Art K-5 Overview

The Elementary Art Curriculum, grades K–5, is grounded in both the National Core Arts Standards and the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for the Arts and Humanities. These standards support sequential learning through the creative process, guided skill development, art production, art history, criticism, aesthetics, and meaningful connections. Through practice, reflection, critique, and feedback, students build confidence with materials, techniques, vocabulary, and visual problem-solving as they prepare for continued study at the secondary level. The creative cycle is a repeating process that supports students from initial inspiration through completion.

• Inspire and Research
• Plan, Sketch, and Practice
• Envision, Create, and Revise
• Share, Reflect, and Assess

 

Kindergarten

In this course, Kindergarten students will have the opportunity to develop a broad understanding of creative art processes. They will begin to acquire the skills necessary to create various artworks. Students will learn how to use lines, shapes, and colors to convey meaning and will explore a variety of subjects, becoming aware of their own abilities and the importance of resilience in their artistic expressions. The course will also make connections between art and classroom academics, integrating literacy and other essential concepts. Additionally, students will be introduced to art history topics, including Modern, Abstract, and Prehistoric art.

First Grade

First-grade students will be given the opportunity to develop a vocabulary that will enable them to begin to develop the skills necessary to describe various artworks.  Students will learn how to use lines, shapes, and colors to convey meaning.  They will explore a variety of subject matters and become aware of their cultural and environmental influences.  First-grade artists will explore Eastern and Western artists.

Second Grade

Students build on foundational art skills through common units focused on social and emotional learning, secondary colors, geometric and organic shapes, pattern, texture and line, form/sculpture, and art historical influences. Through drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, discussion, and reflection, students strengthen creative problem solving, expand art vocabulary, and make connections between personal expression, artistic process, and works of art from varied cultures and time periods.

Third Grade

Students explore art concepts through six engaging units: building classroom community, color theory, shape and value, sculpture, line and pattern, and art history. They develop creative expression, technical skills, and cultural awareness while working with both two- and three-dimensional media. Emphasis is placed on developing personal aesthetic, self-expression, and understanding diverse artistic traditions.

Fourth Grade

Students develop creative thinking and artistic skills through hands-on exploration of color theory, spatial design, sculpture, and art history. Projects emphasize self-expression, collaboration, and cultural awareness, including studies of Renaissance, Middle Ages, and Pennsylvanian Folk Art. The course fosters confidence, craftsmanship, and community through both individual and group artworks.

Fifth Grade

In fifth grade art, students build on skills developed in earlier grades while deepening their understanding of color, value, and perspective. Through drawing, painting, three-dimensional form, art history, and art criticism, students explore techniques that support realism, visual storytelling, and personal expression. Students strengthen their understanding of color theory and how light affects the way objects are seen. They also study selected works from the 18th and 19th centuries, examine how art historians connect artworks to artists and cultures, and begin using the steps of art criticism to observe, interpret, and write about art