- Definition
A medium is simply how a message is delivered, like a book, a podcast, or a video. It's the "container" for the information.
A picture book is a print medium because it uses printed words and pictures to tell a story.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: A medium is like the way a message travels to you — a story in a book, a song on the radio, or a show on TV.
Ask your child: How is reading a story different from watching it as a cartoon?
Common mix-up: Kids may think a story is just the words. The medium is the way the story gets to you, like being in a printed book, on a screen, or as a song you can hear.
Examples
- A cartoon on a tablet is a digital medium because it is on a screen.
- A song you listen to is an audio medium because you only hear it.
medium is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
+6 more mentions across the curriculum
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
