What Ontario grade 5 students learn in the arts

Your child will be able to turn ideas and images from other school subjects, like a character from a play or a picture from a history book, into dance movements.

Your child will be able to use dance to show their understanding of different stories, poems, or news articles.

Your child will be able to create dances using a "call and response" style. This is like a conversation with movement, where one person or group performs a movement (the "call"), and another person or group answers with their own movement (the "response").

Your child will be able to use how dancers interact with each other in a short dance to show an idea, like agreement or disagreement.

Your child will be able to connect the stories and characters they see in dances, including their own, to things they already know and have experienced. For example, they might explain how a dancer's movements remind them of something they've seen in real life, or how a dance changed their mind about something.

Your child will be able to identify and explain how different parts of a dance, like high movements or strong actions, help to tell a story or show a feeling in their own dances and in the dances of others.

Your child will be able to recognize what they do well in dance, both when they are creating dances and when they are watching them, and understand areas where they can improve. For example, they might pick out parts of their own dance that they think were good and explain why, or think about how well they used suggestions from classmates to make their dance better.

Your child will learn how different dance styles from various cultures and time periods show what was important to those communities. For example, they'll understand how ancient Greek dances honored gods, or how ballet was created for European royalty.

Your child will be able to explain how dance styles, like hip hop, can affect popular culture, including fashion, magazines, and music videos.

Your child will actively participate in drama activities and pretend play to explore different topics and ideas found in stories and real-life accounts from various cultures, time periods, and locations. For example, they might interview characters with different opinions or act out scenes to understand social issues like environmental concerns or bullying.

Your child will learn to understand and act out a character (role) by using details like where and when the story takes place, and how characters relate to each other. They will be able to use simple props or set up furniture to make the scene believable.

Your child will be able to work with others to plan and guide a drama or role-playing activity. They will do this by sharing ideas, both while acting in character and when discussing as themselves, to help make artistic choices and solve problems in the play.

Your child will learn how to share their thoughts, feelings, and ideas with others in a play, using things like sounds, visuals, or technology to create special effects. For example, they might use a spotlight to highlight an actor or cymbals to emphasize an important moment.

Your child will be able to share their personal thoughts and feelings about the characters, main ideas, and problems shown in plays they create or watch. For example, they might draw a picture or write in a journal to show how they connect with a character.

Your child will be able to explain how different parts of a play, like the characters or the setting, help to tell the story and get the message across in their own plays and in plays by others. They will also understand how these elements create excitement and lead up to the most important part of the play.

Your child will be able to recognize their own strengths and interests in drama, as well as areas where they can improve, whether they are acting, creating, or watching a performance. They will also learn how to use feedback to make their drama work even better.

Your child will learn about different ways people tell stories and perform plays around the world, including through drama, theatre, and visual arts. They will also understand how these art forms show the beliefs and traditions of those communities.

Your child will understand the different jobs involved in putting on a play, like what a director or actor does, and what they need to do their work.

Your child will be able to sing or play music from different cultures and time periods, using written musical notes. They will learn to perform both single-part melodies and two-part harmonies, often with background music.

Your child will learn to use different parts of music, like its structure (form) and sound quality (timbre), to sing, play, or create their own music to get a certain feeling or effect. For example, they might create a "rondo" (a song form where a main part keeps coming back) using instruments or even body sounds.

Your child will be able to create their own music for different reasons and for different groups of people. For example, they might compose music to go along with a story about protecting the environment, or create a piece using a repeating rhythm (called an ostinato) with different note lengths. They will also learn to use various sounds like body percussion, everyday objects, their voice, and instruments that don't have a specific pitch to make their music sound interesting.

Your child will learn to use good musical techniques when performing, such as holding instruments correctly, singing or playing notes and rhythms accurately, and understanding musical symbols like dynamics (how loud or soft to play), articulation (how to start and end notes), accidentals (sharps, flats, or naturals that change a note's pitch), and key signatures (symbols at the beginning of a song that tell you which notes are sharp or flat). They will also be able to sing or play songs written in major (often sounding happy) and minor (often sounding sad) keys.

Your child will understand and use different ways to write down music, like standard musical notes, to play and create their own songs. This includes understanding things like how loud or soft to play (dynamic markings), different musical symbols (clefs, key signatures), and even using computer programs to write music or special guitar notation called tablature.

Your child will be able to share their thoughts and feelings about music they hear, using musical words to describe what they like or don't like. They will also be able to compare different types of music, like old and new songs, to explain how they are similar or different.

Your child will be able to recognize and explain how different parts of music, like the sound quality of instruments (timbre), how long notes are played (duration), how fast or slow the music is (tempo), and how different musical lines are layered together (texture), are used in the music they play, hear, and create.

Your child will be able to recognize what they are good at and what they need to improve on when they sing, play instruments, create music, or listen to performances. For example, they might learn to balance their singing volume with others or use "expressive controls" (like making music louder or softer) when playing an instrument.

Your child will learn about how music is used in today's world, like in movies or commercials, and how different music styles can blend together. They will also understand how music trends can affect what young people like to listen to.

Your child will learn how music and musical instruments have been used in different cultures and throughout history, such as understanding the role of drums in various ceremonies and celebrations, including those of Indigenous peoples.

Your child will be able to create art, both flat (like a drawing) and 3D (like a sculpture), to show their own feelings and ideas, as well as those of others. For example, they might make a painting inspired by pictures about children's rights or a drawing that shows how different parts of nature are connected.

Your child will understand how to arrange elements in their artwork (composition) using design rules to tell a story or show a specific idea. For example, they might make a sculpture that shows a feeling, paying attention to how big different parts are and the empty space around them.

Your child will be able to use different art techniques and tools to share their ideas and feelings through their artwork. For example, they might create a series of prints to tell a story or design a poster to speak out against bullying.

Your child will be able to use different art supplies, tools, and methods to solve creative problems. For example, they might draw a funny picture of a celebrity, make a picture that combines photos and other materials to show who they are, paint a fantasy world, create a print from a textured surface, or sculpt a figure from clay.

Your child will be able to look at different kinds of art and understand the feelings, ideas, and social messages they might be trying to share. They will also be able to compare different artworks to find common themes or subjects.

Your child will be able to explain how artists use things like colour, line, and shape (these are called "elements and principles of design") in their own art and in the art of others to show ideas or feelings.

Your child will learn to understand what different signs, symbols, and artistic styles mean in various artworks. For example, they might learn how symbols in Indigenous art tell a story, or how certain styles in art are inspired by other cultures.

Your child will be able to talk about what they're good at in art, what they enjoy, and what they need to work on, both when making art and when looking at others' art. They will also be able to explain their artistic choices and discuss other people's ideas respectfully.

Your child will be able to explain how different kinds of art, from old sculptures to modern movies and internet content, are used to share messages and ideas, both in the past and today.

Your child will learn that art from different cultures and time periods can show us what people believed and how they lived. They will also understand how art in their own community reflects local traditions and stories.