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Learning Standards Standards

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year students start making real media projects from their own ideas, not just playing with tools. They come up with a story or message, plan it out, and shape it into a short video, slideshow, drawing, or sound piece. Students also look closely at media others have made and talk about what works. By spring, they can plan a small project, finish it, and explain what they wanted it to say.

  • Making media
  • Planning projects
  • Sharing work
  • Talking about media
  • Personal ideas
Source: Ohio Ohio's Learning 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

    Sparking ideas for media projects

    Students gather ideas from things they know, like family stories, favorite shows, or a walk outside. They start small projects using pictures, sound, or short videos and talk about what they want to make.

  2. 2

    Building and shaping the work

    Students plan and put their projects together, choosing images, sounds, and words on purpose. They try out tools like a tablet camera or a simple recorder and learn that a first try is a starting point, not a finished piece.

  3. 3

    Polishing and sharing

    Students go back into their work to fix what feels off and make their message clearer. They pick which piece to share with the class and think about how an audience will see or hear it.

  4. 4

    Looking at media closely

    Students watch, listen, and notice how a video, picture, or song was put together. They share what they think it means, what worked well, and what they might try in their own next project.

Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 2.
Connecting

  • Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art

    MA:Cn10.2

    Students connect something from their own life to a media arts project, using that personal experience to shape what they make and how they make it.

  • Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural

    MA:Cn11.2

    Students look at a photo, video, or digital image and talk about when it was made, who made it, and why it matters to the people or community it came from.

Creating

  • Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work

    MA:Cr1.2

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

  • Organize and develop artistic ideas and work

    MA:Cr2.2

    Students arrange their media art ideas into a clear plan before making their project, deciding what images, sounds, or movement to use and in what order.

  • Refine and complete artistic work

    MA:Cr3.2

    Students revisit a media project, make changes based on feedback or their own ideas, and finish it to share with others.

Performing/Presenting/Producing

  • Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation

    MA:Pr4.2

    Students choose which of their media art projects to share and explain why that piece best shows what they were trying to make.

  • Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation

    MA:Pr5.2

    Students practice and improve a media project, like a photo, short video, or digital drawing, until it's ready to share with an audience.

  • Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work

    MA:Pr6.2

    Students choose how to share a media project, like a drawing, photo, or short video, so the audience understands the idea behind it.

Responding

  • Perceive and analyze artistic work

    MA:Re7.2

    Students look closely at a short video, image, or digital story and describe what they notice, such as the colors, sounds, or movements the creator chose to use.

  • Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work

    MA:Re8.2

    Students look at a photo, video, or other media artwork and explain what they think the creator was trying to say and why.

  • Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work

    MA:Re9.2

    Students look at a piece of media art and decide if it works, using simple questions like "Does the color match the mood?" or "Is the message clear?" They explain what makes the work good or what could be stronger.

Common Questions
  • What is media arts at this age?

    Media arts means making things like short videos, slideshows, simple animations, photos, and sound recordings. Students learn to plan a small project, put it together on a screen or with a camera, and share it with others.

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

    Students should be able to come up with an idea, make a short media piece like a picture story or a quick video, and explain what they were trying to show. They should also be able to look at someone else's work and say what they notice and what it might mean.

  • How can a parent support this at home?

    Let students record short videos or take photos of something they care about, then ask them to tell the story behind it. Five minutes of talking about what they made and why builds the same thinking the classroom is after.

  • Does a child need fancy equipment or apps for this?

    No. A phone camera, a tablet, or even paper drawings photographed in order are enough. The point is the thinking behind the project, not the tools.

  • How should media arts be sequenced across the year?

    Start with short, low-stakes projects like a three-photo story or a ten-second video, then move toward small edited pieces with sound or captions later in the year. Build planning habits early so revision feels normal by spring.

  • Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

    Planning before recording is the hardest habit. Students often jump straight to filming or drawing without thinking about audience or order, so short storyboards and quick sketches before any device work pay off all year.

  • How do students learn to talk about media they see?

    Show a short clip, ad, or picture book page and ask what the maker wanted people to feel or notice. Two or three questions like that, a few times a week, teach students to read media instead of just watching it.

  • How do I know a student is ready for next year?

    A ready student can plan a small media project, finish it after at least one round of changes, and say what choices they made and why. They can also give a kind, specific comment on a classmate's work using a simple checklist.