Drips and
Splatters from art
(2008)
Welcome
to art!
During the year we will
focus on skill development, various art
concepts, artists and art history, the art of critiquing works,
working with various art materials and the upper grades on art
careers. Some of the concepts include the art elements which are
line, color, shape and form, texture, space and value. The design
principles are balance, repetition, unity, emphasis and contrast.
Artists and art styles vary from the “old masters” like DaVinci to
more contemporary artists like Keith Haring. Art styles taught are
realistic, abstract and non-objective. A copy of the art curriculum
is on the district’s web site but if you ever have any questions
please let me know (merediml@unit5.org) .
This
year I am continuing with the “art idol”
art display. Each month a grade level will have art displayed from
all students of that grade level. Every child in the building will
decide on the three they feel met the criteria for the project. This
is part of the critiquing our curriculum requires - being able to
talk about and choose art based on a set of criteria and begin
looking at artwork that is successful due to the criteria and
reasons behind the artwork and not just for aesthetics. By April,
National Arts Education month, all three chosen from each grade
level will be displayed at our district’s annual art show at
Eastland Mall. If you would like to volunteer to help hang artwork
during the year, please let me know the days and times that work
best for you (merediml@unit5.org).
Assessment
is also part of
developing artists! Along with all elementary areas, we are grading
on trimesters. Our grades will be part of one computerized report
card your child will receive. So as part of student assessment,
grades 1-5 will have some form of written assessment in addition to
the art making process. The main areas we assess are craftsmanship
(skill learned per project, as an example blending oil pastels),
overall neatness, commitment to the projects, and the specific
requirements and concepts (ie: primary colors) for each project
introduced and created. I would like to take the opportunity to say
that art grades are not based on talent. Each graded project has a
set of criteria to meet based on the concepts taught. So, the
artwork your child comes home with may be beautifully crafted but if
they didn’t demonstrate or include the skill and/or concept taught
for that project they may receive a lower grade than expected.
It is not a typical procedure
for students in grades 3-5 to have homework
in art. However, if a student misses art the week a project is due
or doesn’t complete a project by the due date then they are required
to take and complete the project and return it to me by the next art
class.
Here are a couple of
suggestions for you and your child to work together to create
art:
*have
a “special” art place with all different types of materials (paints,
oil pastels, chalk, crayons, markers, colored pencils)
*read a book together related to
the arts/artists and discuss and/or draw a picture from the story
*draw portraits of each other and
ask your child about proper placement and shapes of the facial parts
*have your child teach you
something they learned in art as you are creating together
*have your child point to
artworks of any kind and tell you the style it represents
(realistic, abstract, non-objective)
*visit the local art galleries
and museums
*design and create holiday or
birthday or just for fun cards
*create a family tree album using
a drawn tree as your starting point
These are just a few things you
could do together and I can supply more ideas if you would like!
If you would like to contact me, feel free to
email me. Just click on the picture below:
Thank you,
MaryLynn
Meredith
