Name: ______
Dear Parent:
6th grade Art is a semester long class designed to introduce students in understanding, appreciating and creating in the visual arts. Your child will be very active and involved. Students will need to have their all of their art class supplies stored in the art room by Friday, February 3rd for grade points.
Your involvement helps your student succeed. Students will receive feedback on their developing skills understandings and will be able to share their progress with you. I would encourage you and your child to monitor his/her achievement on Skyward and visit our class webpage as I update grades and the week’s calendar on a weekly basis. As you will see stated in the overview, every assignment is recoverable in a timely manner if your child is willing to put the time in to complete or redo the work. I encourage each student to take responsibility for their learning in Art class. With prior planning I am available to work with them before, after school, or at lunch. Most materials are available to check out if they need to complete or redo a production piece at home.
The attached course overview and expectations lets you to know what this class is about and what is expected from your child. Please take a few minutes to read the overview. Please keep the overview for your and your child’s reference. Your child should return this signed cover letter by Thursday, January 28 for grade points. If you have any questions or concerns at any time, please call me at 340-4126, or email me. My email address is .
Thank you for your support!
Sincerely,
Linda St. Clair
Lakeside Middle School Art Department
Please sign and return to Mrs. St. Clair by January 28.
Parent/Guardian Signature Date
Student Signature Date
Questions or Comments:
6th Grade Art 6th Grade Art Overview
“Art Is Meaning~Ful”
Course Content
Course Essential Questions: How can Art be meaningful in our culture and world today? Does Art matter? Should It? What does Art mean? We’ll investigate answers to these questions in this semester class.
This introductory semester class focuses on the basic skills and concepts of the visual arts. Each project is designed around a group of Art Elements and Principles of Design and allows students to explore and refine their use of art media.
· Create art works that look really good (craftsmanship and visual design organization)
· Be able to draw realistically line, value, texture, shape, and space
· Understand the design principles
· Create a ceramic piece that is cool to look at and structurally stable
· Express yourself in color using basic color principles (colored pencils and paint)
· Build your creativity and imagination
· Get that its all about the relationship of shapes and spaces
· Talk about your art and others’ as well
Course Evaluation
The basis of your evaluation will be:
1. Preparation to learn –
o focused, ready to learn during period
o coming to class prepared each day with supplies/materials, projects and assignments
2. Completing of projects: worth 100 points each. *unless specified
Areas of project evaluation include:
Craftsmanship; Demonstration of concept/technical skill; Creativity/inventiveness/uniqueness
3. Completing all projects AND other assignments by due date.(sketchbook, reading/writing, critiques, self-evaluations, tracking own progress and reflections)
4. Approximately 25% of your grade will be assessed on your work habits.
· Including: degree of involvement creating project (time spent, attitude, effort): attendance/tardies; respect for self and others
· Active Involvement & Participation in classroom activities and self-management
o Participation: A portion of the grade for this class will be student participation and attendance. It is important that you attend class everyday and have all necessary supplies/materials with you.
Not being prepared to participate or missing class time may result in a lower grade due to loss of participation points..
5. Extra credit can be earned by completing extension assignments or free drawing in sketchbook; altering a classroom based project or pursuing an art medium/technique of choice.
6. Art room and work area cleanup.
Materials/Supplies
· Planner of some kind
· 3 pencils (one of which is a wooden shaft, general purpose pencil) least one eraser (vinyl, pink pearl, kneaded eraser are good choices),, and a pencil pouch to keep supplies in. These supplies WILL STAY IN THE ART ROOM. The Art Dept. will provide a sketchbook and 2 paintbrushes.
· $5.00 supply for this class. The due date to pay the fee is: ______
If you pay the fee by ______, you will earn extra credit.
Remember, you will get to take home everything you create.
Special Comments:
· EVERY assignment is recoverable IF you are willing! PLEASE make this YOUR learning! With prior planning I am available to work with you before, after school, or at lunch. Most materials are available to check out if you need to complete or redo a production piece at home.
YOU are capable of success!! ”What are you willing to do to be successful?”
· Bring in your own art supplies for specific assignments as well as an art apron/work shirt if you are concerned about your clothes.
· Please respect every student’s right to learn.
· Only open storage areas/cabinets with teacher’s permission.
Art Class Expectations “Work Hard; Do the Right Thing; Be Yourself”
I lead a safe classroom that demonstrates the Lakeside Way.
Students will:
Show Respect
Please treat me and all others with the same respect I treat you.
· Please respect the class and the art supplies/equipment/materials. Feel free to do anything that does not cause a problem for anyone else. (voice volume; moving about the room)
Art equipment: remember that over 100 other students share these
Art supplies: use what you need but please be conservative
Image selection: remember that you are communicating ideas and messages – make sure the message you create is the message you want our school, family and community members to interpret
· Please be polite and courteous to all.
I teach when there are no distractions or other problems.
I listen to students who raise their hands.
Not OK: “Shut Up”; Profanity (Frickin’ and Freakin’ count!); Negative comments about race, gender, appearance, etc. – this applies to serious as well as ‘joking’ comments – i.e. NO Putdowns!
Show Responsibility
· Show good work habits: use of time – doing your best; put your work first (Don’t let quiet talking get in the way of doing your best!); choose behaviors that help others learn *quality and quantity of time
· Stay at your seat during work time.
· Do not throw or toss anything. Nothing Goes Airborne.
· Keep hands and objects to yourself
Come Ready to Learn
I teach when students are prepared
· Bring all materials and supplies each day.
o Please have a pencil, eraser, and sketchbook here everyday for Art class.
o Supplies should stay here!
o Each Monday (or as I request) you will bring your planner to record the week’s schedule.
o I teach when I see your eyes – students may not “rest” in class; heads up at all times; no hoods
· Focus on what is being learned that day
o Please put the learning in this class first, and other non art related things second.
If you find yourself with a problem situation, you will be asked to fix it. What I do will depend on what the person is willing to do to solve the problem. There are logical consequences designed to fit the problem situation.
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