Canada · Ontario Curriculum Expectations
Grade 5 The Arts
This course engages Grade 5 students in a multi-disciplinary exploration of the arts, focusing on how visual and performing arts communicate identity and history. Students develop technical skills in diverse media while refining their ability to analyze and critique artistic works from various cultural contexts.
Visual Narrative and Composition
Students explore the elements of design and principles of composition to tell stories through two-dimensional and three-dimensional art.
Investigating how different line weights and implied textures can convey emotion and physical sensation in a drawing.
Introducing linear perspective and atmospheric techniques to create the illusion of three-dimensional space on a flat surface.
Examining how everyday objects can represent abstract ideas or personal histories in a curated arrangement.
Rhythm, Melody, and Cultural Soundscapes
A deep dive into music theory and global musical traditions, emphasizing how sound reflects the values of a community.
Understanding complex meters and polyrhythms through percussion and movement.
Analyzing how the shape of a melody and the choice of scale influence the listener's emotional response.
Exploring how the materials and construction of instruments relate to the geography and history of their origin.
The Body in Motion
Students explore dance as a form of non-verbal communication, focusing on choreography and the physics of movement.
Investigating how dancers use positive and negative space to create visual interest and meaning.
Exploring the qualities of movement, such as sustained, percussive, or fluid, to express different intentions.
Developing short movement sequences that tell a story or represent a specific event without words.
Character and Conflict
Focusing on theatrical performance, students develop character voices and explore the essential elements of dramatic tension.
Using objectives and obstacles to create believable and motivated characters on stage.
Developing spontaneity and collaborative storytelling skills through improvisational games and exercises.
Exploring how lighting, sound, and set design contribute to the world of the play.
Art as Social Commentary
Students examine how artists use their work to respond to social issues and advocate for change in their communities.
Investigating how art in public spaces can build community identity and address local concerns.
Analyzing historical and contemporary works of art that were created to protest injustice or promote peace.
Learning to provide and receive constructive feedback using artistic vocabulary and respectful dialogue.