Canada · Ontario Curriculum Expectations
Grade 1 The Arts
An integrated foundations course where students explore the fundamental elements of visual arts, music, dance, and drama. Students develop creative confidence through hands-on making, rhythmic movement, and collaborative storytelling while learning to describe their artistic choices.
Lines, Shapes, and Stories in Art
Students explore the building blocks of visual art and how artists use simple elements to communicate big ideas.
Investigating how different types of lines can represent movement, texture, and emotion in a drawing.
Identifying and creating shapes found in nature versus those made by humans to build complex images.
Exploring primary colors and how mixing them creates new feelings and atmospheres in an artwork.
Rhythm, Sound, and Song
Students discover the basics of music theory through singing, percussion, and active listening to diverse musical styles.
Learning to identify a steady pulse and how changing speed affects the energy of a song.
Exploring pitch and melody by using the voice and classroom instruments to mimic sounds from life.
Identifying different instrument families and the unique materials used to create their sounds.
Body Language and Movement
An introduction to dance where students use their bodies to express emotions and represent objects in space.
Exploring levels, directions, and pathways while moving safely through a shared environment.
Using facial expressions and body tension to communicate internal emotions to an audience.
Coordinating body movements with specific musical patterns and sequences.
Characters and Creative Play
Students use drama to step into the shoes of others, exploring character, setting, and simple plot structures.
Using voice, costume pieces, and gestures to portray characters from stories or imagination.
Creating the setting and atmosphere for a play using simple props and imagination.
Working as an ensemble to share a short dramatic sequence with a small audience.