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Learning Standards Standards

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year art shifts from making marks to making choices on purpose. Students draw, paint, and build from their own ideas and the things they notice at home and school. They start talking about what they see in their own work and in art made by other people. By spring, students can pick a piece they made, share why they chose it, and explain what it means to them.

  • Making art
  • Sharing artwork
  • Talking about art
  • Art ideas
  • Looking closely
Source: New Hampshire New Hampshire College and Career Ready 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

    Looking closely at art

    Students start the year by noticing what they see in pictures and in the world around them. They talk about colors, shapes, and what an artwork reminds them of.

  2. 2

    Coming up with ideas

    Students learn that art starts with an idea. They try different ways to think up what to draw or build, often pulling from their own family, home, and favorite things.

  3. 3

    Trying tools and materials

    Students practice with crayons, paint, scissors, glue, and clay. They learn how to hold tools, mix colors, and keep working on a piece even when it does not turn out the way they first pictured.

  4. 4

    Finishing and sharing work

    Students pick pieces they want to show and get them ready for a hallway display or class gallery. They explain what their artwork is about and what they want others to notice.

  5. 5

    Talking about other artists

    Students look at art made by other people, including artists from different times and places. They guess what the artist was trying to say and tell what they like or would change.

Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 1.
Connecting

  • Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art

    VA:Cn10.1

    Students connect something from their own life to what they make in art class. A memory, a feeling, or a place at home can shape what ends up on the page.

  • Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural

    VA:Cn11.1

    Students look at a painting or artwork and talk about when and where it was made, and why people at that time might have created it.

Creating

  • Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work

    VA:Cr1.1

    Students come up with ideas for their own artwork. They think about what they want to make before they start drawing, painting, or building.

  • Organize and develop artistic ideas and work

    VA:Cr2.1

    Students take an early idea for an artwork and make choices about colors, shapes, and materials to develop it into a finished piece.

  • Refine and complete artistic work

    VA:Cr3.1

    Students look at their own artwork, decide what needs fixing or finishing, and make changes before calling it done.

Performing/Presenting/Producing

  • Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation

    VA:Pr4.1

    Students choose which of their drawings or artworks to share with others, and explain why that piece feels finished or meaningful.

  • Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation

    VA:Pr5.1

    Students practice and improve a piece of artwork until it is ready to share. That might mean adjusting colors, cleaning up lines, or fixing a detail that isn't quite right.

  • Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work

    VA:Pr6.1

    Students choose how to display or share their artwork so a viewer understands what the piece means. The arrangement and setting are part of the message.

Responding

  • Perceive and analyze artistic work

    VA:Re7.1

    Students look closely at a piece of art and describe what they notice, such as the colors, shapes, or lines the artist used.

  • Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work

    VA:Re8.1

    Students look at a piece of art and explain what they think the artist was trying to say or show. They back up their idea with something they actually see in the artwork.

  • Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work

    VA:Re9.1

    Students look at their own artwork or a classmate's and decide what works well and what could be stronger, using simple rules like "Does the color fill the whole shape?" or "Can you tell what this is?"

Common Questions
  • What does art class look like this year?

    Students make their own art, talk about what they made, and look at art by other people. They try different materials like crayons, paint, paper, and clay. They also learn that art can come from their own life, from stories, and from other cultures.

  • How can I support art at home in just a few minutes?

    Keep paper, crayons, and scissors easy to reach. When a child finishes a drawing, ask what it is about and what part took the most work. That short conversation builds the same thinking they practice in class.

  • Does my child need to be a good drawer?

    No. At this age the point is to try ideas, use materials with care, and finish a piece. Neat lines and realistic drawings are not the goal. Effort, choices, and being able to talk about the work matter more.

  • How should I sequence the year?

    Start with short making projects that build comfort with basic materials. Add looking and talking about art once routines are steady. Save longer projects with planning, revising, and a final display for later in the year, when stamina and vocabulary are stronger.

  • What does mastery look like by the end of the year?

    By spring, students can come up with an idea, pick materials, finish a piece, and say something about what it means. They can also look at someone else's art and share what they notice and how it makes them feel.

  • Which parts usually need the most reteaching?

    Refining and finishing work. Many students want to stop at a first try. Build in a second pass on the same piece, with a simple prompt like adding more detail or fixing one spot, so revision becomes a normal step.

  • How do I help a child who says they are bad at art?

    Take the focus off the picture and put it on the choices. Ask what colors they picked, what they want to add next, or what part they like best. Praising thinking and effort keeps students willing to try the next project.

  • How can I connect art to stories and culture without it feeling forced?

    Pair a making project with one piece of art from a book, a museum site, or a family tradition students already know. Two minutes of looking and noticing before they start is enough to ground the project in a real context.