The Arts
Standard 1—Creating, Performing and Participating in the Arts
Students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation
and performance in the arts (dance, music, theatre, and visual arts) and participate in
various roles in the arts.
Alternate Level - Movement
Key ideas -
1. Students will explore and perform dance forms in formal and informal
contexts and will improvise, create and perform dances based on their own movement ideas.
Performance indicators -
Students:
- identify and demonstrate movement elements and skills (such as bend, twist, slide, skip,
hop, walk in a straight line).
- participate in movement activities.
- create and perform simple dances based on their own movement ideas.
- interpret words into a dance.
- perform individually or in a group.
Sample tasks -
This is evident, for example, when students:
- demonstrate the movements of various animals (a cat, a dog, an elephant, a monkey).
- pretend that they are flowers or plants caught in a wind, moving in groups of two or
three to suggest the movement.
- create a dance of a bumble bee after watching a video about bees or after being read a
story about bees.
Alternate Level - Music
Key ideas -
1. Students will explore and perform music in formal and informal
contexts and will improvise, create and perform music based on their own ideas.
Performance indicators -
Students:
- explore what musical elements are.
- create short musical pieces consisting of sounds from a variety of traditional (e.g.,
tambourine, recorder, piano, voice), electronic (e.g., keyboard) and nontraditional sound
sources (e.g., water-filled glasses).
- sing songs and play instruments maintaining pitch, rhythm, tone and tempo.
- sing or play simple repeated rhythm patterns with familiar songs and rounds.
Sample tasks -
This is evident, for example, when students:
- improvise a short composition using the black keys on the piano.
- sing familiar rounds and folk songs in a group.
- perform standard rhythmic notation on rhythm sticks or other classroom instruments.
- play a simple pattern on a mallet instrument to accompany a familiar song such as Frere
Jacques.
- perform a simple piece of music with others in a band or chorus.
Students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation
and performance in the arts (dance, music, theatre and visual arts) and participate in
various roles in the arts.
Alternate Level - Theatre
Key ideas -
1. Students will create and perform theatre pieces as well as
improvisational drama. They will use the basic elements of theatre in their
characterizations and improvisations. Students will engage in individual and group
theatrical and theatre-related tasks.
Performance indicators -
Students:
- use creative drama to communicate ideas and feelings.
- imitate experiences through pantomime, play making, dramatic play, story dramatization,
story telling and role playing.
- use language, voice, gesture, movement and observation to express their experiences and
communicate ideas and feelings.
- use basic props, simple set pieces and costume pieces to establish place, time and
character for the participants.
- use in individual and group experiences some of the roles, processes and actions for
performing and creating theatre pieces and improvisational drama.
Sample tasks -
This is evident, for example, when students:
- pantomime the action of a narrated story.
- observe the habits of familiar animals and use voice, gesture, body movement to portray
the animals to classmates.
- act out a scene from a well-known fairy tale using basic props, simple set pieces and
costume pieces.
- use puppets to dramatize an event: create the dialogue, voices and movement of the
puppets to convey the story working in small groups.
- experience live and taped theatre performances.
Alternate Level - Visual Arts
Key ideas -
1. Students will make works of art that explore different kinds of
subject matter, topics, themes and metaphors. Students will understand and use sensory
elements, organizational principles and expressive images to communicate their own ideas
in works of art. Students will use a variety of art materials, processes, mediums and
techniques, and use appropriate technologies for creating and exhibiting visual arts
works.
Performance indicators -
Students:
- explore selected works of art in order to discover that these works were made by artists
and to discover how they were made (the exploration may be both visual and tactile).
- demonstrate the basic skills in cutting, pasting, using clay and using a paint brush.
- create works of art based on their personal experiences as well as their imagination.
- explore themes derived from their own personal experiences (such as stories, pets,
trips) and make art that tells something about that experience.
- explore selected symbols that are used in art, (such as the symbol for the sun or a
tree) and discuss how the shape of the symbol may be different from one work to another
but yet the symbol is still able to be identified or named.
- learn to name visual elements (such as shapes, textures and colors) through multisensory
experiences.
- make works of art which incorporate selected visual elements.
- are guided to reflect upon what their art work looks like, how they used the medium
(such as paint or crayon).
- work on a class work of art such as a mural or class book.
Sample tasks -
This is evident, for example, when students:
- paint a picture in tempera or watercolor in which they depict an experience that they
recall.
- use clay to make a model of an animal.
- select a medium for a work of art based on their experiences with the medium and their
desire that it should look a certain way.
- work with others to plan and produce a mural of good foods.
- draw an object from observation.
- use the primary colors of pigment (cyan, magenta, yellow) to paint a picture of a tree.
Standard 2--Knowing and Using Arts
Students will be knowledgeable about and make use of the materials and
resources available for participation in the arts in various roles.
Alternate Level - Movement
Key ideas -
2. Students, with assistance from staff, will access dance and
dance-related material from libraries, resource centers, museums, studios and performance
spaces. Students will be informed of various careers in dance and recreational
opportunities to dance. Students will attend dance events and participate as appropriate
within each setting.
Performance indicators -
Students:
- will use dance resources in video, photography, print and live performance.
- understand the concept of live performance and appropriate conduct.
- learn about dance-related careers (e.g., dancer, choreographer, composer, lighting
designer, historian, teacher).
Sample tasks -
This is evident, for example, when students with staff assistance:
- discuss the differences between watching a dance performance on video and watching a
live performance.
- talk to a visiting artist (dancer, choreographer, composer, lighting director) about
what he/she does.
- visit a library and sign out videos or book showing a dance performance.
- behave appropriately at a live dance performance.
Alternate Level - Music
Key ideas -
1. Students will use traditional instruments, electronic instruments
and a variety of nontraditional sound sources to create and perform music. They will use
various resources to expand their knowledge of listening experiences, performance
opportunities and/or information about music. Students will identify opportunities to
contribute to their communities' music institutions, including those embedded in other
institutions (church choirs, industrial music ensembles, etc.). Students will know the
vocations and avocations available to them in music.
Performance indicators -
Students:
- use classroom and nontraditional instruments in performing and creating music.
- construct instruments out of material not commonly used for musical instruments.
- use current technology to manipulate sound.
- learn about the various settings in which they hear music and the various resources that
are used to produce music.
- demonstrate appropriate audience behavior, including attentive listening, in a variety
of musical settings in and out of school.
- learn about ways that music is used by various members of the community.
Sample tasks -
This is evident, for example, when students:
- use common items (e.g., keys, classroom blinds, measuring sticks) as "found
sounds" to improvise a group composition.
- make a shaker from a paper tube to accompany a Native American dance or Latino song.
- change pitch or timbre of a sound on the synthesizer.
- exhibit appropriate behavior when listening to music in the school’s auditorium.
- listen to and ask questions of a person who is active in local musical theatre
productions.
- visit places in their community where they can hear music being performed.
- create a simple musical instrument.
Students will be knowledgeable about and make use of the materials and
resources available for participation in the arts in various roles.
Alternate Level - Theatre
Key ideas -
2. Students will learn about the basic tools, media and techniques
involved in theatrical production. Students will learn about school, community and
professional resources for theatre experiences. Students will learn about the job
opportunities available in all aspects of theatre.
Performance indicators -
Students:
- visit theatres, theatre-related facilities, and/or touring companies to observe aspects
of theatrical production.
- visit the library/media center of their school or community to learn about story
dramatization material or other theatre-related materials and to view videotapes of
performances.
- visit a community library to learn about costumes and makeup and watch a videotape
performance of a Broadway play, such as Cats.
- attend theatrical performances in their school and demonstrate appropriate audience
behavior.
- listen to theatre professionals talk about how they prepare for and perform their jobs.
Sample tasks -
This is evident, for example, when students:
- visit a school or local theatre company to observe the rehearsal of a play and
participate in a question and answer session with the production staff.
- discuss and adhere to guidelines for proper behavior when attending a theatrical
production, behavior which enhances enjoyment and supports the efforts of the performers.
- visit a community library and watch a videotape performance of a Broadway play, such as
Cats, to learn about costumes and makeup.
Alternate Level - Visual Arts
Key ideas -
2. Students will know and use a variety of visual arts materials,
techniques and processes. Students will know about resources and opportunities for
participation in visual arts in the community (exhibitions, libraries, museums, galleries)
and use appropriate materials (art reproductions, slides, print materials, electronic
media). Students will be aware of vocational options available in the visual arts.
Performance indicators -
Students:
- draw images of people and things which become increasingly more specific.
- explore the characteristics of selected mediums and describe what they feel like when
using them. Name those they like the best.
- make simple three dimensional works of art using additive and/or subtractive techniques.
- use a draw/paint software program to make simple graphic shapes.
- listen to and discuss the presentation of a museum person or an artist who brings
original art works or artifacts to the classroom.
- look at and explore (by handling, if possible) artifacts borrowed from a museum and talk
about their visual characteristics and their purpose.
- listen to and ask questions of a person from the local community who makes his/her
living in the visual arts (a painter, a sculptor, a photographer).
Sample tasks -
This is evident, for example, when students with staff assistance:
- use a draw/paint computer program to create a graphic image of a house.
- visit an art museum and talk about what they saw.
- listen to a visiting artist talk about what that artist does, how he/she does it and
why.
Standard 3--Responding to and Analyzing Works of Art
Students will respond critically to a variety of works in the arts,
connecting the individual work to other works and to other aspects of human endeavor and
thought.
Alternate Level - Movement
Key ideas -
3. Students will express their understanding of dances they see, do and
learn about. Students will acquire the basic vocabulary to talk about a variety of dance
forms.
Performance indicators -
Students:
- explore words and symbols (kinetic, visual, tactile, aural and olfactory) that describe
movement.
- express to others their understanding of specific dance performances.
Sample tasks -
This is evident, for example, when students:
- describe the patterns that they see in a video of a dance such as The March of The
Wooden Soldiers.
- describe the bodily movement that they see in a dance and then imitate it.
- skip or hop to music and express that they are skipping and hopping.
Alternate Level - Music
Key ideas -
3. Students will demonstrate the capacity to listen to and comment on
music.
Performance indicators -
Students:
- through listening, tell what they liked or disliked about specific musical works and
performances.
- learn about the basic elements of music such as melody, rhythm, harmony, dynamics,
timbre, form, style, etc.
- learn about the basic means by which the voice and instruments can alter pitch,
loudness, duration and timbre.
Sample tasks -
This is evident, for example, when students:
- listen to a musical composition and identify elements (such as rhythm, harmony, melody)
that they liked and disliked.
- demonstrate with a rubber band how to raise and lower pitch.
- listen to a variety of music which sets a mood and tell what mood (happy, sad, mad) they
are feeling.
- listen to a variety of music (rock, jazz, classical, country) and tell what they
liked/disliked about it.
Students will respond critically to a variety of works in the arts,
connecting the individual work to other works and to other aspects of human endeavor and
thought.
Alternate Level - Theatre
Key ideas -
3. Students will reflect on and discuss plays and theatrical
performances, both live and recorded.
Performance indicators -
Students:
- discuss their understanding, interpretation, and evaluation of a theatrical performance.
Sample tasks -
This is evident, for example, when students:
- after viewing a taped or live theatre performance, discuss how the music, dance and
visual arts enhanced the performance.
- after viewing a class or school play, discuss the characters, setting and story.
Alternate Level - Visual Arts
Key ideas -
3. Students will reflect on works of art. Students will learn about the
visual characteristics of the natural and man-made environment and the social, cultural,
psychological and environmental dimensions of the visual arts. Students will learn about
the ways in which a variety of ideas, themes and concepts are expressed through the visual
arts.
Performance indicators -
Students:
- learn about the features of selected works of art, such as the subject matter and the
overall feeling of the work.
- identify a work of art as distinguished from other kinds of objects and discuss where
works of art can be found such as in the home, in school or in a museum.
- learn about art elements (such as shape, texture, color) that are found in works of art
and what they might express in a work of art.
- explore a theme that is part of the students' experience that is found in a work of art.
Express that theme in another form such as movement or music or in composing a class
story.
Sample tasks -
This is evident, for example, when students:
- describe a work of art and tell what they think the work of art is about.
- explore how lines might imply motion, color might convey emotion and size might suggest
distance in selected works of art.
- explore how pattern can be found in a painting and in a familiar song.
Standard 4—Understanding the Cultural Dimensions and Contributions
of the Arts
Students will develop an understanding of the personal and cultural
forces that shape artistic communication and how the arts in turn shape the diverse
cultures of past and present society.
Alternate Level - Movement
Key ideas -
4. Students will explore dances from many cultures and times. Students
will recognize that dance is performed in many different cultural settings and serves many
functions in diverse societies.
Performance indicators -
Students:
- explore basic dance movements that are typical of the major world cultures.
- explore the settings and circumstances in which dance is found in their lives and those
of others, both past and present.
Sample tasks -
This is evident, for example, when students:
- watch a dance of the Plains Indians.
- discuss and learn about the role that dance plays in their community (weddings, proms,
festivals).
- watch a dance performance from another country (Japan, Ireland, Africa).
Alternate Level - Music
Key ideas -
4. Students will develop a beginning performing and listening
repertoire of music of various genres, styles and cultures that represent the peoples of
the world and their manifestations in the United States. Students will learn about the
cultural features of a variety of musical compositions and performances and the functions
of music within the culture.
Performance indicators -
Students:
- will listen to and perform a basic repertoire of folk songs/dances and composed songs
from the basic cultures that represent the peoples of the world.
- will listen to composers of well-known examples of classical concert music, folk and
blues/jazz selections.
Sample tasks -
This is evident, for example, when students:
- sing folk music common to a period of history in the United States.
- listen to and watch dances associated with some simple pieces of music such as the
tango, march and waltz and learn about the countries and composers most associated with
the selections.
- record on tape the folksongs sung in class and state the country of origin.
- make a pin map which shows the country of origin of folksongs and recordings.
Students will develop an understanding of the personal and cultural
forces that shape artistic communication and how the arts in turn shape the diverse
cultures of past and present society.
Alternate Level - Theatre
Key ideas -
4. Students will learn about past and present cultures as expressed
through theatre. They will learn how theatre reflects the beliefs, issues and events of
societies past and present.
Performance indicators -
Students:
- dramatize stories and folk tales from various cultures.
- engage in drama/theatre activities including music, dance, and games which reflect other
cultures and ethnic groups.
Sample tasks -
This is evident, for example, when students:
- have a folk tale read to them in which animals play important roles; improvise being
animals; learn about the "cultures" of animals and human beings.
- attend a community ethnic festival to learn about a particular culture’s music,
dance and games.
Alternate Level - Visual Arts
Key ideas -
4. Students will explore art and artifacts from various historical
periods and world cultures to discover the roles that art plays in the lives of people of
a given time and place and to understand how the time and place influence the visual
characteristics of the art work. Students will explore art to understand the social,
cultural and environmental dimensions of human society.
Performance indicators -
Students:
- look at and discuss a variety of two-dimensional and three-dimensional art works from
different times and different cultures and learn that art tells us something about those
people.
- look at art and artifacts from different cultures of the United States and discuss what
they look like.
- make a work of art based on an image or a design that they see in a work of art from
another period or another culture.
Sample tasks -
This is evident, for example, when students:
- look at Native American art work and create an art work using that style/medium.
- look at and discuss art and artifacts from the Civil War, World War I and II and modern
eras in United States.