- Definition
Mood is the feeling a story gives you, like if it makes you feel happy, sad, or scared.
A painting with dark colours and jagged lines might create a scary or angry mood.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: The mood of a picture is like the feeling of the weather inside it — it can feel sunny and cheerful, or dark and mysterious.
Ask your child: How does this picture make you feel inside?
Common mix-up: Kids may just list what they see in a picture. Mood is the feeling the picture creates, which comes from the colours, shapes, and light the artist used.
Examples
- A drawing with bright, warm colours like yellow and orange can create a happy and cheerful mood.
- A picture of a still lake using soft, cool colours like blue and green can have a calm or peaceful mood.
mood is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
+12 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 ↗
