VISUAL ARTS DEPARTMENT The goal of the visual arts department is to provide experiences that ask the students to develop individual, creative solutions to visual problems. Students are also expected to strive to increase their technical skills in manipulating a variety of materials. In each unit of study, art history and current concepts in art are included so that students understand the cultural context of art. All assignments are critiqued in class as students learn to analyze and evaluate their artwork. In middle school all students are required to take a visual arts course. Students in grades 6–8 can select to take one or more courses from the visual arts electives of Art 2D, Art 3D or Video Production where the assignments cover the elements and principles of design as well as an exploration of a range of media. All the courses in the visual arts for grades 9–12 are approved for the UC’s “f” Visual & Performing Arts credit. However, a student must take two courses in the Visual Arts to satisfy the UC’s requirement. In all art classes, students are expected to put in extra studio time outside of class to complete the assignments. Upper school art classes may include field trips to museums, galleries, and artists' studios.
MIDDLE SCHOOL COURSES
MIDDLE SCHOOL VIDEO PRODUCTION Grades 6–8 This course introduces Middle School students to the basic elements of digital filmmaking and editing techniques from concept to finished product. Over the course of the semester students will create 3 or 4 projects both individually and as collaborative teams. For all of these projects, students will write, shoot and edit during class time. The projects include a public service announcement, a commercial, and a news/magazine broadcast. Students will learn filmmaking terminology, the use of a variety of digital video camcorders, editing with Final Cut, screenwriting and storyboarding, essential lighting and sound elements, and green screen.
ART 2D Grades 6–8 This course covers a range of assignments using two dimensional assignments including drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, and an introduction to Photoshop. The course has students develop personal, creative solutions to a range of visual problems. Media used in the course include pastel, charcoal, acrylic paint as well as digital media on the Mac computers. ART 3D Grades 6–8 In this course, students create artworks in three dimensional sculptural, 3D printing and architectural forms. The course explores materials including clay, wood, foam core, metal as well as concepts involved with sculpture and architecture. An emphasis is on developing personal solutions to three dimensional design problems as well as learning skills in working with the various materials and tools.
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