Visual Arts in Central Bucks is required in grades 7 and 8, and an elective in grade 9.
Seventh Grade
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Visual Arts 7 is a twelve week course, with 90 minute classes meeting every other day. This course focuses upon the studio units of drawing, painting, printmaking, ceramics and sculpture. The Art History units covered parallel the Social Studies and English curriculum in order to provide students with a well rounded foundation for the cultures they study. These cultures include pre-historic times, Egypt, Greece, Rome, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance. In addition to the production of art works with a focus on art history, students are also taught about Aesthetics, Philosophy and Art Criticism through reading and writing assignments, as well as verbal discussions and critiques.
Eighth Grade
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Visual Arts 8 is a twelve week course, with 90 minute classes every other day. This course focuses upon the studio units of drawing, painting, commercial art and crafts. The art history units covered parallel the Social Studies and English curriculum in order to provide the students with a well rounded foundation for the cultures they study. Our primary focus is on the 20th century, including Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Fauvism, Cubism, Expressionism, Surrealism, Pop Art, and Op Art. We also investigate the history of architecture from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome through present day. The development of animation from single cell to live action is studied as well.
In addition to the production of artworks with a historical basis, students are also taught about aesthetics, philosophy and art criticism through reading and writing assignments, as well as verbal discussions and critiques.
| Ninth Grade Electives |
Our middle schools offer several options
for our ninth grade students, which include: Drawing and Painting I,
Introduction to Ceramics,
Three-Dimensional Design, Art I, and *Photography I (*at Lenape only).
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Drawing and Painting I
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| This course is worth 1/2 credit, and meets
every other day for 45 minutes for the entire school year.
This course is open to all students in grades 9-12 who enjoy two dimensional work. Emphasis is placed on developing basic drawing and painting skills and techniques. A variety of media will be used. The fundamentals of composition as found in the elements and principles of design will be used when drawing and painting from life and imagination, using realistic and abstract themes.
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Introduction to
Ceramics
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| This course is worth 1/2 credit, and meets
every other day for 45 minutes for the entire school year.
This is a beginning level course focusing on hand building methods of ceramic production, such as pinch, coil, and slab techniques, as well as two- and three-dimensional design principles using ceramic media, and the significance of clay to human historical development in ancient and contemporary primitive cultures, including China, Japan, Africa, the Americas, Greece and Rome. A variety of topics and experiences will provide students with a foundation for further in-depth course work in ceramics. |
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3-Dimensional Design
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| This course is worth 1/2 credit, and
meets every other day for 45 minutes for the entire school year.
Students will be introduced to three-dimensional art through the integration of concepts and skills associated with sculpture, crafts and industrial design. Students will be exposed to a wide range of concepts, media, and techniques, as well as art history and current trends in three-dimensional design. Students will create a variety of projects using materials such as metal, clay, wax, wood and plaster. *3-D Design is the only art elective not yet offered at either of the high schools. |
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Art I |
| This course is worth 1 credit, and meets
every day for 45 minutes for the entire school year.
This course is open to all students who are interested in beginning an advanced exploratory study of art. Students will build upon what they learned in grades 1 - 8 as they learn new skills and techniques, with an emphasis upon drawing and design. Students will have introductory and developmental experiences in sculpture, drawing, three-dimensional design, painting, mixed media, career study, art criticism, art history and philosophy. |
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Photography I |
| Students will study the basic
principles of exposing, developing, and printing 35 mm black and white film.
Care and use of the camera and darkroom equipment and the fundamentals of good
photography will be emphasized. Cultural influences on the artist/
photographer and historical development of the media will be studied. Each student MUST have a use of a 35 mm camera with MANUALLY ADJUSTABLE controls for focus, aperture, and shutter speed. |
| Each of our five middle
schools has a unique personality.
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