PREFACE: USING THIS INTEGRATED RESOURCES PACKAGE

Visual Arts Icon Implementation of Visual Arts 8 to 10 will begin in October 1996. This Integrated Resource Package (IRP) provides some of the basic information that teachers will require to implement the curriculum. The information contained in this IRP is also available through the Internet. Contact the Ministry of Education's home page: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/

The Introduction

The Introduction provides general information about Visual Arts 8 to 10, including special features and requirements. It also provides a rationale for the subjectwhy the visual arts are taught in B.C. schoolsand an explanation of the curriculum organizers.

The Visual Arts 8 to 10 Curriculum

The provincially prescribed curriculum for Visual Arts 8 to 10 is structured in terms of curriculum organizers. The main body of this IRP consists of four columns of information for each organizer. These columns describe:

provincially prescribed learning outcome statements for Visual Arts 8 to 10
suggested instructional strategies for achieving the outcomes
suggested assessment strategies for determining how well students are achieving the outcomes
provincially recommended learning resources

Prescribed Learning Outcomes

Prescribed learning outcome statements are content standards for the provincial education system. Learning outcomes set out the knowledge, enduring ideas, issues, concepts, skills, and attitudes for each subject. They are statements of what students are expected to know and do in each grade. Learning outcomes are clearly stated and expressed in measurable terms. All learning outcomes complete this stem: "It is expected that students will. . . ." Outcome statements have been written to enable teachers to use their experience and professional judgment when planning and evaluating. The outcomes are benchmarks that will permit the use of criterion-referenced performance standards. It is expected that actual student performance will vary. Evaluation, reporting, and student placement with respect to these outcomes depends on the professional judgment of teachers, guided by provincial policy.

Suggested Instructional Strategies

Instruction involves the selection of techniques, activities, and methods that can be used to meet diverse student needs and to deliver the prescribed curriculum. Teachers are free to adapt the suggested instructional strategies or substitute others that they think will enable their students to achieve the prescribed outcomes. These strategies have been developed by specialist and generalist teachers to assist their colleagues; they are suggestions only.

Suggested Assessment Strategies

The assessment strategies suggest a variety of ways to gather information about student performance. Some assessment strategies relate to specific activities; others are general. These strategies have been developed by specialist and generalist teachers to assist their colleagues; they are suggestions only.

Provincially Recommended Learning Resources

Provincially recommended learning resources are materials that have been reviewed and evaluated by British Columbia teachers in collaboration with the Ministry of Education using a stringent set of criteria. They are typically materials suitable for student use, but they may also include information primarily intended for teachers. Teachers and school districts are encouraged to select those resources that they find most relevant and useful for their students, and to supplement these with locally approved materials and resources (such as locally available guest speakers or exhibits). The recommended resources listed in the main body of this IRP are those that have a comprehensive coverage of significant portions of the curriculum, or those that provide a unique support to a specific segment of the curriculum. Appendix B contains a complete listing of provincially recommended learning resources to support this curriculum.

The Appendices

A series of appendices provides additional information about the curriculum, and further support for the teacher:

Appendix A contains a listing of the prescribed learning outcomes for the curriculum arranged by curriculum organizer and by grade.

Appendix B contains a comprehensive listing of the provincially recommended learning resources for this curriculum. As new resources are evaluated, this appendix will be updated.

Appendix C outlines the cross-curricular screens used to ensure that concerns such as equity, access, and the inclusion of specific topics are addressed by all components of the IRP.

Appendix D contains assistance for teachers related to provincial evaluation and reporting policy. Curriculum outcomes have been used as the source for examples of criterion-referenced evaluations.

Appendix E acknowledges the many people and organizations that have been involved in the development of this IRP.

Appendix F contains a glossary of terms specific to the visual arts curriculum.

Appendix G contains various considerations for planning a visual arts program.

Explanation of Section

Curriculum Sub-Organizer as seen on the World Wide Web

Grade and
Curriculum Organizer

Grade 8 - Image-Development and Design Strategies (Perceiving/Responding)

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

Internal links to each
section of the document

Prescribed Learning Outcomes

PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES

It is expected that students will use their senses to perceive the world and respond to images with an awareness of the sources, techniques, and strategies of image development and Design.

It is expected that students will:

use vocabulary related to 2-D and 3-D art forms and image development
compare a variety of images of a given subject in different media, styles, techniques, and so on
analyse a variety of image-development techniques and Design strategies as used by a variety of artists for a variety of purposes
identify possible purposes for the creation of given images
demonstrate an awareness of ethical considerations associated with reproduction as an image-development strategy

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Image-Development and Design Strategies (Perceiving/Responding) in other grades click on an icon below.

Navigational Links to similar sub-organizers

Suggested Instructional Strategies

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Collect images from art magazines from a variety of cultures. Identify, discuss, and compare how image-development strategies are used. Cut out images and make posters, each illustrating a different strategy.
Make a field study of local buildings and have students collect and create a set of images of building details and structural features. Have students discuss and compare them, identifying and naming particular features (e.g., facade, dormer) and possible purposes. Consider line, proportion, and level of detail.
Research artwork depicting architectural structures. The focus of analysis could include both the visual elements (e.g., proportion, repetition, line, decoration) and the image-development strategies used (e.g., simplification, distortion, choice of perspective).
Students prepare oral reports on the differences discovered in their own hand-drawn, computer-drawn, and photographic images of a structure.
Develop a list of computer image-development techniques (e.g., morphing, split screens). Relate techniques to the image-development strategies (e.g., metamorphois and juxtaposition). View a computer-generated commercial and:
- identify computer-generated effects
- speculate how particular effects were created and why
Research and discuss the ethical, moral, and legal considerations involved in copying and altering images. Have students select a well-known image (e.g., a famous painting, a common commercial logo or symbol) and debate whether altering it in a provocative manner would constitute fair use or desecration.
Work as a class or in small groups to create guidelines for reproducing.
Using similar pairs of images created in different media, have students express a personal opinion as to which they prefer and give reasons for their opinion, citing formal features of each image.

Suggested Assessment Strategies

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

As students become increasingly aware of relationships between the techniques used and artists' purposes, they begin to talk and write about these aspects of art in ways that help others better understand the images.

After completing personal works of art, students reflect on and record what they have accomplished in response to questions such as:
- What techniques and image-development strategies did you use?
- What Design strategies did you incorporate?
- Why did you decide on this (these) particular technique(s)?
- Would you use this technique again?
Provide opportunities for students to view several commercials, recording and discussing the techniques and strategies they recognize. Have them make an analysis of one or two. As students discuss and analyse the commercials, look for evidence that they can:
- identify and name techniques used and relate them to image-development strategies
- use appropriate vocabulary to describe the elements and principles of art
- express and support their personal preferences
To gain understanding of students' views about the "copying" of artwork or imagery, ask questions such as:
- When is it all right to copy an image (e.g., video, graphic, picture, photograph, advertisement)?
- When is it wrongmorally or legallyto copy an image?
- What are the key factors that make it all right to copy something in one circumstance but not another?
Ask students to regularly create works that incorporate others' images and include them in their portfolios. Observe these works for a growing awareness of the class guidelines for reproducing work. The guidelines might include:
- written acknowledgment of others' contributions or influence
- non-stereotypical use of culturally specific images