Exploring media and ideas
Students start the year by playing with cameras, drawing apps, and recording tools. They share ideas from home and turn them into simple pictures, sounds, or short videos.
What does a student learn in
This is the year students start making little projects with cameras, drawings, sounds, and simple computer tools. They come up with an idea, try it out, and shape it into something they can share with the class. Students also talk about what they see and hear in pictures, videos, and songs, and say what the maker might have meant. By spring, they can share a small media project and explain what it is about.
- Making media projects
- Sharing ideas
- Cameras and pictures
- Sounds and music
- Talking about art
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
- 2
Building a project
Students learn to plan before they make. They pick what they want to show, gather a few pictures or sounds, and put the pieces together with help from a teacher.
- 3
Polishing and sharing work
Students go back to a project and make it better. They choose what to share with the class and practice showing their work so a viewer understands what it is about.
- 4
Looking at and talking about art
Students watch videos, listen to sounds, and look at pictures made by others. They say what they notice, guess what the maker meant, and talk about what makes a piece work well.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Kindergarten.
Connecting
Connecting
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Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art
Students draw on things they already know and moments from their own lives to make media art. A memory, a feeling, or a familiar object can become the starting point for something new.
-
Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
Students look at a piece of art and talk about where it came from. Connecting a painting, song, or story to the people and time behind it helps students understand what it means.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art | Students draw on things they already know and moments from their own lives to make media art. A memory, a feeling, or a familiar object can become the starting point for something new. | MA:Cn10.k |
| Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural | Students look at a piece of art and talk about where it came from. Connecting a painting, song, or story to the people and time behind it helps students understand what it means. | MA:Cn11.k |
Creating
Creating
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Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Students come up with ideas for simple media projects, like drawing a picture to share on a screen or deciding what a short video or photo could show.
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Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
Students arrange images, sounds, or simple on-screen elements to build a short media project, making choices about what goes where and why.
-
Refine and complete artistic work
Students look at their media art project, decide what to fix or finish, and make at least one change before calling it done.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work | Students come up with ideas for simple media projects, like drawing a picture to share on a screen or deciding what a short video or photo could show. | MA:Cr1.k |
| Organize and develop artistic ideas and work | Students arrange images, sounds, or simple on-screen elements to build a short media project, making choices about what goes where and why. | MA:Cr2.k |
| Refine and complete artistic work | Students look at their media art project, decide what to fix or finish, and make at least one change before calling it done. | MA:Cr3.k |
Performing/Presenting/Producing
Performing/Presenting/Producing
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Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation
Students pick which of their media projects to share with the class and explain why they chose it.
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Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation
Students practice and improve a simple media project, like a drawing or photo, before sharing it with others.
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Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work
Students share a drawing, photo, or short video and explain what they made and why. The work itself carries the message.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation | Students pick which of their media projects to share with the class and explain why they chose it. | MA:Pr4.k |
| Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation | Students practice and improve a simple media project, like a drawing or photo, before sharing it with others. | MA:Pr5.k |
| Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work | Students share a drawing, photo, or short video and explain what they made and why. The work itself carries the message. | MA:Pr6.k |
Responding
Responding
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Perceive and analyze artistic work
Students look at photos, videos, or simple animations and say what they notice. This is the first step in learning to think carefully about images and stories made with technology.
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Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
Students look at a photo, video, or drawing and say what they think the artist was trying to show or how it makes them feel.
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Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
Students look at a piece of media art and say what they like or notice about it, using simple questions like "Is it clear?" or "Does it tell a story?"
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Perceive and analyze artistic work | Students look at photos, videos, or simple animations and say what they notice. This is the first step in learning to think carefully about images and stories made with technology. | MA:Re7.k |
| Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work | Students look at a photo, video, or drawing and say what they think the artist was trying to show or how it makes them feel. | MA:Re8.k |
| Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work | Students look at a piece of media art and say what they like or notice about it, using simple questions like "Is it clear?" or "Does it tell a story?" | MA:Re9.k |
Common Questions
What is media arts in kindergarten?
Media arts means making things with pictures, sound, video, and simple digital tools. Students might take photos, record their voice telling a story, make a short stop-motion clip, or draw on a tablet. It is a first taste of using technology to make art, not just watch it.
How can I help my child build media arts skills at home?
Hand over a phone or tablet and let students take photos of things they care about, then talk about why they chose each one. Record a 30-second story they tell out loud. Watch a short cartoon together and ask what they noticed about the music or colors.
Does my child need a fancy device or app for this?
No. A basic phone camera, a free drawing app, or even crayons and a printed photo are plenty at this age. The skill is choosing what to make and talking about it, not the tool.
What should I expect students to actually produce this year?
Expect short, simple pieces. A photo of a pet, a recorded sentence about a drawing, a few frames of an animation, or a slideshow of family pictures. Finished work is rough by adult standards and that is fine.
How do I plan a year of media arts for five-year-olds?
Plan short cycles of about two weeks: pick an idea, make something small, share it with the class, and talk about it. Rotate through photo, sound, video, and digital drawing so students try each one. Keep tech setup under five minutes per session.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Saving work, taking a steady photo, and speaking clearly into a microphone trip students up the most. Build short routines around these and practice them before any bigger project. Expect to model the same steps many times.
How should students talk about media they see and make?
Keep the questions simple: What did you notice? What do you think it means? What would you change? Use the same prompts whether students are looking at a classmate's photo, a picture book, or a short video clip.
How do I know students are ready for first grade media arts?
By the end of the year, students should be able to come up with an idea, use a simple tool to make something, share it with others, and say one thing they like and one thing they would change. Confidence with the tools matters more than polish.