Students will be introduced to a wide variety of art materials used to create unique artworks which are representative of a variety of world cultures&/or ancient art, and artists through the ages. As always, the Elements & Principles of Design will be stressed, and Art Appreciation will also be a part of the art curriculum. Links to other core academic subjects will be made throughout the Fine Arts Program.
WEEK ONE: Students will be introduced to the ancient cultures of China, Greece & the Anasazi of the Southwest US. Our focus will be on the variety of pottery & ceramics found at the various archaeological dig sites. Students will utilize the Orange Lab & the Crow Canyon interactive web site to go on two "trips through time". Both trips include study guides to be completed using the on-line clues & readings. Back in the classroom students will complete their choice of studio activity. One is found in our new textbooks, Chapter 54; students create clay horses. The other is found in the Scholastic Arts magazine; students will create a vessel that looks like an animal, yet holds something liquid or solid. Their sculptures will be fired in the kiln & then glazed sometime during week 4 or 5. NAStandards: 1-6.
WEEKS TWO & THREE: Students will watch the video from the History Channel about Gothic Cathedrals which includes extensive footage on the building of the Nations Cathedral in Washington, D. C. Architecture & Gothic facades will be the focus of the next clay project; a wall plaque. NAStandards: 1-6.
WEEKS FOUR & FIVE: Students will explore the geometry in Sacred Art by learning how the Rose Windows of Gothic Cathedrals are constructed based on geometry. After viewing the step-by-step instructions ("Chartes Cathedral" link; top, left), students will attempt to create a 12-pointed star. This will be the building block of their own "rose window" design. These will be colored in using markers and black sharpies. When complete, students will create a real stained glass window by cutting out of black construction paper a "snowflake" design. Using glue and tissue paper, the negative spaces will be filled in.
During this two week period, students will also be painting the glaze on their ceramics from week one. NAStandards: 1-6.
WEEKS SIX & SEVEN: "Batik from Indonesia". Students will learn about this exciting art process of dying fabric with wax resist designs inspired by nature. Students will see examples of batik and discuss the characteristics of this artform. Students will create a sketch of what their design will be and color it in. On "wax day" pots of melted wax will be ready for the students to draw their design on their fabric square using the tjanting tools and brushes. Next, the fabric will be placed in a dye bath. The fabric is dried and then ironed between newspaper sheets to remove the wax. NAStandards: 1-6.
END OF THE QUARTER: Our final days in the quarter will be filled with finishing up Batik and other incomplete work. Some students will be given an additional project to be completed by the end of the quarter. NAStandards: will vary.
