Professional Documents
Culture Documents
8thGradeVisualArtsSyllabus
CourseObjectives
TheFineArtClassatHighTechMiddleNorthCountywillincludeaspectsofartthatare
importantinthegeneralknowledgeandunderstandingofthevisualartsandoftheworld
aroundyou.Youwillbeintroducedtomedia,materials,andtechniquesthatarecriticalto
understandingtheartworkofothersandthecreationofyourownartwork.Youwillalsobe
giventheopportunitytocollaborateworkinthisclasswithyourotherclasses.
EssentialQuestions
Howdoesartexpandandenhanceourthinking?
Whatinspiresme?
Howdoesartrepresentpersonalexpression,explorationand/orinsight?
Inwhatwaysareeverdaysitesandsoundsrootedinthearts?
ClassCulture
WewillRESPECT,LISTEN,andHELPeachothermakemeaningfulandbeautifulwork.
Acreativeenvironmentneedstobecleanandsafe,inordertofacilitateyourpersonaland
academicgrowth.DuringyourtimeinArt,youwillbeexploringnewmaterialsandways
toexpressyourself.Itisextremelyimportanttohaveaclassroomofrespectand
encouragementforeachother.
ClassStructure
Thestudentswillbeguidedindevelopingacohesivebodyofworkthatexploresand
communicatestheircomprehensionofthegivenlectures,lessons,practices,projects,and
exhibitionsasyoungArtists.Inaccordwitheachproject,weeklycritiqueswillbeheldto
bettereachstudentswork.Wewillalsohaveopengroupdiscussionfollowingeach
project.
AttendanceandLateWork:
Eachstudentshouldbeontimeandreadytowork.Studentsshouldalsocometoclass
preparedwiththeappropriatematerials.Instructionisgenerallygiveninthevery
beginningofclass,soifyouarelate,youmissacrucialpieceofinstruction.Artisonly
onehourlongandsetupandcleanuptaketime,sobeingreadytheminuteclassstartsis
extremelyimportant.Missedclasstimeismissedworktime.Classworkmissedduetoan
absencewillbemadeupbythefollowingweek.Absencefromschoolnecessitatesthatthe
studentcontacttheteacher(viaemail)toacquireassignmentsmissedsotheymaybe
turnedinupontheabsentstudent'sreturn.
SuggestedClassroomSupplies
Materialsforprojectswillbesuppliedforallstudents.Youwillhavetheoptiontobringin
additionalmaterialsifyoushouldchoose(seebelowitalics).Ifyouhaveany
questions/commentsaboutthis,pleasecontactmeorourDirector,EmilioTorres.
WehaveaccesstoawidevarietyofclassroommaterialsinourArtRoom.Iwouldlike
forstudentstobringapencil,anderaser,andpapertoclasseveryday.Asketchbookisnot
requiredformyclass,butyoumayenjoyusingoneforoutsidepractice.
Youwillhaveyourownstoragespaceintheclassroomtodryyourworkandstoreyour
tools.Iftherearetoolsormaterialsyouwouldliketobringfromhome,pleaseletme
knowinadvance.TheStateofCalifornialimitsthetypesofmaterialsthatmaybebrought
intoschools.
GradingPolicy
StudentswillnotreceiveastandardgradeinArt.Studentswillreceivethoughtful
feedbackandcritiquefromtheirteacherandfromtheirpeers.Theywillsetgoalsfor
projects,selfreflectontheirprogress,anddiscusstheoutcomewiththeirteacher.
PowerSchoolwillbeusedtocommunicateprojectoutcomeswithfamilies.Apassingfinal
gradewillbeenteredintoPowerSchoolattheendofthecourseforstudentswhohave
completedatleast70%oftherequiredprojectsandactivities.Parentswillbecontactedif
theirchildisnotproducingworkandisthereforeindangerofnotpassing.Aspecificplan
willbedevelopedwiththefamilytosupportthestudentandspecifyexpectedoutcomes.
LateWorkPolicy
Ourprojectsarebasedoncritiqueandculminateinregularexhibition.Studentswhoare
unpreparedfordeadlinesaffecttheprogressoftheentireclass.Ifmoretimeisneededfor
projects,pleasescheduleanappointmentduringofficehoursandbepreparedtobeclear
andhonestwhyyouneedmoretime.Wewillmakeaplantogetyourworkdoneasclose
totheduedateaspossible.
Ouracademicprogramdiffersfromotherschoolprograms.Studentsareoftenworkingon
projectsandcollaboratingingroups.Missedgroupworkoftentimescannotbemadeupat
alatertime.TheteachersandstaffatHTMNCsupportachallengingandpersonalized
curriculum.Toreceiveacademiccreditforabsencesoffive(5)daysormore,studentsare
requiredtohaveanindependentstudycontract.Tocoordinatethiscontractparentsmust
emailCindyWallace(cwallace@hightechhigh.org)andtheirstudent'steachersatleasttwo
(2)weekspriortotheabsence.Duetothenatureofprojectbasedlearning,contractwork
maynotbetheexactassignmentsastudentwouldreceivewhileattendingclass.This
meansthatacontractwillincludecurrentprojectandhomeworkassignmentswiththe
additionofworksheets,essays,andreading.Whilecompletingworkforacontract,
studentsshouldbepreparedtocompleteasignificantamountofworkwhileabsent.All
contractworkisduethedaythestudentreturnstoschool.
Thisisaworkingsyllabus.Datesofprojectsarefluidinthecreativeprocess.
October2024DiadelosMuertosProject
October2731ExaminingArtParodies
November37CharacterRemix
November1014Colortheory
November1721StolenArtPaintResearchthroughArtHistory
November2428ThanksgivingBreak
December15StolenArtPaintings
December812StolenArtPaintings
December1519StolenArtCritque&Exhibition
December22January5WinterBreak
January69Artistssolveproblems,3Dimensionalwork&Reflections
January1216Reflections,DigitalPortfolioUpdatesandCleanUp
January1923PresentationsofLearning
CREATEA