Curriculum Organizers
A curriculum organizer consists of a set of prescribed learning outcomes that share a common focus. Content-based organizers form the basic framework for the curriculum. Process-based suborganizers further define two types of outcomes within each organizer.
The learning outcomes for all visual arts courses are grouped under the following curriculum organizers:
- Image-Development and Design Strategies
- Context
- Visual Elements and Principles of Art and Design
- Materials, Technologies, and Processes
Image-Development and Design Strategies
Image-development and design strategies are the key processes used to develop visual images. Images come from a variety of sources, including emotions and feelings, ideas and concepts, imagination, memories, observation, and other sensory experiences. Image-development strategies (e.g., distortion, elaboration, rotation, reversal, simplification) are the processes used to transform these ideas and experiences to visual images. Design strategies are forms of problem solving used to develop and organize one or more images for a specific purpose. In the Visual Arts Kindergarten to Grade 12 curriculum, students learn to create images and solve problems using increasingly complex image-development and design strategies with increasing proficiency.
Context
Images are created, communicated, responded to, and perceived within personal, social, cultural, and historical contexts. The visual arts are dynamic individual and social activities that have been integral to all cultures throughout time. They are expressed in and influenced by:
- personal contexts such as gender, age, life experience, beliefs and values, and aesthetics
- social and cultural contexts such as religion, socio-economics, equity issues, beliefs and values, aesthetics, ethnicity, gender, and age
- historical contexts such as time, place, and point of view
- evolving technologies in all contexts
All of these contexts are interconnected; they influence and are influenced by developments in the visual arts. The visual arts are subject to ethical, economic, and legal considerations that vary according to context. As students increase their understanding of the relationships between art and context, they develop their abilities to critically examine artworks and create personally meaningful images.
Visual Elements and Principles of Art and Design
The use of visual elements and their organization according to principles of art and design are the basic components of image making. These visual elements include colour, form, line, and shape; and space, texture, value, and tone. The principles of art and design include pattern, repetition, and rhythm; balance, contrast, emphasis, and movement; and unity and harmony. Students at all grade levels are given opportunities to develop the understandings and skills needed to use visual elements and principles of art and design in their artwork. They also develop the ability to discuss the work of others.
Materials, Technologies, and Processes
Materials are the substances from which visual images are created (e.g., clay, ink, paint, paper, film, video). Technologies are the tools and equipment used to make visual images (e.g., brayers, computers and peripherals, kilns, paintbrushes, pencils, sewing needles). Processes are the activities and methods used to create visual images (e.g., drawing, painting, sculpture). As they progress from Kindergarten to Grade 12, students have opportunities to experience a variety of materials, technologies, and processes. This wide-ranging approach is balanced with the students' needs to achieve competency and a sense of accomplishment with some particular materials, technologies, and processes.
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Maintained by: Fine Arts Coordinator - Visual Arts
Revised: January 25, 1999
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