Education and Early Childhood Learning

K-VA-M1: The learner demonstrates an understanding of the elements and principles of artistic design in a variety of contexts.

Elements of Art
The learner is able to do the following:

• Use art media, tools, and processes to explore and demonstrate an awareness of the elements of art: line, colour, texture, shape, form, and space.
• Use the words line, colour, texture, shape, and space appropriately.
• Describe lines, colours, textures, and shapes observed in artworks and in own surroundings.

Principles of Design
The learner is able to do the following:

• Describe various patterns in terms of repeating and varying elements.
• Create simple patterns using art media.

K-VA-M2: The learner demonstrates an understanding of and a facility with visual arts media, tools, and processes.

The learner is able to do the following:

• Practise safe and appropriate use of various art media, tools, and processes.
• Describe own use and experience of art media, tools, and processes, using appropriate terminology.

K-VA-M3: The learner develops skills in observation and depiction.

The learner is able to do the following:

• Observe, talk about, and use various art media to depict visual details in a wide range of subjects (e.g., plants, animals, people, objects) found in images and in life (e.g., in natural and constructed environment).
• Draw and paint, demonstrating the understanding that lines can depict the edges of observed, recalled, or imagined shapes and forms.

K-VA-CR1: The learner generates ideas for creating art using a variety of sources.

The learner is able to do the following:

• Draw inspiration from personal experiences and relevant sources (e.g., feelings; memories; imagination; themes; observations; visual stimuli; learning in other subject areas; poems; stories; music; daily, family, or community life) to ignite ideas and questions for art creation.
• Consider other arts disciplines (dance, dramatic arts, media arts, music) and other subject areas to inspire and trigger ideas for art creation.
• Generate multiple ideas for artmaking through exploration and observation of others’ (peers’ and artists’) use of art elements, principles, and media.
• Engage in collaborative idea generation/brainstorming as inspiration for art creation.

K-VA-CR2: The learner develops original artworks, integrating ideas and art elements, principles, and media.

The learner is able to do the following:

• Experiment with art elements, principles, and media to test and elaborate ideas.
• Make appropriate decisions about the selection and use of art media, elements, and subject matter in solving artmaking problems.
• Describe own decisions about the selection and use of art elements while working to solve artmaking problems.
• Incorporate serendipitous discoveries into own creative work, as appropriate.
• Develop and extend artmaking ideas individually and in collaboration with others.

K-VA-CR3: The learner revises, refines, and shares ideas and original artworks.

The learner is able to do the following:

• Share artworks in progress to inform revisions.
• Revise and refine own artworks on the basis of established criteria.
• Contribute parts to group artworks.
• Contribute ideas for creating “artist statements” to display with own artworks in a variety of contexts.
• Contribute to group decisions about the display of artworks for various audiences.

K-VA-C1: The learner experiences and develops an awareness of artists and artworks from various times, places, social groups, and cultures.

The learner is able to do the following:

• Engage thoughtfully with artworks from various times, places, and peoples.
• Recall and describe (verbally or in other ways) own experiences of individual artworks.
• Describe works of art and design experienced first-hand in own community.
• Make basic distinctions between actual artworks and reproductions (e.g., art posters).

K-VA-C2: The learner experiences and develops an awareness of a variety of art forms, styles, and traditions.

The learner is able to do the following:

• Demonstrate the understanding that the visual arts exist in many different forms (e.g., drawing, painting, sculpture, applied art such as architecture, graphic design).
• Demonstrate the understanding that artworks can be categorized according to common characteristics.
• Recognize that visual art is an art form, along with dance, dramatic arts, literary arts, and music.

K-VA-C3: The learner demonstrates an understanding of the roles, purposes, and meanings of the visual arts in the lives of individuals and in communities.

The learner is able to do the following:

• Demonstrate an understanding of ways in which artists and designers contribute to the quality of everyday life.
• Demonstrate an awareness of the intended meanings and/or purposes of artworks encountered in own viewing and artmaking experiences.
• Demonstrate an appreciation of art as a means of experiencing and exploring own and others’ lives (e.g., feelings, values, stories, events, cultures).
• Demonstrate an awareness of ways in which visual arts reflect, influence, and shape issues and events, as well as traditions, values, beliefs, and identities of individuals and groups.
• Engage and/or interact appropriately with artworks in a variety of settings.

K-VA-R1: The learner generates initial reactions to visual art experiences.

The learner is able to do the following:

• Take time to perceive visual arts experiences before sharing opinions and making judgments.
• Make personal connections to previous experiences with visual art and other art forms.
• Express first impression of own and others’ artworks (e.g., thoughts, feelings, intuition, associations, questions, experiences, memories, stories, connections to other disciplines).

K-VA-R2: The learner observes and describes art experiences.

The learner is able to do the following:

• Discern details about art elements, principles, techniques, and media.
• Use appropriate visual art vocabulary to observe and describe visual arts experiences.
• Recognize different noticings and build common understanding about visual arts.
• Demonstrate the understanding that detailed observation and reflection inform artistic thinking, appreciation, and production (e.g., use detailed observations of others’ art to develop and design own creative work).

K-VA-R3: The learner analyzes and interprets art experiences.

The learner is able to do the following:

• Analyze how art elements communicate meaning.
• Reflect on and share personal responses (e.g., feelings, thoughts, images) evoked by art experiences.
• Examine others’ interpretations to understand diverse perspectives and inform new thinking about art.
• Co-construct criteria to critically analyze and evaluate artworks and experiences.

K-VA-R4: The learner constructs meaning and applies new understandings from art experiences.

The learner is able to do the following:

• Justify own preferences, ideas, and interpretations about art.
• Recognize and respect that individuals and groups may have different preferences, ideas, interpretations, and opinions about art.
• Make informed choices for decision-making about art.