Art

The visual arts have been present since the first human cultures developed. It is the arts that enhance our world. A knowledge of the arts gives us a greater understanding of the man-made creations that surround us.

The arts promote self-confidence, develop visual, motor, and expressive skills, and stimulate creative thinking and problem solving skills that can be used throughout our lives in all areas of learning.

The visual arts program is based on the six elements of art: line, color, texture, value, space and form. A knowledge of these elements and there interrelationship is the key to understanding, creating, and critically analyzing art. Students are encouraged to experiment with all media presented, draw ideas from personal preferences and experiences, and to use their imagination to the fullest. Art class is interrelated with all areas of study, showing students the relationship between art and their world.

Kindergarten classes may include creation of form from shapes, clay manipulation, paper cutting and sculpting, transparent and opaque paints, linear drawing and representations, and color mixing techniques.

First grade classes may include exposure to the six elements of art, color mixing, overlapping and spatial perception, linear representation, transparent and opaque paints, paper sculpting, collage, and mixed media production.

Second grade classes may include introduction to the six elements of art, clay for construction, mixed media creations, linear drawing and representations, mixing of secondary colors, use of neutrals, warm and cool colors, three-dimensional composition, paper construction, variety in lines, and textural creations.

Third grade classes may include exposure to the six elements and the principles of art, introduction to critical analysis and judgment of art, exposure to art terminology, application of learned art skills in new situations, fabric, paper and wire sculpture, use of plaster and papier-maché, the color wheel and analogous and complementary colors, linear representations stressing differing lines, clay for construction, mixed media production, and exposure to realistic and expressive representation.

Fourth grade classes may include exposure to art criticism and judgment of art based on knowledge of the elements and principles of art, careers in art, work in analogous and complementary color schemes, monoprints, printmaking and paper making, creation of functional art, sculpted forms involving a variety of media, and work in the interrelationship between art elements and principles.

Fifth grade classes may include judgment of art based on knowledge of the interaction between art elements, principles, and personal preferences, creation of art with use of all elements, continued experimentation in non-representational art, emphasis in 3-D art creation and sculpting, technical drawing and painting skills for realistic representation, identifying color schemes, experiments in the visual art of photography, printing processes, art movements throughout history, and careers in the art world.