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HighTechMiddleNorthCounty

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

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