Grade 5

This is a survey art course which emphasizes studio production. Within this context, students apply media, techniques, and processes in creating their own artwork. Students identify and use the elements of design: line, shape, texture, and color. Within the drawing unit, students explore light and shadow, space, and some aspects of perspective. In addition, the students explore art appreciation and art criticism. Grant Wood, Thomas Hart Benton (American Regionalists), W.C. Escher, and Aboriginal Artists, as well as other type of art/artists as it relates to their studio art, are studied. Mediums include pencil, colored pencil, oil and dry pastels, markers, tempera paint, watercolors, and paper mache.

Grade 6

This course is taught as an interdisciplinary approach with the sixth grade social studies curriculum. This approach enhances and deepens student learning about the ancient civilizations studied. Students explore the arts of Egypt, Greece, Rome, India, and the Middle Ages. The students study art history through lectures, discussions, and studio projects, and they are required to keep notes about civilizations studied. Students identify and use the elements of design: line, shape, texture, and color. Studio art projects include a unit on linear perspective. Mediums include pencil, colored pencil, pen and ink, oil or dry pastels, markers, tempera paint, watercolors, and wax resist. Through art history discussion and studio art projects, students acquire a better understanding of art appreciation and art criticism. Students deepen their understanding of art through a field trip to the Museum of Fine Arts taken with the social studies teacher.

Grade 7

This is a survey art course that emphasizes studio art. Students apply media, techniques, and processes in creating their own artwork. Students come to understand and use a variety of vocabulary with respect to the making of their studio art projects. Students identify and use the elements and principles of design. Students will draw from life, including outdoor sketching, portrait studies at home and in class, and figure studies. Each 7th-grade class produces a large grid drawing from a famous work of art to display at the Spring Arts Festival. Mediums include (but are not limited to) pencil, colored pencil, pen, oil or dry pastels, charcoal, markers, tempera paint, watercolors, and printmaking. Students participate in class critiques in order to enhance art appreciation and understanding of art criticism. In addition to studio art, art history subjects include Renaissance and Baroque art. Additional artists are studied as time permits.

Grade 8

This is a survey art course which emphasizes studio art. Students will apply media, techniques, and processes in creating their own artwork. Students will be expected to understand a variety of vocabulary with respect to the making of their studio art projects. Students will identify and use the elements and principles of design. An understanding of composition and space is emphasized with respect to art criticism and the students’ own artwork. Students will draw often from life, including – landscape (outdoors), still life, portrait studies at home and in class, and figure studies. Mediums include (but are not limited to), pencil, colored pencil, pen and ink, scratchboard, oil or dry pastels, charcoal, markers, acrylic paint, watercolors, printmaking, collage, wire sculpture, and clay. Class critiques are held as a way to enhance art appreciation and understanding of art criticism. In addition to studio art, art history subjects include Impressionism, Post Impressionism, and 20th-century art. During the 4th marking period, 8th graders are given the opportunity for independent study. They must choose from several of the media listed above.