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Shading & Value

Sixth graders learn to make drawings look three-dimensional using value and shading — highlights, shadows, and smooth blending — the techniques that turn a flat shape into a solid, realistic form.

Grade 6Drawing45 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…

  • ✓Explain value.
  • ✓Find highlight & shadow.
  • ✓Shade to create form.
  • ✓Blend smoothly.
Essential Question

How does an artist make a flat circle look like a real, round ball? The secret is value — the range from light to dark. How does shading create form?

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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 Shading & Value Explorer

Project this and tap each idea. Have students learn how value and shading create 3-D form.

🌗 Explore shading & value — tap eachTry it

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 — Flat to Round

5 min

How does a flat circle become a round ball? Value is the secret.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a shaded sphere.
  • Ask how it looks 3-D.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Wonder.
  • Predict.
2

Explore — Explore Value

11 min

Students explore.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to the Shading & Value Explorer.
  • Note highlight and shadow.
  • Make a value scale.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Tap each.
  • Note them.
  • Make it.
3

Create — Create

15 min

Students create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Shade a sphere.
  • Add highlight and shadow.
  • Blend the values.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Shade it.
  • Add them.
  • Blend it.
4

Share — Share

9 min

Students share.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show their shaded form.
  • Point out the highlight.
  • Give critique.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Show it.
  • Point it.
  • Critique.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students respond.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Explain value.
  • Explain form.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Explain it.
  • Explain 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:Cr2.1.6

Demonstrate shading and value techniques.

NCAS
VA:Cr1.1.6

Generate ideas for realistic form.

NCAS
VA:Re7.2.6

Analyze how value creates form.

NCAS
VA:Cr1.2.6

Plan a drawing with a light source.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Value-scale cards.
  • Sentence frame: “The ___ is the brightest part.”
  • Use a shaded example.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with light vs. dark.
  • Use a value scale.
  • Shade one shape.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Shade different forms.
  • Add cast shadows.
  • Use cross-hatching.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • ✏️Pencils
  • 💻The Shading & Value Explorer
  • 📄Drawing paper
  • 🖌️Blending stumps
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

valuethe lightness or darkness of a toneshadingadding value to create formhighlightthe brightest spotshadowthe darkest areaforma 3-D shapeblendto smooth between valuesvalue scalea range from light to darklight sourcewhere light comes from
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 value in art?
The lightness or darkness of a tone.
QUESTION 2
What is a highlight?
The brightest spot — where light hits most directly.
QUESTION 3
How does shading create form?
It adds a range of values that turns a flat shape into a 3-D form.

Reflect: shade a form.

Have students shade a simple sphere with a highlight, midtones, and a shadow. A printable shading 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.

🃏 Shading & ValueFlip
Card 1
Term
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Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

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

📝 Shading & ValueQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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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.

🖨️ Shading & ValuePrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: blend, form, highlight, light source, shading, shadow, value, value scale
  1. where light comes from
  2. a range from light to dark
  3. the brightest spot
  4. the darkest area
  5. to smooth between values
  6. the lightness or darkness of a tone
  7. a 3-D shape
  8. adding value to create form

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is value in art?
  2. What is a highlight?
  3. How does shading create form?
Answer key — Part A: 1) light source · 2) value scale · 3) highlight · 4) shadow · 5) blend · 6) value · 7) form · 8) shading
Part B: 1) The lightness or darkness of a tone. 2) The brightest spot — where light hits most directly. 3) It adds a range of values that turns a flat shape into a 3-D form.