Visual Arts (Grade 7)

Student Learnings: What students should know and be able to do

Understanding how media, techniques and processes are used in creating works of art

• Select a variety of media, techniques, and processes for particular projects; analyze what makes them effective or not effective in communicating ideas; and reflect upon the effectiveness of their choices.
  • Analyze a variety of media, techniques, and processes in artworks and determine their effectiveness in communicating ideas.
  • Demonstrate understanding of media, techniques and processes such as:
    • drawing (e.g. contour, gesture, perspective and value/shading using pencil, pen, or colored pencil)
    • painting (e.g. mixing and blending colors, dry brush and wash application through tempera or watercolor)
    • ceramics/sculpture (e.g. pinch, coil and slab methods, using additive and subtractive approaches)
    • collage (e.g. overlapping to develop depth and emphasis to create interest)
• Plan an approach that takes advantage of the qualities and characteristics of art media, techniques and processes to enhance communication of experiences and ideas.
  • Plan an approach which most effectively uses selected media, techniques and processes to communicate ideas in an artwork
• Use art materials, tools, and artwork in a safe and responsible manner.
  • Observe rules for proper handling and care of art materials and tools.
  • Show respect for artwork both in progress and on exhibit in schools, galleries, and museums.

Understanding how artworks are structured, and how art has a variety of functions

• Generalize about visual structures and functions in artworks.
  • Identify and explain the elements of design (line, shape, space, form, texture, value, color) in a variety of artworks.
  • Identify and explain the principles of design (e.g. emphasis, balance, and pattern) in various artworks.
• Employ organizational structures and analyze what makes them effective or not effective in the communication of ideas.
  • Employ the elements of design (e.g. line, shape, color, texture, value, and form) and the principles of design (e.g. repetition, pattern, rhythm, variety, contrast, emphasis, and balance) to communicate ideas.
  • Analyze the effectiveness of organizational structures (elements of design) in own artworks.
  • Critique own artwork in terms of effective communication of intended ideas.

Identifying, analyzing and selecting subject matter, symbols and ideas for personal/cultural expression

• Identify and analyze a variety of interesting, timely or provocative themes and ideas that would be suitable for works of art.
  • Develop an interdisciplinary theme for personal and cultural expression in their own artwork.
• Integrate visual, spatial, and temporal concepts with content to communicate intended meaning in their art works.
  • Incorporate elements of time and place in their artworks (e.g. choose a time and place when creating a two-point perspective cityscape drawing).
• Use subjects, themes and symbols that demonstrate knowledge of contexts, values, and aesthetics which communicate intended meaning in artworks.
  • Use subjects, themes or symbols that demonstrate knowledge of contexts, values or aesthetics which communicate intended meaning in artworks (e.g. group projects in art may include discussion of a moral theme, such as “Respect differences in others.”)
• Identify meanings that are communicated through a variety of subjects, themes and symbols used in artworks, and discuss the values and beliefs that are communicated.
  • Analyze the meaning of artworks as communicated through a variety of themes, subjects and symbols.
  • Analyze the impact of personal and cultural values on both an artwork’s intended meaning and the viewer’s response (e.g. Impressionist artists were ridiculed for their style because it was thought to be frivolous and too colorful by viewers of the era.
• Analyze how specific subjects, themes or symbols are particularly effective in communicating different values and beliefs in artworks.
  • Examine different subjects, symbols or themes in artwork of different cultures and evaluate the artist’s success in communicating particular values and beliefs (e.g. in conjunction with a unit on perspective drawing, the student will use the text and other resources to search for and discuss examples of architecture. Some examples for analysis may include; Maya Yin Lin’s Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Thomas Ustick Walter’s UnitedStates Capitol Dome, and Hispanic San Luis Rey Mission.

Understanding how historical and cultural contexts provide meaning for works of art

• Identify and compare the characteristics of artworks in various eras and cultures
• Describe and place a variety of art objects in historical and cultural contexts.
• Analyze, describe, and demonstrate how factors of time and place (such as climate, resources, ideas, and technology) influence visual characteristics that give meaning and value to a work of art.

Reflecting upon the characteristics of artworks and assessing the merits of their own art works and the art works of others

• Compare multiple purposes for creating works of art.
  • Understand that there are a variety of reasons why people make art.
• Analyze contemporary and historic meanings in specific artworks through cultural and aesthetic inquiry.