The Curriculum

kids around an instructor with art supplies ready to create

Each of Art in Action’s nine program levels has at least twelve sequential, age-appropriate lessons that provide a high-quality visual art curriculum.

The multifaceted lessons develop students’ critical-thinking skills, creative confidence, hands-on skills, visual literacy, self-esteem, and an appreciation of other cultures.

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Kindergarten: Art Around The World

Students learn to draw shapes, patterns, faces and landscapes by studying Persian miniatures, Japanese prints and Byzantine mosaics. Other projects draw inspiration from artists such as Vincent van Gogh and Henri Rousseau.

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1st Grade: Art Tells A Story

Students analyze composition clues from artists such as Chagall, Miro and Seurat to interpret the message of the artist and to master techniques and concepts like contour, negative space and pointillism.

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2nd Grade: The Artist's Vision

Students examine art representing the artist’s viewpoint, from van Gogh’s troubled self-portrait to Kandinsky’s playful color study while building their artistic skills in portraiture, calligraphy and collage.

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3rd Grade: Perspective In Art

Students practice perspective, highlighting and shading, form, and 3-D perspectives through investigation of artworks by Maurice Utrillo, Paul Cezanne, Johannes Vermeer and others.

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4th Grade: Modern Art

Drawing inspiration from artists such as Picasso, Rivera and O’Keefe, students study how abstraction can emphasize feelings and ideas. Projects range from sculpting clay figures and creating murals to making wire action sculptures.

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5th grade: American Art

From Limner Paintings to Pop Art, students explore how artists depict different periods in American history by creating their own prints, sculptures and paintings while studying artists like Copley, Homer, and Ringgold.

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6th Grade: Ancient Art

While learning about art and architecture from Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome and China, students expand their skills with color, design and perspective.

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7th Grade: Renaissance Art

Through the masterpieces of da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raphael, students learn the techniques of foreshortening, shading and composition arrangement. Projects explore decorative design and architectural concepts of balance, symmetry and unity.

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8th Grade: Art & The American Experience

Students examine art representing the artist’s viewpoint, from van Gogh’s troubled self-portrait to Kandinsky’s playful color study while building their artistic skills in portraiture, calligraphy and collage.

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