Arts

This course provides students with the foundations of the study of art. Students will create artwork using a variety of methods, materials and techniques such as painting, drawing, sculpture and mixed media. Students will learn the basic principles and themes of art and how it can be used as a tool for communication. Students will learn a variety of skills that will allow them to move into more advanced courses in the arts.

Grades 9 - 12

Academic

Semester   .5 Credit

This course is designed for students who have an interest in three-dimensional design and encourages students to develop their natural artistic talents. Students will have the opportunity to express their individual talents by completing a variety of unique and challenging projects in a multitude of 3D media. Students will learn about the evolution of sculpture and its use as one of the world’s oldest art forms. Assignments emphasize design, craftsmanship, and problem solving. Units explore the fundamentals involved in paper mache sculptures, architectural design, paper sculpture, clay construction, and relief painting.

Prerequisite: A minimum of a 75 in Foundations of Art

Grade 11 -12

Academic

Semester   .5 Credit

This course is designed to develop basic drawing skills and allow students to begin to use their artistic 
expression as a means of communication in a more sophisticated manner with an emphasis on representation 
from direct observation. Students will focus on developing their drawing skills in a variety of themes and 
media. Students will explore new materials and techniques and study different artistic styles and artists to 
further develop their knowledge and skills in the arts.

Grade 9 -12

Academic

Semester   .5 Credit 

This course is designed to develop basic painting skills and allow students to begin to use their artistic 
expression as a means of communication in a more sophisticated manner. Students learn to use painting 
materials, tools and processes as they hone skills for visual perception, dexterity, creative problem solving and 
conceptual development. We will explore the technical and formal aspects of painting including value, color 
and temperature relationships, color mixing, brush and paint handling, medium usage, indirect painting, direct 
painting, composition, and more. Students will explore new materials and techniques and study different artistic 
styles and artists to further develop their knowledge and skills in the arts.

Grade 9 -12

Academic

Semester   .5 Credit 

This course is for serious students who are prepared to use creative thinking, technical and artistic skills in order to complete a self-designed art portfolio to be submitted for AP scoring. Students in the AP Studio Art Program choose from two portfolio exams—2-D Design or Drawing—corresponding to college foundation courses. Portfolios allow flexibility of coursework while guiding students to produce college-level quality, artistic investigation, and breadth of work. The 2-D Design portfolio addresses two-dimensional design issues and involves decision making about how to use the elements and principles of art in an integrative way. The Drawing portfolio addresses issues such as line quality, light and shade, rendering of form, composition, surface manipulation, the illusion of depth, and mark-making. Students' portfolios demonstrate skills and ideas developed, refined, and applied throughout the course to produce visual compositions. Students may choose to submit any or all of the portfolios. Portfolios are evaluated based on standardized scoring descriptors aligned with skills and understanding developed in college foundation courses. Both portfolios require a large number of finished pieces to be submitted for review and from those, 5 actual works sent for evaluation. Students who enroll in the AP Studio Art course should be aware that submitting their portfolio is expected. High achievement on the Advanced Placement Portfolio may qualify students for college credits and/or placement. Students may be responsible for an evaluation fee.

*Note: Students are required to complete artwork over the summer before the course begins in the fall. The work is due within the first week of class. Students will meet with the instructor at the end of the previous year to receive their summer assignments.

Prerequisite: A minimum of a “B” in Foundations of Art, and Drawing and Painting, Sculpture, or Photography and instructor approval

Grade 11 -12

AP

Full Year   1 HS Credit, 3 College Credits

This course is designed to teach students about the application and techniques of photography in a rigorous, project-based environment. Students will study the influence photography has had on our lives as well as the history of photography and how to use the basic settings on a camera. Students will create thoughtful projects using the Elements and Principles of Design. Students will have studio time in class to apply the knowledge learned in class to create photographs from planning stages to the final product. Students will also use Adobe Photoshop to enhance and manipulate their images throughout the course to create professional looking photos. Students will also be introduced to graphic design principles and projects in Photoshop and will work with “clients” to create original products such as posters, book covers etc.

School-wide Expectations: 3 and 4

Grade 9 -12

Academic

Semester   .5 Fine Arts or .5 Technology