Curriculum Outline for Visual Arts: 8th Grade

1. Sketching

*Vocabulary- Line, Contour Line, Shading, Form, View Point, Perspective, Line of Sight, Still Life, Portrait, Landscape.

*Mediums- Pencil, Charcoal, Marker, Colored Pencil

*Projects- Portraits of others in the class, Portraits form pictures, Still life contour line, Still life with form and shading, Series of subject from multiple viewpoints and perspectives.

2. Color

*Vocabulary- Hue, Primary Colors, Secondary Colors, Tertiary Colors, Tints, Shades, Complimentary Colors, Blending.

*Mediums- Paint, Colored Pencils, Markers, Crayons, Oil Pastels, Pastels, Tiles, Magazines, Papers, Yarn.

*Projects- Create your own Color Wheel, Object Study in color(medium of choice), Still life in Colored pencils or either type of pastels, Painting of either landscape or portrait, Abstract landscape using yarn on canvas paper, mosaic with magazine scrapes and/or colored paper, Mosaic with tile(for more advanced groups)

3. 3-Dimensional Art

*Vocabulary- Sculpture, Pottery, Clay, Plaster, Kiln.

*Mediums- Clay, Plaster, Wood, Scrap Material, Fabric.

*Projects- Plaster facemasks, Modeling clay scenes or landscapes, Ceramics.

4. Printmaking

*Vocabulary- Ink, Carving Tools, Cork Board, Plexi Plate, Printing Press, Relief Printing.

*Mediums- Cork and Plexi plates

*Projects- Two or three prints using both types of printing plates.

I plan to give vocabulary tests with each new unit of study while also handing out packets on famous artists and works that coincide with each subject we cover. Although it is not likely that all projects will be finished by all students, I know that some students work more quickly than others so providing a multitude of projects is better than not enough.

Classes will mostly be studio time as these students are still in middle school and this class is seen as an extracurricular class, meaning that it may not be held at regular times every week or may vary as the school year progresses. After instruction, students will be given the opportunity to work on whatever project they have going at that time, though there will be a time limit seeing as much needs to be covered in the time I have with them.

Students will be graded on their participation in class and the effort they put into each project. Throughout the year I will display their work as it is completed. Hopefully there will be space around the school, if not their work will be displayed about the room as much as possible.

This curriculum is based on a curriculum overview from the state of Massachusetts that loosely states that middle school visual arts curriculum should provide a wide variety of styles and mediums to the students and ensure that they have a good understanding of all of them before they leave the course. All of the projects are my ideas either of my own conception or based on those I have done in art classes in my past.