Getting ideas for media projects
Students start the year coming up with ideas for short videos, photos, drawings on a screen, or simple animations. They pull from their own lives and from stories or shows they already know.
What does a student learn in
This is the year students start making media projects on purpose, not by accident. Students plan a short video, slideshow, or audio piece, try different ideas, then shape the one that works best. They also look at media made by others and talk about what the maker was trying to say. By spring, students can share a finished project and explain the choices behind it.
- Planning a project
- Making videos
- Sharing work
- Talking about media
- Drawing on personal experience
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
Planning and building the work
Students move from an idea to an actual project. They sketch a plan, gather the pictures or sounds they need, and put the pieces together on a computer or tablet.
- 3
Practicing the tools
Students get more comfortable with the tools they are using, like a camera, a drawing app, or a recording app. They learn small tricks that make a project look or sound better and revise their work as they go.
- 4
Sharing work with an audience
Students choose which pieces are ready to share and present them to classmates, family, or a wider group. They think about what they want viewers to notice or feel.
- 5
Looking at media thoughtfully
Students watch and listen to media from other artists and from different times and places. They talk about what the maker was trying to say and what makes a piece work well.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 3.
Connecting
Connecting
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Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art
Students connect something from their own life to a media arts project, using that personal experience to shape the choices they make while creating it.
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Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
Students look at a photo, video, or other media work and think about when and where it was made, and why that matters. That context helps them understand what the creator was trying to say.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art | Students connect something from their own life to a media arts project, using that personal experience to shape the choices they make while creating it. | MA:Cn10.3 |
| Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural | Students look at a photo, video, or other media work and think about when and where it was made, and why that matters. That context helps them understand what the creator was trying to say. | MA:Cn11.3 |
Creating
Creating
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Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Students brainstorm ideas for a media project, such as a short video or digital image, and decide what story or message they want to make before they start creating.
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Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
Students plan and arrange their media art project before making it, deciding how images, sound, or text will work together to share an idea.
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Refine and complete artistic work
Students review their media art projects, make changes based on feedback or their own ideas, and finish the work to a level they feel good about.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work | Students brainstorm ideas for a media project, such as a short video or digital image, and decide what story or message they want to make before they start creating. | MA:Cr1.3 |
| Organize and develop artistic ideas and work | Students plan and arrange their media art project before making it, deciding how images, sound, or text will work together to share an idea. | MA:Cr2.3 |
| Refine and complete artistic work | Students review their media art projects, make changes based on feedback or their own ideas, and finish the work to a level they feel good about. | MA:Cr3.3 |
Performing/Presenting/Producing
Performing/Presenting/Producing
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Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation
Students choose which of their media projects to share and explain why that piece best shows their idea or skill.
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Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation
Students practice and improve a media project (like a short video or digital image) until it's ready to share with an audience. They make real changes based on what's working and what isn't.
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Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work
Students choose how to share a media project (a video, a photo series, a poster) so the audience understands the idea behind it. The presentation itself is part of the message.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation | Students choose which of their media projects to share and explain why that piece best shows their idea or skill. | MA:Pr4.3 |
| Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation | Students practice and improve a media project (like a short video or digital image) until it's ready to share with an audience. They make real changes based on what's working and what isn't. | MA:Pr5.3 |
| Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work | Students choose how to share a media project (a video, a photo series, a poster) so the audience understands the idea behind it. The presentation itself is part of the message. | MA:Pr6.3 |
Responding
Responding
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Perceive and analyze artistic work
Students look closely at a media artwork, such as a photo, video, or digital image, and explain what they notice about how it was made and what it seems to mean.
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Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
Students look at a media artwork like a photo or short video and explain what the creator was trying to say and why specific choices, like color or sound, give the work that meaning.
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Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
Students look at a piece of media art and decide what makes it work well or fall short, using a set of clear criteria like purpose, message, and design choices.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Perceive and analyze artistic work | Students look closely at a media artwork, such as a photo, video, or digital image, and explain what they notice about how it was made and what it seems to mean. | MA:Re7.3 |
| Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work | Students look at a media artwork like a photo or short video and explain what the creator was trying to say and why specific choices, like color or sound, give the work that meaning. | MA:Re8.3 |
| Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work | Students look at a piece of media art and decide what makes it work well or fall short, using a set of clear criteria like purpose, message, and design choices. | MA:Re9.3 |
Common Questions
What is media arts in third grade?
Media arts means making things like short videos, slideshows, simple animations, photos, podcasts, and digital drawings. Students learn that the pictures and sounds people see on a screen were made on purpose by someone, and they get to be the ones making them.
What should a finished project look like by the end of the year?
By spring, students can plan a short media piece, put the parts in order, and share it with a small audience. The work should have a clear idea behind it, like telling a short story, showing how something works, or sharing a memory.
How can families support this at home without fancy equipment?
A phone or tablet is plenty. Ask students to record a 30-second video about a pet, draw a comic on paper and photograph the panels, or make a slideshow of family photos with captions. Talk together about what they wanted the viewer to feel.
My child just wants to watch videos. Is that okay?
Watching counts as practice if it includes talking about the work. Pause a show and ask why the music changed, why the camera moved close, or why a scene was funny. Students start to notice that real people made every choice on the screen.
How should the year be sequenced?
Start with responding and noticing: look at short clips, ads, and picture books and name the choices the makers made. Move into small creating projects in the middle of the year, then end with longer pieces students plan, revise, and present.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Planning before recording is the hardest habit. Many students want to hit record first and think later. Storyboards, even rough ones with stick figures, are worth the extra week. Giving and using feedback to revise a draft is the other common sticking point.
How do students connect media arts to other subjects?
Third graders are ready to link projects to what they are reading, studying in social studies, or learning about their own lives. A short video retelling a folktale or a photo essay about the neighborhood pulls in writing, history, and personal experience at once.
How do I know students are ready for next year?
Ready students can describe what a piece of media is trying to do, point to specific choices that create that effect, and apply the same thinking when they make and revise their own work. They can also use simple criteria to judge whether a project met its goal.