Art 1 and Art 2: Introduction to Visual Arts
Students are introduced to the routine of the art production process including planning, producing, and reflecting on art. With an emphasis on studio arts, students explore a wide range of 2D and 3D media and use of a variety of techniques. Projects include, but are not limited to: drawing, painting, collage, printmaking, fiber arts, sculpture, and ceramics. Students develop technical skills, practice the use of the elements of art and principles of design, and nurture their expressive abilities. Students will create a digital portfolio to document their work throughout class.
High students visit the art room every day, for the entire school year.
Teachers across the country are discovering a new way to motivate children through the method of instruction known as Choice Based Art Education. Choice-based art education offers students choices for making art that uses their own ideas and interests. Students learn best when they are interested in and excited about what they are working on. When students are offered choices in art, they need to think about what they are doing, as well as understand why they are doing it. This allows a much deeper level of engagement in their art making process. There are many different levels of choice within art education, and in high school classes, students make most of their choices in order to make personal connections and create meaningful artwork. Different studios (or media) will be introduced with teacher led activities and then students create work within select studios either through independent projects or open studio.
Drawing: black and white media (graphite, ink, charcoal), color media (colored pencil, chalk pastels, oil pastels)
Art 1: Express Drawing, Blind Contour Drawing, Observational Drawing, Shading Techniques
Art 2 Options: Aerial Maps, Metamorphosis, Perspective
Painting: watercolor media (pan, watercolor pencils, liquid concentrate), tempera and acrylic
Art 1: Neurographic Painting, 100 Color Challenge
Art 2: Watercolor Drip Tangles, Painting Options: Origami Folds, Beyond the Border, Streak of Grayscale
Collage: assorted paper (construction, tissue, scrapbook), magazines, scissors, glue
Art 1: Explore Collage
Art 2 Options: Juxtaposition, Typography, Reassemble
Printmaking: mono printing, block printing
Art 1: Technique collage or single fold book, Independent printing project
Art 2 Options: Pink Eraser Project, Zoo Portrait, Landscape Collagraph
Fiber Arts: soft sculpture (hand stitching with felt or fabric), weaving, needle felting, yarn painting
Art 1: Pick 3 activities
Art 2 Options: Weaving, Sewing, Needle Felting
Sculpture: paper (includes origami), cardboard, paper mache, plaster
Art 1: low relief sculpture (paper or cardboard)
At 2 Options: Paper Quilling, Magazine Bowl, Cardboard Dwelling
Clay/Ceramics: polymer clay, earthenware clay
Art 1: tic-tac-toe pieces and board
Art 2 Options: Coil vessel, Is it Clay!?!, Miniature set
Independent Series: students will create a minimum of 5 pieces of art (using different media) based on a chosen theme. Students will be required to complete one acrylic painting as part of their series.
Semester grades will consist of the following:
Demonstration of understanding our covered art concepts and media (teacher and student directed projects)
Mini Masterpieces (weekly drawing prompt completed on a Post-it note)
Studio habits of mind (artistic behaviors). Assessed per project and overall per quarter
Digital portfolio (accumulative representation of work) per quarter
Understanding of Art World (alternating biweekly Artist Connections, Peer Review)
When each quarter is complete, students will be assessed on their artistic behaviors (Studio Habits of Mind) as part of their semester grade. I believe that their studio habits are as important as their finished pieces. Therefore, students are graded both on their understanding and demonstration of our covered art concepts and their art making process.
Assessed Studio Habits of Mind: Develop Craft, Engage & Persist, Stretch & Explore, Express, Reflect
Students will use Google Sites to create a digital portfolio that shows their work throughout the course. At the end of each quarter, the digital portfolio will be updated and assessed as part of their overall semester grade.
When each quarter is complete, students will write an artist statement where they reflect upon the work they have produced. The artist statement also is an opportunity to explain and reflect upon their art making process.
It is the responsibility of each student to be engaged in the process of art making during art class. Phones can be very helpful, however are the leading factor in a student being off task. Students that consume more than they create will not perform to their fullest potential. This is a direct relationship to their Studio Habits of Mind.