Warwick School District

Course Description

7th grade art is a project based course designed to give students an overview of the elements of art and principles of design. Skills in drawing, painting, sculpture and mixed media will be taught and practiced. Students will analyze and evaluate their own work as well as the work of others. Current and past well-known artworks and artists will be used as motivators for projects and class discussions. 

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)
• Demonstrate knowledge of at least two styles within each art form through performance or exhibition of unique works.(9.1.8.D)
• Communicate a unifying theme or point of view through the production of works in the arts.(9.1.8.E)
• 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)

• 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)
• Analyze and interpret specific characteristics of works in the arts within each art form (e.g., pentatonic scales in Korean and Indonesian music).(9.3.8.B)
• 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)

Units

Unit #1 - Drawing

Unit #2 - Painting

Unit #3 - Printmaking

Unit #4 - Sculpture