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Spotlight Education

Buffalo High School Arts Courses

"Academic Excellence through Artistic Inquiry"

The Buffalo High School Arts Magnet Program educates students to become producers and consumers of the arts. Students will be compelled to Plan, Prepare, and Produce, approaching learning from an artist's perspective and embracing artistic study as a skill for problem solving. Arts Magnet offers concentrations in Visual Arts (painting, drawing, ceramics, sculpture), Performing Arts (music, theater, dance), Literary Arts (journalism, creative writing), Media Arts (video, photography, animation, graphic design, web page design), and Applied Arts (jewelry, industrial technology, fashion design, hospitality). The Arts Departments at BHS are known for their excellence; the music department is recognized as one of the best in the nation, the theater productions regularly win starred ratings and have performed nationally, and student literary art is published in national journals.

To read further and gain more information about the Arts Magnet Website, click the link below to visit their website.

Arts Magnet Website

3568 Acting 1 (The Physical Actor) - A highly physical course, students will be introduced to essential elements of live performance. These acting elements include games, movement, memorization, character, ensemble collaboration, and story development. Students will collaborate, create, communicate, and problem solve throughout the quarter and build skills to perform an original physical storytelling project for an outside audience. Any student who has taken Stage Acting 1 should not sign up for this course.

3569 Acting 1 (The Vocal Actor) - Students will be introduced to essential elements of acting for the stage. These elements include script analysis, voice projection, blocking, and movement. Performances include two-person scenes and monologues.

3534 Advanced Acting (The Integration of Voice & Body) - Students further develop the essential elements of live performance including improvisational acting, movement, blocking, voice production, character development, and script analysis. In addition, they will examine the differences between a literary work and a stage or film adaptation of the work. Students will study the fundamentals of creating the original one act play and will rehearse and perform this original one act for an outside audience.

5044/5045/5046/5047 Freshman Choir - The Freshman Choir is a large group choral ensemble designed for 9th grade students. Students meet for a full block for a full year, alternating days with PE 9 or with Freshman Band or Orchestra. This course includes the rehearsal and performance of a variety of choral music styles. Emphasis in this class is placed on skill development in choral singing and performance, the study of basic music theory, and vocal development. Choir students will participate in concerts, festivals, and other performance opportunities. Prerequisites: Grade 9

5031/5032/5033 Varsity Choir - The Varsity Choir is a large group choral ensemble designed to continue development of vocal performance skills for students in grades 10-12. This course includes the rehearsal and performance of a variety of choral music styles. Emphasis in this class is placed on skill development in choral singing and performance, the study of music rudiments, and vocal development. Choir students will participate in multiple concerts, festivals, and other performance opportunities. The choir director places students into Varsity Choir. Prerequisites: Completion of 9th grade choir or Teacher Approval - Grades 10-12

5009/5010/5011/5012 Concert Choir - This is the most advanced choral ensemble at BHS and is designed for mixed voices. Emphasis in this choir is on performance and musicianship, as well as vocal technique. Students in this group will study and perform a variety of choral literature covering music from different periods and styles. In addition, students will have the opportunity to study and perform solo and ensemble literature. The Concert Choir performs at numerous concerts, contests, and festivals. Students in grades 11-12 are eligible by audition only and register for a full year unless given permission by the instructor.

Prerequisites: Audition - Grades 11-12

BHS Choir Website

5020/5021/5022/5023 Freshman Band - All grade 9 band students will register for Freshmen Band. There will be two bands of equal instrumentation. Both bands will study the same curriculum, studying a variety of band literatures. These bands will meet every other day for a full year, alternating with PE 9, AVID or Freshmen Choir. These students will have the opportunity to play in several concerts and to play in marching band, pep band, and jazz band.

Prerequisites: Grade 9

5027/5028/5029/5030 Varsity Band - All 10th grade band students, and those in grades 11 & 12 who are not in Concert Band, will be in Varsity Band. This band will meet every day for the full year. Students in this group will study and perform a variety of band literature, covering music from different time periods and styles. In addition to band literature, students in the Varsity Band will study and/or perform chamber music and solo literature. These students will have the opportunity to play in the marching band, pep bands, and jazz bands. They will also participate in several concerts and contests.

Prerequisites: Completion of 9th grade band or Teacher Approval - Grades 10-12

5005/5006/5007/5008 Concert Band - Students in grades 11-12 are eligible for this band by audition only. Students will be selected based on instrumentation needs and playing ability determined via rehearsal performance, playing tests and/or audition. This band will meet every day for the full year. Students in this group will study and perform a variety of band literature, covering music from different time periods and styles. In addition to band literature, students in the Concert Band will study and/or perform chamber music and solo literature. These students will have the opportunity to play in the marching band, pep bands, jazz bands and symphony orchestra. They will also participate in several concerts and contests.

Prerequisites: Audition - Grades 11-12

5040/5041/5042/5043 Freshman Orchestra - All 9th grade orchestra students will register for Freshman Orchestra. There will be two orchestras of equal instrumentation who study the same curriculum and perform the same music together as one ensemble at concerts. Each group will meet every other day all year, alternating with PE 9, AVID or Freshman Choir. Students in Freshman Orchestra will study and perform a wide variety of orchestral literature. In addition to practice and performance, this course includes an overview study of music history and theory.

Prerequisites: Grade 9

5056/5057/5058/5059 Varsity Orchestra - All 10th grade students, and those in grades 11-12, who are not in Concert Orchestra will be in Varsity Orchestra. This group will meet every day all year, Students in this group will study and perform a wide variety of orchestral literature. In addition to practice and performance, this course includes an overview study of music history and theory.

Prerequisites: Completion of 9th grade orchestra or Teacher Approval - Grades 10-12

5013/5014/5015/5016 Concert Orchestra - Students in grades 11-12 are eligible for Concert Orchestra by audition only. This group will meet every day all year. Students in this group will study and perform a wide variety of orchestral literature and will have an opportunity to perform as both a "string only" ensemble as well as a full symphony orchestra. In addition to practice and performance, this course includes an overview study of music history and theory. Students will also have an opportunity to play in the chamber orchestra, small ensembles and participate in concerts and contests.

Prerequisites: Audition - Grades 11-12

0123 Dance 1 (Basic Movement) - The focus of this class is learning the basic movement skills used in western concert dance. The skills will be drawn from a variety of disciplines including modern, jazz, and ballet. A multi-level approach is used to accommodate a variety of skill levels.

0124 Dance 1 (Basic Choreography) - This class is focused on artistic principles used to create dances. Students will learn about the lives and styles of well-known choreographers both past and current and apply this knowledge to develop their own style. Students will create dances as solos, duets, and small groups. Students will have the opportunity for in-house performances.

0125 Dance 2 (Performance & Presentation) - This class assumes good movement skills and requires both Dance 1 classes or 4 years of training from a recognized dance studio. The students will spend the term creating and producing dances for a concert at the end of the term. Students will work alone, in groups, with a teacher, and with multiple guest artists to create their works.

Prerequisites: Both Dance 1 Courses or 4 Years of Training from a Recognized Dance Studio

2502/2503 Art 1 - Art 1 is a prerequisite for all other high school art courses. Students will learn about the art elements and principles of design and apply these concepts to their own studio experience. Students will gain a better understanding of artists and their artworks. The experience allows students to work with a broad range of art materials including clay, acrylic paint, plaster, scratch board, block printing, and drawing tools.

Prerequisites: Grades 9-12

2508 Drawing 1 - Students in the class learn drawing and composition skills. We will use graphite and colored pencil, pastel, crayons, and ink to create artwork inspired by the world around us, other artists, and our own imagination. Students draw from real life and photographs. Various artists are studied for inspiration.

Prerequisites: Grades 10-12

2509 Drawing 2 - This class is designed to continue exploring the fundamentals of drawing in order to achieve higher level drawing skills. Students will develop visual and aesthetic perception through a variety of drawing exercises and projects. The class will work with charcoal, pastels, pencil, and pen/ink. A variety of subject matter will be explored.

Prerequisites: Drawing I - Grades 10-12

2511 Painting 1 - Students in Painting I experiment with a variety of painting media and subject matter. We will create an acrylic stylized animal painting, a cubist style still life, and a non-objective watercolor composition.

Prerequisites: Grades 10-12

2512 Painting 2 - Students in this class create paintings that reflect an artist’s search for a personal “voice’, both in style and message. Through the study of historical events, famous artists, and significant art styles, students will gain insight into why and how artists paint and draw. We will work with a variety of media and subject matter. Students will create an expressive self portrait, human figure composition, and a non-object composition.

Prerequisites: Painting I - Grades 10-12

2504 Ceramics & Sculpture 1 - This class is an introduction to a variety of three-dimensional materials including clay, balsa foam wood, and plaster. For inspiration, students will study specific artists and art styles. Students will use the Principles of Art that are taught in Art I in a variety of problem solving sculpture assignments. The students will gain knowledge of the technical processes involved with each material including throwing on the pottery wheel.

Prerequisites: Grades 10-12

2505/2506 Ceramics & Sculpture 2 - This class is designed for the student who is dedicated to pursuing higher level three-dimensional art. In this challenging class, students will be guided to find their artistic “voice” in three-dimensional work. The students will be required to produce work on the pottery wheel. The students should come into this class with working knowledge of the technical processes of clay.

Prerequisites: Ceramics & Sculpture I - Grades 10-12

2501 Animation Hybrid - In this course student will develop their understanding of the animation field and its history. Students will develop their animation skills through storyboard creation and various collaborative projects. Emphasis will be placed on creative experimental animation using digital cameras. Drawing skills are helpful but not required. Students will be able to leave during this block.

Prerequisites: Grades 11-12

3566/3567 CIS Introduction to Theatre - This course will involve students in a play's production while they explore the roots of theatre as a reflection of culture and community. Students investigate major theatrical historical periods and personalities, analyze dramatic literature for meaning and production considerations, and may create and perform their own scenes as a means of understanding the transformation of theatre from page to stage. Students will examine the production unit: playwright, director, designers, and actors in both preparation for and performance of a theatrical production. Each student will create a production portfolio for a full-length play. Upon successful completion of this course, students who are eligible for college credit will earn 3 credits from North Hennepin Community College. (See the CIS table for eligibilty criteria).

Prerequisites: Grades 11-12

3529 Speech Communications - This course introduces students to three different areas of speech communications: interpersonal communication, small group communication, and public speaking. In addition to receiving an introduction to speaking in front of groups, the course will include effective one-on-one communication and effective communication in groups, skills which will be applied to social as well as professional goals. This class presumes a willingness to speak publicly and with all members of the class individually and in groups. Students who have taken CIS Public Speaking should not sign up for Speech Communications.

Prerequisites: Grades 10-12

3564/3565 CIS Public Speaking - This course provides instruction and practical experience in the basics of public speaking. It will include the theory and practice of creating and presenting public speeches; research techniques; strategies in organization, outlining , and argumentation; audience analysis and adaptation; and the evaluation of other public speakers. Students will be expected to create and deliver at least four major speeches during the course, including information and argumentative speech types. Other types of oral presentations may also be included.

Prerequisites: Grades 11-12