Welcome to Quad 1

In order to minimize contacts in a day, Montcalm classes are divided into quadmesters this year. Instead of taking 4 classes each day for a semester (September - January for semester 1, and February - June for semester 2), students will work on two classes for the first half of each semester with longer class times and two different classes for the second half of each semester. Each week students will work on a single subject. For example, grade 9 art may be what you study all week one. On week 2, you might have grade 9 science all day, every day. Then the classes swap back the next week.

In visual arts we want to take advantage of the supplies, equipment, and coaching of an experienced art teacher as much as possible on school days. This is a new system and we will have to be flexible but in class you will likely be:

• Watching live demonstrations of skills and projects

• Learning and trying out new skills (e.g. brush work techniques)

• Using supplies and equipment that are not easy to send home in your individual kits

• Starting projects with live teacher feedback or getting help with projects

• Unit tests (closed book) or exams

In class time is limited, so it is very important that you are prepared and make the most of the time we have. Bring your kit each day. Do homework that is needed for in class projects. Stay focused. These are the key to success.

Two or three days a week you will be working on your own at home. Check this website and your google classroom each at home day. Work will be posted by 8:30 AM each day, but may appear earlier.

SUBMITTING WORK:

All at home work will be handed in on the Google Classroom and all marks, including for in class projects will be given on the Google Classroom. Learning to add comments and attach good photos of your work will help you and is something we will talk about in class.

MANDATORY WORK:

On weeks where you have only 2 at home days you will be given about 4 hours of work for the week (2 days x 2 hours). These do not have to be done at same time of day you usually have the class but setting up a schedule can help you stay organized. These activities are mandatory. I will be marking mostly on weekends, so most activities need to be in by 8 a.m. Saturday. There will be time when they need to be done earlier because you must have them ready to move on in your in class project.

EXTRA TIME:

People work at different paces. When you have 3 at home days in a week, you will have opportunities for catching up or working on enrichment activities. This gives you three catch up opportunities in the quad. Enrichment activities will be considered for improving your overall grade, but if you do not have time for them they will be marked as a no-grade, not a zero if they are a graded assignment.

AT HOME TOPICS:

• Planning for in class projects (finding reference pictures, making planning sketches, etc.)

• Finishing activities started in class that are easily transported home

• Learning theory, vocabulary, art history, and about art/design jobs

• Looking at the work of specific artists or touring museums virtually

• Watching videos that give more information about skills and techniques for projects

• Open book quizzes, responding to questions, or research

• Working independently on projects that are easily done at home

In Class:

• If it is something that you did at home, bring the work with you in your art kit bag or attached some well lit photos to the project on Google Classroom.

• Remain in your seat and raise your hand to reduce travel in the classroom.

At Home:

Every time you submit work as done or leave a comment on Google Classroom, an email is sent to my school gmail account. I may give you feedback on something you have posted the day it comes in but not mark it until the weekend.

If you ask a question in a public comment all students can see this and respond. It is very important that you only post serious requests and helpful answers here in order to keep public comments useful to everyone. Silly or off topic posts can get you muted. Inappropriate or hurtful comments will get you muted and can result in disciplinary action. No trolling!

The best place to ask a question is in a private comment on an assignment post. These will go automatically to my emails and my reply can be seen on the Google Classroom or your email. Other students will not see either. If you have a question about something specific in art you have already started, attaching a photo will help me answer your question fully.

I am checking every weekday and when possible on weekends. Most days I will get back to you during Study Hall time (from 1:20 - 2:20pm each day). If I am cleaning equipment or setting up the room for the next day's lesson during study hall, I will answer emails after school.

I will answer at other times when possible, but this does not function like messenger or texting - they do not pop up on my phone. If the question is time-sensitive make sure to post it before study hall (before 1:20pm), or if you are going to see me in class before the next study hall be sure to ask the question in class.

If you posted at 9pm, please don't assume I saw it when you are seeing me at 8:20am. I try to check my emails before class starts at 8:20am but sometimes material setup in the morning takes longer than anticipated depending on the projects scheduled for the day. Also, because of this year's schedule I do not have a time during the school day (before study hall) to check emails, since lunch time may be used to clean up from the morning lessons, set up for the afternoon lessons, or even for eating lunch (gasp!).

If I notice several students have the same question I likely post information in the stream and on class assignment posts.

Individual Kits:

In order to make sure every student has access to basic art supplies, you will be assigned an art kit with paper, a sketchbook and other some other materials. This should be brought to school each day and taken home each day. It will be used in class and in online assignments. Like a textbook, it will need to be returned at the end of the course in good condition. If something breaks, wears out, or otherwise stops working please do not throw it away. Bring it with you on your next in-class day in order to get a replacement. It may be repairable. This includes markers.

Non-Kit Equipment and Supplies:

There will be times when you need to use equipment that is not in your kit. When possible this item will be signed out to you for the entire unit and will stay at school in your storage area. You are responsible to make sure it is cleaned each day to keep it in good working order. Acrylic paint left on brushes overnight will ruin them, for example. You will be shown how to sanitize it in order to safely return it when needed.

Optional Supplies:

The supplies in your kit are limited. For example, you may not have every colour you may want in the pencil crayons. You may have a larger sketchbook or one with thicker paper already at home. You may want to use these instead if you have them. For safety reasons, paints and other art liquid can't be brought from home to school. Craft knives should not be brought to school either.

The following are things you could gather if you want for projects:

• Pencil crayons in a variety of colours

• A drawing pencil set (from the Dollar store or elsewhere)

• A full sized clear or metal ruler

• A high quality or coloured-page or multi-media sketchbook

• A good pair of full-sized scissors

• A variety of art markers, especially fine point ones

• A white vinyl eraser

• A quality pencil sharpener

• A small dry watercolour set and brushes in your favourite size or style

• Craft supplies

• Drawing media other than pencils (charcoal, pastels, etc.)

• An X-acto knife or small box cutter and something to cut on (cutting mat / cardboard) --home use only with parent supervision

Art Safety:

Art has it's own set of safety needs because it is a hands-on class with equipment.

• Please follow safety demonstrations and discussions carefully.

• No horseplay should ever happen in an art studio.

• Never throw something in class even if it is a pencil to a friend.

• Art supplies and eating are not a good combination.

• Students are responsible to keep their equipment and stations in clean, working order each day.

• Bags need to be placed where they are not a tripping hazard. Bags should not interfere with emergency travel or travel to stations in the room like sinks.

Health Safety:

To continue (and hopefully increase) in school classes, we need to make sure we work together to keep Covid-19 from spreading. Unfortunately, you may not know that you have it while still being able to pass it on in the first few days or if you have a very mild case where you don't feel sick. Since some people can be very sick from this virus we need to remain informed and alert. We have learned so far that it spreads through particulate drops (virus on little drops of spit from your mouth), aerosol (very small particles that drift farther), and touching contaminated surfaces and then your face.

Here is what we can do to protect ourselves and everyone else:

• Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth. Your mask helps protect me and my mask helps protect you. Masks catch a lot of the moisture coming out of your mouth or nose, which means less virus in the air to be breathed in or land on surfaces.

• Learn to wash your hands properly and do it regularly, especially before eating or touching your face.

• Be aware of your distance from other people and let them have some room (2 meters if possible).

• Stay home if you feel sick.