What is media arts at this age?

Media arts means making things with cameras, recordings, drawings on a tablet, simple animations, and short videos. Students learn to plan a small project, put pieces together, and share the finished work with a classmate or family member.

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

Students should plan a short media project, gather pictures or sounds, put them in an order that makes sense, and explain what they wanted to show. They should also say one thing they like about a classmate's work and one idea for making it stronger.

How can families support media arts at home?

Let students use a phone or tablet to take photos, record short videos, or draw on a screen. Ask them to tell the story of what they made and why they picked those pictures or sounds. Five minutes of talking about the choices is plenty.

Does a child need fancy equipment or apps?

No. A basic phone camera, a free drawing app, or even paper cutouts photographed in order will work. The thinking matters more than the tools at this age.

What if a child has trouble coming up with ideas?

Start from something familiar. Ask about a favorite animal, a family trip, or a story they like, then suggest making a short video or slide show about it. Picking a topic first makes the rest of the project much easier.

How should media arts be sequenced across the year?

Start with short making tasks so students get comfortable with the tools, then move into projects that ask for a plan before making. Save work that connects to culture, history, or personal experience for later in the year, once students can already finish a small piece on their own.

Which skills usually need the most reteaching?

Putting pictures or clips in an order that tells a clear story is the hardest part. Students also need repeated practice giving feedback that points to something specific in the work instead of just saying they liked it.

How do I know students are ready for the next grade?

Students are ready when they can plan a short media piece, finish it, and talk about the choices they made. They should also be able to look at another student's work and point to one part that worked well and one part that could change.

How is this graded or judged at this age?

The focus is on finishing a small project and being able to talk about it, not on polish. Look for a clear idea, an order that makes sense, and a student who can explain why they made the choices they made.

What does a student learn in ?

This is the year students start treating photos, videos, and sounds as something they can shape on purpose. Students come up with an idea, gather pictures or recordings, and put the pieces together to share with classmates. They also talk about what other people's videos and pictures mean and why. By spring, students can plan a short media project, finish it, and explain the choices they made.

Media projects
Photos and video
Sound and recording
Sharing work
Talking about media

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
Getting ideas for media projects
Students start the year coming up with ideas for things like short videos, drawings on a tablet, or simple recordings. They learn to pull from their own lives and what they have seen at home or at school.
2
Building and shaping projects
Students put their ideas together using tools like cameras, drawing apps, or sound recorders. They practice arranging pictures, sounds, and words in an order that makes sense to a viewer.
3
Polishing and presenting work
Students go back into a project to fix what is not working and choose which version to share. They pick pieces they are proud of and get them ready for classmates or family to see.
4
Looking at and responding to media
Students watch and listen to media made by others and by themselves. They talk about what the work might mean, what they notice, and what makes a piece work well.
5
Connecting media to the wider world
Students look at how media projects connect to their families, communities, and stories from other times and places. They think about why people make media and who it is for.

Mastery Learning Standards

The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 2.

Connecting

Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art

MA:Cn10.2

Students connect something from their own life to a media art project, using that personal experience to shape what they make.
Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural

MA:Cn11.2

Students look at a piece of media art, like a photo or short video, and talk about when it was made, who made it, and what was happening in the world at the time.

Standard	Definition	Code
Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art	Students connect something from their own life to a media art project, using that personal experience to shape what they make.	MA:Cn10.2
Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural	Students look at a piece of media art, like a photo or short video, and talk about when it was made, who made it, and what was happening in the world at the time.	MA:Cn11.2

Connecting

Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art

MA:Cn10.2

Students connect something from their own life to a media art project, using that personal experience to shape what they make.
Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural

MA:Cn11.2

Students look at a piece of media art, like a photo or short video, and talk about when it was made, who made it, and what was happening in the world at the time.

Standard	Definition	Code
Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art	Students connect something from their own life to a media art project, using that personal experience to shape what they make.	MA:Cn10.2
Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural	Students look at a piece of media art, like a photo or short video, and talk about when it was made, who made it, and what was happening in the world at the time.	MA:Cn11.2

Creating

Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work

MA:Cr1.2

Students come up with ideas for media art projects, like a simple animation or a photo, and think through what they want to make before they start.
Organize and develop artistic ideas and work

MA:Cr2.2

Students arrange images, sounds, or short videos to tell a clear story or share an idea. They make choices about what to include and what to cut.
Refine and complete artistic work

MA:Cr3.2

Students revisit a media project, make changes based on feedback or their own ideas, and decide when the work is finished.

Standard	Definition	Code
Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work	Students come up with ideas for media art projects, like a simple animation or a photo, and think through what they want to make before they start.	MA:Cr1.2
Organize and develop artistic ideas and work	Students arrange images, sounds, or short videos to tell a clear story or share an idea. They make choices about what to include and what to cut.	MA:Cr2.2
Refine and complete artistic work	Students revisit a media project, make changes based on feedback or their own ideas, and decide when the work is finished.	MA:Cr3.2

Creating

Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work

MA:Cr1.2

Students come up with ideas for media art projects, like a simple animation or a photo, and think through what they want to make before they start.
Organize and develop artistic ideas and work

MA:Cr2.2

Students arrange images, sounds, or short videos to tell a clear story or share an idea. They make choices about what to include and what to cut.
Refine and complete artistic work

MA:Cr3.2

Students revisit a media project, make changes based on feedback or their own ideas, and decide when the work is finished.

Standard	Definition	Code
Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work	Students come up with ideas for media art projects, like a simple animation or a photo, and think through what they want to make before they start.	MA:Cr1.2
Organize and develop artistic ideas and work	Students arrange images, sounds, or short videos to tell a clear story or share an idea. They make choices about what to include and what to cut.	MA:Cr2.2
Refine and complete artistic work	Students revisit a media project, make changes based on feedback or their own ideas, and decide when the work is finished.	MA:Cr3.2

Performing/Presenting/Producing

Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation

MA:Pr4.2

Students choose which of their media projects to share and explain why that piece shows their best work.
Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation

MA:Pr5.2

Students practice and improve a media arts project (like a short video, photo, or digital drawing) until it is ready to share with an audience.
Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work

MA:Pr6.2

Students share a finished piece of media, like a photo, video, or digital image, and explain the idea or feeling they wanted it to show.

Standard	Definition	Code
Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation	Students choose which of their media projects to share and explain why that piece shows their best work.	MA:Pr4.2
Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation	Students practice and improve a media arts project (like a short video, photo, or digital drawing) until it is ready to share with an audience.	MA:Pr5.2
Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work	Students share a finished piece of media, like a photo, video, or digital image, and explain the idea or feeling they wanted it to show.	MA:Pr6.2

Performing/Presenting/Producing

Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation

MA:Pr4.2

Students choose which of their media projects to share and explain why that piece shows their best work.
Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation

MA:Pr5.2

Students practice and improve a media arts project (like a short video, photo, or digital drawing) until it is ready to share with an audience.
Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work

MA:Pr6.2

Students share a finished piece of media, like a photo, video, or digital image, and explain the idea or feeling they wanted it to show.

Standard	Definition	Code
Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation	Students choose which of their media projects to share and explain why that piece shows their best work.	MA:Pr4.2
Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation	Students practice and improve a media arts project (like a short video, photo, or digital drawing) until it is ready to share with an audience.	MA:Pr5.2
Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work	Students share a finished piece of media, like a photo, video, or digital image, and explain the idea or feeling they wanted it to show.	MA:Pr6.2

Responding

Perceive and analyze artistic work

MA:Re7.2

Students look closely at a media artwork, such as a photo, video, or digital image, and describe what they notice about how it was made and what it might mean.
Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work

MA:Re8.2

Students explain what they think a photo, video, or artwork is trying to say and point to specific details that support their thinking.
Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work

MA:Re9.2

Students look at a piece of media art, like a photo or short video, and decide what makes it good or not so good. They use simple, agreed-on questions to explain their thinking.

Standard	Definition	Code
Perceive and analyze artistic work	Students look closely at a media artwork, such as a photo, video, or digital image, and describe what they notice about how it was made and what it might mean.	MA:Re7.2
Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work	Students explain what they think a photo, video, or artwork is trying to say and point to specific details that support their thinking.	MA:Re8.2
Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work	Students look at a piece of media art, like a photo or short video, and decide what makes it good or not so good. They use simple, agreed-on questions to explain their thinking.	MA:Re9.2

Responding

Perceive and analyze artistic work

MA:Re7.2

Students look closely at a media artwork, such as a photo, video, or digital image, and describe what they notice about how it was made and what it might mean.
Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work

MA:Re8.2

Students explain what they think a photo, video, or artwork is trying to say and point to specific details that support their thinking.
Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work

MA:Re9.2

Students look at a piece of media art, like a photo or short video, and decide what makes it good or not so good. They use simple, agreed-on questions to explain their thinking.

Standard	Definition	Code
Perceive and analyze artistic work	Students look closely at a media artwork, such as a photo, video, or digital image, and describe what they notice about how it was made and what it might mean.	MA:Re7.2
Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work	Students explain what they think a photo, video, or artwork is trying to say and point to specific details that support their thinking.	MA:Re8.2
Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work	Students look at a piece of media art, like a photo or short video, and decide what makes it good or not so good. They use simple, agreed-on questions to explain their thinking.	MA:Re9.2

Common Questions

What is media arts at this age?
Media arts means making things with cameras, recordings, drawings on a tablet, simple animations, and short videos. Students learn to plan a small project, put pieces together, and share the finished work with a classmate or family member.
What should students be able to do by the end of the year?
Students should plan a short media project, gather pictures or sounds, put them in an order that makes sense, and explain what they wanted to show. They should also say one thing they like about a classmate's work and one idea for making it stronger.
How can families support media arts at home?
Let students use a phone or tablet to take photos, record short videos, or draw on a screen. Ask them to tell the story of what they made and why they picked those pictures or sounds. Five minutes of talking about the choices is plenty.
Does a child need fancy equipment or apps?
No. A basic phone camera, a free drawing app, or even paper cutouts photographed in order will work. The thinking matters more than the tools at this age.
What if a child has trouble coming up with ideas?
Start from something familiar. Ask about a favorite animal, a family trip, or a story they like, then suggest making a short video or slide show about it. Picking a topic first makes the rest of the project much easier.
How should media arts be sequenced across the year?
Start with short making tasks so students get comfortable with the tools, then move into projects that ask for a plan before making. Save work that connects to culture, history, or personal experience for later in the year, once students can already finish a small piece on their own.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Putting pictures or clips in an order that tells a clear story is the hardest part. Students also need repeated practice giving feedback that points to something specific in the work instead of just saying they liked it.
How do I know students are ready for the next grade?
Students are ready when they can plan a short media piece, finish it, and talk about the choices they made. They should also be able to look at another student's work and point to one part that worked well and one part that could change.
How is this graded or judged at this age?
The focus is on finishing a small project and being able to talk about it, not on polish. Look for a clear idea, an order that makes sense, and a student who can explain why they made the choices they made.