedback.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Show it.
  • Name it.
  • Feedback.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Children respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name an artist.
  • Say their style.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the National Core Arts Standards (Visual Arts).

NCAS
VA:Re7.1.5

Perceive famous artworks.

NCAS
VA:Cn11.1.5

Connect art to history.

NCAS
VA:Re8.1.5

Interpret artists’ works.

NCAS
VA:Cn10.1.5

Connect art to the world.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Artist + style cards.
  • Sentence frame: “___ is known for ___.”
  • Use art images.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with van Gogh.
  • Use images.
  • Name one artist.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Research an artist.
  • Make art in a style.
  • Compare two artists.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🖼️Artwork images
  • 💻The Famous Artists Explorer
  • 🖌️Art supplies
  • 📄Paper
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

artistsomeone who makes artstylean artist’s special wayImpressionisma style of painting lightCubisma style of shapes and viewsself-portraita painting of yourselfmasterpiecea great work of artinspireto give you ideasgallerywhere art is shown
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is Vincent van Gogh famous for?
Swirling, colorful paintings like “The Starry Night” and sunflowers.
QUESTION 2
What style is Pablo Picasso known for?
Cubism — breaking things into shapes.
QUESTION 3
What is Frida Kahlo known for?
Bold, personal self-portraits.

Reflect: get inspired.

Have students pick a famous artist and make a small artwork inspired by their style. A printable artists sheet is in the Arts library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Famous ArtistsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Famous ArtistsQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Famous ArtistsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: artist, Cubism, gallery, Impressionism, inspire, masterpiece, self-portrait, style
  1. a style of shapes and views
  2. a great work of art
  3. someone who makes art
  4. a painting of yourself
  5. where art is shown
  6. a style of painting light
  7. an artist’s special way
  8. to give you ideas

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is Vincent van Gogh famous for?
  2. What style is Pablo Picasso known for?
  3. What is Frida Kahlo known for?
Answer key — Part A: 1) Cubism · 2) masterpiece · 3) artist · 4) self-portrait · 5) gallery · 6) Impressionism · 7) style · 8) inspire
Part B: 1) Swirling, colorful paintings like “The Starry Night” and sunflowers. 2) Cubism — breaking things into shapes. 3) Bold, personal self-portraits.