YourStateStandards

Minnesota K–6 visual art standards

Minnesota writes its own visual art standards. They are published as Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in the Arts (2018), adopted 2018 and are not a version of a national framework. 83 of 91 are matched to a national standard.

386 K-6 benchmarks across Dance/Media Arts/Theatre/Visual Arts, verbatim from MDE's official arts spreadsheet. CSP filed the disciplines as sibling families (fetch returned Dance only); re-extracted all four. Codes disambiguated by the arts-area first digit (1/2/4/5), no invented prefix.

Framework
Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards in the Arts (2018)
Adopted
2018
Source last checked
July 24, 2026
Read the official document

91 standards, kindergarten through 6th grade

  • 5.0.2.2.1K
    Explore ideas through the work of other artists.
  • 5.0.2.2.2K
    2. Explore artistic ideas through intentional play.
  • 5.0.2.3.1K
    Create art that communicates an idea using artistic foundations.
  • 5.0.2.3.2K
    2. Identify safe procedures for using materials and tools while making art.
  • 5.0.2.4.1K
    Identify choices made in one's original artwork.
  • 5.0.3.5.1K
    Share artwork based on personal preference.
  • 5.0.3.6.1K
    Identify artwork based on a theme or concept using artistic foundations.
  • 5.0.3.6.2K
    2. Identify where art is found in a community.
  • 5.0.4.7.1K
    Recognize that objects, artworks, and artifacts have form and function.
  • 5.0.4.8.1K
    Describe and distinguish between images and real objects.
  • 5.0.4.8.2K
    2. Select and explain reasons for personal preference.
  • 5.0.5.9.1K
    Create art that tells a story about a life experience.
  • 5.0.5.10.1K
    Recognize that all humans make art.
  • 5.1.2.2.11
    Identify multiple ideas for an artistic prompt.
  • 5.1.2.2.21
    2. Use observation and investigation in preparation for making a work of art.
  • 5.1.2.3.11
    Identify and use symbols when creating art.
  • 5.1.2.3.21
    2. Practice safe use of art materials and tools while making art.
  • 5.1.2.4.11
    Discuss possibilities for revision of an original artwork using artistic foundations.
  • 5.1.3.5.11
    Identify why artwork should be prepared for presentation.
  • 5.1.3.6.11
    Identify places where art may be displayed or saved.
  • 5.1.3.6.21
    2. Identify what an art museum is and distinguish how an art museum is different from other art spaces. For example: Physical and digital spaces.
  • 5.1.4.7.11
    Select artworks, objects or artifacts that share a common idea or theme.
  • 5.1.4.8.11
    Compare artworks that represent the same subject using artistic foundations.
  • 5.1.4.8.21
    2. Classify artwork based on different criteria for preferences, including artistic foundations.
  • 5.1.5.9.11
    Identify times, places, and reasons by which students make art outside of school.
  • 5.1.5.10.11
    Recognize that people from different places and times have made art for a variety of reasons.
  • 5.2.2.2.12
    Collaboratively share ideas for an artistic prompt.
  • 5.2.2.2.22
    2. Use various materials and tools to explore personal interests, questions, and curiosity.
  • 5.2.2.3.12
    Create art that represents natural and constructed environments. For example: Landscapes versus architecture.
  • 5.2.2.3.22
    2. Demonstrate safe procedures for using materials and tools while making art.
  • 5.2.2.4.12
    Describe choices made at different steps in an art making process.
  • 5.2.3.5.12
    Prepare works of art for presentation in a specific location. For example: Physical or digital formats.**
  • 5.2.3.6.12
    Choose artwork based on a theme or concept for an exhibit.
  • 5.2.3.6.22
    2. Compare and contrast purposes of art museums, art galleries, and other venues or formats.
  • 5.2.4.7.12
    Identify processes an artist used to create a work of art.
  • 5.2.4.8.12
    Categorize artworks based on expressive properties.
  • 5.2.4.8.22
    2. Use art vocabulary to express preferences about artwork.
  • 5.2.5.9.12
    Compare and contrast subject matter from different times and places.
  • 5.2.5.10.12
    Identify how artistic foundations are employed differently throughout time and place.
  • 5.3.2.2.13
    Modify an original idea for a work of art.
  • 5.3.2.2.23
    2. Apply knowledge of available resources, tools, and technologies to investigate ideas through the artmaking process.
  • 5.3.2.3.13
    Create visual representations of places or systems that are part of everyday life using artistic foundations.
  • 5.3.2.3.23
    2. Demonstrate safe use of studio spaces and equipment.
  • 5.3.2.4.13
    Discuss feedback about choices made in creating artwork.
  • 5.3.3.5.13
    Evaluate the functionality of different spaces for exhibiting art.
  • 5.3.3.6.13
    Explain the purpose of a portfolio or collection.
  • 5.3.3.6.23
    2. Compare and contrast objects, artifacts, and artworks that are valued in different communities or cultures.
  • 5.3.4.7.13
    Respond to a work of art before and after working in a similar media.
  • 5.3.4.8.13
    Determine messages communicated by an image.
  • 5.3.4.8.23
    2. Evaluate an artwork based on a variety of established criteria, including artistic foundations.
  • 5.3.5.9.13
    Compare and contrast representations of the human form throughout time and place.
  • 5.3.5.10.13
    Recognize that responses to art change depending on knowledge of the time and place in which it was made.
  • 5.4.2.2.14
    Generate new ideas by combining dissimilar ideas together.
  • 5.4.2.2.24
    2. Incorporate personal choice into divising a solution for a creative art problem.
  • 5.4.2.3.14
    Create art that is representational and non-representational using artistic foundations. For example: Naturalism and abstraction.
  • 5.4.2.3.24
    2. Identify issues involving copying and originality in artmaking.**
  • 5.4.2.4.14
    Revise in-process artwork, on the basis of insights gained through peer discussion.
  • 5.4.3.5.14
    Identify considerations for presenting art in various locations. For example: Indoor or outdoor settings; in temporary or permanent forms; in physical or digital spaces.**
  • 5.4.3.6.14
    Select artwork for display in a collection with a specific purpose or theme.
  • 5.4.3.6.24
    2. Identify how an exhibition in a museum or other venue presents ideas and provides information about a specific concept or topic.
  • 5.4.4.7.14
    Describe aesthetic characteristics of the natural world and constructed environments.
  • 5.4.4.8.14
    Analyze form and content in visual representations that convey messages.
  • 5.4.4.8.24
    2. Apply one set of criteria to evaluate more than one work of art.
  • 5.4.5.9.14
    Describe form and content in visual representations that convey personal identity.
  • 5.4.5.10.14
    Identify how art is used to inform or change beliefs, values or behaviors of an individual or society.
  • 5.5.2.2.15
    Generate and document an innovative idea for art making.
  • 5.5.2.2.25
    2. Generate plans for art that investigates a social, cultural, or personal theme.
  • 5.5.2.3.15
    Using artistic foundations create art that redesigns artworks, objects, places or systems.
  • 5.5.2.3.25
    2. Explain the ethical responsibility of appropriation in artmaking.**
  • 5.5.2.4.15
    Create artist statements to describe choices in artmaking, using art vocabulary.
  • 5.5.3.5.15
    Compare and contrast methods for preparing and presenting art.
  • 5.5.3.6.15
    Identify and describe the choices an artist makes when assembling a presentation or a portfolio. For example: Physical vs. digital formats.**
  • 5.5.3.6.25
    2. Explain why some objects, artifacts, and artworks are valued over others.
  • 5.5.4.7.15
    Identify and interpret works of art that reveal how people live around the world and what they value.
  • 5.5.4.8.15
    Establish the validity of percieved cultural symbols within an artwork.
  • 5.5.4.8.25
    2. Compare and contrast criteria used to evaluate works of art.
  • 5.5.5.9.15
    Use knowledge of one's own culture and heritage to explore personal identity. For example: Family history; ethnic background; customs and traditions.
  • 5.5.5.10.15
    Make inferences about time, place, and culture in which a work of art was created, citing evidence.
  • 5.6.2.2.16
    Elaborate upon an initial concept for art making.
  • 5.6.2.2.26
    2. Plan art with a specific theme, concept, or idea, considering a contemporary or traditional artistic practice.
  • 5.6.2.3.16
    Employ abstraction, symbolism, or naturalism when making a work of art.
  • 5.6.2.3.26
    2. Demonstrate awareness of environmental implications of art materials, tools, studio space, and equipment.
  • 5.6.2.4.16
    Revise artwork based on collaborative reflection on an artwork's intended meaning.
  • 5.6.3.5.16
    Consider and respond to the needs of the viewer when displaying artwork.
  • 5.6.3.6.16
    Select artwork for a collection or portfolio based on given criteria.
  • 5.6.3.6.26
    2. Compare and contrast viewing and experiencing collections or exhibitions in different venues or formats.
  • 5.6.4.7.16
    Compare different interpretations of a work of art.
  • 5.6.4.8.16
    Analyze multiple ways that images influence specific audiences.
  • 5.6.4.8.26
    2. Develop and apply personal criteria to evaluate a work of art using artistic foundations.
  • 5.6.5.9.16
    Make art collaboratively to reflect on and reinforce positive aspects of group identity.
  • 5.6.5.10.16
    Identify how art reflects changing times, traditions, resources, and cultural uses, including those of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities.

Minnesota’s other subjects