5.4: Incorporating the WMELS Framework into Art Learning Experiences

In Chapter 4, we explored how to incorporate the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards (WMELS) framework into designing developmentally appropriate social studies lesson plans. We focused on creating lessons that were engaging, relevant, and culturally responsive, while addressing the key developmental domains such as physical, cognitive, social-emotional, language, and approaches to learning. By using the WMELS framework, we ensured that the social studies plans were meaningful and appropriately challenging for young children.

Incorporating WMELS into Art Learning Experience Plans

The Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards (WMELS) provide guidelines to support early childhood educators in promoting the development and learning of young children through art experiences. These standards, grounded in research, ensure developmentally appropriate, high-quality learning for children across various domains. Below is a brief review of each of the components.

Developmental Domains

• Physical Development: Supports motor skills, physical health, and overall well-being.
• Social and Emotional Development: Promotes self-regulation, relationship-building, and emotional understanding.
• Language Development: Encourages language skills, including listening, speaking, and early literacy.
• Cognitive Development: Enhances critical thinking, problem-solving, and knowledge acquisition.
• Approaches to Learning: Encourages curiosity, persistence, and engagement in learning.

Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP): Ensures that activities are tailored to children's developmental stages, backgrounds, and cultural contexts.

Intentional Teaching: Educators use observation and assessment to adapt their teaching strategies to meet the unique needs of each child.

Family and Community Engagement: The framework emphasizes involving families in the educational process, fostering strong partnerships, and respecting cultural diversity.

Learning Outcomes: WMELS outlines expectations for young children's development and learning at various stages, ensuring a holistic approach.

Steps to Incorporate the WMELS Framework into Art Learning Experience Plans

1. Understand the WMELS Domains: Familiarize yourself with the five developmental domains and identify relevant standards within each domain that align with your art learning objectives.

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): WMELS Framework

• Physical Development: Through the manipulation of painting and other art tools, children enhance their fine motor skills.
• Social and Emotional Development: Art activities foster self-expression, helping children recognize their own feelings and communicate them through creative work.
• Language Development: Children will build their vocabulary related to colors, shapes, and artistic tools as they describe their artwork and engage in discussion.
• Approaches to Learning: Through exploration and experimentation, children will develop persistence, curiosity, and creativity, which are foundational skills for lifelong learning.
• Cognition and General Knowledge: Art activities encourage children to use problem-solving strategies, such as how to create certain shapes, mix colors, and organize their artwork.

After reviewing the developmental domains, the next step is to understand how to incorporate these domains into art learning experience plans. This involves setting clear objectives, designing engaging activities, integrating key domains, providing ongoing assessment, and involving family and community.

2. Set Clear Art Objectives: Align your art learning objectives with specific WMELS outcomes. For example:

• Language Development: Expand vocabulary through discussions about colors, shapes, and techniques used in art.
• Physical Development: Encourage fine motor skills by having children cut, glue, and arrange materials.

3. Design Engaging Art Activities: Choose activities that are developmentally appropriate and support the exploration of art. Encourage play-based learning by integrating different materials such as crayons, markers, paint, and clay.
4. Integrate the Key Domains:

• Physical Development: Activities like drawing, cutting, or molding clay support fine motor development.
• Social and Emotional Development: Through art, children can express feelings and communicate ideas.
• Approaches to Learning: Encourage creativity and experimentation with different art materials.

5. Provide Ongoing Observation and Assessment: Formative assessment through observation allows teachers to assess whether children are engaging with the materials, making progress in their fine motor skills, and expressing themselves through art.
6. Incorporate Family and Community:

Family Involvement

• Encourage parents to participate in art activities at home. Try drawing, painting, and sculpting with their child at home.
• Be open-minded and encouraging about works of art that are sent home from the preschool setting.
• Share art from their homes or donate materials that can be used in a variety of art experiences.
• Come to watch or participate in an art show at school.

Community Connections

• Invite local artists to discuss their work or plan visits to art galleries.
• Notice and talk about works of art seen in the community.
• Notice and talk about shapes and colors in works of art and in the environment.
• Bring their child to an art museum or areas in the community with public displays of art.

Sample Preschool Art Learning Experience Plan

With a clear understanding of the WMELS framework and steps to incorporate it, let's look at a practical example. The following sample preschool art learning experience plan demonstrates how to apply the WMELS framework in a real-world setting.

Book:

City Shapes

Author:

Diana Murray

Illustrator:

Bryan Collier

Publisher: ‎ 

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (June 21, 2016)

ISBN-13: ‎ 

978-0316370929

Age                          

3 to 5-Year-Olds

Learning Objectives

Children will understand various shapes found in a city and how these shapes can be seen in their environment. They will explore shapes through a read-aloud, discussion, and a hands-on painting activity.

• Children will explore primary colors and basic shapes through painting.
• Children will use fine motor skills by applying paint with brushes and sponges.
• Children will communicate their ideas about colors and shapes.
• Children will explore creative expression and problem-solving during the activity.
• Children will develop cognitive skills by recognizing shapes and understanding how to create artwork using different materials.

Materials Needed   

• City Shapes book
• Examples of colorful artwork
• Paint (primary colors)
• Brushes
• Sponges
• A large sheet of construction paper or butcher paper
• Wet wipes or a bowl of water for easy cleanup

Lesson Plan         

• Introduction (5 minutes)
  • Read City Shapes by Diana Murray.
  • Show examples of colorful artwork and discuss the shapes used in the artwork.
  •  Ask children what shapes they already know and how those shapes can be found in the artwork around them.
  • Discuss shapes from the book that appear in their environment.
• Exploration (10–15 minutes)
  • Provide children with paint, brushes, and sponges.
  • Allow them to paint freely while exploring primary colors and basic shapes.
  • Encourage children to experiment with mixing colors and using different tools to create various effects.
  • Relate the activity to shapes from the book, encouraging them to incorporate the shapes they learned about into their artwork.
• Reflection (5–10 minutes)
  • Have children share their artwork and talk about the colors and shapes they used.
  • Ask open-ended questions to help them reflect on their creative process.
  • For example: "How did you make that circle?" or "What colors did you mix to make purple?"
  • Encourage them to talk about shapes they noticed in the book and how they used those shapes in their own artwork.

Assessment  

Fine Motor Skills: Observe how children grip and use the paintbrushes and sponges. Are they using control and precision in their movements?

Language Development: Listen to children describe their work using color and shape vocabulary. Do they use the terms “circle,” “square,” or “triangle” when discussing their art?

Social and Emotional Development: Note how children interact and express their emotions through their art. Are they excited to share their work? Do they collaborate with peers during the process?

Approaches to Learning: Observe children’s curiosity in exploring the paint and tools. Are they persistent in trying different materials or methods? Do they ask questions or explore how to make different shapes or patterns?

Cognition and General Knowledge: Assess children’s ability to recognize shapes and colors while they create their artwork. Are they able to relate their creative decisions to their prior knowledge (e.g., using familiar shapes like squares or triangles)?

Family Engagement Ideas    

Coloring Sheet: Send home a "coloring sheet" related to the shapes and colors explored in class for families to complete together.

Art Gallery Walk: Invite families to join in an art gallery walk showcasing the children's artwork, where children can explain their creative process and share their learning with their families.

Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards (WMELS) Alignment

With the sample lesson plan outlined, we can now examine how this activity aligns with the Wisconsin Model Early Learning Standards (WMELS) across various developmental domains. This alignment ensures that the art activity not only fosters creativity and expression but also supports children's growth in physical, social-emotional, language, cognitive, and learning approaches.

Health and Physical Domain (Highlight the Sub-Domain that Applies) 

Health and Physical Domain Lesson Plan Example

A. Physical Health and Development	B. Motor Development	C. Sensory Integration
Performance Standard	B.EL. 2: Exhibits eye-hand coordination, strength, control, and object manipulation
Developmental Continuum	Uses strength and control to perform complex fine motor tasks.
Sample Behavior of Children from the WMELS Book	Can control a marker, crayon, or pencil to create shapes.
How Sample Behavior relates to your lesson (Include what children are doing in the learning experience to develop this)	These are the behaviors children are demonstrating in the activity, and they are related to the sample behavior above because the children are controlling art tools. The child can control a paintbrush to paint and manipulate the bristles. Child uses scissors with control to cut out shapes. In the art activity where children use brushes, sponges, and other tools to apply paint, they will demonstrate control over their movements as they grip the paintbrush and sponge, coordinating their hands and eyes to apply the paint with precision, which is a direct reflection of B.EL. 2. Just as children control crayons, markers, or scissors, they will control the paintbrush and sponge to create different textures and shapes. By using various tools and applying paint in a purposeful way, children engage in tasks that require small-muscle use, enhancing their strength and fine motor coordination, which aligns with the continuum of developing strength and control in motor tasks.  This art activity fosters fine motor coordination by requiring children to grip, maneuver, and manipulate tools with growing precision, helping them build on their ability to use materials in creative and functional ways.

Social-Emotional Domain (Highlight the Sub-Domain that Applies) 

Social-Emotional Domain Lesson Plan Example

A. Emotional Development	B.  Self-Concept	C. Social Competence
Performance Standard	B.EL. 1: Develops positive self-esteem
Developmental Continuum	Exhibits positive self-concept and confidence in his/her abilities
Sample Behavior of Children from WMELS Book	After painting a picture, child wants adult to write a story about it and insists that the picture be put on the refrigerator.
How Sample Behavior relates to your lesson (Include what children are doing in learning experience to develop this)	In the shape activity, children are encouraged to take pride in their creations. As they paint shapes and use colors, they develop confidence in their abilities. After completing their artwork, children may request to display it on the refrigerator, which shows that they value their work and recognize their creative accomplishments. This aligns with the B.EL. 1 performance standard, as the activity fosters a positive self-concept and encourages children to feel proud of their creative expression.

Language Development and Communication Domain (Highlight the Sub-Domain that Applies) 

Language Development and Communication Domain Lesson Plan Example

A. Listening and Understanding	B.  Speaking and Communicating	C.  Early Literacy
Performance Standard	B.EL. 2a: Uses vocalizations and spoken language to communicate.
Developmental Continuum	Uses language to effectively express feelings and thoughts, describe experiences and observations, interact with others, and communicate effectively in group activities and discussions.
Sample Behavior of Children from the WMELS Book	During a group discussion on fire safety, the child listens to others and waits his/her turn to express thoughts such as, “We had a fire at our house, and my mom said we all had to get out of the house at once!”
How Sample Behavior relates to your lesson (Include what children are doing in the learning experience to develop this)	In the shape activity, children participate in group discussions where they share their artwork with peers, listening to others and expressing their own thoughts about the shapes and colors they used. For example, a child might say, "I used a big blue triangle because triangles are strong," and listen as others describe their art. This aligns with B.EL. 2a by promoting the use of language to express feelings and thoughts, describe their artwork, and interact with their peers in a group setting. The activity encourages children to take turns speaking, actively listen, and communicate effectively during the group discussions, helping them develop social language skills and learn how to engage in meaningful conversations.

Approaches to Learning Domain (Highlight the Sub-Domain that Applies) 

Approaches to Learning Domain Lesson Plan Example

A.  Curiosity, Engagement, and Persistence	B.  Creativity and Imagination	C.  Diversity in Learning
Performance Standard	B.EL. 2: Expresses self creatively through music, movement, and art.
Developmental Continuum	Explores the process of using a variety of artistic materials, music, and movement.
Sample Behavior of Children from the WMELS Book	Child uses crayons, paintbrushes, markers, chalk, etc., to mix colors and draw simple pictures.   Or, Child explores a variety of materials such as glue, colored rice, macaroni, glitter, cotton balls, etc., to create pictures.
How Sample Behavior relates to your lesson (Include what children are doing in the learning experience to develop this)	In the shape activity, children are encouraged to experiment with various art materials like paintbrushes, sponges, and crayons, exploring different ways to create shapes and colors. This aligns with B.EL. 2, as children engage creatively with materials to express their ideas. The activity promotes creativity by allowing children to manipulate different art tools and materials, much like the sample behavior, where children use various tools and materials to create pictures. This creative exploration fosters self-expression, imagination, and the development of artistic skills, which are key components of the Creativity and Imagination domain.

Cognition and General Knowledge Domain (Highlight the Sub-Domain that Applies) 

Cognition and General Knowledge Domain Lesson Plan Example

A.  Exploration, Discovery, and Problem Solving	B. Mathematical Thinking	C.  Scientific Thinking
Performance Standard	A.EL.1: Uses multi-sensory abilities to process information.
Developmental Continuum	Uses senses to generalize and apply prior learning.
Sample Behavior of Children from the WMELS Book	Child uses a variety of ways to use crayons, markers, scissors, and paper to create “works of art.”
How Sample Behavior relates to your lesson (Include what children are doing in the learning experience to develop this)	In the Shape Activity, children use multiple sensory experiences to explore and discover as they paint and manipulate various materials. The use of brushes, sponges, and crayons engages children’s senses of touch and sight while they experiment with colors and shapes. This allows them to apply prior learning about shapes and colors in new ways as they solve the problem of how to create different shapes and patterns. For example, children may use a paintbrush to create a circle or a crayon to draw a triangle, making decisions based on their knowledge of how the tools work and how they can manipulate the materials to achieve their desired result. This exploration and problem-solving demonstrate the child’s ability to generalize prior knowledge of shapes and colors and apply that knowledge in a creative and meaningful way. This aligns directly with A.EL.1, supporting cognitive development through multi-sensory engagement and problem-solving.

Conclusion

By following this approach and integrating the key elements of the WMELS framework, educators can ensure that children are engaged in developmentally appropriate art activities that promote growth in multiple domains, such as physical, cognitive, social-emotional, and language development. The book City Shapes serves as a foundational resource to introduce children to shapes in their environment, enriching the art activity and helping children connect the real world with their creative expression.

Teachers can make the following suggestions to families to facilitate their support of the creative arts for their children:

• Try drawing, painting, and sculpting with the child at home.
• Embrace dramatic play at home. Provide props, costumes, space, and time.
• Show interest in their play and play with them.
• Turn on the music and move with their children.
• Incorporate dance and movement into everyday routines.
• Tap and clap to the rhythm of songs and encourage children to do the same.
• Notice and talk about works of art seen, and songs and music heard at home and in the community.
• Notice and talk about shapes and colors in works of art and in the environment, sounds heard, episodes of dramatic play
• Incorporate dramatic play into a variety of activities, such as reading and going on outings or trips.
• Bring the child to an art museum or areas in the community with public displays of art, community concerts, family-child music classes, community dance performances, and movement programs.
• Be open-minded and encouraging about works of art that are sent home from the preschool setting, children’s spontaneous musical performances, and children’s dramatic play
• Share art, songs, music, and dance traditions or movement games from their homes.
• Donate materials that can be used in a variety of art experiences.
• Come to watch or participate in an art show, children’s dramatic experiences, or a parent-child dance event[1]

Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): These children are looking at this three-dimensional piece of artwork. (Pxhere, CC-BY-4.0)

References

[1] The California Preschool Curriculum Framework, Volume 2 by the California Department of Education is used with permission (pg. 61, 85, 99, 115-116)