VISUAL ARTS It is the policy of the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, or disability in its programs or employment practices as required by Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Civil rights compliance inquiries related to the OSDE may be directed to the Affirmative Action Officer, Room 111, 2500 North Lincoln Boulevard, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105-4599, telephone number (405) 522-4930; or, the United States Department of Education’s Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. Inquires or concerns regarding compliance with Title IX by local school districts should be presented to the local school district Title IX coordinator. This publication, printed by the State Department of Education Printing Services, is issued by the Oklahoma State Department of Education as authorized by 70 O.S. § 3-104. Five hundred copies have been prepared using Title I, Part A, School Improvement funds at a cost of $.15 per copy. Copies have been deposited with the Publications Clearinghouse of the Oklahoma Department of Libraries. JULY 2013. VISUAL ARTS that foundation upon which literacy in the visual arts is built. ARTISTIC LITERACY This Enduring Understanding of the language of visual art will strengthen each student’s visual fluency and focus their ability to Visual Art Strands observe and make meaning of the greater world around them. The visual arts curriculum is organized under four major strands: Students at every grade level should have the opportunity to Presenting, Responding, Creating, and Connecting. Each experience a variety of fine art, and share their observations with strand provides a clear outline of what students are to know others using the language of visual art. They can be challenged to across grade levels while providing unifying threads of note their observations verbally and/or in writing by responding understanding in support of the goals and objectives within to a simple Essential Question: the Visual Art standards. Presenting, responding, creating, and • What do I see? connecting are the strands in which all aspects of visual art can be organized and defined as follows: STANDARD 1: Language of Visual Art: “Presenting” Presenting: Refers to presenting or demonstrating something The student will identify and communicate using a variety of about an existing artwork, informally or formally, a process that visual art terms. calls upon the technical, expressive, and interpretive skills of the learner. Responding: Refers to synthesizing knowledge of visual art in Visual Art History and Culture relation to history, culture, heritage, other content areas, ideas, and life-long learning. “Responding” Creating: Refers to expressing ideas and feelings through the Standard 2 creating of visual art. As participants in a greater society, all students Connecting: Refers to analyzing, critiquing, describing, and Rationale: evaluating visual artworks. benefit by learning about the defining contributions the arts have made throughout history. Analyzing historical works of art from multiple perspectives invites students to think deeply, beyond simply making value judgments. This process requires Language of Visual Art knowledge and understanding of the variety of philosophical “Presenting” perspectives that exist within today’s world. Students at all grade Standard 1 levels will benefit from the Enduring Understandings gained from learning to observe, reflect and participate in studies that Rationale: Learning to use an appropriate art vocabulary is an reflect the historical content of visual art. Learning activities essential beginning point for all art students. Sequential study of in this area of the Visual Art standards will enable students to the language of visual art will contribute to the student’s ability consider the following Essential Questions: to understand and notice detail. Attention to detail will give • Who made the artwork? students greater perceptual and aesthetic understanding of art. • Why was the artwork created? The Visual Art standards support the Enduring Understanding • What function/purpose does the artwork have with respect to that works of art are created for a wide variety of contextual its cultural origin? purposes and many different reasons. Learning the language of visual art will help students present and/or communicate their Classroom teachers are encouraged to emphasize the following thoughts, ideas, and works of art more persuasively at a greater areas of art history and culture. depth of knowledge. • Works of art that are historically or culturally important because they are representative of a particular style of art. Essential Question: How is art used to express a feeling, record • Works of art that have symbolic, cultural or historical importance. or illustrate an historical event, memorialize or honor individual • Works of art that are highly original and innovative. achievement, tell a story, celebrate a victory, or adorn an • Works of art that represent different thematic aspects of the empty space? human experience • Works of art that reflect citizenship, and civil discourse. By participating in the process of purposeful looking, students • Works of art that express a wide range of human emotional enhance their ability to see detail and note subtle differences qualities, (e.g., honor, courage, perseverance, civic pride, etc.). in visual images. They become more aware of images as a form of visual communication, and learn to think about and discuss STANDARD 2: what they see. The Visual Art standards encourage instruction Visual Art History and Culture: “Responding” that will help students build a solid foundation in the language of The student will recognize the development of visual art visual art. The elements of art and principles of design represent from a historical and cultural perspective. 6 VISUAL ARTS • OKLAHOMA STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Visual Art Expression Visual Art Appreciation “Creating” “Connecting” Standard 3 Standard 4 Rationale: Art making is a complex cognitive process. It can Rationale: Learning to appreciate visual art can help each student involve developing an idea, visually describing a real world establish a point of view for deeper analysis of art. Works of art experience, expressing an emotional state, or illustrating a can depict a wide variety of ideas, subjects and historical events intuitive feeling. Creating visual art will help students learn within a wide range of human experiences. Art Appreciation will to express themselves more confidently at a deeper level of help students make informed decisions about the concept of aesthetic reflection and greater sense of craftsmanship. “quality in art.” Asking questions for purposes of discussion also represents an important step in learning to appreciate visual art. This process begins by discussing some Essential Questions: • How was the artwork made? Art appreciation may involve asking the following Essential • What materials were used? Questions: • Why was the artwork created? • What is art? • What is creativity? Students can and should also be encouraged to develop • What does a particular work of art communicate to you? Enduring Understandings of their own unique visual ideas. • How was this work of art made? (e.g., technique, process) Through the process of visual art expression, students will • What is the purpose of art? (e.g., symbolic meaning, function) engage in problem solving, critical thinking, and aesthetic • What materials were used to create the artwork? (e.g., stone, decision-making. All of these skills are important skills needed wood, clay, metal, pigment, canvas, mixed media, plastic, etc.) in today’s world. Creating original works of art with basic tools and materials, using a variety of art making techniques, will foster By promoting Enduring Understanding and appreciation for the Enduring Understandings by helping students: discipline of art, academic standards of knowledge are raised for • Develop a greater understanding of the creative process. all students. Creative problem solving and creative thinking are • Develop a sense of craftsmanship through repeated art making an integral part of learning to appreciate art. experiences. • Increase their understanding of visual art as a language The following Enduring Understandings foster appreciation of beginning at a basic knowledge level and progressing to higher the visual arts when we ask students to: levels of linguistic fluency. • Look closely at the process of making art and its relationship • Guide their understanding and ability to engage creativity in to the final product. original ways that are inventive, innovative, and imaginative. • Identify examples of creative problem solving in every day life, and encourage students to make connections with other areas Art processes should be explained and demonstrated for the of the instructional curriculum. students by the classroom teacher, art specialist, or visiting • Suspend judgment of unusual or different ideas that students artist. It is also possible to allow students to have a simple may have about what art is. Divergent thinking can often exploration experience to get acquainted with the materials. It produce a variety of future problem solving areas of inquiry. is important, however, that the classroom teacher experience • Explore and investigate new ideas and concepts within