Syllabus - Art Major I (2nd period)
Instructor: Mrs. Weisberg
Welcome to Art Major I! This 1.0 credit course has been designed for those students who have a strong interest and possible career plans in the visual arts. The course will focus on the Elements of Art and Principles of Design, a variety of media and techniques for creating artwork, art history, and the process of critiquing artwork.
Course Materials:
· Drawing Pencils, Sharpener, and Eraser- Each student will receive these materials provided by the HH art department. They are yours for the semester only and must be returned at the end of the course.
· Folder- Provided by teacher to keep track of important class handouts. You may also use a section of your own binder.
· Sketchbook- MUST BE PURCHASED BY STUDENT. Sketchbook should have 9 x 12 or 8.5 x 11-inch size white drawing paper, and must be spiral-bound
· Other art supplies- Provided by the art department to work with during class time. Some materials may be signed out to finish a project at home. These materials MUST be returned by the end of the course (you must hand them directly to the teacher). If you don’t return materials, your name will go on the owe list!!!
Grading Policy:
Your course grade will be based on the following categories:
In-class Assignments and small HW Assignments (0-20 points each):
Includes exercises, worksheets, or planning steps for parts of a major project.
· Lateness policy: Half credit until the end of the Quarter. No credit given if part of the planning steps for a major project.
3 Major Homework Assignments (50 points each):
Two written assignments and one project
· Lateness policy: 5% grade reduction per class period late
7 Major Projects (100 points each):
Completed both in-class and at home.
· Lateness policy: 5% grade reduction per class period late
3 Quizzes (15-30 points each):
Used to test knowledge throughout the course, and to prepare students for the final exam. One quiz for each of the first three quarter.
Final Exam and Portfolio Review (Worth 20% of course grade):
Final exam will be a combination of multiple-choice, short answer response, and artistic response. Portfolio review will involve a written and oral component.
Participation in Critiques and Discussions (points vary):
After a major project, we will usually have a critique, which consists of viewing and analyzing your classmates’ projects to demonstrate your use of new vocabulary, and discuss areas for improvement. Constructive criticism and feedback only! Everyone must display their artwork and participate.
Classroom Procedures:
Respect: Respect your classmates and your teacher! Also respect the art room and the materials.
Responsibility: You are responsible for yourself and your work at all times!!! Take care of your artwork. If something happens to your artwork, you are responsible for making up the assignment. If your portfolio is misplaced, you are responsible for its whereabouts, and must continue to meet all deadlines.
Lateness: You will need all of your class time to complete the work for this course. More than four latenesses to class will result in a discipline referral. Being more than 5 minutes late to class will result in disciplinary action on the first offense.
Appropriate Room Use: This room is for art production ONLY. It is not for eating or drinking. There will be no food or drink in this class! If you need to come work in the room during lunch or DS, you must eat in the cafeteria first (there is no eating in the gallery!).
Appropriate Computer Use: The computers in our area may be used for art assignments only! They should not be used to print materials for any other class.
Cheating/Plagiarism: Your projects are your work. While you are encouraged to share ideas and discuss techniques with one-another, you may not draw on each others’ work at any time. If you are caught doing so, the grade of everyone involved will result in a zero, and your parents/guardians and counselor will be notified.
Absences from School: If you are absent, it is YOUR responsibility to come see me about any missed assignments! To avoid a lateness penalty when absent on a major project deadline, students must do one the following: 1) Email the instructor a high-quality photograph of their finished artwork time-stamped before the start of class that day (e.g., if class starts at 7:40am and I receive the email at 7:50am, the project will be considered late), or 2) Drop off the completed artwork in the main office before the start of class. Project will only be considered “on time” if the absence was excused.
HATS Period / Extra Help: You are highly encouraged to make use of your HATS time to complete work for this class. If the room is full, you may work in the gallery. You should try to use your HATS period to complete any assignments that are more difficult to take home. My room will be open during 3rd period A, B, and C most days. Please take note of the following rules:
· DO NOT bring anyone with you to the gallery or my classroom who is not one of my students this semester! Repeat offenses will result in loss of gallery privileges during HATS.
· DO NOT bring lunch or other food to my room or the gallery at any time!
· CLEAN UP after yourself! Wipe down tables when finished with pastels, etc., and throw away any trash, papers, etc. from the gallery.
Questions/Concerns/Help:
Students and Parents/Guardians: Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns throughout the semester. Email is most effective, and I make every effort to respond quickly.
Email: (Note: exclude the ‘g’ from the end of my name)
For more course information, visit my teacher webpage:
http://www.hatboro-horsham.org//Domain/267
Becoming an artist takes practice and patience. If you give 100% effort and spend enough time on each project, your skills WILL improve and you’ll see results!
Thank you, and I look forward to a wonderful and creative semester!
Please keep the Syllabus for your convenience
Return only this page to Mrs. Weisberg by the following date:
DUE: ______
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s):
I would like to share with you my philosophy of becoming an artist:
Learning to draw, paint, sculpt, collage, etc. is like learning how to play a sport or musical instrument. Most people cannot just pick up a football and throw it perfectly on the first few tries, or swing a golf club for the first time and drive a ball a great distance towards the hole. Nor can they sit down at a piano and play a song without learning how to read the music. The same goes for trying a new art technique for the first time. It takes practice, patience, persistence, and knowhow.
The greatest expectation I have for my students is not for them to become master artists by the end of this course, but rather that they exhibit a positive attitude and show the motivation to practice and improve. Students begin this course with a variety of backgrounds and skill-levels. I will give your child the skills they need for artistic success, but it is up to them to put in the time that is required to develop those skills and thus, create strong artwork.
Therefore, it is essential for your child to spend time and effort completing all course assignments. They will need to dedicate a good portion of their time outside of class to course assignments in order to succeed.
ASSIGNMENT REMINDERS:
Throughout the semester, I will be sending reminders of upcoming deadlines to students via text message or email alerts from the site Remind.com. Please see the attached page for information about how to sign up for these reminders. Your child is required to sign up via either text messaging or email (If your child does not have a cell phone, they can sign up with their school email address). Many parents have found this to be an efficient method for keeping up with their children’s schoolwork.
If you understand and agree with the expectations & requirements of this course as outlined by the syllabus, please SIGN and RETURN this page.
Student Name: ______
Student Email (please print legibly): ______
Student Signature: ______
Parent/Guardian Name: ______
Would you like to sign up for Assignment Reminders?: ______
(If so, flip this page over for more information!)
Parent/Guardian Email (please print legibly): ______
Parent/Guardian Signature: ______
Today’s Date: ______