The K-12 aim of the Saskatchewan arts education curricula is to enable students to understand and value arts expressions throughout life.

The K-12 goals are broad statements identifying what students are expected to know and be able to do upon completion of a particular area of study, by the end of Grade 12.

The three goals for arts education students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 are:

• Cultural/Historical (CH) - Children will investigate the content and aesthetics of the arts within cultural, historical, and contemporary contexts and understand the connection between the arts and human experience.

  This goal focuses on the role of the arts in various cultures, the development of the arts throughout history, and factors that influence contemporary arts and artists. It includes the historical development of dance, drama, music, and visual art within its social, cultural, and environmental context. In addition, the goal includes learning about the arts in contemporary societies, popular culture, and interdisciplinary forms of expression. The intent is to develop students' understanding of the arts as important forms of aesthetic expression, and as records of individual and collective experiences, histories, innovations, and visions of the future.

• Critical/Responsive (CR) - Children will respond to artistic expressions of Saskatchewan, Canadian, and International artists using critical thinking, research, creativity, and collaborative inquiry.

  This goal enables children to respond critically and imaginatively to images, sounds, performances, and events in the artistic environment, including the mass media. Children become participants in the interactive process between artists and audience rather than passive consumers of the arts. Several processes are provided to help teachers guide discussion and encourage various responses to works of art; for example, visual art works, musical compositions, or dance and drama performances. The processes are intended to move students beyond quick judgement to informed personal interpretation, and can be used with each of the four strands and interdisciplinary works. These processes are described in "Responding to Arts Expressions", located on the Ministry of Education website. The intent of this goal is also to ensure that students are actively engaged with artists in their own communities and recognize that the arts are integral to the lives and cultures of every community.

• Creative/Productive (CP) - Children will inquire, create, and communicate through dance, drama, music, and visual art.

  This goal includes the exploration, development, and expression of ideas in the language of each strand or art form. Each art form involves students in different ways of thinking, inquiring, and conveying meaning. Each form involves students in creative processes and means of inquiry that require students to reflect on big ideas, and investigate compelling questions using the language, concepts, skills, techniques, and processes of that discipline. In order for an activity to be creative, students must be engaged in critical thinking, observation, and other forms of research, active exploration, and creative problem-solving processes. Children learn where ideas come from, and how ideas can be developed and transformed in each art form. Documentation is also an important part of the creative process, and can be used for purposes of idea development and refinement, assessment, and sharing learning with others. Reflection, both ongoing and summative, is an essential part of every creative process, and allows students to assess and evaluate their continued growth in their creative endeavours.

Children in Kindergarten need daily opportunities to use their imagination and observations to express and communicate ideas through the unique languages of the arts. They learn about themselves and others through critical reflection on their own work and a range of arts expressions in their communities.

In arts education, children further develop imagination, multiple literacies, critical and creative thinking abilities, and innovative problem-finding and problem-solving processes that can be applied in a variety of ways in their daily lives.