FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT
The Fine Arts Department plans and offers courses such as Art, Music, Ceramics, Handicrafts, Technology and Design at the Elementary School level. The Department also organizes a wide range of art activities within the school.
MAIN GOALS OF THE DEPARTMENT
The academic program and educational activities offered by the Fine Arts Department seek to achieve the goals below:
• To provide students with knowledge of the forms of creative expression and the ability to use these forms to communicate
• To activate and develop students’ creative instincts as an essential skill for life
• To instill in students an appreciation of the values of sharing, respect, affection and solidarity in reciprocal relations to others
• To educate creative, intelligent and sensitive individuals who respect artistic and cultural values, and who are willing to take initiative.
Main Objectives of the Fine Arts Courses:
Visual Arts:
Visual Arts lessons aim to provide students with the knowledge and understanding of the common language of plastic arts shared by all cultures. Perception and interpretation of different artistic styles are also emphasized. Students’ creativity, imagination and motor skills are fostered through hands-on activities. Throughout the phases of creation, observation, analysis, composition and interpretation, students learn how to best use the main elements of art (dots, lines, light and shadow, dark and light balance, color, texture, etc.). Topics like figurative compositions, still-lives, landscapes, abstract studies, perspectives, drawings, design artifacts, artistic prints, three dimensional works and assemblages are covered at all grade levels, using different materials and techniques as appropriate for the age group. In-depth information is also provided on art history, main artistic concepts, contemporary movements and artists.
Objective of the Visual Arts Course for Kindergarten, Grade 1, 2, 3 Students:
In visual arts classes, we want our students to gain awareness about artistic formulation, culture of visual arts and museums and improve themselves in these fields.
As far as the artistic formulation is concerned, our students do individual or group works using pastel, crayon and water color techniques as well as collage and easy print techniques. Thus, they get familiar with the notions of line and texture, geometric shapes, primary and secondary colors, accumulation, composition, installation processes. They acquire important skills for establishing a visual relationship between different materials, using notions like big-small, thin-thick, long-short, etc. duly and expressing their feelings and thoughts through various art techniques.
We aspire to make our students maintain an opinion about museums, art galleries and historical artifacts with the trips we organize. We want them to gain the ability to make visual art designs based on their individual impressions and share these with their friends.
Kindergarten, Evaluation Criteria for Grades 1, 2 and 3: The works of our youngest students are evaluated on the basis of their product portfolios and class performances and exhibited.
Objectives of Grade 4 Visual Arts Course:
Studies on the fields of Formation in Visual Arts, Visual Arts Culture and Museum Awareness are conducted.
One our major departmental objectives is to help student discover her/his abilities, gain self-confidence and built motivation for development.
Teaching students how to use all kinds of visual equipment, we offer them the opportunity to improve their visual narrative skills and to acquire technological literacy.
We aspire to awaken a consciousness in our students so that they enjoy, take pride in and protect nature, their environment and the works of art around them.
Grade 4 Evaluation Criteria: In this grade level, students are obliged to complete their performance homework and product portfolio for each semester. While their in-class performance is being evaluated, criteria such as participation in class activities, coming prepared into the classroom, working in collaboration with classmates, working processes, etc.
Objectives of Grade 5 Visual Arts Course:
The course aspires to teach students how to express their emotions, opinions and impressions through various visual art techniques, to help them understand that different individuals have different abilities and strengths and show them that the same theme could be expressed in different ways with different materials. It further aims at introducing the natural and historical beauties of his/her surroundings to the student.
Grade 5 Evaluation Criteria: In this grade level, students are obliged to complete their performance homework and product portfolio for each semester. While their in-class performance is being evaluated, criteria such as participation in class activities, coming prepared into the classroom, working in collaboration with classmates, working processes, etc.
Objectives of Grade 6 Visual Arts Course:
Grade 6 Visual Arts Course seeks to contribute to students’ basic skills like critical thinking, communicating via art, decision-making, visual literacy, raising awareness about nature and environmental issues, developing aesthetic perception, self-expression, etc. Students are made aware of the fact that our country has many riches such as museums, historical ruins and works of art and they are introduced with the Anatolian civilizations through these works of art.
Objectives of Grade 7 Visual Arts Course:
This course seeks to teach students the elements of visuals arts as well as principles of artistic composition, i.e. balance, emphasis, harmony, change, action, rhythm, gradation, rate and proportion. The course is designed as a learning environment where various methods and techniques are given to the students through activities that aim at affective and kinetic acquisitions. Furthermore, students learn to establish relations between works of art in museums and the periods in which they were made/built.
Objectives of Grade 8 Visual Arts Course:
Students learn to conduct research on the influences of different artistic epochs, thought and belief systems, geographical features and other social factors on works of art and comment on these. They realize the relationship between history, culture and visual arts. They visit museums via internet.
Objectives of Grade 6, 7 and 8 Visual Arts Course:
In this grade level, students are expected to complete their performance homework and product portfolio for each semester. They are to prepare at least one individual or group project in one academic year. While their in-class performance is being evaluated, criteria such as participation in class activities, coming prepared into the classroom, working in collaboration with classmates, working processes, etc.
Ceramics:
Objectives of Ceramics Course in Kindergarten, Grade 1:
The main purpose of the ceramics course in Kindergarten and Grade 1 is to enhance students’ natural skills and to teach them to express their feelings and thoughts by using clay in their creative activities. Ceramics contribute both to intellectual and psychical development of children. In ceramics classes, they learn to work as a group. Shaping clay improves their creativity and helps them approach matters from different perspectives. They gain confidence and can express themselves easier than before. Their independent thinking skills improve drastically. They learn to use various ceramics tools (sculpting tools, natural sponge, etc.), to knead clay and to enhance their skills to make use of various materials.
Kindergarten and Grade 1 Evaluation Criteria: The works of our youngest students are put on display.
Technology and Design:
Technology and Design classes seek to produce students who are aware of the problems that need to be solved in order to shape a better world for society; who are able to offer solutions that require creativity and imagination; who have the capacity to question the world as conscious and responsible individuals; who can construct and express ideas and who can learn to learn, change and develop with an open mind. Students will be encouraged to discover their own interests, abilities and creative capacity while developing effective study skills and cooperating with others, when appropriate. In addition to technological tools, a variety of materials such as paper, clay, plaster, wood, metal, etc. will be used to promote creative thinking and to translate theory to practice.
General Objectives of the Program:
The program aspires to contribute to students’ development in the following areas:
- Helping them become individuals with inquisitive minds who do not hesitate to ask questions and who are eager to make observations and conduct research.
- Encouraging them to assess the connection between the phenomena and spaces around them from their own perspectives.
- Encouraging them to find their own solutions for the difficulties they face.
- Helping them improve their self-confidence, imagination and notion of aesthetic.
- Inspiring them to become individuals who are at ease with themselves and with those around themselves, and who are open to reasonable competition and new experiences.
- Equipping them with the ability to thing independently.
- Equipping them with the ability to create original designs.
- Teaching them to evaluate their decision and assume responsibility for them,
- Encouraging them to make future plans,
- Helping them to grasp the importance of keeping up-to-date with technological developments,
- Encouraging them to express their feelings and thoughts via various means.
Structure of the Program
The program is composed of three stages offered in Grade 6, 7 and 8.
These stages are ‘’Composition’’, ‘’Fiction’’ and ‘’Production’’. Different focal points are determined for each part.
Composition Stage: At this stage, students begin to realize the basic concepts of design and learn to create original “wholes” using ready-made units in Grade 6. In Grade 7, they use fixed geometric shapes to create a “whole” and in Grade 8, they again use fixed geometric shapes to create “units” and build a composition with them which emphasizes the notions of color and direction.
Editing Stage: At this stage, Grade 6 students are taught to use what they imagine, wonder and think about the notions of change and development to steer their creativity and imagination. They express their opinions by means of writing and drawing. In Grade 7, they get to realize their development of a solution-oriented approach and begin to edit their compositions for others to understand correctly. In Grade 8, they will be provided information on how to protect their work legally.
Production Stage: They create a product with the aid of solution-oriented thinking skills and other abilities they have acquired. In Grade 6, they grasp the designing process while defining the problems that they encounter and trying to find a solution. In Grade 7, they learn more about the processes of individual designing. In Grade 8, they plan activities to publicize their designs.
Evaluation
While evaluating, we consider our students’ trouble shooting abilities, advanced-thinking skills, perception of aesthetics, social skills, self-confidence and their artistic development.
Means and methods
Interview, observation form, oral presentations, performance evaluation, student portfolio, self-evaluation form, peer-evaluation, graded rubric.
Grade 6, 7 and 8 Evaluation Criteria:
Student portfolios and observation forms are used to determine the level of student performance.
The student portfolios created for each stage are graded with the “graded rubric”. The observations forms are employed to grade the student performance concerning the in-class activities.
The products subject to evaluation are collected in the portfolio which has different sections for each stage. Student can choose her/his best work among the works s/he completed in each stage and put that in her/his portfolio. The portfolio includes the student’s journal, a list of resources used, additional information not recorded in the journal, self-assessment forms, etc.
Music:
The music course is designed to capture and flourish the student’s interest and cultivate a love for music. It also aims at helping students develop a self-discipline which will enable them to have a sharp ear for music as well as enriching their musical knowledge. It aspires to teach students the basic theoretical and practical musical knowledge; equip them with a critical musical knowledge and the skills required for listening, identifying, writing and performing music; raise an awareness in them about music forms that differ from their own music and tradition and contributing to their social development by providing them with the opportunity to perform their acquired skills within the scope of various artistic activities/events.
Objectives of Music Course in Kindergarten, Grade 1, 2 and 3:
The objective of Kindergarten, Grade 1, 2 and 3 music courses is to turn the learning process into a fun journey on which students set off using their personal experiences and teach students games which contribute to their audio-visual, mathematical and musical skills, help them learn faster and develop their creative skills.
As far as children’s development is concerned, it is experience which forms first and conception follows it. We use the Orff method to involve students in music so that they have a greater understanding of musical concepts. Students gain self-confidence through being able to express themselves and enhance their talents. Orff viewed rhythm as the basic element inherent in music, dance, and speech and created 'one language' based on this common element. Improvisation and creation were at the center of his teaching.
Being able to distinguish between the sounds and structural features of musical instruments, rhythm techniques, musical games, notes and songs are the core of this course.
In rhythm techniques, we encourage our students to interpret the music they hear with body gestures. They practice dancing in accordance with the music, acting out the movements we learn from the stories we listen or read through music. They recognize the vocal and structural features of the instruments, learning to use one’s body as a rhythm instrument, producing simple rhythm instruments and developing a musical culture by listening to various types of music. All of these activities aspire to contribute the development of our students’ personalities and coordination skills.
We organize concerts or other musical activities to stimulate our students’ interest in music and instruments and to improve their notion of sharing.
Kindergarten, Grades 1, 2 and 3Evaluation Criteria: Our students’ work is evaluated on the basis of in-class performance.
Objectives of the Music Course in Grade 4:
We aspire to teach our students the basics of music, encourage them to discover their artistic abilities and creativity, help them develop the habit of listening to music and see music as an integral part of life and raise them as well-rounded individuals who have extensive knowledge on songs and instruments.
Grade 4 Evaluation Criteria:
Students are obliged to prepare performance homework for each term. There are also two in-class performance grades. Teachers evaluate students’ participation in class activities, their preparation before class as well as their attendance and abilities to conduct teamwork.
Objectives of the Music Course in Grade 5:
We aspire to teach our students a basic knowledge of music and a wide range of interdisciplinary knowledge, help them develop the habit of listening to music and enjoy creativity, encourage them to develop the habit of listening to music and see music as an integral part of life and raise them as well-rounded individuals who have extensive knowledge on songs and instruments.
Grade 5 Evaluation Criteria:
In this grade level, students are expected to prepare performance homework for each term. Furthermore, with the intention to see to what extent the student learns what has been taught in class two in-class performance grades are given. Teachers evaluate students’ participation in class activities, their preparation before class as well as their attendance and abilities to conduct teamwork.
Objectives of the Music Course in Grade 6, 7 and 8:
The music course in Grade 6, 7 and 8 aspires to teach students the basic principles of music by familiarizing with various types of music, teach them Atatürk’s opinions on art and music and familiarize them with traditional and contemporary music as well as international and universal music, ensuring that they have extensive knowledge on songs and instruments. This course aims at improving students holistically with their cognitive, motor and affective behavior.
In line with their talents, students are guided and encouraged to join the school’s chorus, pop band or the string orchestra, to express themselves through music and to acquire individual and group work skills.
Grade 6, 7 and 8 Evaluation Criteria:
Students are evaluated with 1 performance homework, 1 written exam and 2 in-class performance grades each term. Students’ participation in class activities, their preparation before class as well as their attendance and abilities to conduct teamwork are also taken into consideration.