Grade 10 - Context (Perceiving/Responding)

This sub-organizer contains the following sections:
Prescribed Learning Outcomes
Suggested Instructional Strategies
Suggested Assessment Strategies
Recommended Learning Resources

PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES

It is expected that students will use their senses to perceive the world and respond to images and the ways in which they reflect the personal, social, cultural, and historical contexts in which they were created.

It is expected that students will:

demonstrate an awareness of the skills, training, and education needed to pursue a variety of art careers
demonstrate an understanding of the societal roles of contemporary artists and visual art forms
analyse the roles of various artists and the visual arts in reflecting, sustaining, and challenging beliefs and traditions in society
explain how the interaction of art and artists from different contexts can affect their style, purpose, and meaning
demonstrate an awareness of characteristic similarities and differences among images from a variety of world cultures
demonstrate an awareness of the values and meanings attached to collections, shows, and displays
analyse selected works and defend preferences, recognizing the bias of their personal context

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Context (Perceiving/Responding) in other grades click on an icon below.

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Students in small groups research careers and the educational background needed to pursue them. (Each group member could research one career.) Reconfigure the groups so that students can share their knowledge. Students compile an annotated list of careers related to the visual arts.
Before attending a contemporary exhibit or performance, have students make notes on a selection of reviews of it. Discuss the nature and purpose of art reviews and art criticism. Following the trip, students could write reviews that:
- reflect a purpose (e.g., publicity, education, opinion)
- discuss what the exhibit implies about the role of the artist in contemporary society
Investigate how artists and their work are affected by the discovery of images or ideas from cultures of which they were previously unaware (e.g., Inuit artists and Canadian printmakers in the 1950s, European impressionists and Japanese woodcut artists in the mid-1800s).
Assign two different cultures (e.g., ancient Egypt and ancient Greece) and have students research (e.g., using videos, books, the Internet) examples of similar subject matter and material use from each (e.g., figurative stone sculptures). Identify the two cultures' stylistic characteristics (e.g., Egyptianritual, standardized postures; Greekanatomical accuracy) and make a comparison.
Students collect objects or images (e.g., coins, CD covers, posters) and prepare displays, explaining the purpose or rationale for their collections and their artistic merit. Students examine one another's collections and record how each reflects the personality of the collector. Photograph students with their collections. (Photos could also be displayed as a collection.)

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

Students broaden their understanding of art careers and the role that visual arts play in society. They show this understanding through the compilation of images and thoughts in portfolios and journals. Students are better able to critique their own work and the work of others with this broader contextual understanding.

As groups research specific art careers (e.g., determine required skills, training, and education) and present their findings (visually, orally, or a combination), note the extent to which they can:
- be precise about the requirements of the career they are researching
- use a variety of resources to research the information, including counsellors, government agencies, and visits to offices, studios, and job sites
- present the information in a coherent way to their classmates
After attending and reading reviews of a controversial contemporary exhibit or performance, have students demonstrate their understanding of the artist and the issues involved by responding (visually, orally, or in writing) to questions such as:
- Why was the show controversial? Explain your point of view.
- What do you believe the intent of the artist was?
- How has the exhibition or performance affected you, other members of the audience, and the community?
For activities in which students create displays, assess the extent to which students take account of:
- spatial arrangements of collected objects
- background materials
- lighting
- co-operation with others in resolving problems arising from the need to share space or other facilities
In individual interviews, discuss the students' views on a variety of their own and others' works, then ask them to consider what previous experiences affect their opinions. Look for recognition of their own bias and willingness to consider other views.