Art Classes

Kindergarten:
Kindergarten meets once a week for a 30 minute art class. Through art making, students develop confidence in their fine motor control. They exercise the ability to follow directions while also making purposeful choices in their art. We color, glue, paint, stamp, cut, draw, and sculpt. Kindergarten students explore how line, shape, color, texture, and pattern can be used to make amazing works of art.
Listening skills are reinforced with lesson plans related to music and listening to rhythms on percussion instruments. At this age students enjoy lessons based on iconic artists and children’s books.

First grade:
First grade artists meet once a week for a 50 minute art class. They continue to use the elements of art to create drawings, paintings, and sculptural works. We explore the use of line, shape, color, pattern, and texture to fill space. We create art that is abstract, art that is imagined, and art that is drawn from life. Students are introduced to critiquing their own and their classmates’ artwork and are expected to show greater care in craftsmanship.

Second – Fifth Grade:
Students meet once a week for an hour long art class. They start studying the elements of form and value, and steadily introduce the principles of design into the composition of their work. Through art history, they analyze visual design and develop art vocabulary. They continue to critique their own and their classmates’ artwork. When applicable, connections are made to their core studies and community events. Weaving/fiber art is a yearly tradition. Students have more opportunities for sculptural projects in a variety of media.
Students of this age group practice greater responsibility caring for the art room. I stress that mistakes are not something to be hidden or thrown away but are creative opportunities to be embraced as we grow. A sense of professionalism towards their work is encouraged.

Middle School:
Students meet once a week for an hour long art class. Each quarter follows one large project that is inspired by a historic or modern artist alongside a larger theme. Middle School artists are expected to display analytical and creative thought in their artwork. They write artist statements detailing their creative process. We work in a variety of media on a 3 year rotation to include ceramic, paper maché, and cardboard sculptures. Drawing/painting techniques of study include: portraiture, perspective, abstraction, still life, and photorealism.