Warwick School District

Course Description

8th grade Art is a project based course designed to give students an overview of the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. The students will have the opportunity to experiment and refine skills using a variety of art media. Students will focus on advancing their skills in drawing, painting, 3D, and design. Students will evaluate and critique the work of others as well as their own work. Contemporary, historical art and artists will be used as motivators for projects and classroom discussions.This course is designed to give the 8th grade students a diverse exposure, understanding and appreciation of the visual arts.

Core Curriculum Content Standards

Arts and Humanities (2002)

• Production, Performance and Exhibition of Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts

• GRADE 8

• Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities. Elements -Dance: • energy/force • space • time -Music: • duration • intensity • pitch • timbre -Theatre: • scenario • script/text • set design -Visual Arts: • color • form/shape • line • space • texture • value Principles -Dance: • choreography • form • genre • improvisation • style • technique -Music: • composition • form • genre • harmony • rhythm • texture -Theatre: • balance • collaboration • discipline • emphasis • focus • intention • movement • rhythm • style • voice -Visual Arts: • balance • contrast • emphasis/focal point • movement/rhythm • proportion/scale • repetition • unity/harmony(9.1.8.A)
• Recognize, know, use and demonstrate a variety of appropriate arts elements and principles to produce, review and revise original works in the arts. -Dance: • move • perform • read and notate dance • create and choreograph • improvise -Music: • sing • play an instrument • read and notate music • compose and arrange •improvise -Theatre: • stage productions • read and write scripts • improvise • interpret a role • design sets • direct -Visual Arts: • paint • draw • craft • sculpt • print • design for environment, communication, multi-media(9.1.8.B)
• Identify and use comprehensive vocabulary within each of the arts forms.(9.1.8.C)
• Communicate a unifying theme or point of view through the production of works in the arts.(9.1.8.E)
• Explain works of others within each art form through performance or exhibition.(9.1.8.F)
• Explain the function and benefits of rehearsal and practice sessions.(9.1.8.G)
• Demonstrate and maintain materials, equipment and tools safely at work and performance spaces. -Analyze the use of materials. -Explain issues of cleanliness related to the arts. -Explain the use of mechanical/electrical equipment. -Demonstrate how to work in selected physical space/environment. -Demonstrate the selection of safe props/stage equipment. -Demonstrate methods for storing materials in the arts.(9.1.8.H)

• Historical and Cultural Contexts

• GRADE 8

• Explain the historical, cultural and social context of an individual work in the arts.(9.2.8.A)
• Relate works in the arts to varying styles and genre and to the periods in which they were created (e.g., Bronze Age, Ming Dynasty, Renaissance, Classical, Modern, Post-Modern, Contemporary, Futuristic, others).(9.2.8.C)
• Analyze how historical events and culture impact forms, techniques and purposes of works in the arts (e.g., Gilbert and Sullivan operettas)(9.2.8.E)
• Relate works in the arts to geographic regions: -Africa -Asia -Australia -Central America -Europe -North America -South America(9.2.8.G)
• Identify, describe and analyze the work of Pennsylvania Artists in dance, music, theatre and visual arts.(9.2.8.H)
• Identify, explain and analyze historical and cultural differences as they relate to works in the arts (e.g., PLAYS BY Shakespeare, works by Michelangelo, ethnic dance and music).(9.2.8.J)
• Identify, explain and analyze traditions as they relate to works in the arts (e.g., story telling – plays, oral histories- poetry, work songs- blue grass).(9.2.8.K)
• Identify, explain and analyze common themes, forms and techniques from works in the arts (e.g., Copland and Graham’s Appalachian Spring and Millet’s The Gleaners).(9.2.8.L)

• Critical Response

• GRADE 8

• Know and use the critical process of the examination of works in the arts and humanities. -Compare and contrast -Analyze -Interpret -Form and test hypotheses -Evaluate/form judgments(9.3.8.A)
• Identify and classify styles, forms, types and genre within art forms (e.g., modern dance and the ethnic dance, a ballad and a patriotic song).(9.3.8.C)
• Evaluate works in the arts and humanities using a complex vocabulary of critical response.(9.3.8.D)
• Apply the process of criticism to identify characteristics among works in the arts.(9.3.8.F)

• Aesthetic Response

• GRADE 8

• Compare and contrast examples of group and individual philosophical meanings of works in the arts and humanities (e.g., group discussions on musical theatre versus the individual’s concept of musical theatre).(9.4.8.A)
• Compare and contrast informed individual opinions about the meaning of works in the arts to others (e.g., debate philosophical opinions within a listserve or at an artist’s website).(9.4.8.B)
• Describe how the attributes of the audience’s environment influence aesthetic responses (e.g., the ambiance of the theatre in a performance of Andrew Lloyd Weber’s Cats).(9.4.8.C)

Units

Unit #1 - Drawing

Unit #2 - Painting

Unit #3 - 3 Dimensional

Unit #4 - Design