Exploring media and ideas
Students start the year by playing with tools like cameras, tablets, drawing apps, and sound recorders. They share ideas from their own lives and notice how pictures, videos, and sounds tell a story.
What does a student learn in
This is the year students start making simple media projects, like a short video, a drawing on a tablet, or a sound recording, and learn that their own ideas and experiences belong in the work. Students try out tools, share what they made with classmates, and talk about what they like in other people's work. They begin to notice that pictures and sounds can tell a story or share a feeling. By spring, students can plan a small media piece, finish it with help, and explain what it is about.
- Digital drawing
- Simple videos
- Sound and music
- Sharing work
- 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
Making and shaping projects
Students start small projects like a photo, a short video, or a simple animation. They learn to pick what to keep, what to change, and how to finish a piece they feel good about.
- 3
Practicing and presenting
Students work on the craft of making something others will see or hear. They practice steady hands, clear sound, and simple choices about what to show, then share their work with classmates or family.
- 4
Looking, listening, and responding
Students look closely at media made by themselves and others. They talk about what they notice, guess what the maker meant, and say what works well and what could be stronger.
- 5
Connecting art to the world
Students think about where media comes from and who it is for. They link projects to their families, school, holidays, and stories from other places, building a sense that art carries meaning across communities.
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 connect something from their own life (a pet, a memory, a feeling) to a media arts project. The work they make reflects their own experiences.
-
Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
Students look at a piece of art or media and talk about where it comes from, who made it, and why. That context helps them understand what they're looking at.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art | Students connect something from their own life (a pet, a memory, a feeling) to a media arts project. The work they make reflects their own experiences. | MA:Cn10.k |
| Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural | Students look at a piece of art or media and talk about where it comes from, who made it, and why. That context helps them understand what they're looking at. | MA:Cn11.k |
Creating
Creating
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Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Students come up with ideas for media art projects, like drawing a picture to plan a simple animation or deciding what a short video or photo should show.
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Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
Students put their media art ideas in order and start building them, choosing what to include and what to leave out.
-
Refine and complete artistic work
Students look at a piece of media work they made, decide what to keep or change, and finish it.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work | Students come up with ideas for media art projects, like drawing a picture to plan a simple animation or deciding what a short video or photo should show. | MA:Cr1.k |
| Organize and develop artistic ideas and work | Students put their media art ideas in order and start building them, choosing what to include and what to leave out. | MA:Cr2.k |
| Refine and complete artistic work | Students look at a piece of media work they made, decide what to keep or change, and finish it. | MA:Cr3.k |
Performing/Presenting/Producing
Performing/Presenting/Producing
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Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation
Students pick a piece of media work they made, like a drawing or short video, and decide if it is ready to share with others.
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Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation
Students practice a media arts project more than once, making small changes each time to improve how it looks or sounds before sharing it with others.
-
Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work
Students share a drawing, photo, or short video they made and explain what they want it to say. The work itself carries the message.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation | Students pick a piece of media work they made, like a drawing or short video, and decide if it is ready to share with others. | MA:Pr4.k |
| Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation | Students practice a media arts project more than once, making small changes each time to improve how it looks or sounds before sharing it with others. | MA:Pr5.k |
| Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work | Students share a drawing, photo, or short video they made and explain what they want it to say. 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, and other media and talk about what they notice. They start learning to pay attention to how images and sounds work together to share an idea.
-
Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
Students look at a photo, video, or drawing and share what they think the person who made it was trying to say. They put their ideas about art into words.
-
Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
Students look at a piece of art or a short video and say what they like about it and why. They start to notice that some choices, like color or sound, work better than others.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Perceive and analyze artistic work | Students look at photos, videos, and other media and talk about what they notice. They start learning to pay attention to how images and sounds work together to share an idea. | MA:Re7.k |
| Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work | Students look at a photo, video, or drawing and share what they think the person who made it was trying to say. They put their ideas about art into words. | MA:Re8.k |
| Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work | Students look at a piece of art or a short video and say what they like about it and why. They start to notice that some choices, like color or sound, work better than others. | MA:Re9.k |
Common Questions
What is media arts in kindergarten?
Media arts means making things with cameras, audio recorders, drawing apps, and simple video tools. Students take photos, record sounds, make short videos, and put pictures together to tell a story. It is the screen-and-recording side of art class.
What should my child be able to do by the end of the year?
Students should be able to come up with an idea, use a simple tool like a tablet camera or recorder to capture it, and share it with the class. They should also be able to say what they made and why they made it.
How can I support media arts at home?
Let students take photos or short videos of things they care about, like a pet, a drawing, or a block tower. Then sit down and look at them together and ask what they wanted to show. Five minutes of talking about their pictures does a lot.
Do students need their own device for this?
No. A shared family phone or tablet is plenty. The goal is for students to practice pointing, framing, recording, and looking back at what they made, not to own a device.
How should I sequence media arts across the year?
Start with looking and noticing: photos, short clips, picture books read aloud with sound. Move into capturing, where students take their own photos and record their own voices. End the year with simple sharing, where students pick a favorite piece and tell the class what it means.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Holding the camera still, recording with a clear voice, and choosing one piece to share instead of all of them. Students also need repeated practice giving a reason for their choice, not just saying they like it.
How do I know students are ready for first grade?
They can plan a small media piece, make it with help, pick which version to share, and say something about what it means. They can also look at a classmate's work and say one specific thing about it.
How do I connect media arts to the rest of the day?
Tie it to read-alouds, science observations, and family or community topics. Students can photograph a science walk, record a retelling of a story, or make a short video about a tradition at home. The media work becomes a record of what students are already learning.