1 K-5 Curriculum Narrative Overview

Often times, elementary students are taught to create basic school-style arts and crafts. As an elementary educator, however, it is my aim to allow students to use their creativity to create more meaningful works of art. I believe that students of all ages are capable of producing fine art if properly guided. It is my hope that art class will allow students to take more than just a project home with them. Kindergarten My kindergarten thirty six week curriculum features a total of thirty three 1-week lessons and three 2-week lessons. This curriculum is designed to excite children about art while allowing them to express their creativity. Under this curriculum, students learn the basic elements and principles of design, such as line, color, shape, form, etc., through unique lesson plans designed according to the PA State Standards. Students practice the skills of drawing, coloring, cutting, pasting, painting, printmaking, sculpting, constructing, and assembling, all of which aid in the development of fine motor skills. Students learn to use a variety of media in various ways so that each students unique learning style may thrive. Students learn to master new media and to utilize familiar media in unconventional ways. For example, this curriculum allows students to use bubbles to print, spices to paint, and sidewalk chalk to create a class mural. Class projects introduce students to many different artists and art movements. Students are introduced to other cultures including Japanese, Native American, Chilean, Middle Eastern, Tibetan, African, Roman, Grecian, and Egyptian. In particular, students learn to embrace these cultures through lessons that inspire music and dance. Teaching students to respect others early

2 in their schooling career will allow them to be more accepting of new individuals they meet later on in their schooling and even in life. Grades 1-3 My curriculum for first, second, and third grade features a total of fifteen different lessons, all of which are designed to occupy multiple weeks. These lessons are still designed to bring excitement to art, but students are able to work on them for multiple weeks so that they may take greater pride in what they have created. At this level, students also begin to recognize the benefits of taking time to fully develop ones ideas and projects. In this curriculum, as described in the PA State Standards, students build upon skills from kindergarten while learning new skills and techniques. Students learn to apply the elements and principles of design as they practice the creation of interesting and artistic compositions through calligraphic line, rhythm, movement, texture, shape, pattern, color blending, and strategic color schemes. Students learn about famous artists who struggled in their lives including Matisse and Pollock, in addition to various art movements. Lessons learned address Chinese, Aboriginal, and Mexican cultures. Students are taught to respect the environment as well. Lessons for these grades involve additional group work so that students may learn to recognize their unique strengths as well as the strengths of their classmates. For example, students work together to create a large scale Jackson Pollock inspired drip painting. The goal of this curriculum is to help students feel confident in their mastery of early elementary skills so that they may enter into the upper elementary grades with continued enthusiasm for learning through art. Grades 4-5 My curriculum for fourth and fifth grade features a total of nine different lessons designed to occupy multiple weeks. Much like in first, second, and third grade, students in fourth and fifth grade are encouraged to learn throughout their process of creation, and thus are

3 given more time to complete and make creative adjustments to their projects. Unlike,

kindergarten, first, second, and third grade, however, fourth and fifth grade students are held to a higher level of PA State Standards, and thus must complete more involved lessons in order to meet state demands. Media in these grade levels is expanded to include new materials such as wire and Paris craft, and students experiment in new fibers techniques. Students in these grades use the elements and principles of design not only to make visually rich works, but also works which convey greater narrative and richer concept. For example, students address Joseph

Kosuths conceptual piece, One and Three Chairs, as they create wire chairs and discuss what different types of seating might say about an individual. Students also learn to value different perspectives as each student delves deeper into embracing his or her own personal identity and lifestyle. Students are asked to develop a strong Art for Life Approach as they consider

themselves not only as individuals, but also in relation to their family and friends, as well as their school and community. While discovering these relations, students discuss how art can be a form of activism. This understanding of their importance as individuals who affect the greater world around them will be very beneficial to students as they move into levels of secondary education.