The visual arts program is based on the National Art Standards, Sunshine State Standards and Benchmarks in Art for K - 2 and 3 – 5. These include: Skills and Techniques, Creation and Communication, Cultural and Historical Connections, Aesthetic and Critical Analysis, and Applications to Life. Our focus is learning and using the Elements of Art: line, shape/form, color, value, texture and space, in an experiential based curriculum. Evaluation (progress reports/report cards) is based on participation, cooperation and effort.
Young children experiment enthusiastically with art materials and investigate the ideas presented to them through visual arts instruction. They exhibit a sense of joy and excitement as they make and share their artwork with others. Creation is at the heart of this instruction. Students learn to work with various tools, processes, and media. They learn to coordinate their hands and minds in explorations of the visual world. They learn to make choices that enhance communication of their ideas.
As they move from kindergarten through the early grades, students develop skills of observation, and they learn to examine the objects and events of their lives. At the same time, they grow in their ability to describe, interpret, evaluate, and respond to work in the visual arts. Through examination of their own work and that of other people, times, and places, students learn to unravel the essence of artwork and to appraise its purpose and value. Through these efforts, students begin to understand the meaning and impact of the visual world in which they live.