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Learning Standards Standards

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year students start making media art on purpose, not by accident. Students come up with their own ideas for short videos, drawings on a screen, photos, or sound pieces, then practice the steps to finish them. They share their work with the class and talk about what other people's work might mean. By spring, students can plan a small media project, fix what isn't working, and explain why they made the choices they did.

  • Making media
  • Sharing ideas
  • Talking about art
  • Finishing a project
  • Art and life
Source: Delaware Delaware Content Standards
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
  1. 1

    Coming up with ideas

    Students start the year exploring what media art can be. They share ideas from their own lives and play with simple tools like cameras, drawings, and recordings to make something to show others.

  2. 2

    Building and shaping the work

    Students organize their ideas into a small project, like a short video, a slideshow, or a sound piece. They practice the steps of putting parts together and fixing what is not working yet.

  3. 3

    Getting ready to share

    Students pick which pieces they want to show and practice the techniques that make the work clearer. They think about what they want the audience to notice and feel.

  4. 4

    Sharing and talking about art

    Students present their work and look at art made by classmates and other artists. They describe what they see and hear, guess what the artist meant, and say what they think works well.

Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 1.
Connecting

  • Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art

    MA:Cn10.1

    Students connect something from their own life to a media arts project, using a memory, feeling, or real experience as the starting point for what they make.

  • Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural

    MA:Cn11.1

    Students look at a piece of media art, such as a photo, video, or drawing, and talk about where it came from or what was happening in the world when it was made.

Creating

  • Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work

    MA:Cr1.1

    Students come up with ideas for media art projects, like a short video, a digital drawing, or a simple animation, before they start making them.

  • Organize and develop artistic ideas and work

    MA:Cr2.1

    Students arrange images, sounds, or on-screen elements to tell a short story or share an idea. They make choices about what to keep, move, or change as the work comes together.

  • Refine and complete artistic work

    MA:Cr3.1

    Students look back at a media project, make small changes to improve it, and decide when it is finished.

Performing/Presenting/Producing

  • Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation

    MA:Pr4.1

    Students choose which of their media art projects to share and explain why they picked it.

  • Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation

    MA:Pr5.1

    Students practice and improve a media arts project (like a photo, video, or simple animation) until it is ready to share with an audience.

  • Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work

    MA:Pr6.1

    Students share a drawing, animation, or short video they made and explain what they wanted it to say or show.

Responding

  • Perceive and analyze artistic work

    MA:Re7.1

    Students look closely at a photo, video, or digital image and describe what they notice, such as the colors, shapes, or mood the artist created.

  • Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work

    MA:Re8.1

    Students look at a piece of media art, such as a photo or short video, and explain what they think the creator was trying to say or show.

  • Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work

    MA:Re9.1

    Students look at a piece of media art and say what they like or think could be better, using simple reasons like color, sound, or story to back up what they think.

Common Questions
  • What is media arts in first grade?

    Media arts means making and sharing things like photos, short videos, simple animations, sound recordings, and digital drawings. Students learn that pictures, sounds, and screens can tell a story or share an idea, and they try making some of their own.

  • How can I support media arts at home without fancy equipment?

    A phone or tablet is plenty. Let students take photos of a pet or a stuffed animal and put them in order to tell a short story, or record a 30 second voice message about their day. The point is choosing what to show and what to leave out.

  • What should students be able to do by the end of the year?

    Students should come up with a small idea, like a picture story or a short recording, and finish it. They should be able to share it with someone, say what it is about, and point to one thing they like in their own work and in a classmate's work.

  • How do I sequence media arts across the year?

    Start with looking and noticing, so students can talk about pictures and sounds before they make them. Move into short creating tasks, one tool at a time, then end the year with a small finished project students plan, revise, and share with an audience.

  • Is too much screen time a worry with this subject?

    Class time on devices is short and focused on making, not watching. At home, the helpful kind of screen time is active: taking a photo, recording a sound, drawing on a tablet. Five to ten minutes of that goes a long way.

  • Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

    Two come up again and again. First, slowing down to plan before pressing record or hitting save. Second, giving feedback that is about the work, such as what they see or hear, instead of just saying they like it.

  • How can students connect media arts to what they already know?

    Ask them to make something about their family, a favorite book, or a holiday they celebrate. A short photo story about a grandparent or a recording of a song from home helps students see that their own life is worth putting into a piece of art.

  • How do I know students are ready for second grade media arts?

    Students should be able to start a small project, stick with it through one round of changes, and share it without needing constant help. They should also be able to say one thing the maker was trying to show when they look at someone else's picture or video.