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Learning Standards Standards

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year students start making media on purpose instead of just playing with it. Students come up with ideas for short videos, drawings on a tablet, photos, or sound clips, then practice the tools to put those ideas together. They also talk about what they see and hear in the media around them, like a favorite show or a picture book. By spring, students can share a small project they made and explain what it means.

  • Making media
  • Sharing ideas
  • Using tech tools
  • Talking about media
  • Storytelling
Source: Vermont Common Core State 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 by coming up with ideas for things like short videos, drawings on a tablet, or simple photo stories. They learn that their own experiences are a good place to begin.

  2. 2

    Building and shaping a project

    Students plan a project and put the pieces together. They try out tools like a camera, a recording app, or drawing software, and learn that a first try is rarely the final version.

  3. 3

    Polishing work to share

    Students pick what they want to show others and clean it up. They practice small fixes that make a project easier to watch or listen to, and think about what they want the audience to notice.

  4. 4

    Watching, listening, and responding

    Students look closely at videos, songs, ads, and pictures made by others, including classmates. They talk about what the maker might have meant and what they liked 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

    MA:Cn10.1

    Students connect something from their own life to a media arts project, using a personal memory or experience as the starting point for what they make.

  • Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural

    MA:Cn11.1

    Students connect a piece of media art, like a photo or short video, to the world around it. They think about when it was made, who made it, and what was happening at the time.

Creating

  • Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work

    MA:Cr1.1

    Students come up with ideas for media art projects, like a drawing, a photo, or a simple animation, before they start making them.

  • Organize and develop artistic ideas and work

    MA:Cr2.1

    Students pick an idea for a media project (like a photo, drawing, or short video) and make choices about how to put it together before they start creating.

  • Refine and complete artistic work

    MA:Cr3.1

    Students look back at a media project they started, make changes to improve it, and finish it.

Performing/Presenting/Producing

  • Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation

    MA:Pr4.1

    Students pick a piece of their own media work (a drawing, photo, or short video) to share with others and explain why they chose it.

  • Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation

    MA:Pr5.1

    Students practice and improve a media project (like a drawing, photo, or short video) until it's ready to share. They learn that making something good takes more than one try.

  • Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work

    MA:Pr6.1

    Students share a finished piece of media, like a drawing, photo, or short video, and explain what idea or feeling they wanted it to show.

Responding

  • Perceive and analyze artistic work

    MA:Re7.1

    Students look closely at media artwork (a photo, a video clip, or a simple animation) and talk about what they notice, such as the colors, sounds, or shapes the creator used.

  • Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work

    MA:Re8.1

    Students look at a piece of media art, a photo, video, or drawing, and explain what they think the creator was trying to say or show.

  • Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work

    MA:Re9.1

    Students look at a piece of media art and explain what they like or notice, using simple questions like "Is it clear?" or "Does it tell a story?" to help them decide what works.

Common Questions
  • What is media arts in first grade?

    Media arts means making things with cameras, recordings, drawings on a screen, or simple animations. Students try out tools like a tablet, a camera, or a voice recorder to tell a short story or share an idea. It is hands-on and playful at this age.

  • What should students be able to do by the end of the year?

    Students should be able to come up with an idea, make a short media piece like a photo, drawing, or recording, and share it with others. They should also be able to say what they like about their own work and a classmate's work, and what they might change.

  • How can families support media arts at home?

    Let students take photos on a phone, record a short voice memo telling a story, or draw a picture and explain it. Ask what they were trying to show and why they made certain choices. Ten minutes of this kind of play goes a long way.

  • Does a child need fancy technology to practice this at home?

    No. A phone camera, paper and crayons, a free drawing app, or a voice recorder is plenty. The point is making something on purpose and talking about the choices behind it.

  • How should the year be sequenced?

    Start with generating ideas and trying tools without pressure. Move into organizing those ideas into a short piece, then into refining and sharing it. Save formal reflection and giving feedback to peers for the second half of the year, once routines are steady.

  • Which parts of the standards usually need the most reteaching?

    Refining work and applying criteria to evaluate it. Six- and seven-year-olds often want to call a piece done after one try. Building short revision routines and simple feedback prompts pays off across every project.

  • How does media arts connect to other subjects?

    It pairs well with reading, writing, and social studies. A short photo story can retell a book, a recording can capture a family tradition, and a drawing on a tablet can show something learned in science. Look for projects that double up on content.

  • How can a parent tell if a child is on track?

    By spring, students should be able to make a short piece, explain what it is about, and point to one thing they would change. If they can do that with a photo, a drawing, or a recording, things are going well.