District 11 Division of Operations & Instruction
Visual Arts

Photography Level 1 Art: Overview
Course Number: AR.PHOTO1

Overview
Don’t be left in the dark, capture light and document the world around you.  Learn to go beyond the snapshot!  This course introduces you to camera operations, film processing, and black and white printing.  Fundamentals of lighting, making exposures, and using the darkroom will be covered.  Emphasis will be placed on studying composition and working creatively with visual images.
Prerequisite: Student must have access to an adjustable 35 mm or larger film-size camera. Purchase of some supplies will be required.
Course Length: 2   Period Length: 1   Grade Level:  9-12   Credit per Semester: 1
Additional Credit Information: Credit per Semester: 1.0 (Humanities or Elective)

For Teachers
Prerequisite
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Standards
There is considerable research on the academic value of students receiving instruction in the Visual Arts. All District 11 art classes are taught by qualified art teachers. Students will learn the elements of art and principles of design. They will learn about art in relation to history, culture, and the community. They will also recognize and use the visual arts as a form of communication, and will critique works of art through analysis, assessment, and evaluation. Informal and formalized assessments of each student's level of mastery begin and continue throughout the course.

Enduring Understandings - important ideas that students should carry with them years beyond the instruction received this year.

  • Art is a visual form of communication.
  • Art evokes meaning.
  • Tools, materials, techniques and process are needed to create art.
  • Tools, materials, techniques and processes must be used properly when creating art.
  • You can critique art when you know how to analyze, assess and evaluate art.

Essential Questions - most important “big picture” questions students should be able to answer after completing learning activities.

  • How do you use art to communicate?
  • How do you use various tools, materials, techniques and processes in the specific mediums?
  • How do you critique a piece of art?

Standards I, III, V

  1. Students will have the ability to use art as a form of visual communication.
  2. Students will have the ability to understand what evokes meaning in art.
  3. Students will be able to recognize various tools, materials, techniques and processes.
  4. Students will utilize various tools, materials, techniques and processes in works of art.
  5. Students will critique art using their understanding of analysis, assessment and evaluation.

Sample Units

District 11 Diamond Units/Lessons Overview - includes information about the purpose, goals and structure of these sample instructional units:





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