Home›Lesson Plans›The Arts›Visual Arts · Grade 6

Drawing Faces

Sixth graders learn the proportions of the human face — where the eyes, nose, and mouth actually go — using simple guidelines that make portraits look balanced and realistic.

Grade 6Drawing45 minutes1 class periodArtistic ProcessExplicit teaching4 StandardsNCAS
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain face proportion.
  • ✓Use guidelines.
  • ✓Order the drawing steps.
  • ✓Draw a balanced face.
Essential Question

Most people draw eyes too high on the face — but they’re actually halfway down! What are the proportions that make a face look right?

0
Lesson Phases
0
Vocabulary Terms
0
Standards Aligned
0
Interactive Task
Put in Order · Interactive

Order the Face-Drawing Steps

Project this and have students put the steps of drawing a face in proportion in order — from the oval to the mouth.

🎨 Put the face-drawing steps in order!Try it
Tap the first step!
The Lesson · Artistic Process (Look · Explore · Create · Share · Reflect)

45 minutes, five moves

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

1

Look — Eyes in the Middle

5 min

Most people draw eyes too high — they’re halfway down! Why?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show face proportions.
  • Ask where the eyes go.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Wonder.
  • Predict.
2

Explore — Explore Proportion

11 min

Students explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Order the Face-Drawing Steps.
  • Order them.
  • Note the guidelines.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Order.
  • Note it.
  • Explain.
3

Create — Create

15 min

Students create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Draw an oval and guidelines.
  • Place the features.
  • Add details.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Draw it.
  • Place them.
  • Detail it.
4

Share — Share

9 min

Students share.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show their face.
  • Explain the proportions.
  • Give critique.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Show it.
  • Explain it.
  • Critique.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Explain proportion.
  • Name a guideline.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

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

Built to the standards you report on

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

NCAS
VA:Cr2.1.6

Use proportion in figure drawing.

NCAS
VA:Cr1.1.6

Generate ideas for a portrait.

NCAS
VA:Cr3.1.6

Refine a drawing for accuracy.

NCAS
VA:Re7.2.6

Analyze proportion in artworks.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Proportion-guide cards.
  • Sentence frame: “The ___ go halfway down.”
  • Use a guideline template.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with the oval and eye line.
  • Use a template.
  • Place one feature.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Draw a profile view.
  • Add hair and ears.
  • Draw expressions.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • ✏️Pencils
  • 💻Order the Face-Drawing Steps
  • 📄Drawing paper
  • 🪞A mirror
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

proportionthe size relationship of partsguidelinea light line that guides placementportraita picture of a personfeaturea part of the facesymmetrybalance between two halvesovalthe shape of the headsketcha light first drawingrealisticlooking true to life
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
About where do the eyes go on a face?
Halfway down — on the middle horizontal line.
QUESTION 2
What is a good FIRST step in drawing a face?
Draw an oval for the head.
QUESTION 3
What is proportion in drawing?
The size relationship between the parts of what you’re drawing.

Reflect: draw a face.

Have students draw a simple face using proportion guidelines, checking that the eyes are halfway down. A printable faces 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.

🃏 Drawing FacesFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
0

Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

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

📝 Drawing FacesQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

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.

🖨️ Drawing FacesPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: feature, guideline, oval, portrait, proportion, realistic, sketch, symmetry
  1. balance between two halves
  2. the size relationship of parts
  3. the shape of the head
  4. a light line that guides placement
  5. looking true to life
  6. a light first drawing
  7. a picture of a person
  8. a part of the face

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. About where do the eyes go on a face?
  2. What is a good FIRST step in drawing a face?
  3. What is proportion in drawing?
Answer key — Part A: 1) symmetry · 2) proportion · 3) oval · 4) guideline · 5) realistic · 6) sketch · 7) portrait · 8) feature
Part B: 1) Halfway down — on the middle horizontal line. 2) Draw an oval for the head. 3) The size relationship between the parts of what you’re drawing.