Structure in the Arts
Program of Studies Arts and Humanities Primary 10
Big Idea: Structure in the Arts
Understanding of the various structural components of the arts is critical to the development of other
larger concepts in the arts. Structures that artists use include elements and principles of each art form,
tools, media and subject matter that impact artistic products, and specific styles and genre that provide a
context for creating works. It is the artist's choice of these structural components in the creative process
that results in a distinctively expressive work. Students make choices about how to use structural
organizers to create meaningful works of their own. The more students understand, the greater their
ability to produce, interpret, or critique artworks from other artists, cultures and historical periods.
Academic Expectations
1.12 Students speak using appropriate forms, conventions, and styles to communicate ideas and
information to different audiences for different purposes.
1.13 Students make sense of ideas and communicate ideas with the visual arts.
1.14 Students make sense of ideas and communicate ideas with music.
1.15 Students make sense of and communicate ideas with movement.
2.23 Students analyze their own and others' artistic products and performances using accepted
standards.
Primary Enduring Knowledge Understandings
Students will understand that
the elements of music, dance, and drama are intentionally applied in creating and performing.
the elements and principles of design of visual art are intentionally applied in creating works of art.
responding to or critiquing works of art involves an understanding of elements, principles and
structures appropriate to each area of the arts.
existing and emerging technologies can inspire new applications of structural components.
Primary Skills and Concepts Music
Students will
begin to recognize and identify elements of music (rhythm, tempo, melody, harmony, form,
timbre, dynamics) using musical terminology
use the elements of music while performing, singing, playing instruments, moving, listening,
reading music, writing music, and creating music independently and with others
listen to and explore how changing elements results in different musical effects
recognize, describe and compare various styles of music (spirituals, game songs, folk songs,
work songs, lullabies, patriotic, bluegrass)
Primary Skills and Concepts Dance
Students will
begin to recognize and identify elements of dance (space, time, force) and basic dance forms
using dance terminology
use the elements of dance in creating, copying and performing patterns of movement
independently and with others
observe, describe and demonstrate locomotor (e.g. walk, run, skip, gallop) and nonlocomotor
(e.g. bend, stretch, twist, swing) movements
Big Idea: Structure in the Arts Continued
Primary Skills and Concepts Drama/Theatre
Students will
begin to recognize and identify elements of drama (literary, technical, performance) using
drama/theatre terminology
use the elements of drama in creating and performing dramatic works independently and with others
observe, describe and apply creative dramatics (improvisation, mimicry, pantomime, role playing
and story telling) in a variety of situations
explore a variety of dramatic works (e.g., theater, dramatic media film, television)
Primary Skills and Concepts Visual Arts
Students will
begin to recognize and identify elements of art (line, shape, form, texture, color) and principles of
design (emphasis, pattern, balance, contrast) using visual art terminology
use the elements of art and principles of design in creating artworks independently and with
others
explore, describe and compare elements of art (e.g., line, shape, form, texture, primary and
secondary colors, color schemes) and principles of design (e.g., focal point, pattern, balance,
contrast) in two and three dimensional artworks
Humanity in the Arts
Program of Studies
Big Idea: Humanity in the Arts
The arts reflect the beliefs, feelings, and ideals of those who create them. Experiencing the arts allows
one to experience time, place and/or personality. By experiencing the arts of various cultures, students
can actually gain insight into the beliefs, feelings and ideas of those cultures. Students also have the
opportunity to experience how the arts can influence society through analysis of arts in their own lives and
the arts of other cultures and historical periods. Studying the historical and cultural stylistic periods in the
arts offers students an opportunity to understand the world past and present, and to learn to appreciate
their own cultural heritage. Looking at the interrelationships of multiple arts disciplines across cultures and
historical periods is the focus of humanities in the arts.
Academic Expectations
2.24 Students have knowledge of major works of art, music, and literature and appreciate creativity
and the contributions of the arts and humanities.
2.25 In the products they make and the performances they present, students show that they
understand how time, place, and society influence the arts and humanities such as languages,
literature, and history.
2.26 Through the arts and humanities, students recognize that although people are different, they
share some common experiences and attitudes.
Primary Enduring Knowledge Understandings
Students will understand that
the arts are powerful tools for understanding human experiences both past and present.
the arts help us understand others (often very different) ways of thinking, working, and
expressing ourselves.
the arts play a major role in the creation and defining of cultures and building civilizations.
Primary Skills and Concepts Music
Students will
begin to associate music they listen to or perform with specific cultures (Native American,
Appalachian, West African); describe in simple terms how the music reflects the cultures
begin to associate music they listen to or perform with the Colonial American period in history;
describe in simple terms how the music reflects the Colonial American time period
begin to describe the music of specific cultures using music terminology
Primary Skills and Concepts Dance
Students will
begin to associate dances they observe or perform with specific cultures (Native American,
Appalachian, West African); describe in simple terms how dances reflect the cultures
begin to associate dances they observe or perform with the Colonial American period in history;
describe in simple terms how dances reflect the Colonial American time period
begin to describe the dance of specific cultures using dance terminology
Primary Skills and Concepts Drama/Theatre
Students will
begin to associate folktales, legends, or myths they experience or perform with specific cultures
(Native American, Appalachian, West African); describe in simple terms how literature and oral
tradition reflect the cultures
begin to associate folktales, legends, or myths they experience or perform with the Colonial
American period in history; describe in simple terms how literature and oral tradition reflect the
Colonial American time period
begin to describe folktales, legends, or myths of specific cultures using drama/theatre terminology
Big Idea: Humanity in the Arts Continued
Primary Skills and Concepts Visual Arts
Students will
begin to associate artworks they experience or create with specific cultures (Native American,
Appalachian, West African); describe in simple terms how the art of these cultures reflects the
cultures
begin to associate artworks they experience or create with the Colonial American period in
history; describe in simple terms how the art of the American Colonies reflects the Colonial
American time period
begin to describe artworks of specific cultures using visual art terminology
Purposes for Creating Arts
Program of Studies
Big Idea: Purposes for Creating the Arts
The arts have played a major role throughout the history of humans. As the result of the power of the arts
to communicate on a basic human level, they continue to serve a variety of purposes in society. The arts
are used for artistic expression to portray specific emotions or feelings, to tell stories in a narrative
manner, to imitate nature and to persuade others. The arts bring meaning to ceremonies, rituals,
celebrations and commemorations. Additionally, they are used for recreation and to support recreational
activities. Students experience the arts in a variety of roles through their own creations and performances
and through those of others. Through their activities and observations, students learn to create arts and
use them for a variety of purposes in society.
Academic Expectations
1.12 Students speak using appropriate forms, conventions, and styles to communicate ideas and
information to different audiences for different purposes.
1.13 Students make sense of ideas and communicate ideas with the visual arts.
1.14 Students make sense of ideas and communicate ideas with music.
1.15 Students make sense of and communicate ideas with movement.
2.26 Through the arts and humanities, students recognize that although people are different, they
share some common experiences and attitudes.
Primary Enduring Knowledge Understandings
Students will understand that
the arts fulfill a variety of purposes in society (e.g., to present issues and ideas, to entertain, to
teach or persuade, to design, plan and beautify).
the arts have value and significance for daily life. They provide personal fulfillment, whether in
career settings, avocational pursuits, or leisure.
the arts provide forms of nonverbal communication that can strengthen the presentation of ideas
and emotions.
Primary Skills and Concepts Music
Students will
begin to develop an awareness of the purposes for which music is created (e.g., ceremonial,
recreational, artistic expression)
listen to and perform music created to fulfill a variety of specific purposes
Primary Skills and Concepts Dance
Students will
begin to develop an awareness of the purposes for which dance is created (e.g., ceremonial,
recreational, artistic expression)
observe and perform dance created to fulfill a variety of specific purposes
Primary Skills and Concepts Drama/Theatre
Students will
begin to develop an awareness of the purposes for which dramatic works are created (e.g.,
sharing the human experience, passing on tradition and culture, recreational, artistic expression)
observe and perform dramatic works created to fulfill a variety of specific purposes
Primary Skills and Concepts Visual Arts
Students will
begin to develop an awareness of the purposes for which artworks are created (e.g., ceremonial,
artistic expression, narrative, functional)
create new and experience artworks designed to fulfill a variety of specific purposes
Processes in the Arts
Program of Studies
Big Idea: Interrelationships Among the Arts
The arts share commonalities in structures, purposes, creative processes, and their ability to express
ideals, feelings and emotions. Studying interrelationships among the arts enables students to get a broad
view of the expressiveness of the art forms as a whole, and helps to develop a full appreciation of the arts
as a mirror of human kind.
Academic Expectations
1.12 Students speak using appropriate forms, conventions, and styles to communicate ideas and
information to different audiences for different purposes.
1.13 Students make sense of ideas and communicate ideas with the visual arts.
1.14 Students make sense of ideas and communicate ideas with music.
1.15 Students make sense of and communicate ideas with movement.
2.22 Students create works of art and make presentations to convey a point of view.
2.25 In the products they make and the performances they present, students show that they
understand how time, place, and society influence the arts and humanities such as languages,
literature, and history.
2.26 Through the arts and humanities, students recognize that although people are different, they
share some common experiences and attitudes.
Primary Enduring Knowledge Understandings
Students will understand that
the arts are basic forms of human communication.
music, dance, drama and visual art created in common cultures and/or common historical periods
tend to reflect common attitudes, ideas, beliefs, and feelings.
the arts provide forms of non-verbal communication that can strengthen the presentation of ideas
and emotions.
the modes of thinking and methods of the arts disciplines can be used to illuminate situations in
other disciplines that require creative solutions.
Primary Skills and Concepts Arts
Students will
begin to recognize that common terms are used in various arts (e.g., tempo in dance and music)
begin to notice communication of common themes or ideas across different art forms
identify and explain connections between and among different art forms from the same culture or
from the same time period
begin to identify commonalities between the arts and other subjects taught in the school (e.g.,
observation skills in visual arts and science, historical and cultural perspectives in the arts and
social studies, shape in visual art and mathematics, dance and a healthy lifestyle, fractions in
music notation and mathematics, reading music and reading words, composing music and
writing)
communicate common meaning through creating and performing in the four art forms
