Read more about Visual Arts...
Students in kindergarten through fifth grade will develop their skills in drawing, painting, construction, printmaking, and craft. Emphasis is placed on the development of the children's perceptual awareness, understanding of color theory, knowledge of the elements and principles of design, critical thinking skills, and the encouragement of creative thinking and problem solving. Each lesson is developed to assist students in making connections to art history, multi cultural themes, and to the grade core subjects: literature, math, science, and social studies.
Visual Arts Majors in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade experience an enriched, intensive course of study that consists of two periods of instruction per day. The Visual Arts Major builds on the K-5 curriculum through the continued development of specific skills with emphasis in drawing and painting. Students complete comprehensive portfolios, which meet portfolio admission requirements for criteria based high schools that are noted for their Visual Arts emphasis. Additional emphasis is placed on careers in art, and the cultural role artists play in the school community, as well as the larger community. Field trips are an integral part of the class experience, and students also have opportunities to participate in contests, exhibits, and special projects. All art major students are expected to develop their artistic abilities to an advanced level.
For all students, instruction in the arts is coordinated with instruction in academics. It is an interdisciplinary course of study where academics and art equally intersect in the classroom and studio. Throughout the year, teachers connect the
disciplines—history units may be coordinated with the music or art of the era being studied. A perfect example of this can be seen in our Math program. By integrating visual and tactile elements, we allow students to move from the concrete (e.g. shapes or bundles or colors) to the abstract (e.g. calculations or formulas or theorems), thus ensuring a deeper understanding of math concepts.
