Home›Lesson Plans›The Arts›Visual Arts · Grade 1

Kinds of Lines

First graders learn that lines come in many kinds — straight, curvy, zigzag, spiral, and dotted — and that lines are one of the most basic building blocks of every drawing.

Grade 1Line30 minutes1 class periodArtistic ProcessExplicit teaching4 StandardsNCAS
Start the Lesson
Assign or share this lesson

Copy link works with Canvas, Schoology, Moodle and any other LMS — paste it in as a resource or assignment.

Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Name kinds of lines.
  • ✓Match lines to names.
  • ✓Draw different lines.
  • ✓Use lines in art.
Essential Question

Every drawing starts with lines — and lines can be straight, curvy, or zigzag! What are the different kinds of lines you can draw?

0
Lesson Phases
0
Vocabulary Terms
0
Standards Aligned
0
Interactive Task
Match It · Interactive

Match the Line to Its Name

Project this and match each kind of line to what it looks like — tap a line, then tap what it looks like.

✏️ Match each line to what it looks likeTry it
Line
What It Looks Like
Now tap what it looks like!
The Lesson · Artistic Process (Look · Explore · Create · Share · Reflect)

30 minutes, five moves

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

1

Look — Lines Everywhere

4 min

Every drawing starts with lines — what kinds can you draw?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Draw a few lines.
  • Ask what kind each is.
  • Get ready.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Guess.
  • Predict.
2

Explore — Explore Lines

8 min

Children explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send children to Match the Line.
  • Match each one.
  • Draw them in the air.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Match.
  • Draw air.
  • Explain.
3

Create — Create

9 min

Children create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Draw a straight line.
  • Draw a curvy line.
  • Draw a zigzag.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Draw it.
  • Draw it.
  • Draw it.
4

Share — Share

6 min

Children share.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show your lines.
  • Name a line.
  • Be kind.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Show it.
  • Name it.
  • Be kind.
5

Reflect — Reflect

3 min

Children respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a kind of line.
  • Draw it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Draw 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:Cr2.1.1

Use lines to make art.

NCAS
VA:Re7.1.1

Perceive lines in the world.

NCAS
VA:Cr1.1.1

Explore line as an element of art.

NCAS
VA:Re7.2.1

Describe lines in artworks.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Line picture cards.
  • Sentence frame: “This is a ___ line.”
  • Draw in the air.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with straight vs. curvy.
  • Draw big lines.
  • Match one pair.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Draw a picture with all lines.
  • Find lines in the room.
  • Make a line pattern.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • ✏️Pencils/crayons
  • 💻Match the Line to Its Name
  • 📄Paper
  • 🖍️Markers
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

linea mark from a pencil or brushstraightgoes right acrosscurvybends and waveszigzagpoints up and downspiralcurls arounddottedmade of dotsdrawto make markselementa building block of art
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
Name a kind of line.
Straight, curvy, zigzag, spiral, or dotted.
QUESTION 2
What does a zigzag line look like?
It goes up and down in points, like teeth.
QUESTION 3
What does a curvy line look like?
It bends and waves, like a snake.

Reflect: draw a line.

Have children draw three different kinds of lines at home. A printable lines 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.

🃏 Kinds of LinesFlip
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.

📝 Kinds of LinesQuiz
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.

🖨️ Kinds of LinesPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: curvy, dotted, draw, element, line, spiral, straight, zigzag
  1. a building block of art
  2. made of dots
  3. curls around
  4. a mark from a pencil or brush
  5. to make marks
  6. points up and down
  7. goes right across
  8. bends and waves

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. Name a kind of line.
  2. What does a zigzag line look like?
  3. What does a curvy line look like?
Answer key — Part A: 1) element · 2) dotted · 3) spiral · 4) line · 5) draw · 6) zigzag · 7) straight · 8) curvy
Part B: 1) Straight, curvy, zigzag, spiral, or dotted. 2) It goes up and down in points, like teeth. 3) It bends and waves, like a snake.