In the art room and other specialist areas, we use the three C’s (COOPERATION, CONSIDERATION and CONCENTRATION) to encourage positive behavior. Cooperation means to follow directions, show effort, and participate. Consideration is to show good listening skills, respect toward others and their work, clean up and care for materials. Concentration means to stay focussed applying the concepts and skills of the lesson. These terms are used on the students’ progress card.
   Each child in art has a drawing portfolio. In kindergarten the drawing is a crayon selfportrait, “I Am Brushing My Teeth”. The drawings are done at the beginning and end of kindergarten. At the end of the school year, the drawings are sent home so you can see your child’s individual growth. In grades 1-5, twice a year, the children do a crayon drawing, “I Am Jumping For An Apple”. This collection is sent home at the end of grade 5.
   Enrichment activities are also offered in art. In grades K-4 students have art books, modeling clay, drawing paper, markers and crayons to use when they finish their work. In grade 5, students read articles about famous artists and will be visiting an art museum later this year.

  The following concepts and skills will be covered in art classes K-5 unless noted otherwise.

CONCEPTS
   Texture, color, line, shape, space, self-awareness and self-awareness in their environment  (K-1), balance (2-5), pattern (K-3), repetition/nonpattern (K-3), repetition/rhythm (4-5), landscape, seascape (2-5), interior (2-5), still life (2-5), human figure, portrait, non-objective, abstract (2-5),  animals, illustration (K-3), 3-dimensional, art history, art criticism and aesthetics.
  

SKILLS
   Drawing, painting, printmaking, weaving (K-4), sewing/stitchery (K-4), cutting, tearing, pasting/gluing, sculpting (2-5), handbuilding with clay, and creating art on the computer    (4-5).
  

ASSESSMENT
   Assessment is based on the skills and concepts covered in each individual lesson. In grades K-2 no assessment symbol is put on the art work. We keep the information in our record books. This is done so that we may encourage growth and development without having the children focus on the grade and we can begin to have them self-assess. In grades 3-5 an assessment symbol will be on the back of the project. These are the assessment symbols we will be using:                                                  
+  = above grade level
v+  = excellent at grade level
v  = at grade level
v-  = at grade level but needs improvement
-  = below grade level
   Self-assessment is an important part of learning and we continue to assist the children with self assessment.
   As artists and art educators, we encourage our students to express their creativity, solve problems, and be the best they can be. We expose them to famous artists and art work, discuss when in history the art was created and try to get the students thinking about the “essential questions” in art. As parents, you may encourage your child’s growth in art education by:
   1. Giving children a place to work at home . A place they feel can get messy without having to worry about it.
   2. Always encourage and be interested in what your children are doing. Children see thing differently so it is important that they can express themselves their way. Never work on your child’s art work. You may want to help your child but show them on a scrap piece of paper how to improve their work and leave it up to them if they use it or not.
   3. Get your children to talk about their artwork. Ask them to tell you about it, what they learned doing it, what they like and dislike about it, what famous artwork they looked at in class and what art words were used to discuss it.
   4. Give children a place they can display their artwork and  a place they can save pieces that are important to them. (So you aren’t overwhelmed with alot of work we reccommend at the end of each year have the children pick their favorite 5 pieces and create a portfolio of their work at home. )
   5. Guide them to see art in all that they do and see each day. Take them to see art exihibits. Take rides and comment on the beauty of the countryside, the shape of the buildings, and the fashions that surround our lives.
 
   One reminder, please check your child’s schedule for “Art Day” and provide a smock (an old shirt will do) or “dress for mess”. We constantly remind children if paint or clay lands on their clothes, leave it alone and let someone at home take care of it. The best cleaning procedure we have found is to let the spot dry, scrape or brush off the excess, and then apply some type of stain remover and wash in cold water. As always, we look forward to a wonderfully creative and productive school year.

We hope you find this page useful, and if you have any suggestions regarding other information that should be included, please send them to the Coordinator of Fine Arts. Enjoy your visit to our site.