Art

 

The Elementary Visual Art Program provides a wonderful foundation that is aligned to the New Jersey Core Content Standards. The students learn, apply, and build on the elements of art and principles of design as they go from grades 1 through 5. They develop their skills through introduction to a wide variety of art materials that further enhance their experiences and exploration. In addition, the students increase their aesthetic awareness through their exposure to the history of art and artists along with the cultures, styles and art forms. It is an elementary program with instructional goals that will often cross curriculum into math, science, language arts, and history.

The Visual Art Curriculum begins in Grades 1-2 with the study of the Elements of Art: line, shape, color and space. Also, when applicable, texture and form. In Grades 3-5, as the art elements are further explored, the Principles of Design: balance, unity, movement, contrast and emphasis are introduced as the roles they play in the creation of art work.

    1st graders will delve into all art mediums ranging from oil pastels to watercolor and glitter crayons to model magic. Each lesson will build upon the next and create a confidence and mindfulness to want to enjoy at making processes as they go to 2nd grade. Students will challenge themselves with collaborative projects to develop interpersonal skills, including 4th grade freestanding Aaron Curry sculptures and sculpture group donut boxes.

All in all, the Elementary Visual Art Program provides the students with a very well rounded and balanced experience. The artistic opportunities to create and express themselves enhance visual awareness and develop their own confidence, knowledge and skills in the visual arts!

Grade 1: art room routines, introduction to line, shape, primary colors, mixing to get the secondary colors, realistic art, non-objective art, seasonal artworks, collage, cutting, and gluing. Students will also be able to enjoy art as a therapy and mindful activity. As well as they will learn to become more visually aware and confident in their artmaking skills. (Multimedia Guitars, Sol Lewitt Line Drawings, Positivity Paintings, Nature Prints inspired by Andy Warhol, Model Magic Sculptures ect.)

Grade 2: more about line and shape, some colors can be warm or cool, realistic vs. non-objective art, 2-D art is flat, 3-D art is sculpture and can be made out of many different materials, seasonal artworks, multimedia collage. They will continue improving skills in cutting, gluing, painting,  and drawing. Students will begin to delve deeper into artists and art history and begin their journey into arts as a career. (Zentangles, Cats vs. Dogs, Eric Carle Multimedia Collage Fish, Radial Balance Printmaking Designs,

Grade 3: principles of design; balance, movement, unity, contrast and emphasis, are added to the art elements, painting, twilight skies and interesting trees with branches of “lines,” owls in clay relief (sculpture raised from a background), collage snowglobes, gluing, Picasso inspired portraits, wire fish with a nod to Alexander Calder, coloring, drawing, cutting; realizing that following directions increases success!

Grade 4: continued work with the principles of design, art elements, repeated line design, printmaking with leaves, 1pt. perspective drawing, shading, relief, figure drawing, wire figure sculptures, crayon and watercolor flowers inspired by Georgia O’Keefe, painting, paper animation; added confidence in what they can do!

Grade 5: art elements and principles of design, a variety of possibilities of assignments from drawing, cut paper panels in the style of Henri Matisse, personalized paper reliefs, aluminum relief, winter birch trees, and wizard sculptures; successful, individual, personal pieces that are an accomplished finish to their elementary art career!