Getting ideas for media projects
Students start the year coming up with ideas for things like short videos, drawings on a tablet, or simple sound recordings. They learn that an idea can come from a story, a memory, or something they noticed at home.
What does a student learn in
This is the year students start using cameras, drawings, and sound to tell their own small stories. Students come up with an idea, try it out with simple tools, and share the result with classmates. They also begin talking about what they see and hear in videos, photos, and animations, and what those pieces might mean. By spring, students can plan a short media project, share it with the class, and say what they like about a friend's work.
- Telling stories with media
- Photos and video
- Sound and drawing
- Sharing a project
- Talking about media
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 the work
Students put their ideas together using tools like cameras, drawing apps, or recording devices. They try out different choices and start fixing parts they want to improve.
- 3
Looking closely at media
Students watch, listen to, and look at media made by others. They notice what the maker did, talk about what it might mean, and say what they like or would change.
- 4
Sharing finished work
Students pick a project to show, practice presenting it, and think about how a viewer will experience it. They also talk about how media connects to family, community, and the wider world.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 1.
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, like using a memory or a feeling as the starting point for what they create.
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Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
Students look at a photo, video, or drawing and talk about where it came from, who made it, and why. Connecting a piece of media to its story helps students understand what it means.
| 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, like using a memory or a feeling as the starting point for what they create. | MA:Cn10.1 |
| Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural | Students look at a photo, video, or drawing and talk about where it came from, who made it, and why. Connecting a piece of media to its story helps students understand what it means. | MA:Cn11.1 |
Creating
Creating
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Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Students come up with ideas for media art projects, like a simple animation, a photo, or a short video, before starting to make them.
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Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
Students choose images, sounds, or simple tools to build a media project, then arrange the pieces until the idea makes sense.
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Refine and complete artistic work
Students look at their media art project again, fix what isn't working, and finish it. The goal is a piece they feel good about sharing.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work | Students come up with ideas for media art projects, like a simple animation, a photo, or a short video, before starting to make them. | MA:Cr1.1 |
| Organize and develop artistic ideas and work | Students choose images, sounds, or simple tools to build a media project, then arrange the pieces until the idea makes sense. | MA:Cr2.1 |
| Refine and complete artistic work | Students look at their media art project again, fix what isn't working, and finish it. The goal is a piece they feel good about sharing. | MA:Cr3.1 |
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 they picked it.
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Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation
Students practice and improve a media project (like a photo, short video, or digital drawing) until it is ready to share with an audience.
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Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work
Students share a drawing, photo, or short video they made and explain what they wanted it to say or show. The work itself carries 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 they picked it. | MA:Pr4.1 |
| Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation | Students practice and improve a media project (like a photo, short video, or digital drawing) until it is ready to share with an audience. | MA:Pr5.1 |
| Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work | Students share a drawing, photo, or short video they made and explain what they wanted it to say or show. The work itself carries the message. | MA:Pr6.1 |
Responding
Responding
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Perceive and analyze artistic work
Students look closely at a media artwork (like a photo, video, or animation) and explain what they notice, from the colors and shapes to what the piece seems to be saying.
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Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
Students look at a photo, video, or digital image and say what they think the artist was trying to show. They explain what feeling or idea the work gives them and point to specific details that support their thinking.
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Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
Students look at a piece of media art and explain what they think works well and what could be better, using simple reasons to back up their opinion.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Perceive and analyze artistic work | Students look closely at a media artwork (like a photo, video, or animation) and explain what they notice, from the colors and shapes to what the piece seems to be saying. | MA:Re7.1 |
| Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work | Students look at a photo, video, or digital image and say what they think the artist was trying to show. They explain what feeling or idea the work gives them and point to specific details that support their thinking. | MA:Re8.1 |
| Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work | Students look at a piece of media art and explain what they think works well and what could be better, using simple reasons to back up their opinion. | MA:Re9.1 |
Common Questions
What is media arts in first grade?
Media arts means making things with cameras, microphones, computers, and simple recording tools. Students take photos, record short videos or sounds, draw on a tablet, or put pictures together to tell a story. The focus is on play and trying ideas, not polished projects.
How can I support media arts work at home?
Hand over a phone or tablet for ten minutes and ask for a short photo story or a sound recording about the day. Ask what the project is about and why each picture or sound was chosen. Talking about the choices matters more than the finished video.
What does a good year of media arts look like?
Plan short making cycles that repeat: generate an idea, try it with a tool, share it, talk about it. Rotate through photo, simple animation, sound, and drawing on a screen so students see how different tools tell different kinds of stories. Keep projects to one or two class periods early in the year.
Does a child need a fancy camera or computer?
No. A basic phone, tablet, or classroom computer is plenty. The skills at this age are noticing, choosing, and arranging, not editing software.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Framing a photo so the subject is actually in the shot, holding a device still while recording, and saving work in the right place. Build short routines around these three habits and revisit them every project. Most other struggles sort themselves out once these are steady.
How do students learn to talk about media they see?
Watch a short clip or look at a picture together and ask what they notice, what it might mean, and what feeling it gives. At home, try this with a book cover, a cartoon, or a commercial. Two or three minutes of conversation is enough.
How do projects connect to other subjects and to students' lives?
Many projects start from something real: a family memory, a class read-aloud, a science observation, or a place in the neighborhood. Tying the work to what students already know gives them something to say. Ask what the project is about before asking how it was made.
How do I know students are ready for second grade?
By spring, students should generate a simple idea, use a tool to capture or build it, make small changes after feedback, and share the finished piece with a sentence about what it means. They should also point to one thing they like and one thing they would change in their own work.
My child only wants to play games on the tablet. Is that media arts?
Playing games is not the same as making media. Try shifting ten minutes of screen time toward making: a photo tour of the kitchen, a recorded bedtime story, or a drawing app picture with a title. Making, even briefly, builds the habits this year is about.