artists_habits_of_mind.jpg.pdf |
In elementary art, we work with themes and big ideas as a guide for each unit. For example, some themes may be “dinosaurs”, “self-portraits”, or “hybrid animals”. A big idea may be “healing”, “place”, or “time”. Almost all the lessons are interdisciplinary because art is inherently interdisciplinary. Art processes and techniques are taught during each unit, but the actual idea and design is developed solely by the student. This allows each student the freedom for self-expression and the opportunity to develop their creative thinking skills. I encourage students to break away from mainstream designs and symbols, and come up with something all their own.
I teach about the elements of design, which are line, color, shape, form, value, texture, and space. I start to teach about the principles of design as the students advance. The principles of design are balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, pattern, rhythm, unity, and variety.
Each grade level learns about contemporary and historical art throughout the trimester that I have them. Students observe and discuss various aspects of the images; what they see; how these images make them feel; what these images make them think; and what they like and dislike. The artists we use varies and sometimes in one unit they will view ten different pieces by ten different artists. The goal is to expose them to as many different ways to create art as possible. I believe art is a universal language and that the more visual language they can begin to interpret and understand, the more visually literate they will become.
My curriculum also encompasses the Studio Habits of Mind developed by Project Zero at the Harvard School of Education. These are described in the attached file below the title of this post.
The following are the Colorado Art Education Standards that we use as a guide to make sure our lessons align with the state visual art goals.
I teach about the elements of design, which are line, color, shape, form, value, texture, and space. I start to teach about the principles of design as the students advance. The principles of design are balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, pattern, rhythm, unity, and variety.
Each grade level learns about contemporary and historical art throughout the trimester that I have them. Students observe and discuss various aspects of the images; what they see; how these images make them feel; what these images make them think; and what they like and dislike. The artists we use varies and sometimes in one unit they will view ten different pieces by ten different artists. The goal is to expose them to as many different ways to create art as possible. I believe art is a universal language and that the more visual language they can begin to interpret and understand, the more visually literate they will become.
My curriculum also encompasses the Studio Habits of Mind developed by Project Zero at the Harvard School of Education. These are described in the attached file below the title of this post.
The following are the Colorado Art Education Standards that we use as a guide to make sure our lessons align with the state visual art goals.
- Observe and Learn to Comprehend
- Envision and Critique to Reflect
- Invent and Discover to Create
- Relate and Connect to Transfer: