Dance
Dance education begins with an awareness of the movement
of the body and its creative potential. Students become engaged in body
awareness and movement exploration that promote a recognition and appreciation
of self and others. Students learn basic movement and choreographic skills in
musical/rhythmic contexts.
Experiences in perceiving and responding to dance expand
student’s vocabularies, enhance their listening, and viewing skills and enable
them to begin thinking critically about dance. Students learn to compare works
in terms of the elements of space, time and force/energy and to experience the
similarities and differences between dance and other disciplines.
Through dance education, students can also come to an
understanding of their culture and begin to respect dance as a part of the
heritage of many cultures. As they learn and share dances from around the
globe, as well as from their own communities, children gain skills and
knowledge that will help them participate in a diverse society.
Theatre Arts
Students view and construct dramatic works as
metaphorical visions of life. By creating, performing, analyzing, and
critiquing dramatic performances, they develop a deeper understanding of
personal issues and a broader worldview that includes global issues. The
instruction in theatre integrates several aspects of the art form: script
writing, acting, designing, directing, researching, comparing art forms,
analyzing and critiquing, and understanding contexts. Through active creation
of theatre, students learn to understand artistic choices and to critique
dramatic works. The content of the drama will develop the student’s abilities
to express their understanding of their immediate world and broaden their
knowledge of other cultures.
Visual Arts
Visual art education is basic to developing fully
literate citizens. The visual arts range from drawing, painting, sculpture,
and design, to architecture, film video and folk arts. They involve a wide
variety of tools, techniques, and processes. Students may express ideas by
developing them into creative works, by critically evaluating their own work
and the work of others, and by developing an understanding of the historical
and cultural impact of art. The ultimate goal of the art curriculum is to
develop and improve the creative and cognitive skills of the learner.
The curriculum provides standards under units that
represent four major ways of responding to or creating the arts. The units
are: artistic skills and knowledge, connections, critical analysis and
aesthetic understanding and historical and cultural context. A discipline
approach is emphasized.
