United States · Common Core State Standards
3rd Grade Visual & Performing Arts
A comprehensive survey of the arts where students develop technical skills in visual media, music, dance, and theater. Students explore how artists use diverse tools to communicate complex emotions and cultural narratives through creative problem solving.

01Visual Literacy and Studio Practice
Students explore the elements of art and principles of design through hands on studio projects and visual analysis.
Students will experiment with different types of lines to convey emotion and create structural elements in their drawings.
Students will differentiate between two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional forms, creating artworks that demonstrate both.
Students will identify and mix primary and secondary colors, understanding their relationships on the color wheel.
Students will explore how warm and cool colors evoke different emotions and apply this understanding to their artwork.
Students will differentiate between real and implied texture, creating artworks that incorporate both tactile and visual textures.
Students will learn to create the illusion of depth in two-dimensional art by manipulating foreground, middle ground, and background.
Students will explore principles of balance in composition, creating artworks that demonstrate both symmetrical and asymmetrical balance.
Students will create patterns using various elements of art, understanding how repetition contributes to visual rhythm and unity.
Students will learn to create a focal point in their artwork using contrast in color, size, or texture.
Students will explore how to combine elements to create a sense of unity while maintaining visual interest through variety.

02Musical Patterns and Rhythmic Structures
An introduction to music theory, notation, and rhythmic performance using voice and classroom instruments.
Students will identify and perform steady beats, simple rhythmic patterns, and understand basic meter.
Students will explore how changes in tempo affect the mood and character of a musical piece.
Students will identify high and low pitches and trace the contour of simple melodies using vocalization and movement.
Students will explore how dynamics (loudness and softness) are used to create expression and emphasis in music.
Students will categorize instruments by family (strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion) and identify their unique timbres.
Students will identify and understand the basic meaning of common musical symbols like the treble clef, staff, and bar lines.
Students will develop vocal skills, including proper breathing, posture, and pitch matching, through singing exercises and songs.
Students will explore various percussion instruments and participate in rhythm games to reinforce rhythmic understanding and ensemble playing.
Students will identify and create simple musical forms like AB and ABA, understanding how sections are organized.
Students will explore how music can tell a story or describe a scene without words, analyzing examples and creating their own.

03Theatrical Storytelling and Performance
Focusing on character development, stage presence, and the collaborative nature of dramatic arts.
Students will use vocal inflection, body language, and imagination to develop distinct characters.
Students will explore what drives a character's actions and identify their goals within a scene.
Students will practice stage presence and learn basic blocking techniques to effectively use the performance space.
Students will investigate how sets and props contribute to establishing the setting and narrative of a play.
Students will explore how costumes and makeup enhance character portrayal and communicate information to the audience.
Students will understand how lighting and sound effects create mood, atmosphere, and emphasize dramatic moments.
Students will practice spontaneous scene creation, focusing on active listening and collaborative storytelling.
Students will participate in exercises designed to build trust, cooperation, and a sense of ensemble within a theatrical group.
Students will learn to tell stories and express emotions using only body movement and facial expressions.
Students will collaboratively create and perform a short scene, applying their understanding of character, plot, and stagecraft.

04Movement and Cultural Dance
Exploring dance as a form of communication and a reflection of diverse cultural identities.
Students will master basic locomotor (traveling) and non-locomotor (on-the-spot) movements, understanding their expressive potential.
Students will explore how dancers use different levels, pathways, and directions to create dynamic movement sequences.
Students will manipulate tempo, rhythm, and duration in their movement to create varied expressive qualities.
Students will explore different qualities of energy in movement, such as heavy/light, bound/free, and strong/gentle.
Students will investigate the history and purpose of traditional dances from various global cultures, understanding their social context.
Students will explore how costumes, props, and music are integral to the identity and performance of cultural dances.
Students will create short movement sequences to express a specific theme or tell a simple story, focusing on clear communication.
Students will explore how dancers moving in unison, canon, or separately create different visual and emotional effects.
Students will observe and analyze dance performances, identifying elements of dance and interpreting their meaning.
Students will explore how dance can communicate a wide range of emotions and create short dances expressing specific feelings.

05Art History and Critical Response
Analyzing historical masterpieces and learning how to provide constructive feedback on artistic works.
Students will learn to describe what they see in an artwork and analyze how the elements and principles of art are used.
Students will interpret the meaning of artworks and make informed judgments about their effectiveness.
Students will explore a few examples of art from ancient cultures (e.g., cave paintings, simple pottery, or masks) to understand art's role in early human societies.
Students will examine art and architecture from the Middle Ages, focusing on the visual characteristics of castles and cathedrals.
Students will explore various forms of folk art and traditional crafts from different cultures in the Americas, understanding their cultural significance.
Students will explore art forms from various indigenous cultures, understanding their symbolism and connection to community.
Students will investigate examples of public art and murals in their community or city, discussing their purpose and impact.
Students will learn strategies for providing constructive feedback and using critiques to improve their own artistic work.
Students will explore how artists use their work to comment on social issues, raise awareness, and inspire change.
Students will reflect on how artists express their unique identity, experiences, and perspectives through their creative work.