This document contains the Westlake City Schools’ Visual Arts Course of Study completed at the end of the 2003-2004 school year. The Visual Arts Course of Study has been reviewed and was approved by the Westlake City Schools’ Board of Education on May 20, 2004.

Committee Members..............................................................................................	Page	2
District Beliefs, Vision and Mission....................................................................	Page	3
Introduction............................................................................................................	Page	5
Visual Arts Standards............................................................................................	Page	6
Philosophy and Goals............................................................................................	Page	7
Kindergarten...........................................................................................................	Page	8
Grade One................................................................................................................	Page	13
Grade Two...............................................................................................................	Page	18
Grade Three.............................................................................................................	Page	22
Grade Four...............................................................................................................	Page	26
Grade Five................................................................................................................	Page	31
Grade Six..................................................................................................................	Page	36
Grade Seven............................................................................................................	Page	40
Grade Eight..............................................................................................................	Page	44
Cartooning/Animation...........................................................................................	Page	48
Ceramics I................................................................................................................	Page	54
Ceramics II/III..........................................................................................................	Page	60
Crafts........................................................................................................................	Page	66
Design......................................................................................................................	Page	72
Drawing................................................................................................................................... Ecology Honors	Page	78
Jewelry.....................................................................................................................	Page	85
Painting................................................................................................................................... Ecology Honors	Page	91
Photography...........................................................................................................	Page	97
Sculpture..................................................................................................................	Page	104
Drawing/Painting II and III...................................................................................	Page	110
High School Course Offerings................................................................................................................................... Ecology Honors	Page	116
Advanced Placement Statement..........................................................................	Page	119
Assessment.............................................................................................................	Page	120

Carrie Beatty

Steven Davies

Jerry Everhard

Christine Filmer

Deb Gantz

Jody Himrod

Dawn Neff

Jennifer Riley

Melinda Wilkinson

Ray Conti – Director of Curriculum and Instruction

Susan Munch – Secretary, Curriculum and Instruction

DISTRICT BELIEFS, VISION AND MISSION

BELIEFS

Beliefs are the principles and concepts that govern the district’s decisions and actions. They influence the district’s picture of the future (vision) and the reason the district exists (mission). The beliefs, vision and mission of the Westlake City Schools District follow.

The Westlake City Schools believe that students come first, that dignity and worth of each individual is to be respected, and that learning is a lifelong process. We further believe that:

Successful students are ready to learn, display appropriate behavioral and social skills, assume responsibility, and work to reach their full potential. They are enthusiastic about learning, possess basic academic skills and strive for excellence.

Supportive families are proactive and involved in all aspects of their children’s education, assist their children with schoolwork, encourage their children to make positive choices and to be responsible for their actions, offer guidance and motivation so their children reach their full potential, and work in partnership with school.

Exemplary teachers care for their students, are knowledgeable regarding subject matter and effective instructional strategies, and engage students in meaningful learning experiences

Exemplary administrators are knowledgeable and provide meaningful instructional and managerial leadership. They create a safe, orderly, professional and supportive environment, empower all staff by providing opportunities for professional development and communicate effectively with all constituents.

Exemplary support personnel assist in the education of our children by providing a healthy, safe, nurturing and responsive learning climate.

Ideal learning environments are child-centered, stimulating and positive, free from distractions, appropriate in class size, and include ample and varied resources. Students and staff feel safe physically and emotionally, and devote themselves to academic and personal achievement.

Helpful community members, organizations and businesses celebrate their schools’ and students’ accomplishments, share resources and engage in dialogue.

VISION STATEMENT

The Westlake City School District will provide a dynamic, student-centered, positive learning environment. Our district will be characterized by actively engaged learners, mutual respect, shared knowledge, pursuit of new skills and capabilities, collaborative learning, willingness to take action, a team commitment to data-drive continuous improvement and tangible results.

MISSION STATEMENT

WE EDUCATE FOR EXCELLENCE…

Empowering all students to achieve their educational goals,

To direct their lives, and to contribute to society

The following terms and definitions are used in this document:

Standard:	An overarching goal or theme in visual art. The standard statement describes, in broadest terms, what all students should know and be able to do as a result of the K-12 program. The standards will be enclosed with a border and will be shaded.
Benchmark:	A specific statement of what all students should know and be able to do at a specified time in their schooling. Benchmarks are used to measure a student’s progress toward meeting the standard. Visual Arts benchmarks are defined for grade bands K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-10, and 11-12. The benchmarks will be enclosed with a border.
Grade-level Indicator:	A specific statement of the knowledge and / or skills that a student is expected to demonstrate at each grade level. These indicators serve as checkpoints that monitor progress toward the benchmarks. The indicators will be in normal print following the benchmarks in this course of study.

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Visual Arts Program Philosophy

The arts are a central force to human existence. They “exalt” the human spirit. Visual art education is a fundamental part of every child’s learning experience. An integral part of the way children learn and develop, the visual arts engage multiple skills and abilities. Visual art education offers teachers avenues to reach all students. It provides opportunities for learning, enabling young people to reach for and attain higher levels of achievement.

Visual arts are a natural impulse for expression and communication and can serve to release the creative potential of each child. Art experiences play a significant role in developing a sense of self-worth and a feeling of personal achievement within the child.

The visual arts are an essential means of connecting segments of the curriculum and are a bridge to learning and success in other disciplines. Visual arts education is a part of a balanced curriculum as they are inherently interdisciplinary and nurture the development of cognitive, social and personal competencies. The visual arts provide “authentic” learning experiences that engage a child’s mind, heart and body.

The capacity for critical thinking, analysis, creative problem solving and the development of multiple intelligences are enhanced through visual arts education/experiences.

The visual arts connect learning experiences to real world situations by providing students with the skills to meet the challenges of the future.

The goals of the visual arts program are to:

· Understand and appreciate the role of the visual arts in people’s lives and the artistic achievements of the own and other societies, past and present

· Demonstrate a basic understanding of visual processes, vocabulary, media and techniques

· Develop a sense of aesthetic awareness

· Appreciate and respond to the visual arts

· Utilize the visual arts as an extension of personal expression, creative problem solving skills and awareness of career opportunities.

Grade K

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Benchmark A: Recognize and describe visual art forms and artworks from various times and places.

1.	Distinguish between common visual art forms from different cultures such as painting, sculpture and ceramics.

Benchmark B: Identify art forms, visual ideas and artistic styles and describe how they are influenced by time and culture.

2.	Name and point out subject matter observed in artwork from various cultural heritages and traditions (e.g., common objects, people, places and events.)

Benchmark C: Identify and describe the different purposes people have for creating works of art.

3.	Recognize that people create works of art and art objects for different purposes.

Benchmark D: Place selected visual artists and their contributions chronologically on a timeline in the history of Ohio, the United States or North America.

4.	Use words or pictures to tell how art is made by artists.

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate knowledge of visual art materials, tools, techniques and processes by using them expressively and skillfully.

1.	Explore and experiment with a variety of art materials and tools for self-expression.
2.	Identify and name materials used in visual art.

Benchmark B: Use the elements and principles of art as a means to express ideas, emotions and experiences.

3.	Explore art elements to express ideas in a variety of visual forms (e.g., drawings, paintings and ceramics).

Benchmark C: Develop and select a range of subject matter and ideas to communicate meaning in two- and three-dimensional works of art.

4.	Generate ideas and images for artwork based on memory, imagination and experience.

Benchmark D: Recognize and use ongoing assessment to revise and improve the quality of original artworks.

5.	Select and share favorite, original artworks.

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Benchmark A: Identify and describe the visual features and characteristics in works of art.

1.	Respond to artworks by pointing out images and subject matter.
2.	Relate their own experiences to what they see in works of art.
3.	Recognize the similarities and differences between artistic styles.

Benchmark B: Apply comprehension strategies (e.g., personal experience, art knowledge, emotion and perceptual and reasoning skills) to respond to a range of visual artworks.

4.	Ask and answer questions about the main ideas and stories in artworks.
5.	Describe how selected artworks make them feel and why, using examples from the works.

Benchmark C: Contribute to the development of criteria for discussing and judging works of art.

6.	Select and share a favorite visual work of art and tell their reasons for choosing it.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Benchmark A: Apply basic reasoning skills to understand why works of art are made and valued.

1.	Reflect on and ask questions about why people make art.

Benchmark B: Form their own opinions and views abut works of art and discuss them with others.

2.	Recognize that people have different viewpoints about works of art, and all of the viewpoints are important.

Benchmark C: Distinguish and describe the aesthetic qualities in works of art.

3.	Notice and point out different ways that an artwork expresses a feeling or a mood.

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate the relationship the visual arts share with other arts disciplines as meaningful forms of nonverbal communication.

1.	Use visual symbols to represent the rhythms, beats and sounds they hear in music.

Benchmark B: Use the visual arts as a means to understand concepts and topics studied in disciplines outside the arts.

2.	Connect words and images by sketching or illustrating a favorite part of a story.

Benchmark C: Create and solve an interdisciplinary problem using visual art processes, materials and tools.

3.	Create artwork that explores a central theme across disciplines (e.g., family, communication and culture).

Benchmark D: Describe how visual art is used in their communities and the world around them and provide examples.

4.	Recognize when the where people create, observe and respond to visual art.

Grade 1

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Benchmark A: Recognize and describe visual art forms and artworks from various times and places.

1.	Recognize and describe visual symbols, images and icons that reflect the cultural heritages of the people of the United States (e.g., flags, monuments and landmarks).

Benchmark B: Identify art forms, visual ideas and artistic styles and describe how they are influenced by time and culture.

2.	Observe different cultural styles of art and point out how artists use lines, shapes, colors and textures.

Benchmark C: Identify and describe the different purposes people have for creating works of art.

3.	Share artwork or an art object from their own cultural backgrounds and describe its purpose (e.g., personal, functional or decorative).

Benchmark D: Place selected visual artists and their contributions chronologically on a timeline in the history of Ohio, the United States or North America.

4.	Discuss the life story of one or more culturally representative artists and identify his or her works and artistic style.
5.	Identify works made by one or more visual artists in a selected historical period.

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate knowledge of visual art materials, tools, techniques and processes by using them expressively and skillfully.

1.	Demonstrate beginning skill in the use of art materials and tools.

Benchmark B: Use the elements and principles of art as a means to express ideas, emotions and experiences.

2.	Identify visual art elements and principles using art vocabulary.
3.	Use selected art elements and principles to express a personal response to the world around them.

Benchmark C: Develop and select a range of subject matter and ideas to communicate meaning in two- and three-dimensional works of art.

4.	Invent imagery and symbols to express thoughts and feelings.
5.	Explore and use a range of subject matter in their artworks (e.g., people, places, animals and nature).

Benchmark D: Recognize and use ongoing assessment to revise and improve the quality of original artworks.

6.	Begin to use basic self-assessment strategies to improve artworks (e.g., make revisions and reflect on the use of art elements).

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Benchmark A: Identify and describe the visual features and characteristics in works of art.

1.	Notice and describe multiple characteristics (e.g., colors, forms, materials and subject matter) in their own artworks and the works of others.
2.	Explore and describe how a selected art object was made.
3.	Describe the different ways that art elements are used and organized in works of art including their own.

Benchmark B: Apply comprehension strategies (e.g., personal experience, art knowledge, emotion and perceptual and reasoning skills) to respond to a range of visual artworks.

4.	Describe how art elements and principles are organized to communicate meaning in works of art.
5.	Connect their own interests and experiences to the subject matter in artworks.

Benchmark C: Contribute to the development of criteria for discussing and judging works of art.

6.	Recognize basic elements of art as they relate to the quality of a work of art.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Benchmark A: Apply basic reasoning skills to understand why works of art are made and valued.

1.	Offer reasons why they make art and others make art.

Benchmark B: Form their own opinions and views abut works of art and discuss them with others.

2.	Form their own opinions and views about works of art.
3.	Recognize that people value art for different reasons.

Benchmark C: Distinguish and describe the aesthetic qualities in works of art.

4.	Describe the expressive qualities in their own works of art.

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate the relationship the visual arts share with other arts disciplines as meaningful forms of nonverbal communication.

1.	Make connections between visual art, music and movement.

Benchmark B: Use the visual arts as a means to understand concepts and topics studied in disciplines outside the arts.

2.	Create a visual art product to increase understanding of a concept or topic studied in another content area (e.g., mathematics – measurement; English language arts – sequencing a story; geography – continents and science – balance).

Benchmark C: Create and solve an interdisciplinary problem using visual art processes, materials and tools.

3.	Demonstrate the relationship between art forms by correlating subject matter with other disciplines.

Benchmark D: Describe how visual art is used in their communities and the world around them and provide examples.

4.	Identify and discuss artwork they see in the school and local community.
5.	Identify what an artist does and find examples of works by artists in their local communities.

Grade 2

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Benchmark A: Recognize and describe visual art forms and artworks from various times and places.

1.	Relate artworks to their place in history.

Benchmark B: Identify art forms, visual ideas and artistic styles and describe how they are influenced by time and culture.

2.	Use historical artworks such as paintings, photographs and drawings to answer questions about daily life in the past.

Benchmark C: Identify and describe the different purposes people have for creating works of art.

3.	Identify and compare the purpose of art objects from various cultures (e.g., masks, puppets, pottery and weaving).

Benchmark D: Place selected visual artists and their contributions chronologically on a timeline in the history of Ohio, the United States or North America.

4.	Distinguish the artistic style and subject matter in the artworks of two or more visual artists from local, regional or state history.

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate knowledge of visual art materials, tools, techniques and processes by using them expressively and skillfully.

1.	Demonstrate increasing skill in the use of art tools and materials.

Benchmark B: Use the elements and principles of art as a means to express ideas, emotions and experiences.

2.	Begin to establish a purpose for their artworks.
3.	Identify, select and use art elements and principles to express emotions and produce a variety of visual effects.

Benchmark C: Develop and select a range of subject matter and ideas to communicate meaning in two- and three-dimensional works of art.

4.	Create artworks based on observation of familiar objects and scenes in the environment.
5.	Compare the subject matter and ideas in their own artworks with those in the works of others.

Benchmark D: Recognize and use ongoing assessment to revise and improve the quality of original artworks.

6.	Begin to revise work to a level of personal satisfaction.

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Benchmark A: Identify and describe the visual features and characteristics in works of art.

1.	Use details to describe objects, symbols, and visual effects in artworks (e.g., tilted objects, yellow-orange sun and striped shirt).
2.	Compare and describe the materials and techniques used by artists in works they observe.
3.	Respond to the composition of artworks by describing how art elements work together to create expressive impact (e.g., the relationship of colors and shapes to create a happy or fearful mood).

Benchmark B: Apply comprehension strategies (e.g., personal experience, art knowledge, emotion and perceptual and reasoning skills) to respond to a range of visual artworks.

4.	Use context clues to identify and describe the cultural symbols and images in artworks.

Benchmark C: Contribute to the development of criteria for discussing and judging works of art.

5.	Recognize the difference between assessing the quality of artwork and their personal preference for a work.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Benchmark A: Apply basic reasoning skills to understand why works of art are made and valued.

1.	Recognize that others (e.g., family, friends, teachers and artists) have different beliefs about art and that they value art in different ways.
2.	Use visual art vocabulary to talk about what they wanted to achieve in their artworks.

Benchmark B: Form their own opinions and views abut works of art and discuss them with others.

3.	Compare different responses to the same work of art (e.g., parents, peers, teachers and artists).
4.	Listen carefully to others’ viewpoints and beliefs about art.

Benchmark C: Distinguish and describe the aesthetic qualities in works of art.

5.	Talk about their thoughts and feelings when looking at works of art.

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate the relationship the visual arts share with other arts disciplines as meaningful forms of nonverbal communication.

1.	Use visual art materials to express an idea from a song, a poem, play or story.

Benchmark B: Use the visual arts as a means to understand concepts and topics studied in disciplines outside the arts.

2.	Discuss the importance of visual artists to society with the importance of explorers, inventors or scientists.

Benchmark C: Create and solve an interdisciplinary problem using visual art processes, materials and tools.

3.	Construct a three-dimensional model of a scene from the life story of a historical figure (e.g., Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman and Susan B. Anthony).

Benchmark D: Describe how visual art is used in their communities and the world around them and provide examples.

4.	Share artwork from a resource in their communities and describe its cultural context.
5.	Describe ways they use visual art outside the classroom and provide examples.
6.	Identify and discuss artists in the community who create different kinds of art.

Grade 3

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Benchmark A: Recognize and describe visual art forms and artworks from various times and places.

1.	Connect various art forms and artistic styles to their cultural traditions.

Benchmark B: Identify art forms, visual ideas and artistic styles and describe how they are influenced by time and culture.

2.	Identify and compare similar themes, subject matter and images in artworks from historical and contemporary eras.

Benchmark C: Identify and describe the different purposes people have for creating works of art.

3.	Identify artworks from their own communities or regions that reflect social influences or cultural traditions.

Benchmark D: Place selected visual artists and their contributions chronologically on a timeline in the history of Ohio, the United States or North America.

4.	Recognize selected artists who contributed to the cultural heritages of the people of the United States.

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate knowledge of visual art materials, tools, techniques and processes by using them expressively and skillfully.

1.	Demonstrate skill and expression in the use of art techniques and processes.
2.	Use appropriate visual art vocabulary when describing art-making processes.

Benchmark B: Use the elements and principles of art as a means to express ideas, emotions and experiences.

3.	Create two- and three-dimensional works that demonstrate awareness of space and composition (e.g., relate art elements to one another and to the space as a whole).
4.	Identify relationships between selected art elements and principles (e.g., color and rhythm).

Benchmark C: Develop and select a range of subject matter and ideas to communicate meaning in two- and three-dimensional works of art.

5.	Recognize and identify a purpose or intent for creating an original work of art.
6.	Create an original work of art that illustrates a story or interprets a theme.

Benchmark D: Recognize and use ongoing assessment to revise and improve the quality of original artworks.

7.	Use feedback and self-assessment to revise and improve the quality of original artworks.

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Benchmark A: Identify and describe the visual features and characteristics in works of art.

1.	Use details to describe the characteristics of subject matter in artworks (e.g., subtle facial expressions, distinctive clothing and stormy weather).
2.	Explain how art principles are used by artists to create visual effects (e.g., balance used to create the effect of stability).

Benchmark B: Apply comprehension strategies (e.g., personal experience, art knowledge, emotion and perceptual and reasoning skills) to respond to a range of visual artworks.

3.	Discuss different responses to, and interpretations of, the same artwork.

Benchmark C: Contribute to the development of criteria for discussing and judging works of art.

4.	Identify successful characteristics that contribute to the quality of their own artwork and the works of others.
5.	Identify criteria for discussing and assessing works of art.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Benchmark A: Apply basic reasoning skills to understand why works of art are made and valued.

1.	Explain reasons for selecting an object they think is a work of art.

Benchmark B: Form their own opinions and views abut works of art and discuss them with others.

2.	Ask questions about others’ ideas and views concerning art.

Benchmark C: Distinguish and describe the aesthetic qualities in works of art.

3.	Distinguish between technical and expressive qualities in their own artworks.

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate the relationship the visual arts share with other arts disciplines as meaningful forms of nonverbal communication.

1.	Interpret a favorite painting through movement or music.

Benchmark B: Use the visual arts as a means to understand concepts and topics studied in disciplines outside the arts.

2.	Communicate mathematics, geography or science information visually (e.g., develop a chart, graph or illustration).
3.	Relate concepts common to the arts and disciplines outside the arts (e.g., composition, balance, form and movement).

Benchmark C: Create and solve an interdisciplinary problem using visual art processes, materials and tools.

4.	Apply problem-solving skills from the other subject areas to solve artistic problems (e.g., scientific method and inquiry processes).

Benchmark D: Describe how visual art is used in their communities and the world around them and provide examples.

5.	Provide examples of different types of artists and describe their roles in everyday life (e.g., muralists, industrial designers, architects and book illustrators).

Grade 4

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Benchmark A: Recognize and describe visual art forms and artworks from various times and places.

1.	Identify and describe artwork from various cultural/ethnic groups that settled in Ohio over time.

Benchmark B: Identify art forms, visual ideas and artistic styles and describe how they are influenced by time and culture.

2.	Compare and contrast art forms from different cultures and their own cultures.

Benchmark C: Identify and describe the different purposes people have for creating works of art.

3.	Compare the decorative and functional qualities of artwork from cultural/ethnic groups within their local communities.

Benchmark D: Place selected visual artists and their contributions chronologically on a timeline in the history of Ohio, the United States or North America.

4.	Select an American artists and explain how the artist’s work relates to American history.
5.	Construct a simple timeline that places selected artists and their works next to historical events in the same time period.

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate knowledge of visual art materials, tools, techniques and processes by using them expressively and skillfully.

1.	Select art materials, tools and processes with characteristics that achieve their purposes.

Benchmark B: Use the elements and principles of art as a means to express ideas, emotions and experiences.

2.	Discuss their artworks in terms of line, shape, color, texture and composition.
3.	Initiate and use strategies to solve visual problems (e.g., construct three-dimensional art objects that have structural integrity and a sense of completeness).

Benchmark C: Develop and select a range of subject matter and ideas to communicate meaning in two- and three-dimensional works of art.

4.	Create a narrative image (e.g., objects well-connected and in a sequence) that expresses an event from personal experience.

Benchmark D: Recognize and use ongoing assessment to revise and improve the quality of original artworks.

5.	Give and receive constructive feedback to produce artworks that meet learning goals.

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Benchmark A: Identify and describe the visual features and characteristics in works of art.

1.	Compare and contrast how art elements and principles are used in selected artworks to express ideas and communicate meaning.

Benchmark B: Apply comprehension strategies (e.g., personal experience, art knowledge, emotion and perceptual and reasoning skills) to respond to a range of visual artworks.

2.	Explain the function and purpose of selected art objects (e.g., utilitarian, decorative, societal and personal).
3.	Describe how artists use symbols and imagery to convey meaning in culturally representative works.

Benchmark C: Contribute to the development of criteria for discussing and judging works of art.

4.	Explain how an art critic uses criteria to judge artworks.
5.	Refer to criteria when discussing and judging the quality of works of art.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Benchmark A: Apply basic reasoning skills to understand why works of art are made and valued.

1.	Explain how works of art can reflect the beliefs, attitudes and traditions of the artist.
2.	Reflect on and develop their own beliefs about art (e.g., how art should look, what it should express or how it should be made).

Benchmark B: Form their own opinions and views abut works of art and discuss them with others.

3.	Support their viewpoints about selected works of art with examples from the works.

Benchmark C: Distinguish and describe the aesthetic qualities in works of art.

4.	Describe the successful use of one expressive element in an artwork, using sensory details and descriptive language.

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate the relationship the visual arts share with other arts disciplines as meaningful forms of nonverbal communication.

1.	Identify and describe common themes, subject matter and ideas expressed across arts disciplines.
2.	Describe how selected visual art elements or principles are used in one or two other arts disciplines (e.g., color, unity, variety and contrast).

Benchmark B: Use the visual arts as a means to understand concepts and topics studied in disciplines outside the arts.

3	Describe the artwork of one cultural/ethnic group (e.g., Paleo Indians, European immigrants, Appalachian, Amish, African or Asian groups).

Benchmark C: Create and solve an interdisciplinary problem using visual art processes, materials and tools.

4.	Demonstrate technical skill by creating an art product that uses common materials and tools from different subject areas (e.g., ruler, compass, graph paper and computer).

Benchmark D: Describe how visual art is used in their communities and the world around them and provide examples.

5.	Read biographies and stories about key artists and describe how their work reflects and contributes to history.
6.	Recognize and identify a range of careers in visual art (e.g., fashion designer, architect, graphic artist and a museum curator).

Grade 5

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Benchmark A: Compare and contrast the distinctive characteristics of art forms from various cultural, historical and social contexts.

1.	Identify visual forms of expression found in different cultures.
2.	Compare and contrast art forms from various regions and cultural traditions.

Benchmark B: Create a work of art which incorporates the style or characteristics of artwork from a culture other than their own.

3.	Compare and contrast the artistic styles observed in artwork from various cultures.
4.	Demonstrate the way art materials are used by artists to create different styles (e.g., paint applied spontaneously in expression and more carefully in minimalism).

Benchmark C: Demonstrate knowledge of historical influences on contemporary works of art and make predictions about influences on the future of visual art.

5.	Examine how social, environmental or political issues affect design choices (e.g., architecture, public art and fashion ).

Benchmark D: Create an original work of art to express a social, cultural or political point of view.

6.	Speculate if their work would contribute to the documentation and preservation of art history linked with a social, cultural or political point of view.

7.	Explain how art galleries, museums and public art contribute to the documentation and preservation of art history.
8.	Describe the lives, work or impact of key visual artists in a selected period.

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

Benchmark A: Apply knowledge of materials, tools, media, techniques and processes to communicate subject matter, themes or ideas in a variety of visual forms.

1.	Use observational and technical skills to achieve the illusion of depth in two-dimensional space (e.g., value, perspective and placement of objects).
2.	Explore different approaches to creating art (e.g., by artists, style or historical period).

Benchmark B: Create two- and three-dimensional original artwork that demonstrates personal visual expression and communication.

3.	Identify sources artists use to get ideas for their works (e.g., personal experience, interests, nature, current events or cultural traditions).

Benchmark C: Achieve artistic purpose and communicate intent by selection and use of appropriate media.

4.	Apply problem-solving strategies to improve the creation of artwork.

Benchmark D: Use current, available technology to refine an idea and create an original, imaginative work of art.

5.	Use current, available technology to explore imagery and create visual effects.

Benchmark E: Identify and provide reasons to support their artistic decisions in the creation of artwork.

6.	Identify reasons for personal, artistic decisions.

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Benchmark A: Apply the strategies of art criticism to describe, analyze and interpret selected works of art.

1.	Compare and analyze how art elements and principles are used for expressive purposes (e.g., strong mood, explosive shapes and rhythmic patterns).
2.	Compare the works of different artists on the basis of distinctive characteristics (e.g., functional/nonfunctional and representational/abstract).
3.	Explain and discuss multiple meanings in selected artworks.

Benchmark B: Present and support an individual interpretation of a work of art.

4.	Apply observation and analysis skills to derive meaning in a selected artwork and explain their thought processes.

Benchmark C: Establish and use criteria for making judgments about works of art.

5.	Use specific criteria individually and in groups to assess works of art.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate aesthetic inquiry and reflection skills when participating in discussions about the nature and value of art.

1.	Pose questions that can be answered by an aesthetic study of artworks.
2.	Recognize that different assumptions and theories of art lead to different interpretations of artworks.

Benchmark B: Analyze diverse points of view about artworks and explain the factors that shape various perspectives.

3.	Explain how personal experience can influence choosing one artwork over another.

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate the role of visual art in solving an interdisciplinary problem.

1.	Compare and contrast how visual art is used in musical, theatrical or dance productions and provide examples.

Benchmark B: Apply and combine visual art, research and technology skills to communicate ideas in visual form.

2.	Use technology to conduct information searches, research topics and explore connections for arts integrated study.

Benchmark C: Use key concepts, issues and themes to connect visual art to various content areas.

3.	Use artwork to communicate and enhance understanding of concepts in other subject areas (e.g., science, English language arts, mathematics and social studies).

Benchmark D: Use words and images to explain the role of visual art in community and cultural traditions and events.

4.	Investigate the types of cultural objects artists create and their role in our everyday environment.

Grade 6

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Benchmark A: Compare and contrast the distinctive characteristics of art forms from various cultural, historical and social contexts.

1.	Compare and contrast visual forms of expression found throughout different regions and cultures of the world.
2.	Identify universal themes conveyed in artworks across various times and cultures (e.g., family, good versus evil and heroism).

Benchmark B: Create a work of art which incorporates the style or characteristics of artwork from a culture other than their own.

3.	Analyze and demonstrate the stylistic characteristics of culturally representative artworks.

Benchmark C: Demonstrate knowledge of historical influences on contemporary works of art and make predictions about influences on the future of visual art.

4.	Investigate the roles and relationships between artists and patrons and explain the effect on the creation of works of art.

Benchmark D: Create an original work of art to express a social, cultural or political point of view.

5.	Reflect how their created work relates to social, cultural or political points of view.

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

Benchmark A: Apply knowledge of materials, tools, media, techniques and processes to communicate subject matter, themes or ideas in a variety of visual forms.

1.	Demonstrate skill in changing (e.g., exaggerating and transforming) natural forms for expressive purposes.
2.	Recognize and identify the qualities and characteristics of craftsmanship in a work of art.

Benchmark B: Create two- and three-dimensional original artwork that demonstrates personal visual expression and communication.

3.	Explore ways that art-making functions as a means of personal identification and expression.
4.	Use observation, life experiences and imagination as sources for visual symbols and images.

Benchmark C: Achieve artistic purpose and communicate intent by selection and use of appropriate media.

5.	Select and use appropriate materials and tools to solve an artistic problem.

Benchmark D: Use current, available technology to refine an idea and create an original, imaginative work of art.

6.	Use current, available technology to create original artworks.

Benchmark E: Identify and provide reasons to support their artistic decisions in the creation of artwork.

7.	Explain and defend artistic decisions using appropriate visual art vocabulary.

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Benchmark A: Apply the strategies of art criticism to describe, analyze and interpret selected works of art.

1.	Use appropriate vocabulary to identify the content in works of art created for different purposes (e.g., utilitarian, decorative and societal).
2.	Explain how art elements and principles are used in artworks to produce certain visual effects (e.g., dynamic tension, textured surfaces, patterns and designs).

Benchmark B: Present and support an individual interpretation of a work of art.

3.	Interpret selected works of art based on the visual clues in the works.

Benchmark C: Establish and use criteria for making judgments about works of art.

4.	Identify innovative approaches and techniques used by artists and provide examples of their cultural and social significance.
5.	Use criteria for self-assessment and to select and organize works of art for a portfolio.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate aesthetic inquiry and reflection skills when participating in discussions about the nature and value of art.

1.	Explain what makes an object a work of art using a range of criteria (e.g., the feeling it evokes, the artist’s style and choice of materials or the subject matter).

2.	Reflect on and generate a personal theory for how visual art should be viewed, interpreted and valued.

Benchmark B: Analyze diverse points of view about artworks and explain the factors that shape various perspectives.

3.	Describe how culture, age, gender and attitude can affect a person’s view and response to visual art.

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate the role of visual art in solving an interdisciplinary problem.

1.	Depict elements of major events in a selected decade.

Benchmark B: Apply and combine visual art, research and technology skills to communicate ideas in visual form.

2.	Use computer skills to organize and visually display quantitative information on a chart, map or graph.

Benchmark C: Use key concepts, issues and themes to connect visual art to various content areas.

3.	Compare the ways that selected ideas and concepts are communicated through the perspective of visual art and through the perspectives of other academic disciplines.

Benchmark D: Use words and images to explain the role of visual art in community and cultural traditions and events.

4.	Describe the function of art in the daily life of their communities and cultures.
5.	Identify the ways in which science and technology influence the development of art in various cultures.

Grade 7

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Benchmark A: Compare and contrast the distinctive characteristics of art forms from various cultural, historical and social contexts.

1.	Use multiple sources to research various art forms used for social, cultural or political purposes.
2.	Describe how the same subject matter is represented differently in works of art across cultures and time periods (e.g., portrait, landscape and still life).

Benchmark B: Create a work of art which incorporates the style or characteristics of artwork from a culture other than their own.

3.	Provide insight into the factors that might influence the development of an artist’s style and works (e.g., personal experience, interest, cultural heritage and gender).

Benchmark C: Demonstrate knowledge of historical influences on contemporary works of art and make predictions about influences on the future of visual art.

4.	Observe various artworks which have demonstrated historical influences and discuss current events which may impact future visual art.

Benchmark D: Create an original work of art to express a social, cultural or political point of view.

5.	Create a visual product that reflects current, cultural influences.

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

Benchmark A: Apply knowledge of materials, tools, media, techniques and processes to communicate subject matter, themes or ideas in a variety of visual forms.

1.	Demonstrate a variety of techniques to create works of art.
2.	Apply the principles and elements of design to construct various artworks.

Benchmark B: Create two- and three-dimensional original artwork that demonstrates personal visual expression and communication.

3.	Apply knowledge of materials, tools, media, techniques and processes to create a two- and three-dimensional original artwork.
4.	Apply observation skills to refine and improve the visual representation in their artworks (e.g., add details, improve proportion, create distinctive images and coordinate objects spatially).

Benchmark C: Achieve artistic purpose and communicate intent by selection and use of appropriate media.

5.	Use a variety of sources to generate original ideas for art-making.

Benchmark D: Use current, available technology to refine an idea and create an original, imaginative work of art.

6.	Use current, available technology as a resource to create an original work of art.

Benchmark E: Identify and provide reasons to support their artistic decisions in the creation of artwork.

7.	Improve craftsmanship and refine ideas in response to feedback and self-assessment.

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Benchmark A: Apply the strategies of art criticism to describe, analyze and interpret selected works of art.

1.	Use appropriate vocabulary to explain how techniques, materials and methods used by artists affect what the artwork communicates.
2.	Use appropriate vocabulary to explain how the elements and principles of art communicate different meanings.

Benchmark B: Present and support an individual interpretation of a work of art.

3.	Analyze the effect of history and culture on the interpretation of artworks.

Benchmark C: Establish and use criteria for making judgments about works of art.

4.	Develop and use criteria to guide their reflections of a body of their own artworks.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate aesthetic inquiry and reflection skills when participating in discussions about the nature and value of art.

1.	Observe selected artworks and describe the visual features and sensory qualities that evoke feelings and emotions.

Benchmark B: Analyze diverse points of view about artworks and explain the factors that shape various perspectives.

2.	Ask clarifying questions to explain diverse viewpoints about selected works of art.
3.	Discuss personal beliefs, values, feelings and assumptions when explaining their own perspectives on artwork and connect their responses to what they see in the work.

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate the role of visual art in solving an interdisciplinary problem.

1.	Create artwork that expresses a personal comment about a social, environmental/political issue.

Benchmark B: Apply and combine visual art, research and technology skills to communicate ideas in visual form.

2.	Apply computer skills to explore visual effects to enhance projects and presentations.

Benchmark C: Use key concepts, issues and themes to connect visual art to various content areas.

3.	Demonstrate understanding of the relationship between words and images by applying text to images and images to text.

Benchmark D: Use words and images to explain the role of visual art in community and cultural traditions and events.

4.	Experience galleries, museums and other cultural institutions to better understand the role of visual art within the community and cultural context.

Grade 8

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Benchmark A: Compare and contrast the distinctive characteristics of art forms from various cultural, historical and social contexts.

1.	Explain how social, cultural and political factors affect what artists, architects or designers create.
2.	Discuss the role and function of art objects within cultures (e.g., furniture, tableware, jewelry and pottery).

Benchmark B: Create a work of art which incorporates the style or characteristics of artwork from a culture other than their own.

3.	Identify artworks that make a social or political comment and explain the messages they convey.

Benchmark C: Demonstrate knowledge of historical influences on contemporary works of art and make predictions about influences on the future of visual art.

4.	Select, compare and contrast major works of art from a historical perspective.
5.	Consider and discuss how contemporary artworks contribute to and influence the future of art.

Benchmark D: Create an original work of art to express a social, cultural or political point of view.

6.	Relate major works of art throughout time with the appropriate historical period or artistic movement.

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

Benchmark A: Apply knowledge of materials, tools, media, techniques and processes to communicate subject matter, themes or ideas in a variety of visual forms.

1.	Identify and apply criteria to assess content and craftsmanship in the works.

Benchmark B: Create two- and three-dimensional original artwork that demonstrates personal visual expression and communication.

2.	Demonstrate an enhanced level of craftsmanship in original two- and three-dimensional art products.

Benchmark C: Achieve artistic purpose and communicate intent by selection and use of appropriate media.

3.	Experiment with style and demonstrate how the same subject can be portrayed in different ways (e.g., a self portrait interpreted in expressionism and through abstraction.

Benchmark D: Use current, available technology to refine an idea and create an original, imaginative work of art.

4.	Demonstrate increased technological skill by using more complex processes to design and create two- and three-dimensional artworks.

Benchmark E: Identify and provide reasons to support their artistic decisions in the creation of artwork.

5.	Explain and defend their artistic decisions using appropriate visual art vocabulary.

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Benchmark A: Apply the strategies of art criticism to describe, analyze and interpret selected works of art.

1.	Observe a selected work of art and explain how the artist’s choice of media relates to the ideas and images in the work.
2.	Identify professions that use art criticism (e.g., artist, museum curator, art critic and art appraiser).

Benchmark B: Present and support an individual interpretation of a work of art.

3.	Explain how personal experience influences their opinions of artworks.

Benchmark C: Establish and use criteria for making judgments about works of art.

4.	Analyze and discuss qualities in the artwork of peers to better understand the qualities in their own artworks.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate aesthetic inquiry and reflection skills when participating in discussions about the nature and value of art.

1.	Recognize how reflection can change beliefs about the nature and value of art.
2.	Articulate an understanding of different aesthetic theories related to viewing and interpreting artworks (e.g., formal, expressive and contextual).

Benchmark B: Analyze diverse points of view about artworks and explain the factors that shape various perspectives.

3.	Compare their viewpoints about a selected work of art with the point of view of the artist who created the work.

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate the role of visual art in solving an interdisciplinary problem.

1.	Demonstrate different visual forms of representation for the same topic or theme.

Benchmark B: Apply and combine visual art, research and technology skills to communicate ideas in visual form.

2.	Achieve an effective balance between creating computer-generated images and drawing their own original images.

Benchmark C: Use key concepts, issues and themes to connect visual art to various content areas.

3.	Collaborate with a community artist to gain an understanding of various works of art.

Benchmark D: Use words and images to explain the role of visual art in community and cultural traditions and events.

4.	Identify how aspects of culture influence ritual and social artwork.
5.	Explore ways to communicate the importance of art in their local communities (e.g., become an arts advocate, a volunteer or member of a professional arts organization or patron of the arts).

Cartooning/Animation

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Benchmark A: Explain how and why visual art forms develop in the contexts in which they were made (e.g., cultural, social, historical and political).

Indicators:

1.	Discuss the roles of cartoons and animation within social contexts.
2.	Explain the relationship of an editorial cartoon to the time period in which it was created.
3.	Research and describe the cultural values in various traditions that influence contemporary art media (i.e., anime)
4.	Identify how cartoons impact society through satire and editorial.
5.	Make a presentation, using words and images, to show how cartoons affect changes in styles, trends, content and expressions over time.

Benchmark B: Compare works of art to one another in terms of the historical, cultural, social and political influences evident in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Compare and contrast the stylistic characteristics of editorial cartoons from one historical period with those of the previous time period.
2.	Explain the circumstances and events that influence cartoonists to create and satire current events.

Benchmark C: Analyze the characteristics and content of culturally and historically significant artworks to demonstrate understanding of how visual art reflects historical issues, events, and cultural traditions.

Indicators:

1.	Connect a variety of contemporary art forms, media and styles to their cultural, historical and social origins.
2.	Explain how art history interrelates with the study of aesthetics, criticism and cartooning.
3.	Investigate the recurrence of a particular style or technique in animation (e.g., claymation, cartoon cells).
4.	Compare the artistic styles and subject matter in cartoons by artists of different cultures.

Benchmark D: Select a culture and create an original work of art that demonstrates understanding of a historical, social or political issue of the culture.

Indicators:

1.	Analyze major changes to artistic styles throughout art history and determine the historical, social, political or artistic factors that influenced the change.
2.	Describe various sources visual artists use to generate ideas for cartons and animation (e.g., personal experience, imagination, interests, everyday events and social issues).

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate mastery of materials, concepts and personal concentration when creating original artworks.

Indicators:

1.	Integrate the elements of art and principles of design using a variety of media to solve specific visual art problems and to convey meaning.

2.	Demonstrate perceptual skill when drawing from direct observation (e.g., caricatures).
3.	Create original animations in at least two three-dimensional media and several two-dimensional media that show the development of a personal style.

Benchmark B: Create expressive artworks that demonstrate a sense of purpose and understanding of the relationship between materials, techniques and ideas.

Indicators:

1.	Use available technology as a tool to explore animation and art techniques to express ideas (e.g., digital imagery, video and computer graphics).
2.	Make informed choices in the selection of materials, subject matter and techniques to achieve certain visual effects.
3.	Explain their artistic processes from conceiving an idea to completing a cartoon or animation.
4.	During the artistic process, evaluate their choices of compositional elements in terms of how those choices affect the subject matter of the work.
5.	Trace the origin of symbolism, imagery and metaphor in art and demonstrate the use of these visual devices in their cartoons and animation.

Benchmark C: Engage in ongoing assessment to revise and improve artworks and to produce a well-organized portfolio of works.

Indicators:

1.	Develop criteria for assessing the quality of their cartoons.
2.	Use criteria to revise works-in-progress and describe changes made and what was learned in the process.
3.	Reflect on the quality of their own works before asking the opinions of others.

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Benchmark A: Apply the knowledge and skills of art criticism to conduct in-depth analyses of works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Apply various methods of art criticism to analyze and interpret works of art (e.g., the methods of Edmund Burke Feldman, Louis Lankford or Terry Barrett).
2.	Explain how art media and techniques influence artistic decisions.
3.	Analyze the way media, technique, compositional elements and subject matter work together to create meaning in selected cartoons.
4.	Apply methods of art criticism in writing and speaking about works of art.

Benchmark B: Show evidence of how form, style and presentation contribute to meanings in works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Research and describe the work of a cartoonist on the basis of how the cartoonist’s choice of media and style contribute to the meaning of the work.
2.	Understand how the structure and composition of a cartoon relate to its purpose.

Benchmark C: Critique their own work, the works of peers and other artists on the basis of the formal, technical and expressive aspects in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Use appropriate vocabulary to define and describe techniques, materials and methods that artists use to create cartoons and animation.
2.	Analyze and describe the visual aspects of their own cartoons and the work of others.
3.	Develop and use criteria to select works for their portfolios that reflect artistic growth and achievement.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Benchmark A: Communicate how an aesthetic point of view contributes to the ideas, emotions and overall impact of personal artworks and the works of others.

Indicators:

1.	Demonstrate skill in evaluating the methods and beliefs used for refining and reworking the ideas that influence the creation of their cartoons or animation.
2.	Articulate how individual beliefs, cultural traditions and current social contexts influence response to the meanings of specific cartoons.
3.	Explain their processes and rationales for refining and reworking their own cartoons.
4.	Develop aesthetic criteria for selecting a body of work for their portfolios that demonstrates accomplishment, knowledge and skill in the visual arts.

Benchmark B: Identify and analyze a variety of viewpoints on aesthetic issues and develop a personal point of view.

Indicators:

1.	Demonstrate logical reasoning when arguing the merit of a selected work of art and discuss the arguments put forward by others.
2.	Justify the merits of specific cartoons using theories that may be different from their own conceptions of humor and aesthetics.

Benchmark C: Judge the merit of selected artworks and provide the aesthetic basis for their positions.

Indicators:

1.	Research and explain various theories in cartooning and animation.
2.	Identify various sources for published reviews of cartoons and use them to analyze and understand different aesthetic perspectives.
3.	Develop and apply criteria that address the aesthetic characteristics in cartoons (e.g., satire, editorial).

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark A: Summarize and explain the impact of a historical event or movement (e.g., realism, feminism, modernism or postmodernism) on the development of visual art.

Indicators:

1.	Survey various art theories or movements and make a presentation (e.g., oral, written, visual or multimedia) to explain one of them.
2.	Identify the philosophical beliefs, social systems and movements that influence the function and role of art in people’s lives.

Benchmark B: Formulate and solve a visual art problem using strategies and perspectives from other disciplines.

Indicators:

1.	Research and provide examples that show the relationship of visual art of other subjects in the curriculum (e.g., English language arts, mathematics, social studies and science).
2.	Compare the media, materials and processes (e.g., perceiving, responding, creating and communicating) used in cartooning with those used in other arts disciplines.
3.	Explain commonalities between cartooning and other disciplines.

Benchmark C: List and explain opportunities for lifelong involvement in the visual arts.

Indicators:

1.	Identify ways to provide active support to cartooning and animation both locally and nationally.
2.	Investigate opportunities for lifelong involvement in the arts and arts-related careers.
3.	Research and report on careers in the visual arts and identify the experience, education and training needed for each one.

Ceramics I

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Benchmark A: Explain how and why visual art forms develop in the contexts in which they were made (e.g., cultural, social, historical and political).

Indicators:

1.	Research and report on the historical, cultural, social, or political foundations of selected art forms.
2.	Analyze a three-dimensional work of art and explain how it reflects the heritages, traditions, attitudes and beliefs of the artist.
3.	Understand and apply knowledge of art history in oral and written discussions about selected sculptures and/or three-dimensional works.

Benchmark B: Compare works of art to one another in terms of the historical, cultural, social and political influences evident in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Explain how issues of time, place and culture influence trends in the visual arts.
2.	Identify and compare the relationships between three-dimensional artworks on the basis of history, culture and aesthetic qualities.

Benchmark C: Analyze the characteristics and content of culturally and historically significant artworks to demonstrate understanding of how visual art reflects historical issues, events and cultural traditions.

Indicators:

1.	Investigate and describe artistic styles and/or images in traditional and non-traditional settings in three-dimensional media.

2.	Describe the use of technology as a tool in generating ideas for three-dimensional ceramic work using computer-generated examples.

Benchmark D: Select a culture and create an original work of art that demonstrates understanding of a historical, social or political issue of the culture.

Indicators:

1.	Identify an artist or three-dimensional work of art of personal interest and write about the historical, social, cultural or political factors influencing the artist or the work.
2.	Explain the process used to acquire and use knowledge from art history for art production.
3.	Determine the influence of community or cultural values on the choices artists make when creating art.
4.	Incorporate knowledge and ideas from art history to produce innovative three-dimensional projects (e.g., independent study, senior portfolio and interdisciplinary projects).

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate mastery of materials, concepts and personal concentration when creating original artworks.

Indicators:

1.	Create original works of art that demonstrate increased complexity and skill and which use a variety of techniques in the three-dimensional media of clay.
2.	Explain and defend their artistic decisions using appropriate visual art vocabulary.

Benchmark B: Create expressive artworks that demonstrate a sense of purpose and understanding of the relationship between materials, techniques and ideas.

Indicators:

1.	Create three-dimensional artwork that interprets a theme, idea or concept and demonstrates technical skill and the perceptive use of visual art elements and principles.
2.	Produce artworks that demonstrate a range of individual ideas, subject matter and themes with at least one idea explored in depth.
3.	Solve three-dimensional visual art problems that demonstrate skill, imagination and in-depth understanding of media and processes.

Benchmark C: Engage in ongoing assessment to revise and improve artworks and to produce a well-organized portfolio of works.

Indicators:

1.	Use feedback and self-assessment to organize a collection of their ceramic artwork.
2.	During the assessment process, reflect on the effectiveness of their processes and techniques to achieve intended purposes in clay.
3.	Prepare a digital portfolio of ceramic artwork demonstrating knowledge of technology and its application to visual art.
4.	Organize and display their original ceramic work as part of a public art exhibition.
5.	Prepare a portfolio of personal works demonstrating technical skill and various original solutions to three-dimensional problems.

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Benchmark A: Apply the knowledge and skills of art criticism to conduct in-depth analyses of works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Describe the relationship between the content or ideas in artworks and the artist’s choice of media.
2.	Analyze and interpret the way in which the theme or meaning in an artwork expresses a social, political or cultural comment and use example from the artwork to support the interpretation.

Benchmark B: Show evidence of how form, style and presentation contribute to meanings in works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Explain how visual, spatial and temporal concepts integrate with content to communicate meaning in artworks.
2.	Explain the role of galleries, museums, art periodicals and performances and installation art in interpreting meaning in artworks.

Benchmark C: Critique their own work, the works of peers and other artists on the basis of the formal, technical and expressive aspects in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Apply peer review and critique processes to a student exhibition.
2.	Examine and evaluate the role of sculpture, installation, three-dimensional and mixed-media art.
3.	Construct a rationale for the merit of a specific work of art, using work that falls outside their conceptions of art.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Benchmark A: Communicate how an aesthetic point of view contributes to the ideas, emotions and overall impact of personal artworks and the works of others.

Indicators:

1.	Explain how the value of a work of art is affected by the manner in which it is exhibited.
2.	Compare the ways in which the emotional impact of a specific three-dimensional artwork affects the interpretation.

Benchmark B: Identify and analyze a variety of viewpoints on aesthetic issues and develop a personal point of view.

Indicators:

1.	Analyze how society influences the interpretation of works of three-dimensional art.
2.	Identify aesthetic issues connected to the public display of three-dimensional art.
3.	Compare and contrast responses to works of three-dimensional visual art on the basis of how well the works communicate intent and purpose.
4.	Apply critical thinking skills to synthesize the beliefs of significant philosophers about the nature of art.

Benchmark C: Judge the merit of selected artworks and provide the aesthetic basis for their positions.

Indicators:

1.	Demonstrate the ability to form and defend their judgments about the merits and significance of works of three-dimensional art.
2.	Research and compare the reviews of different art critics of the same work of three-dimensional art.

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark A: Summarize and explain the impact of a historical event or movement (e.g., realism, feminism, modernism or postmodernism) on the development of visual art.

Indicators:

1.	Identify ways in which culture has influenced the work of contemporary three-dimensional artists.
2.	Research and explain the relationships between specific three-dimensional artworks and major historical events.
3.	Compare and contrast universal themes and sociopolitical issues in a variety of three-dimensional artworks from different cultural contexts.
4.	Analyze the cultural influences on three-dimensional art in American today.

Benchmark B: Formulate and solve a visual art problem using strategies and perspectives from other disciplines.

Indicators:

1.	Research and demonstrate the relationships between ceramics and other disciplines (e.g., chemistry, math, physics, science).
2.	Select interdisciplinary three-dimensional art projects for a portfolio and write a description of the processes used.

Benchmark C: List and explain opportunities for lifelong involvement in the visual arts.

Indicators:

1.	Identify art professions that require a portfolio for employment (e.g., architect, photographer, sculptor, glass blower, designer).
2.	Research one local, state or national professional arts organization for the visual arts and describe ways that it advocates for arts education.

Ceramics II/III

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Benchmark A: Explain how and why visual art forms develop in the contexts in which they were made (e.g., cultural, social, historical and political).

Indicators:

1.	Research and report on the historical, cultural, social, or political foundations of selected art forms.
2.	Analyze a three-dimensional work of art and explain how it reflects the heritages, traditions, attitudes and beliefs of the artist.
3.	Understand and apply knowledge of art history in oral and written discussions about selected works of art.

Benchmark B: Compare works of art to one another in terms of the historical, cultural, social and political influences evident in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Explain how issues of time, place and culture influence trends in the visual arts.
2.	Identify and compare the relationships between three-dimensional artworks on the basis of history, culture and aesthetic qualities.

Benchmark C: Analyze the characteristics and content of culturally and historically significant artworks to demonstrate understanding of how visual art reflects historical issues, events and cultural traditions.

Indicators:

1.	Investigate and describe artistic styles and/or images in traditional and non-traditional settings in three-dimensional media.
2.	Describe the use of technology as a tool in generating ideas for three-dimensional ceramic work.

Benchmark D: Select a culture and create an original work of art that demonstrates understanding of a historical, social or political issue of the culture.

Indicators:

1.	Identify an artist or three-dimensional work of art of personal interest and write about the historical, social, cultural or political factors influencing the artist or the work.
2.	Explain the process used to acquire and use knowledge from art history for art production.
3.	Determine the influence of community or cultural values on the choices artists make when creating art.
4.	Incorporate knowledge and ideas from art history to produce innovative three-dimensional projects (e.g., independent study, senior portfolio and interdisciplinary projects).

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate mastery of materials, concepts and personal concentration when creating original artworks.

Indicators:

1.	Create original works of art that demonstrate increased complexity and skill and which use a variety of techniques in the three-dimensional media.
2.	Explain and defend their artistic decisions using appropriate visual art vocabulary.

Benchmark B: Create expressive artworks that demonstrate a sense of purpose and understanding of the relationship between materials, techniques and ideas.

Indicators:

1.	Create three-dimensional artwork that interprets a theme, idea or concept and demonstrates technical skill and the perceptive use of visual art elements and principles.

2.	Produce artworks that demonstrate a range of individual ideas, subject matter and themes with at least one idea explored in depth.
3.	Solve three-dimensional visual art problems that demonstrate skill, imagination and in-depth understanding of media and processes.

Benchmark C: Engage in ongoing assessment to revise and improve artworks and to produce a well-organized portfolio of works.

Indicators:

1.	Use feedback and self-assessment to organize a collection of ceramics artwork.
2.	During the assessment process, reflect on the effectiveness of their processes in clay and techniques to achieve intended purposes.
3.	Prepare a digital portfolio of ceramic artwork demonstrating knowledge of technology and its application to visual art.
4.	Organize and display their original ceramic work as part of a public art exhibition.
5.	Prepare a portfolio of personal works demonstrating technical skill and various original solutions to three-dimensional problems.

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Benchmark A: Apply the knowledge and skills of art criticism to conduct in-depth analyses of works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Describe the relationship between the content or ideas in artworks and the artist’s choice of media.
2.	Analyze and interpret the way in which the theme or meaning in an artwork expresses a social, political or cultural comment and use example from the artwork to support the interpretation.

Benchmark B: Show evidence of how form, style and presentation contribute to meanings in works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Explain how visual, spatial and temporal concepts integrate with content to communicate meaning in artworks.
2.	Explain the role of galleries, museums, art periodicals and performances, and installation art in interpreting meaning in artworks.

Benchmark C: Critique their own work, the works of peers and other artists on the basis of the formal, technical and expressive aspects in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Apply peer review and critique processes to a student exhibition.
2.	Examine and evaluate the role of sculpture, installation, three-dimensional and mixed media art.
3.	Construct a rationale for the merit of a specific work of art, using work that falls outside their conceptions of art.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Benchmark A: Communicate how an aesthetic point of view contributes to the ideas, emotions and overall impact of personal artworks and the works of others.

Indicators:

1.	Explain how the value of a work of art is affected by the manner in which it is exhibited.
2.	Compare the ways in which the emotional impact of a specific three-dimensional artwork affects the interpretation.

Benchmark B: Identify and analyze a variety of viewpoints on aesthetic issues and develop a personal point of view.

Indicators:

1.	Analyze how society influences the interpretation of three-dimensional works of art.
2.	Identify aesthetic issues connected to the public display of three-dimensional art.
3.	Compare and contrast responses to works of three-dimensional visual art on the basis of how well the works communicate intent and purpose.
4.	Apply critical thinking skills to synthesize the beliefs of significant philosophers about the nature of art.

Benchmark C: Judge the merit of selected artworks and provide the aesthetic basis for their positions.

Indicators:

1.	Demonstrate the ability to form and defend their judgments about the merits and significance of works of three-dimensional art.
2.	Research and compare the reviews of different art critics of the same work of three-dimensional art.

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark A: Summarize and explain the impact of a historical event or movement (e.g., realism, feminism, modernism or postmodernism) on the development of visual art.

Indicators:

1.	Identify ways in which culture has influenced the work of contemporary, three-dimensional artists (e.g., sculptors, installation artists and crafters).
2.	Research and explain the relationships between specific three-dimensional artworks and major historical events.

3.	Compare and contrast universal themes and sociopolitical issues in a variety of three-dimensional artworks from different cultural contexts.
4.	Analyze the cultural influences on three-dimensional art in American today.

Benchmark B: Formulate and solve a visual art problem using strategies and perspectives from other disciplines.

Indicators:

1.	Research and demonstrate the relationships between ceramics and other disciplines (e.g., ceramics – chemistry, arts – science, sculpture – math).
2.	Select interdisciplinary three-dimensional art projects for a portfolio and write a description of the processes used.

Benchmark C: List and explain opportunities for lifelong involvement in the visual arts.

Indicators:

1.	Identify art professions that require a portfolio for employment (e.g., architect, photographer, sculptor, glass blower, designer).
2.	Research one local, state or national professional arts organization for the visual arts and describe ways that it advocates for arts education.

Crafts

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Benchmark A: Explain how and why visual art forms develop in the contexts in which they were made (e.g., cultural, social, historical and political).

Indicators:

1.	Discuss the roles of crafts within social contexts.
2.	Explain the relationship of a selected craft to the time period in which it was created.
3.	Research and describe the cultural values in various traditions that influence contemporary arts and crafts.
4.	Explain how art historians, curators, anthropologists and philosophers contribute to our understanding of art history.
5.	Make a presentation, using words and images, to show how crafts affect changes in styles, trends, content and expressions over time.

Benchmark B: Compare works of art to one another in terms of the historical, cultural, social and political influences evident in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Compare and contrast the stylistic characteristics of crafts from one historical period with those of the previous time period.
2.	Explain the circumstances and events that influence artists to create craft styles.

Benchmark C: Analyze the characteristics and content of culturally and historically significant artworks to demonstrate understanding of how visual art reflects historical issues, events, and cultural traditions.

Indicators:

1.	Connect a variety of contemporary arts and crafts forms, media and styles to their cultural, historical and social origins.
2.	Explain how art history interrelates with the study of aesthetics, criticism and art-making.
3.	Investigate the recurrence of a particular style or technique in art history (e.g., primitive, cultural).
4.	Compare the artistic styles and subject matter in craftworks by artists of different cultures.

Benchmark D: Select a culture and create an original work of art that demonstrates understanding of a historical, social or political issue of the culture.

Indicators:

1.	Analyze major changes to artistic craft styles throughout art history and determine the historical, social, political or artistic factors that influenced the change.
2.	Describe various sources visual artists use to generate ideas for craftworks (e.g., personal experience, imagination, interests, everyday events and social issues).

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate mastery of materials, concepts and personal concentration when creating original artworks.

Indicators:

1.	Integrate the elements of art and principles of design using a variety of craft media to solve specific visual art problems and to convey meaning.

2.	Create original craftworks in at least two three-dimensional media and several two-dimensional media that show the development of a personal style.

Benchmark B: Create expressive artworks that demonstrate a sense of purpose and understanding of the relationship between materials, techniques and ideas.

Indicators:

1.	Use available technology as a tool to explore arts and crafts techniques and to express ideas (e.g., digital imagery, video and computer graphics).
2.	Make informed choices in the selection of materials, subject matter and techniques to achieve certain visual effects.
3.	Explain their artistic processes from conceiving an idea to completing a work of art.
4.	During the artistic process, evaluate their choices of compositional elements in terms of how those choices affect the subject matter of the work.
5.	Trace the origin of symbolism, imagery and metaphor in art and demonstrate the use of these visual devices in their artworks.

Benchmark C: Engage in ongoing assessment to revise and improve artworks and to produce a well-organized portfolio of works.

Indicators:

1.	Develop criteria for assessing the quality of their artworks.
2.	Use criteria to revise works-in-progress and describe changes made and what was learned in the process.
3.	Reflect on the quality of their own works before asking the opinions of others.

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Benchmark A: Apply the knowledge and skills of art criticism to conduct in-depth analyses of works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Apply various methods of art criticism to analyze and interpret works of art (e.g., the methods of Edmund Burke Feldman, Louis Lankford or Terry Barrett).
2.	Explain how arts and crafts media and techniques influence artistic decisions.
3.	Analyze the way media, technique, compositional elements and subject matter work together to create meaning in selected craftworks.
4.	Apply methods of art criticism in writing and speaking about crafts.

Benchmark B: Show evidence of how form, style and presentation contribute to meanings in works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Research and describe the work of an artist on the basis of how the artist’s choice of media and style contribute to the meaning of the work.
2.	Understand how the structure and composition of an art form relate to its purpose.

Benchmark C: Critique their own work, the works of peers and other artists on the basis of the formal, technical and expressive aspects in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Use appropriate vocabulary to define and describe techniques, materials and methods that artists use to create works of art.
2.	Analyze and describe the visual aspects of their own artworks and the work of others.
3.	Develop and use criteria to select works for their portfolios that reflect artistic growth and achievement.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Benchmark A: Communicate how an aesthetic point of view contributes to the ideas, emotions and overall impact of personal artworks and the works of others.

Indicators:

1.	Demonstrate skill in evaluating the methods and beliefs used for refining and reworking the ideas that influence the creation of their own works of arts and crafts.
2.	Articulate how individual beliefs, cultural traditions and current social contexts influence response to the meanings in works of arts and crafts.
3.	Explain their processes and rationales for refining and reworking their own artworks.
4.	Develop aesthetic criteria for selecting a body of work for their portfolios that demonstrates accomplishment, knowledge and skill in the visual arts.

Benchmark B: Identify and analyze a variety of viewpoints on aesthetic issues and develop a personal point of view.

Indicators:

1.	Demonstrate logical reasoning when arguing the merit of a selected work of art and discuss the arguments put forward by others.
2.	Justify the merits of specific works of art using theories that may be different from their own conceptions of art.

Benchmark C: Judge the merit of selected artworks and provide the aesthetic basis for their positions.

Indicators:

1.	Research and explain various theories in visual art.
2.	Identify various sources for published reviews of artworks and use them to analyze and understand different aesthetic perspectives.
3.	Develop and apply criteria that address the aesthetic characteristics in works of art (e.g., expressive or contextual).

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark A: Summarize and explain the impact of a historical event or movement (e.g., realism, feminism, modernism or postmodernism) on the development of visual art.

Indicators:

1.	Survey various art theories or movements and make a presentation (e.g., oral, written, visual or multimedia) to explain one of them.
2.	Identify the philosophical beliefs, social systems and movements that influence the function and role of art in people’s lives.

Benchmark B: Formulate and solve a visual art problem using strategies and perspectives from other disciplines.

Indicators:

1.	Research and compare how arts and crafts are used in a musical, theatre or dance production.
2.	Research and provide examples that show the relationship of visual art to other subjects in the curriculum (e.g., English language arts, mathematics, social studies and science).
3.	Compare the media, materials and processes (e.g., perceiving, responding, creating and communicating) used in visual art with those used in other arts disciplines.
4.	Explain commonalities between visual art and other disciplines.

Benchmark C: List and explain opportunities for lifelong involvement in the visual arts.

Indicators:

1.	Identify ways to provide active support to the arts locally and nationally.
2.	Investigate opportunities for lifelong involvement in the arts and arts-related careers.
3.	Research and report on careers in the visual arts and identify the experience, education and training needed for each one.

Design

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Benchmark A: Explain how and why visual art forms develop in the contexts in which they were made (e.g., cultural, social, historical and political).

Indicators:

1.	Discuss the role of design within social contexts.
2.	Explain the relationship of a selected design to the time period in which it was created.
3.	Research and describe the cultural values in various traditions that influence contemporary design.
4.	Explain how art historians, curators, anthropologists and philosophers contribute to our understanding of design through the ages.
5.	Make a presentation, using words and images, to show how design affects changes in styles, trends, content and expressions over time.

Benchmark B: Compare works of art to one another in terms of the historical, cultural, social and political influences evident in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Compare and contrast the stylistic characteristics of design from one historical period with those of the previous time period.
2.	Explain the circumstances and events that influence designers to create monuments and site-specific works.

Benchmark C: Analyze the characteristics and content of culturally and historically significant artworks to demonstrate understanding of how visual art reflects historical issues, events, and cultural traditions.

Indicators:

1.	Connect a variety of contemporary design forms, media and styles to their cultural, historical and social origins.
2.	Explain how the history of design interrelates with the study of aesthetics, criticism and art-making.
3.	Investigate the recurrence of a particular style or technique in design history (e.g., logos, advertising and product design).
4.	Compare the artistic styles and subject matter in designs by artists of different cultures.

Benchmark D: Select a culture and create an original work of art that demonstrates understanding of a historical, social or political issue of the culture.

Indicators:

1.	Analyze major changes to design styles throughout history and determine the historical, social, political or artistic factors that influenced the change.
2.	Describe various sources designers use to generate ideas for artworks (e.g., personal experience, imagination, interests, everyday events, product use, marketing and social issues).

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate mastery of materials, concepts and personal concentration when creating original artworks.

Indicators:

1.	Integrate the elements of art and principles of design using a variety of media to solve specific design problems and to convey meaning.
2.	Create original designs in at least two three-dimensional media and several two-dimensional media that show the development of a personal style.

Benchmark B: Create expressive artworks that demonstrate a sense of purpose and understanding of the relationship between materials, techniques and ideas.

Indicators:

1.	Use available technology as a tool to explore design techniques and to express ideas (e.g., digital imagery, video and computer graphics).
2.	Make informed choices in the selection of materials, subject matter and techniques to achieve certain visual effects.
3.	Explain their artistic processes from conceiving an idea to completing a final design.
4.	During the artistic process, evaluate their choices of compositional elements in terms of how those choices affect the subject matter of the work.
5.	Trace the origin of symbolism, imagery and metaphor in art and demonstrate the use of these visual devices in their designs.

Benchmark C: Engage in ongoing assessment to revise and improve artworks and to produce a well-organized portfolio of works.

Indicators:

1.	Develop criteria for assessing the quality of their designs.
2.	Use criteria to revise works-in-progress and describe changes made and what was learned in the process.
3.	Reflect on the quality of their own designs before asking the opinions of others.

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Benchmark A: Apply the knowledge and skills of art criticism to conduct in-depth analyses of works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Apply various methods of art criticism to analyze and interpret designs (e.g., the methods of Edmund Burke Feldman, Louis Lankford or Terry Barrett).
2.	Explain how art/design media and techniques influence artistic decisions.
3.	Analyze the way media, technique, compositional elements and subject matter work together to create meaning in selected designs.
4.	Apply methods of art criticism in writing and speaking about various designs.

Benchmark B: Show evidence of how form, style and presentation contribute to meanings in works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Research and describe the work of a designer on the basis of how the designer’s choice of media and style contribute to the meaning of the work.
2.	Understand how the structure and composition of a design form relate to its purpose.

Benchmark C: Critique their own work, the works of peers and other artists on the basis of the formal, technical and expressive aspects in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Use appropriate vocabulary to define and describe techniques, materials and methods that designers use to create works.
2.	Analyze and describe the visual aspects of their own designs and the work of others.
3.	Develop and use criteria to select works for their portfolios that reflect artistic growth and achievement.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Benchmark A: Communicate how an aesthetic point of view contributes to the ideas, emotions and overall impact of personal artworks and the works of others.

Indicators:

1.	Demonstrate skill in evaluating the methods and beliefs used for refining and reworking the ideas that influence the creation of their own designs.
2.	Articulate how individual beliefs, cultural traditions and current social contexts influence response to the meanings of designs.
3.	Explain their processes and rationales for refining and reworking their own designs.
4.	Develop aesthetic criteria for selecting a body of work for their portfolios that demonstrates accomplishment, knowledge and skill in the visual arts and design.

Benchmark B: Identify and analyze a variety of viewpoints on aesthetic issues and develop a personal point of view.

Indicators:

1.	Demonstrate logical reasoning when arguing the merit of a selected design and discuss the arguments put forward by others.
2.	Justify the merits of specific designs using theories that may be different from their own conceptions of art.

Benchmark C: Judge the merit of selected artworks and provide the aesthetic basis for their positions.

Indicators:

1.	Research and explain various theories in creating designs.
2.	Identify various sources for published reviews of artworks and use them to analyze and understand different aesthetic perspectives.
3.	Develop and apply criteria that address the aesthetic characteristics in works of design (e.g., expressive or contextual).

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark A: Summarize and explain the impact of a historical event or movement (e.g., realism, feminism, modernism or postmodernism) on the development of visual art.

Indicators:

1.	Survey various art/design theories or movements and make a presentation (e.g., oral, written, visual or multimedia) to explain one of them.
2.	Identify the philosophical beliefs, social systems and movements that influence the function and role of design in people’s lives.

Benchmark B: Formulate and solve a visual art problem using strategies and perspectives from other disciplines.

Indicators:

1.	Research and compare how design is used in a musical, theatre or dance production.
2.	Research and provide examples that show the relationship of design on other subjects in the curriculum (e.g., English language arts, mathematics, social studies and science).
3.	Compare the media, materials and processes (e.g., perceiving, responding, creating and communicating) used in design with those used in other arts disciplines.
4.	Explain commonalities between visual art/design and other disciplines.

Benchmark C: List and explain opportunities for lifelong involvement in the visual arts.

Indicators:

1.	Identify ways to provide active support to the arts locally and nationally.
2.	Investigate opportunities for lifelong involvement in the arts and design-related careers.
3.	Research and report on careers in the design and identify the experience, education and training needed for each one.

Drawing

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Benchmark A: Explain how and why visual art forms develop in the contexts in which they were made (e.g., cultural, social, historical and political).

Indicators:

1.	Discuss the roles of drawing within social contexts.
2.	Explain the relationship of a selected work of art to the time period in which it was created.
3.	Research and describe the cultural values in various traditions that influence contemporary, two-dimensional art media.
4.	Explain how art historians, curators, anthropologists and philosophers contribute to our understanding of art history.
5.	Make a presentation, using words and images, to show how visual art affects changes in styles, trends, content and expressions over time.

Benchmark B: Compare works of art to one another in terms of the historical, cultural, social and political influences evident in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Compare and contrast the stylistic characteristics of two-dimensional visual art from one historical period with those of the previous time period.
2.	Explain the circumstances and events that influence artists to create monuments and site-specific works using drawing as a preliminary source of inspiration.

Benchmark C: Analyze the characteristics and content of culturally and historically significant artworks to demonstrate understanding of how visual art reflects historical issues, events, and cultural traditions.

Indicators:

1.	Connect a variety of contemporary, two-dimensional art forms, media and styles to their cultural, historical and social origins.
2.	Explain how art history interrelates with the study of aesthetics, criticism and art-making.
3.	Investigate the recurrence of a particular style or technique in art history.
4.	Compare the artistic styles and subject matter in two-dimensional artworks by artists of different cultures.

Benchmark D: Select a culture and create an original work of art that demonstrates understanding of a historical, social or political issue of the culture.

Indicators:

1.	Analyze major changes to artistic styles throughout art history and determine the historical, social, political or artistic factors that influenced the change (e.g., Cezanne to Braque).
2.	Describe various sources visual artists use to generate ideas for artworks (e.g., personal experience, imagination, interests, everyday events and social issues) and explain how drawing is the basis of all artwork.

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate mastery of materials, concepts and personal concentration when creating original artworks.

Indicators:

1.	Integrate the elements of art and principles of design using a variety of drawing media to solve specific visual art problems and to convey meaning.

2.	Demonstrate perceptual skill when drawing from direct observation.
3.	Create original drawings in several two-dimensional media that show the development of a personal style.

Benchmark B: Create expressive artworks that demonstrate a sense of purpose and understanding of the relationship between materials, techniques and ideas.

Indicators:

1.	Use available technology as a tool to explore art techniques and to express ideas (e.g., digital imagery, video and computer graphics).
2.	Make informed choices in the selection of materials, subject matter and techniques to achieve certain drawing effects.
3.	Explain their artistic processes from conceiving an idea to completing a drawing.
4.	During the artistic process, evaluate their choices of compositional elements in terms of how those choices affect the subject matter of the work.
5.	Trace the origin of symbolism, imagery and metaphor in art and demonstrate the use of these visual devices in their artworks.

Benchmark C: Engage in ongoing assessment to revise and improve artworks and to produce a well-organized portfolio of works.

Indicators:

1.	Develop criteria for assessing the quality of their two-dimensional artworks.
2.	Use criteria to revise works-in-progress and describe changes made and what was learned in the process.
3.	Reflect on the quality of their own drawings before asking the opinions of others.

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Benchmark A: Apply the knowledge and skills of art criticism to conduct in-depth analyses of works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Apply various methods of art criticism to analyze and interpret works of art (e.g., the methods of Edmund Burke Feldman, Louis Lankford or Terry Barrett).
2.	Explain how art media and techniques influence artistic decisions.
3.	Analyze the way media, technique, compositional elements and subject matter work together to create meaning in selected two-dimensional artworks.
4.	Apply methods of art criticism in writing and speaking about works of art.

Benchmark B: Show evidence of how form, style and presentation contribute to meanings in works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Research and describe the work of an artist on the basis of how the artist’s choice of media and style contribute to the meaning of the work.
2.	Understand how the structure and composition of an art form relate to its purpose.

Benchmark C: Critique their own work, the works of peers and other artists on the basis of the formal, technical and expressive aspects in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Use appropriate vocabulary to define and describe drawing techniques, materials and methods that artists use to create works of art.
2.	Analyze and describe the visual aspects of their own drawings and the work of others.

3.	Develop and use criteria to select works for their portfolios that reflect artistic growth and achievement.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Benchmark A: Communicate how an aesthetic point of view contributes to the ideas, emotions and overall impact of personal artworks and the works of others.

Indicators:

1.	Demonstrate skill in evaluating the methods and beliefs used for refining and reworking the ideas that influence the creation of their own works of art.
2.	Articulate how individual beliefs, cultural traditions and current social contexts influence response to the meanings in works of art.
3.	Explain their processes and rationales for refining and reworking their own two-dimensional artworks.
4.	Develop aesthetic criteria for selecting a body of work for their portfolios that demonstrates accomplishment, knowledge and skill in drawing.

Benchmark B: Identify and analyze a variety of viewpoints on aesthetic issues and develop a personal point of view.

Indicators:

1.	Demonstrate logical reasoning when arguing the merit of a selected work of art and discuss the arguments put forward by others.
2.	Justify the merits of specific works of art using theories that may be different from their own conceptions of art.

Benchmark C: Judge the merit of selected artworks and provide the aesthetic basis for their positions.

Indicators:

1.	Research and explain various theories in visual art.

2.	Identify various sources for published reviews of artworks and use them to analyze and understand different aesthetic perspectives.
3.	Develop and apply criteria that address the aesthetic characteristics in works of art (e.g., expressive or contextual).

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark A: Summarize and explain the impact of a historical event or movement (e.g., realism, feminism, modernism or postmodernism) on the development of visual art.

Indicators:

1.	Survey various art theories or movements and make a presentation (e.g., oral, written, visual or multimedia) to explain one of them.
2.	Identify the philosophical beliefs, social systems and movements that influence the function and role of art in people’s lives.

Benchmark B: Formulate and solve a visual art problem using strategies and perspectives from other disciplines.

Indicators:

1.	Research and compare how drawing is used in a musical, theatre or dance production.
2.	Research and provide examples that show the relationship of drawing on other subjects in the curriculum (e.g., English language arts, mathematics, social studies and science).
3.	Compare drawing media, materials and processes (e.g., perceiving, responding, creating and communicating) used in visual communication with those used in other arts disciplines.
4.	Explain commonalities between visual art and other disciplines.

Benchmark C: List and explain opportunities for lifelong involvement in the visual arts.

Indicators:

1.	Identify ways to provide active support to the arts locally and nationally.
2.	Investigate opportunities for lifelong involvement in the arts and arts-related careers.
3.	Research and report on careers in the visual arts and identify the experience, education and training needed for each one.

Jewelry

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Benchmark A: Explain how and why visual art forms develop in the contexts in which they were made (e.g., cultural, social, historical and political).

Indicators:

1.	Research and report on the historical, cultural, social, or political foundations of selected decorative and jewelry art forms.
2.	Analyze a work of jewelry art and explain how it reflects the heritages, traditions, attitudes and beliefs of the artist.
3.	Understand and apply knowledge of art history in oral and written discussions about selected works of art.

Benchmark B: Compare works of art to one another in terms of the historical, cultural, social and political influences evident in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Explain how issues of time, place and culture influence trends in jewelry.
2.	Identify and compare the relationships between jewelry on the basis of history, culture and aesthetic qualities.

Benchmark C: Analyze the characteristics and content of culturally and historically significant artworks to demonstrate understanding of how visual art reflects historical issues, events and cultural traditions.

Indicators:

1.	Investigate and describe artistic styles and/or images in traditional and non-traditional in jewelry and fashion.
2.	Describe the use of technology as a visual art medium using computer-generated examples.

Benchmark D: Select a culture and create an original work of art that demonstrates understanding of a historical, social or political issue of the culture.

Indicators:

1.	Identify a decorative artist or piece of jewelry art of personal interest and write about the historical, social, cultural or political factors influencing the artist or the work.
2.	Explain the process used to acquire and use knowledge from art history for art production.
3.	Determine the influence of community or cultural values on the choices artists make when creating jewelry.
4.	Incorporate knowledge and ideas from art history to produce innovative jewelry projects (e.g., independent study, senior portfolio and interdisciplinary projects).

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate mastery of materials, concepts and personal concentration when creating original artworks.

Indicators:

1.	Create original jewelry works of art that demonstrate increased complexity and skill and which use a variety of three-dimensional media.
2.	Explain and defend their artistic decisions using appropriate visual art vocabulary.

Benchmark B: Create expressive artworks that demonstrate a sense of purpose and understanding of the relationship between materials, techniques and ideas.

Indicators:

1.	Create jewelry that interprets a theme, idea or concept and demonstrates technical skill and the perceptive use of visual art elements and principles of art.

2.	Produce jewelry that demonstrate a range of individual ideas, subject matter and themes with at least one idea explored in depth.
3.	Solve three-dimensional art problems that demonstrate skill, imagination and in-depth understanding of media and processes.

Benchmark C: Engage in ongoing assessment to revise and improve artworks and to produce a well-organized portfolio of works.

Indicators:

1.	Use feedback and self-assessment to organize a collection of their jewelry in a variety of media.
2.	During the assessment process, reflect on the effectiveness of their processes and choice of materials and techniques to achieve intended purposes.
3.	Prepare a digital portfolio of jewelry demonstrating knowledge of technology and its application to visual art.
4.	Organize and display their original jewelry as part of a public art exhibition.
5.	Prepare a portfolio of personal jewelry work demonstrating technical skill, a range of media and various original solutions to three-dimensional problems.

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Benchmark A: Apply the knowledge and skills of art criticism to conduct in-depth analyses of works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Describe the relationship between the content or ideas in artworks and the artist’s choice of media.
2.	Analyze and interpret the way in which the theme or meaning in an artwork expresses a social, political or cultural comment and use example from the artwork to support the interpretation.

Benchmark B: Show evidence of how form, style and presentation contribute to meanings in works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Explain how visual, spatial and temporal concepts integrate with content to communicate meaning in jewelry.
2.	Explain the role of galleries, museums, art periodicals and performances in interpreting meaning in artworks.

Benchmark C: Critique their own work, the works of peers and other artists on the basis of the formal, technical and expressive aspects in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Apply peer review and critique processes to a student exhibition.
2.	Examine and evaluate the role of print media, film and video in jewelry and decorative arts.
3.	Construct a rationale for the merit of a specific work of wearable art, using work that falls outside their conceptions of jewelry.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Benchmark A: Communicate how an aesthetic point of view contributes to the ideas, emotions and overall impact of personal artworks and the works of others.

Indicators:

1.	Explain how the value of a work of art is affected by the manner in which it is exhibited.
2.	Compare the ways in which the emotional impact of a specific artwork affects the interpretation.

Benchmark B: Identify and analyze a variety of viewpoints on aesthetic issues and develop a personal point of view.

Indicators:

1.	Analyze how society influences the interpretation of works of art.
2.	Identify aesthetic issues connected to the public display of works of art.
3.	Compare and contrast responses to works of visual art on the basis of how well the works communicate intent and purpose.
4.	Apply critical thinking skills to synthesize the beliefs of significant philosophers about the nature of art.

Benchmark C: Judge the merit of selected artworks and provide the aesthetic basis for their positions.

Indicators:

1.	Demonstrate the ability to form and defend their judgments about the merits and significance of works of art.
2.	Research and compare the reviews of different art critics of the same work of art.

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark A: Summarize and explain the impact of a historical event or movement (e.g., realism, feminism, modernism or postmodernism) on the development of visual art.

Indicators:

1.	Identify ways in which culture has influenced the work of contemporary artists (e.g., photographers, jewelry designers, sculptors and decorative artists).
2.	Research and explain the relationships between specific artworks and major historical events.

3.	Compare and contrast universal themes and sociopolitical issues in a variety of jewelry from different cultural contexts.
4.	Analyze the cultural influences on jewelry in American today.

Benchmark B: Formulate and solve a visual art problem using strategies and perspectives from other disciplines.

Indicators:

1.	Research and demonstrate the relationships between jewelry and other disciplines (e.g., jewelry – chemistry, physics, technology, science and math).
2.	Select interdisciplinary jewelry art projects for a portfolio and write a description of the processes used.

Benchmark C: List and explain opportunities for lifelong involvement in the visual arts.

Indicators:

1.	Identify art professions that require a portfolio for employment (e.g., architect, photographer, designer).
2.	Research one local, state or national professional arts organization for the visual arts and describe ways that it advocates for arts education.

Painting

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Benchmark A: Explain how and why visual art forms develop in the contexts in which they were made (e.g., cultural, social, historical and political).

Indicators:

1.	Discuss the role of painting within social contexts.
2.	Explain the relationship of a selected painting to the time period in which it was created.
3.	Research and describe the cultural values in various traditions that influence contemporary painting.
4.	Explain how art historians, curators, anthropologists and philosophers contribute to our understanding of art history.
5.	Make a presentation, using words and images, to show how paintings affect changes in styles, trends, content and expressions over time.

Benchmark B: Compare works of art to one another in terms of the historical, cultural, social and political influences evident in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Compare and contrast the stylistic characteristics of painting from one historical period with those of the previous time period.
2.	Explain the circumstances and events that influence artists to create murals and site-specific works.

Benchmark C: Analyze the characteristics and content of culturally and historically significant artworks to demonstrate understanding of how visual art reflects historical issues, events, and cultural traditions.

Indicators:

1.	Connect a variety of contemporary, two-dimensional art forms, media and styles to their cultural, historical and social origins.
2.	Explain how art history interrelates with the study of aesthetics, criticism and painting.
3.	Investigate the recurrence of a particular style or technique in art history related to painting (e.g., Cubism, Expressionism).
4.	Compare the artistic styles and subject matter in paintings by artists of different cultures.

Benchmark D: Select a culture and create an original work of art that demonstrates understanding of a historical, social or political issue of the culture.

Indicators:

1.	Analyze major changes to artistic styles throughout art history and determine the historical, social, political or artistic factors that influenced the change (e.g., Cezanne to Braque).
2.	Describe various sources visual artists use to generate ideas for paintings (e.g., personal experience, imagination, interests, everyday events and social issues).

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate mastery of materials, concepts and personal concentration when creating original artworks.

Indicators:

1.	Integrate the elements of art and principles of design using a variety of paint media to solve specific visual art problems and to convey meaning.

2.	Demonstrate perceptual skill when painting from direct observation.
3.	Create original artworks in at least two three-dimensional media and several two-dimensional media that incorporate painting to show the development of a personal style.

Benchmark B: Create expressive artworks that demonstrate a sense of purpose and understanding of the relationship between materials, techniques and ideas.

Indicators:

1.	Use available technology as a tool to explore art techniques and to express ideas (e.g., digital imagery, video and computer graphics).
2.	Make informed choices in the selection of materials, subject matter and painting techniques to achieve certain visual effects.
3.	Explain their artistic processes from conceiving an idea to completing a work of art.
4.	During the artistic process, evaluate their choices of compositional elements in terms of how those choices affect the subject matter of the work.
5.	Trace the origin of symbolism, imagery and metaphor in art and demonstrate the use of these visual devices in their artworks.

Benchmark C: Engage in ongoing assessment to revise and improve artworks and to produce a well-organized portfolio of works.

Indicators:

1.	Develop criteria for assessing the quality of their artworks.
2.	Use criteria to revise works-in-progress and describe changes made and what was learned in the process.
3.	Reflect on the quality of their own works before asking the opinions of others.

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Benchmark A: Apply the knowledge and skills of art criticism to conduct in-depth analyses of works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Apply various methods of art criticism to analyze and interpret works of art (e.g., the methods of Edmund Burke Feldman, Louis Lankford or Terry Barrett).
2.	Explain how painting media and techniques influence artistic decisions.
3.	Analyze the way media, technique, compositional elements and subject matter work together to create meaning in selected paintings.
4.	Apply methods of art criticism in writing and speaking about works of two-dimensional art.

Benchmark B: Show evidence of how form, style and presentation contribute to meanings in works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Research and describe the work of an artist on the basis of how the artist’s choice of media and style contribute to the meaning of the work.
2.	Understand how the structure and composition of a two-dimensional art form relate to its purpose.

Benchmark C: Critique their own work, the works of peers and other artists on the basis of the formal, technical and expressive aspects in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Use appropriate vocabulary to define and describe techniques, materials and methods that artists use to create two-dimensional artwork.
2.	Analyze and describe the visual aspects of their own paintings and the work of others.
3.	Develop and use criteria to select works for their portfolios that reflect artistic growth and achievement.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Benchmark A: Communicate how an aesthetic point of view contributes to the ideas, emotions and overall impact of personal artworks and the works of others.

Indicators:

1.	Demonstrate skill in evaluating the methods and beliefs used for refining and reworking the ideas that influence the creation of their own works of art.
2.	Articulate how individual beliefs, cultural traditions and current social contexts influence response to the meanings in two-dimensional works of art.
3.	Explain their processes and rationales for refining and reworking their own paintings.
4.	Develop aesthetic criteria for selecting a body of work for their portfolios that demonstrates accomplishment, knowledge and skill in the visual arts.

Benchmark B: Identify and analyze a variety of viewpoints on aesthetic issues and develop a personal point of view.

Indicators:

1.	Demonstrate logical reasoning when arguing the merit of a selected painting and discuss the arguments put forward by others.
2.	Justify the merits of specific paintings using theories that may be different from their own conceptions of art.

Benchmark C: Judge the merit of selected artworks and provide the aesthetic basis for their positions.

Indicators:

1.	Research and explain various theories in painting.
2.	Identify various sources for published reviews of paintings and use them to analyze and understand different aesthetic perspectives.
3.	Develop and apply criteria that address the aesthetic characteristics in two-dimensional works of art (e.g., expressive or contextual).

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark A: Summarize and explain the impact of a historical event or movement (e.g., realism, feminism, modernism or postmodernism) on the development of visual art.

Indicators:

1.	Survey various art theories or movements and make a presentation (e.g., oral, written, visual or multimedia) to explain one of them.
2.	Identify the philosophical beliefs, social systems and movements that influence the function and role of art in people’s lives.

Benchmark B: Formulate and solve a visual art problem using strategies and perspectives from other disciplines.

Indicators:

1.	Research and compare how painting is used in a musical, theatre or dance production.
2.	Research and provide examples that show the relationship of painting to other subjects in the curriculum (e.g., English language arts, mathematics, social studies and science).
3.	Compare the media, materials and processes (e.g., perceiving, responding, creating and communicating) used in painting with those used in other arts disciplines.
4.	Explain commonalities between visual art and other disciplines.

Benchmark C: List and explain opportunities for lifelong involvement in the visual arts.

Indicators:

1.	Identify ways to provide active support to the arts locally and nationally.
2.	Investigate opportunities for lifelong involvement in the arts and arts-related careers.
3.	Research and report on careers in the visual arts and identify the experience, education and training needed for each one.

Photography

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Benchmark A: Explain how and why visual art forms develop in the contexts in which they were made (e.g., cultural, social, historical and political).

Indicators:

1.	Discuss the roles of photography within social contexts.
2.	Explain the relationship of a selected photograph to the time period in which it was created.
3.	Research and describe the cultural values in various traditions that influence photographers and their work.
4.	Explain how art historians, curators, anthropologists and philosophers contribute to our understanding of the history of photography.
5.	Make a presentation, using words and images, to show how photography affects changes in styles, trends, content and expressions over time.

Benchmark B: Compare works of art to one another in terms of the historical, cultural, social and political influences evident in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Compare and contrast the stylistic characteristics of photography from one historical period with those of the previous time period.
2.	Explain the circumstances and events that influence photographers to create site-specific works.

Benchmark C: Analyze the characteristics and content of culturally and historically significant artworks to demonstrate understanding of how visual art reflects historical issues, events, and cultural traditions.

Indicators:

1.	Connect a variety of contemporary photographic art forms, media and styles to their cultural, historical and social origins.
2.	Explain how photographic history interrelates with the study of aesthetics, criticism and art-making.
3.	Investigate the recurrence of a particular style or technique in photographic history (e.g., pinhole camera use, picture manipulation).
4.	Compare the artistic styles and subject matter in photographs by photographers of different cultures.

Benchmark D: Select a culture and create an original work of art that demonstrates understanding of a historical, social or political issue of the culture.

Indicators:

1.	Analyze major changes to photographic styles throughout history and determine the historical, social, political or artistic factors that influenced the change (e.g., Muybridge to Adams).
2.	Describe various sources photographers use to generate ideas for photographs (e.g., personal experience, imagination, interests, everyday events and social issues).

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate mastery of materials, concepts and personal concentration when creating original artworks.

Indicators:

1.	Integrate the elements of art and principles of design using a variety of cameras to solve specific visual problems and to convey meaning.

2.	Demonstrate perceptual skill when creating photographic compositions.
3.	Create several original photographic compositions that incorporate a variety of techniques that show the development of a personal style.

Benchmark B: Create expressive artworks that demonstrate a sense of purpose and understanding of the relationship between materials, techniques and ideas.

Indicators:

1.	Use available technology as a tool to explore photographic techniques and to express ideas (e.g., digital imagery, video and computer graphics).
2.	Make informed choices in the selection of materials, equipment, subject matter and techniques to achieve certain visual effects.
3.	Explain their artistic and photographic processes from conceiving an idea to completing a final photograph.
4.	During the photographic process, evaluate their choices of compositional elements in terms of how those choices affect the subject matter of the work.
5.	Trace the origin of symbolism, imagery and metaphor in photography and demonstrate the use of these visual devices in their photographs.

Benchmark C: Engage in ongoing assessment to revise and improve artworks and to produce a well-organized portfolio of works.

Indicators:

1.	Develop criteria for assessing the quality of their photographs.
2.	Use criteria to revise works-in-progress and describe changes made and what was learned in the process.
3.	Reflect on the quality of their own works before asking the opinions of others.

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Benchmark A: Apply the knowledge and skills of art criticism to conduct in-depth analyses of works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Apply various methods of art criticism to analyze and interpret photographs (e.g., the methods of Edmund Burke Feldman, Louis Lankford or Terry Barrett).
2.	Explain how photographic media and techniques influence visual communication decisions.
3.	Analyze the way media, technique, compositional elements and subject matter work together to create meaning in selected photographs.
4.	Apply methods of art criticism in writing and speaking about photographs.

Benchmark B: Show evidence of how form, style and presentation contribute to meanings in works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Research and describe the work of a photographer on the basis of how the photographer’s choice of media and style contribute to the meaning of the work.
2.	Understand how the structure and composition of a photograph relate to its purpose.

Benchmark C: Critique their own work, the works of peers and other artists on the basis of the formal, technical and expressive aspects in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Use appropriate vocabulary to define and describe techniques, materials and methods that photographers use to create photographs.

2.	Analyze and describe the visual aspects of their own photographs and the work of others.
3.	Develop and use criteria to select photographic works for their portfolios that reflect artistic and technical growth and achievement.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Benchmark A: Communicate how an aesthetic point of view contributes to the ideas, emotions and overall impact of personal artworks and the works of others.

Indicators:

1.	Demonstrate skill in evaluating the methods and beliefs used for refining and reworking the ideas that influence the creation of their own photographs.
2.	Articulate how individual beliefs, cultural traditions and current social contexts influence response to the meanings in photographs.
3.	Explain their processes and rationales for refining and reworking their own photographs.
4.	Develop aesthetic criteria for selecting a body of work for their portfolios that demonstrates accomplishment, knowledge and skill in visual communication and photography.

Benchmark B: Identify and analyze a variety of viewpoints on aesthetic issues and develop a personal point of view.

Indicators:

1.	Demonstrate logical reasoning when arguing the merit of a selected photograph and discuss the arguments put forward by others.
2.	Justify the merits of specific photographs using theories that may be different from their own conceptions of art and visual communication.

Benchmark C: Judge the merit of selected artworks and provide the aesthetic basis for their positions.

Indicators:

1.	Research and explain various theories in visual communication and photography.
2.	Identify various sources for published reviews of photographs and use them to analyze and understand different aesthetic perspectives.
3.	Develop and apply criteria that address the aesthetic characteristics in photographs (e.g., appeal, impact or importance).

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark A: Summarize and explain the impact of a historical event or movement (e.g., realism, feminism, modernism or postmodernism) on the development of visual art.

Indicators:

1.	Survey various photographic theories or movements and make a presentation (e.g., oral, written, visual or multimedia) to explain one of them.
2.	Identify the philosophical beliefs, social systems and movements that influence the function and role of photography in people’s lives.

Benchmark B: Formulate and solve a visual art problem using strategies and perspectives from other disciplines.

Indicators:

1.	Research and compare how photography is used in a musical, theatre or dance production.
2.	Research and provide examples that show the relationship of photography and how it interacts and affects other subjects in the curriculum (e.g., English language arts, mathematics, social studies and science).

3.	Compare the media, materials and processes (e.g., perceiving, responding, creating and communicating) used in photography with those used in other arts disciplines.
4.	Explain commonalities between photography and other disciplines.

Benchmark C: List and explain opportunities for lifelong involvement in the visual arts.

Indicators:

1.	Identify ways to provide active support to visual communication and photography locally and nationally.
2.	Investigate opportunities for lifelong involvement in photography and photographic-related careers.
3.	Research and report on careers in the photography and identify the experience, education and training needed for each one.

Sculpture

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Benchmark A: Explain how and why visual art forms develop in the contexts in which they were made (e.g., cultural, social, historical and political).

Indicators:

1.	Research and report on the historical, cultural, social, or political foundations of selected art forms.
2.	Analyze a three-dimensional work of art and explain how it reflects the heritages, traditions, attitudes and beliefs of the artist.
3.	Understand and apply knowledge of art history in oral and written discussions about selected sculptures and/or three-dimensional works.

Benchmark B: Compare works of art to one another in terms of the historical, cultural, social and political influences evident in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Explain how issues of time, place and culture influence trends in the visual arts.
2.	Identify and compare the relationships between three-dimensional artworks on the basis of history, culture and aesthetic qualities.

Benchmark C: Analyze the characteristics and content of culturally and historically significant artworks to demonstrate understanding of how visual art reflects historical issues, events and cultural traditions.

Indicators:

1.	Investigate and describe three-dimensional artistic styles and/or images in traditional and non-traditional settings (e.g., media images, computer graphics, television, film and video.

2.	Describe the use of technology as a visual art medium using computer-generated examples for ideas in sculpture.

Benchmark D: Select a culture and create an original work of art that demonstrates understanding of a historical, social or political issue of the culture.

Indicators:

1.	Identify a sculptor or work of art of personal interest and write about the historical, social, cultural or political factors influencing the artist or the work.
2.	Explain the process used to acquire and use knowledge from art history for art production.
3.	Determine the influence of community or cultural values on the choices artists make when creating art.
4.	Incorporate knowledge and ideas from art history to produce innovative three-dimensional projects (e.g., independent study, senior portfolio and interdisciplinary projects).

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate mastery of materials, concepts and personal concentration when creating original artworks.

Indicators:

1.	Create original works of art that demonstrate increased complexity and skill and which use a variety of three-dimensional media.
2.	Explain and defend their artistic decisions using appropriate visual art vocabulary.

Benchmark B: Create expressive artworks that demonstrate a sense of purpose and understanding of the relationship between materials, techniques and ideas.

Indicators:

1.	Create three-dimensional artwork that interprets a theme, idea or concept and demonstrates technical skill and the perceptive use of visual art elements (e.g., show light sources, different vantage points and local or subjective color).
2.	Produce artworks that demonstrate a range of individual ideas, subject matter and themes with at least one idea explored in depth.
3.	Solve three-dimensional visual art problems that demonstrate skill, imagination and in-depth understanding of media and processes.

Benchmark C: Engage in ongoing assessment to revise and improve artworks and to produce a well-organized portfolio of works.

Indicators:

1.	Use feedback and self-assessment to organize a collection of their three-dimensional artworks in a variety of media.
2.	During the assessment process, reflect on the effectiveness of their processes and choice of materials and techniques to achieve intended purposes.
3.	Prepare a digital portfolio of sculpture demonstrating knowledge of technology and its application to visual art.
4.	Organize and display their original sculptures as part of a public art exhibition.
5.	Prepare a portfolio of personal works demonstrating technical skill, a range of media and various original solutions to three-dimensional problems.

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Benchmark A: Apply the knowledge and skills of art criticism to conduct in-depth analyses of works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Describe the relationship between the content or ideas in artworks and the artist’s choice of media.
2.	Analyze and interpret the way in which the theme or meaning in an artwork expresses a social, political or cultural comment and use example from the artwork to support the interpretation.

Benchmark B: Show evidence of how form, style and presentation contribute to meanings in works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Explain how visual, spatial and temporal concepts integrate with content to communicate meaning in artworks.
2.	Explain the role of galleries, museums, art periodicals and performances, and installation art in interpreting meaning in artworks.

Benchmark C: Critique their own work, the works of peers and other artists on the basis of the formal, technical and expressive aspects in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Apply peer review and critique processes to a student exhibition.
2.	Examine and evaluate the role of sculpture, installation, three-dimension and mixed media in art.
3.	Construct a rationale for the merit of a specific work of art, using work that falls outside their conceptions of art.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Benchmark A: Communicate how an aesthetic point of view contributes to the ideas, emotions and overall impact of personal artworks and the works of others.

Indicators:

1.	Explain how the value of a work of art is affected by the manner in which it is exhibited.
2.	Compare the ways in which the emotional impact of a specific three-dimensional artwork affects the interpretation.

Benchmark B: Identify and analyze a variety of viewpoints on aesthetic issues and develop a personal point of view.

Indicators:

1.	Analyze how society influences the interpretation of works of three-dimensional art.
2.	Identify aesthetic issues connected to the public display of works of three-dimensional art.
3.	Compare and contrast responses to works of three-dimensional art on the basis of how well the works communicate intent and purpose.
4.	Apply critical thinking skills to synthesize the beliefs of significant philosophers about the nature of art.

Benchmark C: Judge the merit of selected artworks and provide the aesthetic basis for their positions.

Indicators:

1.	Demonstrate the ability to form and defend their judgments about the merits and significance of works of three-dimensional art.
2.	Research and compare the reviews of different art critics of the same work of sculpture and three-dimensional art.

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark A: Summarize and explain the impact of a historical event or movement (e.g., realism, feminism, modernism or postmodernism) on the development of visual art.

Indicators:

1.	Identify ways in which culture has influenced the work of contemporary three-dimensional artists (e.g., sculptors and installation artists).
2.	Research and explain the relationships between specific three-dimensional artworks and major historical events.
3.	Compare and contrast universal themes and sociopolitical issues in a variety of three-dimensional artworks from different cultural contexts.
4.	Analyze the cultural influences on three-dimensional art in American today.

Benchmark B: Formulate and solve a visual art problem using strategies and perspectives from other disciplines.

Indicators:

1.	Research and demonstrate the relationships between visual art and other disciplines (e.g., ceramics – chemistry, mobile – physics).
2.	Select interdisciplinary visual art projects for a portfolio and write a description of the processes used.

Benchmark C: List and explain opportunities for lifelong involvement in the visual arts.

Indicators:

1.	Identify art professions that require a portfolio for employment (e.g., architect, photographer, graphic designer, book illustrator and sculptor).
2.	Research one local, state or national professional arts organization for the visual arts and describe ways that it advocates for arts education.

Drawing/Painting II and III

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

Benchmark A: Explain how and why visual art forms develop in the contexts in which they were made (e.g., cultural, social, historical and political).

Indicators:

1.	Research and report on the historical, cultural, social, or political foundations of selected two-dimensional art forms.
2.	Analyze a two-dimensional work of art and explain how it reflects the heritages, traditions, attitudes and beliefs of the artist.
3.	Understand and apply knowledge of art history in oral and written discussions about selected works of two-dimensional art.

Benchmark B: Compare works of art to one another in terms of the historical, cultural, social and political influences evident in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Explain how issues of time, place and culture influence trends in the visual arts.
2.	Identify and compare the relationships between two-dimensional artworks on the basis of history, culture and aesthetic qualities.

Benchmark C: Analyze the characteristics and content of culturally and historically significant artworks to demonstrate understanding of how visual art reflects historical issues, events and cultural traditions.

Indicators:

1.	Investigate and describe two-dimensional artistic styles and/or images in traditional and non-traditional settings (e.g., media images, computer graphics, television, film and video.

2.	Describe the use of technology as a visual art medium using computer-generated examples.

Benchmark D: Select a culture and create an original work of art that demonstrates understanding of a historical, social or political issue of the culture.

Indicators:

1.	Identify an artist or work of art of personal interest and write about the historical, social, cultural or political factors influencing the artist or the work.
2.	Explain the process used to acquire and use knowledge from art history for two-dimensional art production.
3.	Determine the influence of community or cultural values on the choices artists make when creating two-dimensional art.
4.	Incorporate knowledge and ideas from art history to produce innovative two-dimensional projects (e.g., independent study, senior portfolio and interdisciplinary projects).

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

Benchmark A: Demonstrate mastery of materials, concepts and personal concentration when creating original artworks.

Indicators:

1.	Create original paintings that demonstrate increased complexity and skill and which use a variety of two-dimensional and three-dimensional media.
2.	Explain and defend their artistic decisions using appropriate visual art vocabulary.

Benchmark B: Create expressive artworks that demonstrate a sense of purpose and understanding of the relationship between materials, techniques and ideas.

Indicators:

1.	Create artwork that interprets a theme, idea or concept and demonstrates technical skill and the perceptive use of visual art elements (e.g., show light sources, different vantage points and local or subjective color).
2.	Produce two-dimensional artworks that demonstrate a range of individual ideas, subject matter and themes with at least one idea explored in depth.
3.	Solve visual art problems that demonstrate skill, imagination and in-depth understanding of media and processes.

Benchmark C: Engage in ongoing assessment to revise and improve artworks and to produce a well-organized portfolio of works.

Indicators:

1.	Use feedback and self-assessment to organize a collection of their two-dimensional artworks in a variety of media.
2.	During the assessment process, reflect on the effectiveness of their processes and choice of materials and techniques to achieve intended purposes.
3.	Prepare a digital portfolio of two-dimensional artworks demonstrating knowledge of technology and its application to visual art.
4.	Organize and display their original artworks as part of a public art exhibition.
5.	Prepare a portfolio of personal works demonstrating technical skill, a range of media and various original solutions to two- and three-dimensional problems.

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

Benchmark A: Apply the knowledge and skills of art criticism to conduct in-depth analyses of works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Describe the relationship between the content or ideas in artworks and the artist’s choice of media.
2.	Analyze and interpret the way in which the theme or meaning in an artwork expresses a social, political or cultural comment and use example from the artwork to support the interpretation.

Benchmark B: Show evidence of how form, style and presentation contribute to meanings in works of art.

Indicators:

1.	Explain how visual, spatial and temporal concepts integrate with content to communicate meaning in artworks.
2.	Explain the role of galleries, museums, art periodicals and performances in interpreting meaning in artworks.

Benchmark C: Critique their own work, the works of peers and other artists on the basis of the formal, technical and expressive aspects in the works.

Indicators:

1.	Apply peer review and critique processes to a student exhibition.
2.	Examine and evaluate the role of print media, film and video in visual art.
3.	Construct a rationale for the merit of a specific work of art, using work that falls outside their conceptions of art.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

Benchmark A: Communicate how an aesthetic point of view contributes to the ideas, emotions and overall impact of personal artworks and the works of others.

Indicators:

1.	Explain how the value of a work of art is affected by the manner in which it is exhibited.
2.	Compare the ways in which the emotional impact of a specific artwork affects the interpretation.

Benchmark B: Identify and analyze a variety of viewpoints on aesthetic issues and develop a personal point of view.

Indicators:

1.	Analyze how society influences the interpretation of works of art.
2.	Identify aesthetic issues connected to the public display of works of art.
3.	Compare and contrast responses to works of visual art on the basis of how well the works communicate intent and purpose.
4.	Apply critical thinking skills to synthesize the beliefs of significant philosophers about the nature of art.

Benchmark C: Judge the merit of selected artworks and provide the aesthetic basis for their positions.

Indicators:

1.	Demonstrate the ability to form and defend their judgments about the merits and significance of works of art.
2.	Research and compare the reviews of different art critics of the same work of art.

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

Benchmark A: Summarize and explain the impact of a historical event or movement (e.g., realism, feminism, modernism or postmodernism) on the development of visual art.

Indicators:

1.	Identify ways in which culture has influenced the work of contemporary painters (e.g., Picasso, Munch).
2.	Research and explain the relationships between specific artworks and major historical events.
3.	Compare and contrast universal themes and sociopolitical issues in a variety of two-dimensional artworks from different cultural contexts.
4.	Analyze the cultural influences on two-dimensional art in American today.

Benchmark B: Formulate and solve a visual art problem using strategies and perspectives from other disciplines.

Indicators:

1.	Research and demonstrate the relationships between two-dimensional visual art and other disciplines (e.g., graphic art – technology, op art-geometry).
2.	Select interdisciplinary visual art projects for a portfolio and write a description of the processes used.

Benchmark C: List and explain opportunities for lifelong involvement in the visual arts.

Indicators:

1.	Identify art professions that require a portfolio for employment (e.g., architect, photographer, graphic designer and book illustrator).
2.	Research one local, state or national professional arts organization for the visual arts and describe ways that it advocates for arts education.

The Art Department has designed an art curriculum that enables the student to take a wide variety of courses. The art courses are designed to meet the needs, interests, and abilities of all students. All art courses cover and emphasize the art creation/production aspect as well as the art response/appreciation aspect. Many Ohio colleges require one credit in the “Arts” for admittance. Fees may be charged for projects beyond the scope of normal material usage.
AP-STUDIO ART Prerequisite: Three semesters of art or craft-related courses including drawing. (12) 36 Weeks 1.00 Credit	AP-Studio Art is designed for seniors who have taken at least three semesters of art or craft-related courses. These seniors will be required to submit one of three AP portfolios: 2-D Design, 3-D Design or Drawing. This course follows the AP guidelines for portfolio preparation. The students will focus on three areas of development: quality (works that excel in concept, composition and execution), concentration (a series of works organized around a compelling visual concept), and breadth (works that demonstrate broad experience and accomplishment).
CARTOONING/ ANIMATION (9-12) 18 Weeks .50 Credit	Cartooning affords opportunities for the student who likes to doodle, has a sense of humor, or would like to utilize his or her imagination. The student creates single panel cartoons and caricatures. The student will also create animated sequences through video stop action, claymation, and computer graphics.
CERAMICS I (10-12) 18 Weeks .50 Credit	Ceramics I gives the student an opportunity to learn the fundamentals of clay. The student explores the possibilities and limitations of the clay body through the introduction of hand building techniques and the use of the potter’s wheel. Hand building techniques include pinch, coil, slab and sculptural build-up methods. Different glazing and painting techniques will be explored.
CRAFTS (9-12) 18 Weeks .50 Credit	Crafts acquaints the student with several craft-related art forms. The course, divided into two-dimensional and three-dimensional creations, includes collage, batik, tie-dye, mosaic design, papier-mache, and a variety of printmaking techniques.
DESIGN (9-12) 18 Weeks .50 Credit	Design covers the fundamentals of design and representation. It includes the application of line, shape, color and texture in their various aspects; the application of the principles of design to materials; and the development of skills in pencil technique, water color, tempera, and pen and ink. The student creates and produces commercial design projects.
DRAWING (9-12) 18 Weeks .50 Credit	Drawing is the fundamental instrument of all graphic expression and provides a language that is understood universally. Students are introduced to various techniques in pencil, ink, charcoal, pastels and mixed media. Subject matter includes still life, figures, landscapes, portraiture and non-objective art.
JEWELRY (11-12) 18 Weeks .50 Credit	Jewelry acquaints the students with a variety of jewelry materials and techniques. The students explore the properties of different clays, beading, and metal as jewelry media. Enameling may be introduced. This course gives students an opportunity to design and construct jewelry pieces such as rings, bracelets, pins, earrings and pendants in sterling silver, copper and brass.
PAINTING Prerequisite: Drawing (9-12) 18 Weeks .50 Credit	Painting is designed for the student who wants to explore a variety of painting media. The students are introduced to information and techniques that enable them to achieve more satisfying means of self-expression and better appreciation of the expression of others.
PHOTOGRAPHY (10-12) 18 Weeks .50 Credit	Photography is an introductory course in black and white photography. The course is divided into six units: historical aspects, the camera and lens, photographic composition, photojournalism, the darkroom, and the characteristics of light and film. The students will have several shooting assignments with follow-up lab processing, focusing on the technical and aesthetic aspects of photography. Creative visual communication will be an integral part of the class. Text is included. Students must have access to a 35mm camera and provide their own film.
SCULPTURE (11-12) 18 Weeks .50 Credit	In Sculpture the students develop and use their manipulative skills to create three-dimensional art forms. The students explore and experiment with a variety of materials such as wire, wax, paper, clay, papier-mache, plaster, wood, metal and stone.
DRAWING/PAINTING II Prerequisite: Drawing and Painting (10-12) 18 Weeks .50 Credit	Drawing/Painting II is designed for the student who has taken Drawing and Painting and would like to continue to study within these fields. Exploration of a variety of media will be approached including: pastels, charcoal, pencils, ink, watercolor, tempera, acrylics, and mixed media. Creative self-expression will stem from past knowledge of the art elements and principles.
DRAWING/PAINTING III Prerequisite: Drawing/ Painting II (11-12) 18 Weeks .50 Credit	Drawing/Painting III is designed for the student who has taken Drawing/Painting II and would like to continue to study within these fields. Revisit of a variety of media will be approached including: pastels, charcoal, pencils, ink, watercolor, tempera, acrylics, and mixed media. Creative self-expression will stem from past knowledge of the art elements and principles. Course will be offered during the same time as Drawing/Painting II.
CERAMICS II/III Prerequisite: Ceramics or Sculpture (11-12) 18 Weeks .50 Credit	Ceramics II/III offers the student an opportunity to expand on their sculptural skills. Students will experience working with different clay bodies and learn more about underglazing, glazing, and surface techniques. Students will work in hand built methods and the potters wheel.

Visual Art Advanced Placement Courses

The Advanced Placement course within the Visual Art Department is intended for qualified student who wish to complete classes in secondary school equivalent to college introductory courses in Visual Art. Academic content standards are established by the College Entrance Examination Board.

The advanced placement offering – Studio Art - prepares students for the Advanced Placement exam given in May of each year. College credit can be earned for the course, depending on the degree of success on the May exam.

Students must meet specific prerequisites to enroll in each of these courses, and students are required to take the National Advanced exam in each course.

A comprehensive, effective and appropriate assessment system must include a multi-faceted approach, designed to provide useful feedback to classroom teachers, principals, and district administrators in order that decisions regarding instructional practice can be made.

To adequately measure the range of learning reflected in the Visual Arts, assessment programs need to allow students to demonstrate:

· knowledge and skills in development of works of art

· exploration of a range of forms and experiences within an arts standard

· application of knowledge and understanding of the arts to explain a range of responses to the arts

· communication of understanding of the arts to a range of audiences using appropriate language

Strategies for assessing this range of learning need to be built into an arts course of study. Curriculum standards can assist planning as these indicate skills and processes and suggest contexts in which students are able to demonstrate these standards. The benchmarks and grade level indicators act as a mechanism for further refining and planning and assist teachers to make informed decisions about standards.

Classroom Assessment

One of the most important components in implementing an aligned standards-based system is ongoing classroom assessment. Good teaching practice embraces assessing student performance and providing constructive feedback to students. Classroom assessment uses both informal and formal methods. Observing student actions and listening to student responses to reflective questions are ways classroom assessment may be conducted, as are examining student concept maps, reading student art portfolio entries, and monitoring inquiry thinking and skills.

Classroom assessment can be used not only to evaluate student performance and progress, but also to inform instructional planning so that it better meets the needs of students. The use of a variety of assessment opportunities, such as participating in class, writing answers for test questions and presenting a demonstration can provide a multi-faceted picture of student performance. An important benefit of classroom assessment is that the feedback can be frequent and immediate. The information gleaned from assessments can then be used to determine if further instruction is needed. It can also shape the form that instruction will take, such as remediation activities, conceptual reinforcement with the use of different techniques, extension projects for enrichment, and other appropriate strategies based upon the results of the assessments.

Classroom assessments can be used to determine student readiness for new content and skills, monitor student progress in achieving new expectations and summarize student accomplishments. Teachers can then plan where to begin the instructional activities, decide how to pace the instruction and determine the degree of success brought about by the instructional strategies used with the students.

Sample Classroom Assessment Tasks/Tools:

· Projects, investigations and multi-media presentations

· Research reports and position papers

· Tests and quizzes

· Group K-W-L charts and graphic organizers

· Oral presentations and portfolios

· Student self-assessments and reflections

· Observations and checklists

· Performances

The Best Preparation for All Types of Assessment

In the Westlake City Schools’ and Ohio’s aligned system, educators will collaborate to design, refine and enact instructional plans and classroom assessment strategies based upon the benchmarks and grade-level indicators that are contained as part of the academic content standards. The Westlake staff will know:

· That they will not have to set aside good classroom instruction to prepare students for assessment experiences;

· That they are evaluating students against common reference points shared by not only Westlake, but all Ohio educators;

· That they are preparing student for the statewide diagnostic and achievement tests.

In this way, this aligned system will help ensure that all students are prepared to meet the rigorous demands of the new century.