Saddle River School District

The Wandell School

Visual Art Curriculum – Overview

Elements and Principles of Design

The Wandell School Art curriculum will be taught through many different pedagogical methods but the curriculum will be based on the elements and principles of design. The curriculum will allow students to understand and appreciate differences in shape, form, lines, color, value (lighting and darkness), texture, balance, variety, symmetry and space through an early introduction to art production, history, criticism and aesthetics. Materials will become more sophisticated as students learn new techniques for drawing, painting, printmaking and sculpture. Increasingly complex concepts will be introduced allowing students to build on prior skills and knowledge.

Discipline-Based Art Education

Contemporary Art Education is based on four disciplines: (1) art production, (2) art history, (3) criticism/analysis and (4) aesthetics. These disciplines will be presented and used in every lesson. Art educators are now aware that while creating art (art production) is still very important in the development of elementary students that lesson plans include the study of art from the past and from other cultures (art history), analyzing the student's own work and that of others (criticism/analysis) and discussing different standards of beauty (aesthetics).

New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards

Cross-Content Workplace Readiness Standards

The Wandell School Art program is designed in accordance with the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards (CCCS) and Cross-Content Workplace Readiness Standards (CCWRS). It will focus on the following:

CCCS

(1.1) Use aesthetic knowledge in the creation of and in response to visual art.

(1.2) Utilize those skills, media, methods and technologies appropriate to each art from in the creation, performance and presentation of visual art.

(1.3) Demonstrate an understanding of the elements and principles of visual art.

(1.4) Develop, apply and reflect upon knowledge of the process of critique.

(1.5) Understand and anaylze the role, development, and continuing influence of the arts in relation to world cultures, history and society.

CCWRS

(1) Develop carreer planning and workplace readiness skills.

(2) Use information, technology, and other tools.

(3) Use critical thinking, decision making and problem-solving skills.

(4) Demonstrate self-management skills.

(5) Apply safety principles.