This article demonstrates how Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) art discussions and subsequent, inspired artmaking can help reach the goals of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, & Technical Subjects (CCSS-ELA). The authors describe how this was achieved in a remedial writing club for 6- and 7-year-old boys. Their study of the boys in this club demonstrated that by developing the young learners' visual literacy via discussions of ancient through contemporary artworks representing a variety of mediums, the communicative literacy by which they critically "analyze, reflect upon, and respond to diverse communication situations" (Rowan University, 2011, p. 1) expanded as well. This finding fueled their contention that the CCSS-ELA (NGA Center, 2010), which emphasize integrated literacy, high-order thinking, and cross-disciplinary understandings, have provided visual art education with a carpe diem moment: the opportunity to demonstrate that the capacities upheld by the CCSS-ELA are authentically invited by the unique content of art and can be richly developed through comprehensive, high-quality art education programs. They assert that such programs should include not only reflective and meaningful artmaking, but also routinely conducted dialogic investigations of artworks and visual culture exemplars from the past and present. The authors further maintain that VTS offers a powerful means for enacting the kinds of evocative and substantive art encounters that will situate art education at the center of a standards-based education for all students.