• P.S. duPontMiddle School

                        Mr. Scira’s Course Syllabus       

     

     

     

    Name of Course: Visual Arts~ room 300                   Art Department

     

    Level of Course: 6th and 7th                                        School Year: 2009-2010

     

    Name of Teacher: M. Scira                                          

     

     

     

    I.  The major content topics of this course are: Elements and Principles of Design

                                                                        Sculpture and Clay

                                                                        Figure and Portrait Drawing and Painting

                                                                        Mixed Media and Collage’

                                                                        Perspective Drawing and painting

                                                                         Painting in Tempera, Watercolor, Acrylic, and Inks

                                                                         Gyotaku, Relief and Mono printing with Haiku

     

    II.      The major skills objectives of this course are: Students will be guided through a variety of projects intended to sharpen their observation skills, problem solving skills, and to make the connection that visual arts are present in every subject matter and culture. I will stress that visual communication is universal, that each student is individual and yet shares a connection with all human kind through the need and ability to create art, and strive to have them master new techniques in creating their art work to clarify and strengthen their ability to communicate visually.

     

                  

    III.    Learning resources utilized this year will include: learning resources include the use of reference books, computer data and background searches, videos, hand out sheets and instructional posters on walls and included in each lesson. An example of what is to be done is ALWAYS posted and during the introduction of the new projects, examples are shown and well as demonstrated at each strategic point in the lessons. Students will also be encouraged to make use of their own sketch book, and resources to look up things of specific interest.

     

     

    IV.    Major activities in daily classroom instruction will consist of: We all line up in the hall to maintain order in the hallway transition, once the bell rings, we assemble in the room proper and roll is taken. I present the goal board of what is coming in the up coming week and discuss what is going to be done that day. We have the time to ask questions, review previously covered material,  demonstrate difficulties, and critique current work and then we begin the work cycle. I walk throughout the period and interface with the students when I see a need or they request it. I try not to be over their shoulder, but rather encourage they try to figure new directions and if they struggle, I step in to help. Five or so minutes BEFORE clean up, I give them a verbal “heads up” and then tell them to clean up five minutes before the bell.

     

     

     

     

    V.      Assignments will include as many of the major materials and techniques correlating with the National standards, State standards, District standards, and alignment to the Elements and Principles that time will allow. Most projects are between one and a half to two weeks in duration and will include both two and three dimensional work.

     

     

    VI.              Grades will be calculated using the standard state point system:   A~ 93-100

                                                                                                               B~ 85-92

                                                                                                               C~ 77-84

                                                                                                               D~70-76

                                                                                                               F~ Below 59

    Any work that is not complete, but show an attempt to meet the goal, will be given a “base grade upon the day that it is due~ usually between a LOW C to LOW D, depending on if effort has been made to get it done on time. Work can be made up due to illness, religious holiday, or traumatic event WITHOUT penalty and work can be accepted right up to the last week with parent/teacher agreement.

     

    The marking period final grade is cumulative and consists of Projects, Tests, Quiz’s, Homework and make up 8/9ths of the grade. The final exam is a multiple choice that is reviewed and will only be counted as 1/9ths of the grade.

                           

     

     

    VII.            Other important items specific to this course include:

    How projects are graded~ I look and see if they followed posted guidelines of what I expected of them. Here are the usual guidelines:

    ·        Did you follow instructions?

    ·        Are the Elements or Principals I requested present in final work?

    ·        Did you work in class, or spend the last ten minutes on the final work?

    ·        Did you explore anything BEYOND what the basest expectation was?