Art Curriculum & Programs of Study

PERSPECTIVES
Art is considered not as a subject or a product, but as a part of all formal and informal life experiences, as a "quality of doing and of what is done" (John Dewey). Art is a vital aspect of all learning, essential to growth, and a valuable means to an enriched awareness of the world and a greater ability to express one's individuality. The education of the individual in and through art is above all an end in itself, but also an essential part of the education of the whole child; vital to the full development of each individual's unique cognitive profile.

AIMS
The goal of art education is to bring out the creative, expressive and aesthetic potential of each child, and to promote the attitudes, thinking and discipline necessary for all types of learning. In the broadest sense, art education should serve as a catalyst for a lifetime of meaningful, fulfilling and creative experiences, and enhance the very quality of life; enabling our children to continue being throughout their life, Learners Learning to Learn.

The Art department encourages responsiveness to new ideas and respect for individual differences by fostering: respect for oneself and one's own work (self-esteem, and a striving for excellence), respect for others and their work, and respect for other cultures and their art. We strive to provide a challenging, stimulating and supportive environment for creative exploration, observation, experimentation and expression through:

• Open-ended projects that stimulate and encourage individual approaches and solutions
• Exposure to a rich variety of materials (artist's and found), tools, media and approaches to their use
• Training in the systematic and disciplined use and care of materials, tools and equipment as an integral part of the creative experience.

To obtain the these objectives the art program must be flexible - to adapt to stages of development, preparation, readiness, abilities, interests and past experiences of individual students and classes; and it must be varied - to offer a rich diversity of learning experiences, and to adapt to individual difference, needs and interests.

"Working in art is ... a working on oneself, on one's own interpretation, on one's own way of seeing things." Wittgenstein

PREP-GRADE 1 - class time is 40 minutes per week
Students develop their creativity and imagination by exploring the visual, tactile and sensory qualities of materials and processes. They learn about the role of art, craft and design in their environment. They begin to understand colour, shape and space and pattern and texture and use them to represent their ideas and feelings.
The Art Curriculum in Prep and Grade 1 is integrated within the overall curriculum map for each year group and contributes to the learning goals within:
Topics:
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Physical Development
• Knowledge and Understanding of the World
• Creative Development Projects include:
• Drawing
• 2D design
• Printmaking
• Sculpture
• Looking at art Materials and techniques will include a selection from the following:
• Drawing
• Pencil, coloured pencil, markers, charcoal, watercolour pastels, oil pastels
• Painting
• Tempera, watercolour & combined techniques

Assessment:
• Student Portfolio
• Observation in the classroom - engagement, speaking, listening and conduct

GRADES 2 & 3 - class time is 40 minutes per week
Students develop their creativity and imagination through more complex activities. These help to build on their skills and improve their control of materials, tools and techniques. They become more confident in using visual and tactile elements and materials and processes to communicate what they see, feel and think.
Topics:
• Understanding Form and Aesthetics.
• The Elements and Principles of Art
• Understanding and Applying Art Concepts
• Developing Art Skills at Grade Level
• Art Materials and Techniques
• Participation and Behaviour
Projects include:
• Drawing
• 2D design
• Printmaking
• Sculpture
• Looking at art

Materials & techniques will include a selection from the following:
• Drawing/Pencil, coloured pencil, markers, charcoal, watercolour pastels, oil pastels
• Painting/Tempera, watercolour & combined techniques
• Collage/Using a variety of textures, patterns, colours, weights of paper and shapes
• Sculpture
• Cardboard, paper mache and clay
Assessment:
• Student Portfolio
• Observation in the classroom - engagement, speaking, listening and conduct

Grade 4 - class time is 40 minutes per week
Students develop their creativity and imagination through more complex activities. These help to build on their skills and improve their control of materials, tools and techniques. They become more confident in using visual and tactile elements and materials and processes to communicate what they see, feel and think.
Topics:
• Understanding Form and Aesthetics.
• The Elements and Principles of Art
• Understanding and Applying Art Concepts
• Developing Art Skills at Grade Level
• Art Materials and Techniques
• Participation and Behaviour
Projects include:
• Drawing
• 2D design
• Printmaking
• Sculpture
• Looking at art

GRADE 5 - class time is 40 minutes per week
Students mainly concentrate on illustration to further their creativity and imagination through more complex activities. These help to build on their skills and improve their control of materials, tools and techniques. They become more confident in using visual and tactile elements and materials and processes to communicate what they see, feel and think.
Topics:
• Understanding Form and Aesthetics.
• The Elements and Principles of Art
• Understanding and Applying Art Concepts
• Developing Art Skills at Grade Level
• Art Materials and Techniques
• Participation and Behaviour Projects include
• Illustration from Memory
• Drawing from observation/"My Bedroom"
• Illustration of a fantasy story
• Illustrate the fable The Fox & the Crow by Aesop• Writing & Illustrating a Buddy Book
• One-point perspective
Materials & techniques will include a selection from the following:
• Drawing/Pencil, crayon, chalk, markers, watercolor pastels, oil pastels
• Painting/Tempera, watercolor & combined techniques
• Collage/Using a variety of textures, patterns, colors, transparencies and shapes
• Cardboard, paper maché and clay
Assessment:
• Student Portfolio
• Observation in the classroom - engagement, speaking, listening and conduct

CLASS PROJECTS:

GRADE 5

GRADE 6 - class time is 55 minutes per week
Students will concentrate on graphic design and the use of letters as Form, which will lead to patterns and naturally to a discussion of positive and negative space, mass and volume.
Projects include:
• The initial letter of their name that contains in the form of each letter images which represent their interests and likes
• A “World Food Day” Poster
• A design project drawing of a letter form that represents a particular sport
• A letter stencil design project creating abstract patterns
• A project designing a medieval illuminated letter complete with story typed on the computer using a font similar to the writing of the time (the story will be written in their language arts class)
• A project using letter stamps
Materials & techniques will include a selection from the following:
• Drawing/Pencil, crayon, chalk, markers, charcoal, watercolor pastels, oil pastels
• Painting/Tempera, watercolor & combined techniques
• Collage/Using a variety of textures, patterns, colors, transparencies and shapes
• Sculpture/Cardboard, clay, wood
Assessment:
• Student Portfolio
• Observation in the classroom - engagement, speaking, listening and conduct

GRADE 7 - class time is 55 minutes per week
Students concentrate on “seeing” the world around them more objectively by drawing. They will study in depth positive and negative space, mass and volume by utilizing additive, subtractive and tonal drawing/painting techniques, which will make them more secure of their abilities to produce representational artwork and help them to define their own personal aesthetic vision.
Projects include:
• Drawing from memory
• Still-life
• Figure drawing
• Landscape
• Detailed drawings of facial parts: eyes, nose, mouth
• Self-portrait - “Angry”
• Wire sculpture
• One cross-curriculum project
Materials and techniques will include a selection from the following:
• Drawing/Pencil, colored pencil, chalk, markers, charcoal, watercolor pastels, oil pastels
• Painting/Tempera, watercolor & combined techniques
• Collage/Using a variety of textures, patterns, colors, transparencies and shapes
• Sculpture/Wire, cardboard, clay
Assessment:
• Student Portfolio
• Observation in the classroom - engagement, speaking, listening and conduct

GRADE 8 - class time is 55 minutes per week
Students continue to refine their abilities to record from direct observation, depict personal experience and to express concepts and feelings in a visual form. Students develop their ability to critically appraise and analyze objects, experiences and events in the visual world and therefore making aesthetic judgments and expressing constructive criticism.
Projects include:
• Drawing from memory, still-life, landscape, abstraction
• Printmaking - Linoleum
• Venice Field Trip RESEARCH paper
• Painting
• Art vocabulary
• Sculpture - Construction
Materials and techniques will include a selection from the following:
• Drawing/Pencil, charcoal, watercolor pastels, oil pastels
• Painting/Tempera, watercolor
• Collage/Using a variety of textures, patterns, colors, transparencies and shapes
• Sculpture/Found materials, cardboard
Assessment:
• Student Portfolio
• Observation in the classroom - engagement, speaking, listening and conduct