Visual Arts Sequencing Effective September 2017

Art Sequencing FAQ:

Do I have to take Art Explorations before I take another art class?
No, you can take it whenever you want!

Can I take Art Explorations and Advanced Art courses more than once for credit?
Yes, you can take them as many times as you want!

Does Junior/Senior Portfolio meet my Independent Experience requirement?
Yes!

What are the prerequisites to take Junior/Senior Portfolio?
At the very minimum, you must have taken any two art classes. 

Art as a Requirement Elective

All fine art classes provide training in creative problem solving, critical thinking, and visual competency, which is the ability to think visually, see spatial relationships, describe stylistic differences, and critically assess and evaluate visual information. The opportunity for sustained personal expression enables students to engage in revelations leading to self-discovery, awareness, competence and self-confidence. Students can also explore a craft by learning a method of working in the process of producing an object or design that is functional and aesthetically pleasing.

Art as an Academic Path of Development

Admission to top college art and design programs is highly competitive. The art major sequence at GD enables students to develop a portfolio which exhibits skills in observational drawing, knowledge of design and color, art history, and the ability to produce a cohesive, visually arresting body of work.  GD students who have fulfilled the art major sequence are regularly admitted to the most selective art programs in the country, and have gone on to exciting and fulfilling careers.

Art Major courses are developed sequentially, from Studio Art I to Studio Art V and AP Studio Art. It is necessary that students are aware of the art major sequence when they begin their course selection process as freshmen, and continue to have access to the sequence of art major course offerings through their experience at GD.

Massachusetts Arts Curriculum Frameworks

"The Massachusetts Arts Curriculum Framework applies to the study of dance, music, theatre, and the visual arts.

In dance, music, theatre, and the visual arts, people express ideas and emotions that they cannot express in language alone. In order to understand the range and depth of the human imagination, one must have knowledge of the arts. 

The Massachusetts Arts Curriculum Framework sets the expectation that all students in the Commonwealth’s public schools will become proficient in understanding the arts and communicating in at least one arts discipline by the time they graduate from high school. In order to achieve these goals, it is recommended in this framework that students begin their study of the arts in the elementary grades, and continue to study one or more of the arts disciplines throughout middle and high school."

National Core Arts Standards

"The National Core Arts Standards are a process that guides educators in providing a unified quality arts education for students in Pre-K through high school."

The National Core Arts Standards are divided into four sections:  Creating,  Performing/Presenting/Producing,  Responding, and  Connecting.

"The fact that the arts provide important touchstones confirms their value to the development of every human being. Nurturing our children, then, necessarily means that we must provide all of them—not just those identified as “talented”—with a well-rounded education that includes the arts. By doing so, we are fulfilling the college and career readiness needs of our students, laying the foundations for the success of our schools and, ultimately, the success of our nation.

The central purposes of education standards are to identify the learning that we want for all of our students and to drive improvement in the system that delivers that learning. Standards, therefore, should embody the key concepts, processes and traditions of study in 
each subject area, and articulate the aspirations of those invested in our schools—students, teachers, administrators, and the community at large. To realize that end goal, these new, voluntary National Core Arts Standards are framed by a definition of artistic literacy that includes philosophical foundations and lifelong goals, artistic processes and creative practices, anchor and performance standards that students should attain, and model cornerstone assessments by which they can be measured. The connective threads of this conceptual framework are designed to be understood by all stakeholders and, ultimately, to ensure success for both educators and students in the real world of the school. 

The framework is being developed in the complex, evolving context of local, state, and national educational practice and public policy. Therefore, the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS) expects that this guiding document will evolve as the standards 
are brought to completion. This conceptual framework is intended to serve as an entry point into the further refinement of the standards through feedback and discussion with a broad range of stakeholders.

In addition, while extensive research has been done in support of the standards revision (ranging from international standards and to alignment to the Common Core Standards in Mathematics and English Language Arts), the research phase of the work is far from 
complete. To further refine and develop this new generation of arts standards, NCCAS is committed to seeking out and gathering input from a broad range of stakeholders with an interest in arts education. Teachers, students, parents, and decision makers all have a stake in the work of creating coherent standards that will shape policy and classroom practice, helping arts education to solidify its contributions to the students of America."

GDRHS Mission Statement

Groton-Dunstable Regional High School fosters academic and 
personal excellence in cooperation with the community. Through an evolving curriculum, we cultivate skills and attitudes that encourage students to develop a spirit of inquiry, the disposition to adapt to changing environments, and the intrinsic motivation to become responsible, contributing citizens. ​

GDRHS Learning Expectations:

Demonstrate intellectual curiosity

Communicate appropriately and precisely

Engage in critical and creative thinking

Develop a disciplined work ethic

Demonstrate respect for self and others