Colorado Academic Standards Online
Use the options below to create customized views of the Colorado Academic Standards. For all standards resources, see the Office of Standards and Instructional Support.
Current selections are shown below (maximum of five)
clear Content Area: // Grade Level: Fourth Grade // Standard Category: All Standards Categories
Visual Arts - 2019
Fourth Grade, Standard 1. Observe and Learn to Comprehend
keyboard_arrow_down keyboard_arrow_up
- 1. See oneself as a participant in visual art and design by experiencing, viewing or making.
- 3. Practice critical and analytical skills by using academic language to discuss works of art and visual culture.
- 6. Create works of visual art and design that demonstrate increasing levels of mastery in skills and techniques.
1. Uncover how artistic intent can be enhanced through the use of the language of visual art and design.
Students Can:
- Hypothesize the steps an artist may have used to complete a work of visual art or design.
- Suggest alternative ways an artist could have communicated an idea.
Academic Contexts and Connections:
Colorado Essential Skills and Meaning Making:
- Recognize that problems can be identified and possible solutions can be created using the language of visual art and design. (Entrepreneurial Skills: Critical Thinking/Problem Solving)
- Students can pose and respond to questions and contribute to the discussion about artistic intent. (Personal Skills)
- How can students discuss artistic intent that recognizes the influence of contexts on artistic decisions?
- How can students examine the various approaches artists and designers use for the planning of artworks?
keyboard_arrow_down keyboard_arrow_up
- 1. See oneself as a participant in visual art and design by experiencing, viewing or making.
- 5. Interpret works of art and design in the contexts of varied traditions, histories and cultures.
- 6. Create works of visual art and design that demonstrate increasing levels of mastery in skills and techniques.
- 7. Allow imagination, curiosity and wonder to guide inquiry and research.
- 8. Participate in the reciprocal relationships between visual art and communities.
2. Respond to an artist's point of view being mindful of historical, contemporary and cultural context.
Students Can:
- Recognize how the human experience is expressed in diverse ways.
- Respond to works of art using inference and empathy.
Academic Contexts and Connections:
Colorado Essential Skills and Meaning Making:
- Look for and value different perspectives expressed by others in works of art and design. (Personal Skills: Adaptability/Flexibility)
- Students can delineate an artist's argument, identify specific claims and distinguish if claims are supported by reasons and evidence. (Civic/Interpersonal Skills)
- How can students thoughtfully consider the experiences of others to support mindfulness?
- How can students use creative expression and aesthetic responses for multiple purposes?
Visual Arts - 2019
Fourth Grade, Standard 2. Envision and Critique to Reflect
keyboard_arrow_down keyboard_arrow_up
- 2. Visually and/or verbally articulate how visual art and design are a means for communication.
- 4. Critique connections between visual art and historic and contemporary philosophies.
- 6. Create works of visual art and design that demonstrate increasing levels of mastery in skills and techniques.
- 9. Persist in the creative process and innovate from failure.
1. Interpret and evaluate personal work and the work of others with informed criteria.
Students Can:
- Discuss and define how to determine appropriate criteria for a given work of art.
- Discuss and form an opinion about the social and personal value of art.
Academic Contexts and Connections:
Colorado Essential Skills and Meaning Making:
- Interpret and evaluate thoughts and ideas effectively using oral, written and/or nonverbal communication skills in a variety of forms and contexts (including multilingual) which includes visual art and design. (Civic/Interpersonal Skills: Communication)
- Look for and value different perspectives expressed by others in works of art and design using informed criteria. (Personal Skills: Adaptability/Flexibility)
- How do students discuss and form opinions?
- How do students evaluate their progress to advance ideas?
- How do students determine criteria?
keyboard_arrow_down keyboard_arrow_up
- 1. See oneself as a participant in visual art and design by experiencing, viewing or making.
- 2. Visually and/or verbally articulate how visual art and design are a means for communication.
- 4. Critique connections between visual art and historic and contemporary philosophies.
- 6. Create works of visual art and design that demonstrate increasing levels of mastery in skills and techniques.
2. Synthesize researched and visual information to imagine, inform and plan possible next steps in personal artmaking.
Students Can:
- Research from multiple sources to inspire works of visual art and design.
- Investigate the ways alternative ideas are generated.
Academic Contexts and Connections:
Colorado Essential Skills and Meaning Making:
- Establish goals from researched and visual information in one's own artwork and plan out steps accordingly. (Civic/Interpersonal Skills: Communication)
- Students can create content-specific arguments in which they state a claim, provide evidence from texts and sources to support the claim, and organize the evidence in well-reasoned, meaningful ways regarding a work of art. (Entrepreneurial Skills)
- How do students use in-process critique to determine possible next steps?
- How can students learn to research from diverse sources?
- How can students use research to gather ideas?
- How can students synthesize research to imagine, inform and plan possible next steps?
Visual Arts - 2019
Fourth Grade, Standard 3. Invent and Discover to Create
keyboard_arrow_down keyboard_arrow_up
- 6. Create works of visual art and design that demonstrate increasing levels of mastery in skills and techniques.
1. Investigate ideas of personal interest to plan and create works of visual art and design.
Students Can:
- Generate multiple ideas in order to select the idea that best communicates intended meaning.
- Communicate a plan for completing works of visual art and design.
- Analyze through collaborative discussion how personal works of art can be refined to effectively communicate.
Academic Contexts and Connections:
Colorado Essential Skills and Meaning Making:
- Synthesize ideas in works of art and design in original and surprising ways. (Entrepreneurial Skills: Creativity/Innovation)
- Look for and value different perspectives expressed by self and others as inspiration for creating works of art and design. (Personal Skills: Adaptability/Flexibility)
- Demonstrate curiosity, imagination and eagerness to learn more as inspiration for works of art and design. (Entrepreneurial Skills: Creativity/Innovation)
- How can students determine the qualities of a finished work of art?
- How can students identify opportunities for experimentation in the creative processes?
keyboard_arrow_down keyboard_arrow_up
- 6. Create works of visual art and design that demonstrate increasing levels of mastery in skills and techniques.
- 7. Allow imagination, curiosity and wonder to guide inquiry and research.
- 9. Persist in the creative process and innovate from failure.
2. Utilize media in traditional and inventive ways to communicate personal intent.
Students Can:
- Justify how choice of media communicates personal intent.
- Problem-solve and persist to determine the outcome of a final product.
- Prepare works of visual art and design for presentation.
Academic Contexts and Connections:
Colorado Essential Skills and Meaning Making:
- Create works of art and design through the use of technologies. (Professional Skills: Use Information and Communication Technologies)
- Synthesize ideas in works of art and design in original and surprising ways. (Entrepreneurial Skills: (Creativity/Innovation)
- Form and test hypotheses to guide problem-solving in works of art and design with personal intent. (Entrepreneurial Skills: Inquiry/Analysis)
- How can students transform an idea into a physical work of art?
- How can students address issues of personal interest?
- How can students communicate values and beliefs visually?
Visual Arts - 2019
Fourth Grade, Standard 4. Relate and Connect to Transfer
keyboard_arrow_down keyboard_arrow_up
- 1. See oneself as a participant in visual art and design by experiencing, viewing or making.
- 2. Visually and/or verbally articulate how visual art and design are a means for communication.
- 4. Critique connections between visual art and historic and contemporary philosophies.
- 5. Interpret works of art and design in the contexts of varied traditions, histories and cultures.
1. Investigate and discuss how diverse communities address issues relevant to their culture, place and times.
Students Can:
- Identify and describe how visual art and design communicate meaning between any subject, discipline, event or issue.
- Compare works of art between diverse cultures to understand how the role of art is perceived within a given community.
- Compare how artists work in different cultures and at different times in history.
Academic Contexts and Connections:
Colorado Essential Skills and Meaning Making:
- Consider purpose, formality of context, audience and distinct cultural norms when planning content, mode, delivery and expression in works of art and design. (Civic/Interpersonal Skills: Communication)
- Recognize how members of a community, which includes artists and designers, rely on each other, considering personal contributions as applicable. (Civic/Interpersonal Skills: Collaboration/Teamwork)
- How can students understand the interdisciplinary connections evident in art and design?
- How can students use comparison as a tool to develop greater understanding in art and design?
- How can students identify how the art of a culture changes over time?
- How can students investigate how diverse art traditions reflect time, place, and culture?
Need Help? Submit questions or requests for assistance to bruno_j@cde.state.co.us

