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Learning Standards Standards

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year students start treating media projects like real productions. They plan a video, slideshow, or audio piece with a clear purpose, then shape it through drafts instead of stopping at the first try. Students also talk about what makes a finished piece work and connect their ideas to things they have seen or lived. By spring, they can plan, revise, and share a short media project that gets a specific idea across.

  • Video projects
  • Planning and drafting
  • Revising work
  • Sharing media
  • Talking about media
Source: Delaware Delaware Content 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

    Getting ideas for media projects

    Students start the year coming up with ideas for short videos, audio clips, animations, or digital images. They learn to pull from their own lives and from things they have seen before.

  2. 2

    Planning and building the work

    Students organize their ideas into a plan, like a simple storyboard or sketch, and then build a first version. They make choices about what to include and what to cut.

  3. 3

    Polishing the final piece

    Students go back into their work and improve it. They practice techniques like trimming a clip, fixing the sound, or cleaning up an image so the final piece looks and sounds the way they intended.

  4. 4

    Sharing the work with an audience

    Students pick which pieces to show and decide how to present them so the meaning comes through clearly. They think about who is watching and what they want that person to notice.

  5. 5

    Looking at and judging media

    Students study their own projects and ones made by others. They talk about what the maker was trying to say, what worked, and what they would change, using a short list of agreed-on points.

Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 4.
Connecting

  • Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art

    MA:Cn10.4

    Students connect what they know and what they've lived through to the media art they create. A personal memory, a strong opinion, or something learned in another class can shape the choices they make in their work.

  • Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural

    MA:Cn11.4

    Students look at a piece of media art and ask where it came from: what time period, what culture, what was happening in the world. That context helps them understand why the work looks and feels the way it does.

Creating

  • Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work

    MA:Cr1.4

    Students brainstorm and sketch out original ideas for a media project, such as a short video, digital image, or photo story, before they start making it.

  • Organize and develop artistic ideas and work

    MA:Cr2.4

    Students plan and arrange their media project, making choices about images, sounds, or layout before they finish it.

  • Refine and complete artistic work

    MA:Cr3.4

    Students revisit a media project, make specific changes to improve it, and decide when the work is finished and ready to share.

Performing/Presenting/Producing

  • Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation

    MA:Pr4.4

    Students choose which media project to share and explain why it best shows their idea. They compare their options and pick the one that fits what they were trying to communicate.

  • Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation

    MA:Pr5.4

    Students practice and improve a media project (a short video, a photo series, or a digital image) until it is ready to share with an audience.

  • Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work

    MA:Pr6.4

    Students choose how to share a media project so the audience understands the idea behind it. The way they present the work is part of the message.

Responding

  • Perceive and analyze artistic work

    MA:Re7.4

    Students look closely at a media artwork (a photo, video, or website) and describe what they notice about how it was made and what message it sends.

  • Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work

    MA:Re8.4

    Students look at a media artwork (a photo, animation, or video game) and explain what the creator was trying to say and why specific choices, like color or sound, support that meaning.

  • Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work

    MA:Re9.4

    Students look at a piece of media art and judge it using a set of criteria, explaining why it works or where it falls short.

Common Questions
  • What is media arts in fourth grade?

    Media arts is making things like short videos, audio clips, animations, slideshows, and simple digital art. Students plan an idea, make it on a computer or tablet, get feedback, and share the finished piece with a small audience.

  • How can I help at home if there is no fancy equipment?

    A phone camera and a free app are plenty. Ask students to film a 30-second how-to video, record a short story as audio, or make a stop-motion clip with toys. Then watch it together and ask what they would change next time.

  • What should a finished project look like by spring?

    By spring, students should be able to take an idea from a rough plan to a short finished piece, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. The work should show choices about sound, images, and pacing, not just a first take.

  • How do I sequence projects across the year?

    Start small with one tool and one short format, such as a 30-second audio story or a six-frame animation. Build toward longer pieces that combine images, sound, and text by spring. Leave time for revision after feedback on every project.

  • What skills usually need the most reteaching?

    Planning before recording is the big one. Students often jump straight to filming and end up with footage they cannot use. Storyboarding, framing a shot, and trimming clips down to the good parts almost always need a second pass.

  • My child loves YouTube. Is that useful?

    Yes, if it turns into noticing instead of just watching. Pause a short video and ask why the maker chose that music, that shot, or that cut. That kind of talk builds the same thinking students use when making their own work.

  • How much should students be talking about other people's work?

    A lot. Fourth graders should describe what they see and hear in a piece, guess what the maker meant, and say what is working using simple criteria like clear sound, steady picture, and a clear message.

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

    Students are ready when they can plan a short project, make it with a basic tool, take feedback without starting over from scratch, and explain the choices they made. Connecting the piece to something from their own life or community is a strong sign.