AVI3M Course Outline

Visual Arts, Grade 11, University College (AVI3M)

This course provides students with opportunities to further develop their skills and knowledge in visual arts. Students will explore art works that explore a wide range of subject matter, and will evaluate art works, providing grounds for their aesthetic judgments.  They will also examine historical and cultural contexts of Western art (including Canadian art) and art from various world cultures to support their study of specific media.


Grade Distribution:
As per ministry requirements the final grade for this course will be broken down as follows:

•  Summative activities conducted throughout the course 70%
•  Final culminating activity 30%

These two areas will be broken down as follows:

• Knowledge/Understanding 20%
• Thinking/Inquiry  20%
• Communication 20%
• Application 40%

Students will also be assessed as per ministry requirements on learning skills, which include independent work, teamwork, organization, work habits/homework and initiative.  These skills will be assessed separately based on the expectations outlined on the performance wall rubric.

The course will use technology in two primary ways.  It will be used as a tool for teaching art history.  The students will also be able to optionally use technology as an artistic tool of self-expression.

Assessment and Evaluation
All work submitted in this course will be assessed and evaluated using the standards set by the Ontario Ministry of Education.

Provincial Standards of Achievement Chart:
- Summative assessments form the basis of your mid-term mark and 70% of your
final mark.
- Only those summative tasks which have been successfully completed will be included in the calculation
- Summative tasks submitted after their assigned deadline WILL NOT be included in the calculation
UNLESS PRIOR CONSULTATION WITH THE TEACHER HAS OCCURRED WITH APPROVAL
- The number of summative assessments included in the calculation will determine the maximum level of achievement
Formative Assessment: Within each unit students will be assigned a number of tasks where they will receive direct feedback on their progress and learning.  These tasks and the resulting feedback are designed to improve student learning and to provide a foundation for the successful completion of the summative tasks assigned in each unit.
Summative Assessment: Within each unit there will be at least one summative assessment task that incorporates the knowledge and skills learned throughout the unit. These summative assessments form the basis of your mid-term mark and 70% of the final mark.   Summative tasks are evaluated using one or more of the achievement chart categories.

UNITS OF STUDY

Unit 1: Drawing
- Elements and Principles of Art Review
- Reinforcement of drawing techniques:  e.g. value, perspective, line, balance
Assignments Include:

• Two major drawings with encouragement to experiment with different drawing materials, such as  conte, charcoal, soft and oil pastel, etc.
• Negative Scratch Board (with emphasis on use of positive and negative space)

Unit 2:  Painting
Assignment:

• Study of Acrylic on Canvas
• Mixed-media Creation

Unit 3:  Printmaking
- Review of the printmaking design process
- Instruction on carving tool and Dremel tool use
- Review of Printing Press use
Assignment:

• Woodcut Print

Unit 4 Sculpture

- Design Process
-Review steps of Creative Process

Assignment:

• Self-Hardening Clay Sculpture (with tempera paint cover)

Unit 5: ISU (final summative 30 % of total mark)

During the ISU process, there are multiple items that need to be handed in, both over the course of the project, and on the final deadline (which for this year will be in the beginning of June.)  These are the items required for a Visual Arts ISU:

Over the course of the project: 

1. ISU Concepts: This, as the title suggests, is a listing of concepts. Its purpose is to quickly sum up a list of possible ISU topics, and for grade 11, a minimum of five different topics are required. Thumbnails (small sketches) are highly recommended. (Meeting with the teacher will be ten times smoother with thumbnails.)

Teacher: “Begin by thinking of 5-7 ideas / concepts you’d like to explore for you ISU. Conduct research on each of these concepts, with a particular focus on artists who have done similar work before. Also begin thinking about how to “personalize” these concepts, so that they are meaningful to you. You will meet with the teacher to discuss your ideas, so be prepared to show thumbnail sketches and research images. It is important that you be able to justify why you want to do something, and how the work will be meaningful and original.”

2. Proposal: After a topic is chosen from the ISU Concepts, students are expected to expand on the topic. Though you may think “Oh, it’s only a proposal,” it’s a very important part of the ISU (and worth quite a bit of your final mark), so make sure to spend some good time on it. The Proposal must be written according to the following guidelines:

A. Concept
1. Rationale: What do you want to do for your ISU and why do you feel this is an important and worthwhile task to take on? What will this piece of work “add” to your portfolio?
2. Theme: What are some possible subjects/themes/concepts that you wish to address in your series of work? How did these subjects/themes/concepts come up in your “brainstorming” session? Which questions prompted you to come up with your idea?
3. Subject Matter: Explain how you will explore your subject/theme/concept in your series of work. What is the artistic problem/concerns you wish to address (content: ideas related to theme, sub-topics, different ways it can be explored. stylistic: elements/principles, composition, approaches [controlled vs. painterly, etc], and artists or artistic movements that will serve as inspiration. technical: media and techniques)

B. Media/Materials/Dimensions: What is the media (area of traditional or non-traditional arts) that you would like to work in? What are the materials that you require? Where can these materials be accessed and what are any additional costs required? What are the dimensions of your piece?

C. Timeline: How long will the work take to complete? When are your projected completion dates? Include a calendar outlining your specific daily goals.

D. Research/Mentor:
Research: Include images with names of artists/explanations of work that you may use as inspiration. You must cite all sources, so include a bibliography.
Mentor: Who can serve as a mentor to you during this process?

E. Thumbnails: Include at least 10 thumbnail sketches to illustrate your ideas.

3. ISU Process Check: This is the Visual Art’s equivalent of a Mid Point Proposal.   Essentially it’s a short meeting with the teacher in the middle of the ISU timeline. The teacher will record what’s been done (or what hasn’t been done), give suggestions, and either tell you that “You’re too slow, you need learn to work faster,” or “This is good, you’re making progress. Keep it up.” Obviously, the latter feedback is preferable.

Teacher: “The unit will be marked in its preparatory stages as well as when the work the work is completed. If the work is being carried out in a way that cannot be evaluated, you must give detailed sketches and notes regarding its process. Select materials to suit style, technique and budget. Have all materials ready for use, work should not be delayed because of unavailable materials.”

On the final deadline:
*The funky thing with Visual Arts is that there’s no single final deadline. Each of the final deadline items have individual deadlines, which is nice because it helps you organize and see when each item is priority. 

4. Final Product: This is the most important part of the ISU: the end product, the thing that’s been made as a result of the ISU learning process. The form of the final product will depend on the ISU topic.

5. Process Binder: The process binder is a comprehesive booklet of the ISU, summarizing the step-by-step process culminating to the final product. It usually includes the following, give or take a few headings: Concept (as seen in the ISU Proposal), Inspiration, Resources/Mentors, Thumbnails, Materials/Scale, Process, Final Product, Conclusion, and Works Cited. Sometimes creating the process binder can be as challenging as the actual ISU; it’s not something to be ignored until the last minute. 

6. Formal Presentation: This is a 10-15 minute presentation, made in front of the teacher and class.  The Visual Arts Formal Presentation is  an overview of the ISU.