CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
This is the meat of what I have been developing for a while. An attempt to create something comprehensive that all students will benefit from and something that also prepares students for the challenges of studying art at a higher level after HS. Much of this has been designed around my idea of the developing artist that you can read about in The Journey. I like to offer 3 different styles of class to help students on this journey:
Projects:
Projects are designed typically around an artist, movement, an element or principle of design. I use a packets format so students...
Critique: (at the end of each project)
Students need to learn to think critically about their work and how to offer constructive criticism. Creating a supportive environment with an emphasis on creating high quality work is important for successful critiques. Written or oral group critiques are done from 6th grade up through 12th grade at the end of each project.
Art History: (at the beginning of class once every 2 weeks)
We only develop a fine palette for the things we consume a lot of. Students will develop a fine palette for art if they have a regular diet of it. In addition to offering projects that are based on artists, student in MS read about artists and HS students study a new artist every 2 weeks and take an art history essay test at the end of each year to deepen their understanding and knowledge of art history.
Art Philosophy: (at the beginning of class once every 2 weeks)
Reading and writing about the ideas of great thinkers in regard to beauty and aesthetics is invaluable to the young artist. It is a fantastic way to help students exercise higher order thinking skills and help students develop their own personal aesthetic. This gives them the opportunity to think through why they are attracted to certain things, the nature of beauty and why it may be important. Students read an excerpt from The Daily Book of Art at the beginning of class and write a response.
Drawing: (at the beginning of each class)
Drawing is an essential part of art making for the painter but even for the sculptor or ceramist. Students draw almost every class for the first 5 minutes to develop skill in drawing what they see.
Elements and Principles:
Many students understand design principles without knowing the vocabulary. Encouraging students to explain what they see without the pressure of using "the right words" is important. I find that if I ask students why they like something they end up describing Principles like Movement without using the word. I can simply tell them that they are describing Movement, that it is a Principle of Design and that I can tell that they already understand it without knowing the vocabulary. I believe that though our personal aesthetics vary most people find Principles like Contrast, Movement and Emphasis attractive to the eye. We did not create the Elements and Principles of Design, we discovered them and gave them names. Students need to discover that they already understand these laws of attraction and that the vocabulary, though it may seem abstract and hard to understand at first, simply enables them to describe what they are seeing.
- General (Art 1: variety of media, concentrate on elements, principles & ideation)
- Elective (ex: ceramics class)
- Concentration (ex: AP, independent study)
Projects:
Projects are designed typically around an artist, movement, an element or principle of design. I use a packets format so students...
- ... complete exercises that will help them be successful with their project. ex: Value bands when doing a pen and ink value project.
- ... have a clear grading rubric. Art may seem subjective but a well designed art project is intended to teach a specific skill or concept. A students grasp of a specific learning objective is measurable.
- ... write critiques so they show that they are thinking critically about their work.
- ... are all held accountable for the same amount of work.
Critique: (at the end of each project)
Students need to learn to think critically about their work and how to offer constructive criticism. Creating a supportive environment with an emphasis on creating high quality work is important for successful critiques. Written or oral group critiques are done from 6th grade up through 12th grade at the end of each project.
Art History: (at the beginning of class once every 2 weeks)
We only develop a fine palette for the things we consume a lot of. Students will develop a fine palette for art if they have a regular diet of it. In addition to offering projects that are based on artists, student in MS read about artists and HS students study a new artist every 2 weeks and take an art history essay test at the end of each year to deepen their understanding and knowledge of art history.
Art Philosophy: (at the beginning of class once every 2 weeks)
Reading and writing about the ideas of great thinkers in regard to beauty and aesthetics is invaluable to the young artist. It is a fantastic way to help students exercise higher order thinking skills and help students develop their own personal aesthetic. This gives them the opportunity to think through why they are attracted to certain things, the nature of beauty and why it may be important. Students read an excerpt from The Daily Book of Art at the beginning of class and write a response.
Drawing: (at the beginning of each class)
Drawing is an essential part of art making for the painter but even for the sculptor or ceramist. Students draw almost every class for the first 5 minutes to develop skill in drawing what they see.
Elements and Principles:
Many students understand design principles without knowing the vocabulary. Encouraging students to explain what they see without the pressure of using "the right words" is important. I find that if I ask students why they like something they end up describing Principles like Movement without using the word. I can simply tell them that they are describing Movement, that it is a Principle of Design and that I can tell that they already understand it without knowing the vocabulary. I believe that though our personal aesthetics vary most people find Principles like Contrast, Movement and Emphasis attractive to the eye. We did not create the Elements and Principles of Design, we discovered them and gave them names. Students need to discover that they already understand these laws of attraction and that the vocabulary, though it may seem abstract and hard to understand at first, simply enables them to describe what they are seeing.