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Learning Standards Standards

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year students start making short media projects on purpose, not just for fun. Students plan an idea, sketch it out, then shoot or record it and clean it up before showing it. They also start talking about why a video or song feels a certain way and what choices the maker made. By spring, students can plan a small video or audio piece, finish it, and explain what they wanted the audience to feel.

  • Making videos
  • Planning a project
  • Editing basics
  • Sharing finished work
  • Talking about media
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 media ideas

    Students start the year by coming up with ideas for short videos, animations, podcasts, or digital art. They pull from their own lives and from stories they already know to decide what to make.

  2. 2

    Planning and building projects

    Students organize their ideas into a plan and start building. They learn to sketch a storyboard, gather images or sounds, and put the pieces together using simple tools.

  3. 3

    Practicing media techniques

    Students sharpen specific skills like framing a photo, recording clear audio, or trimming a clip. They try a technique, see how it looks or sounds, and adjust.

  4. 4

    Looking at others' work

    Students watch, listen to, and read media made by classmates and by artists from different times and places. They notice choices the maker made and talk about what the work might mean.

  5. 5

    Polishing and sharing

    Students pick their strongest work, make final fixes, and present it to an audience. They use a simple checklist to judge their own project and give feedback on others.

Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 3.
Connecting

  • Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art

    MA:Cn10.3

    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:Cn11.3

    Students look at a piece of media art and figure out where it came from: who made it, when, and why. That context helps them understand what the work is really saying.

Creating

  • Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work

    MA:Cr1.3

    Students brainstorm ideas for a media project, such as a short video, photo series, or digital illustration, and decide which idea is worth making.

  • Organize and develop artistic ideas and work

    MA:Cr2.3

    Students plan out a media project by arranging images, sounds, or words into a clear sequence. They make choices about what to include and what to leave out before the work is finished.

  • Refine and complete artistic work

    MA:Cr3.3

    Students revisit a media project, make changes based on feedback or their own ideas, and decide when the work is finished.

Performing/Presenting/Producing

  • Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation

    MA:Pr4.3

    Students pick a media project to share and explain why it best shows their skills or ideas.

  • Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation

    MA:Pr5.3

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

  • Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work

    MA:Pr6.3

    Students choose how to share a media project so the message comes across clearly to an audience. The way they present (screen it, display it, perform it) is part of what makes the meaning land.

Responding

  • Perceive and analyze artistic work

    MA:Re7.3

    Students look closely at a media artwork, such as a video, photo, or digital image, and explain what they notice about how it was made and what it means.

  • Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work

    MA:Re8.3

    Students look at a media artwork and explain what the creator was trying to say. They back up their thinking with details from what they saw or heard.

  • Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work

    MA:Re9.3

    Students look at a piece of media art and explain what makes it work well or fall short, using a specific set of criteria to back up their thinking.

Common Questions
  • What is media arts in third grade?

    Media arts covers things students watch and make with technology, like short videos, photos, animations, audio recordings, and simple digital art. Third graders start planning their projects on purpose instead of just clicking around. They also talk about what makes a video or image work.

  • How can families support media arts at home?

    Let students plan a short video or photo story before they record. Ask them what they want viewers to feel or learn, and then watch it back together and talk about one thing they would change. Five to ten minutes of planning often improves the final piece more than extra recording time.

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

    No. A phone or tablet camera, a free drawing app, or even paper storyboards are enough. The thinking matters more than the tool. Students should practice sketching an idea, recording it, and then trimming or editing the parts they do not want.

  • What does a year of media arts usually look like?

    Plan a few short project cycles: brainstorm an idea, sketch or storyboard it, make a draft, get feedback, and revise. Rotate the format across the year so students try a video, an image piece, an audio piece, and an animation. Each cycle should end with sharing and a short reflection.

  • Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

    Planning before producing is the hardest habit at this age. Many students jump straight to recording and end up with footage they cannot use. Build in storyboard checks and a quick goal-setting step before any device comes out.

  • How do students learn to give and use feedback?

    Give a short list of things to look for, such as clear sound, a beginning and ending, or a steady camera. Have students watch a peer's draft twice, name one strong choice, and suggest one change. Then give time to actually make a revision before sharing the final piece.

  • How does media arts connect to other subjects?

    Students often pull from their own lives, books they have read, or topics from science and social studies. A short video about a community helper or an animation of the water cycle counts. Ask what idea or experience the piece is about, not just how it looks.

  • How do I know students are ready for fourth grade?

    By the end of the year, students should plan a short media piece, revise it based on feedback, and explain the choices they made about sound, images, or pacing. They should also describe what a classmate's piece is trying to say and back it up with something they saw or heard.