The British Columbia Arts Education curriculum (K-7) includes media literacy expectations primarily in the Context strand. The document Arts Education Kindergarten to Grade 7 Overview – 2010 says teachers can “provide opportunities for students to learn about the various contributors to the dance, drama, music, or visual artwork (e.g., performers, composer, choreographer, writer, artist) and the historical and cultural context in which the work was created and presented. This might include:

• the origin of the work
• the purpose of the work (e.g., social, ritual, ceremonial, celebratory, occupational)
• the physical and political geography of the creator’s country of origin
• the beliefs and customs of the culture or society
• any historical events that might have influenced the work
• the symbolism, if any, used in the work .”

Click on a grade level under Arts Education for a list of media-related outcomes and links to supporting resources from the MediaSmarts site. (Note: as many of our lessons can be adapted to suit different grade levels, specific lessons may be listed for more than one grade. Teachers should also note that individual lessons often satisfy a number of learning outcomes.)