Exploring tools and materials
Students try out crayons, markers, paint, paper, and clay. They learn how to use art supplies safely and start sharing ideas about what they want to make.
What does a student learn in
This is the year art moves from random scribbling to making something on purpose. Students come up with their own ideas, try out crayons, paint, and clay, and start talking about what they see in their work and other people's. They learn that art can show feelings, family, or stories from their own lives. By spring, students can finish a piece, share it with the class, and explain what it means.
- Making art
- Art materials
- Sharing artwork
- Talking about art
- Ideas from life
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 art from experience
Students draw and build pieces based on their own lives, like family, pets, or favorite places. They practice turning a memory or an idea into something they can show.
- 3
Looking at and talking about art
Students look closely at pictures and objects, including art from other times and places. They describe what they see and guess what the artist might be telling them.
- 4
Finishing and sharing work
Students add details, decide when a piece is done, and pick work to display. They talk about what they made and why a parent might notice their name on the wall at school.
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 what they know and what they've lived through to the art they make. A drawing might come from a memory, a feeling, or something they noticed in the world around them.
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Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
Art tells stories about people and places. Students look at artwork and talk about where it came from, who made it, and what was happening in the world at that time.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art | Students connect what they know and what they've lived through to the art they make. A drawing might come from a memory, a feeling, or something they noticed in the world around them. | VA:Cn10.k |
| Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural | Art tells stories about people and places. Students look at artwork and talk about where it came from, who made it, and what was happening in the world at that time. | VA:Cn11.k |
Creating
Creating
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Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Students come up with their own ideas for art before they start making anything. They practice turning a thought or feeling into a plan for what to draw, paint, or build.
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Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
Students arrange shapes, colors, and materials to build a picture or object that shows their own idea. They make choices about what to add or change as they work.
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Refine and complete artistic work
Students look at their own drawings or projects, decide what to fix or finish, and make changes before calling the work done.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work | Students come up with their own ideas for art before they start making anything. They practice turning a thought or feeling into a plan for what to draw, paint, or build. | VA:Cr1.k |
| Organize and develop artistic ideas and work | Students arrange shapes, colors, and materials to build a picture or object that shows their own idea. They make choices about what to add or change as they work. | VA:Cr2.k |
| Refine and complete artistic work | Students look at their own drawings or projects, decide what to fix or finish, and make changes before calling the work done. | VA:Cr3.k |
Performing/Presenting/Producing
Performing/Presenting/Producing
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Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation
Students choose which of their drawings or creations to share with the class and explain why they picked it.
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Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation
Students practice making their artwork look the way they want it to before sharing it with others. They slow down, take another look, and make small fixes.
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Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work
Students choose a drawing or artwork to share and explain what it means to them. Showing the work to others is part of making it.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation | Students choose which of their drawings or creations to share with the class and explain why they picked it. | VA:Pr4.k |
| Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation | Students practice making their artwork look the way they want it to before sharing it with others. They slow down, take another look, and make small fixes. | VA:Pr5.k |
| Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work | Students choose a drawing or artwork to share and explain what it means to them. Showing the work to others is part of making it. | VA:Pr6.k |
Responding
Responding
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Perceive and analyze artistic work
Students look closely at a picture or artwork and talk about what they notice, like shapes, colors, or what the artwork shows.
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Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
Students look at a piece of art and talk about what they think the artist was trying to show or say.
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Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
Students look at their own drawing or a classmate's and say what they like and why, using simple words like "the colors are bright" or "the lines are wobbly."
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Perceive and analyze artistic work | Students look closely at a picture or artwork and talk about what they notice, like shapes, colors, or what the artwork shows. | VA:Re7.k |
| Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work | Students look at a piece of art and talk about what they think the artist was trying to show or say. | VA:Re8.k |
| Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work | Students look at their own drawing or a classmate's and say what they like and why, using simple words like "the colors are bright" or "the lines are wobbly." | VA:Re9.k |
Common Questions
What does visual arts look like this year?
Students make art from their own ideas and experiences, then talk about what they made and why. They try drawing, painting, cutting, gluing, and building with simple materials. The focus is on exploring, not on finished pieces that look a certain way.
How can I help my child enjoy art at home?
Keep crayons, paper, scissors, and glue in one spot students can reach. Ask what they made and what part they like best instead of guessing what it is. Ten minutes of free drawing a few times a week goes a long way.
My child says they cannot draw. What should I do?
At this age, every scribble counts as art. Praise the effort and the choices, like the colors they picked or the lines they tried. Drawing alongside students, without correcting their work, helps them stay willing to try.
How should I sequence art skills across the year?
Start with line, shape, and color in the fall, then add texture, pattern, and simple collage by midyear. Save mixed-media and small group projects for spring once routines for sharing materials are solid. Revisit each skill more than once so students build on it.
What does mastery look like by the end of the year?
Students can plan a simple piece, finish it, and say a sentence or two about what it means. They name basic elements like line, shape, and color in their own work and in pictures by other artists. They also clean up materials with a reminder.
Does my child need to learn famous artists?
Students look at a few works by different artists and from different places, but memorizing names is not the point. The goal is noticing what an artist did and connecting it to their own choices. Picture books and museum websites are great for this at home.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Holding scissors, controlling glue, and cleaning a brush between colors take the longest to stick. Talking about art also needs steady practice, since students often say a picture is good without saying why. Short, repeated mini-lessons work better than one long demo.
How do I know my child is ready for first grade art?
Students should be willing to start a piece, stick with it to the end, and share one thing about it. They should use scissors and glue with some control and recognize basic shapes and colors in pictures. Comfort with trying again after a mistake matters most.