8TH AND 9TH ART
COURSE SYLLABUS
8th Grade Art is a beginning drawing class in which students learn the basics of drawing, including basic forms, shading, perspective, use of color and composition. 9th Grade Art builds on the foundation begun in 8th grade, and explores more advanced techniques and principles of color usage, composition, shading and perspective.
Materials: A $6.00 art fee in 8th grade covers the materials students will need, which include pencils, erasers (pink pearl and kneaded), a ruler, colored pencils, and paper. Poster paints will be provided by the teacher for any paintings done in class. A fee of $7.00 in 9th grade covers pencils, erasers, a ruler, watercolor pencils, watercolors, and paper. Any other materials used will be provided by the teacher.
Grading: My grading system is simple. Each assignment will be worth a certain number of points. Whatever percentage of the possible points a student earns for each assignment will determine his grade. 93%-100% will be an A, 90%-92% will be an A-, 87%-89% will be a B+, 83%-86% will be a B, etc.
Extra Credit: Students may do projects to earn extra credit, if they wish, but only if they are current with all of their work. If a student is missing assignments, no extra credit will be allowed. Extra credit will not make up for missing work, but a student may do extra pictures to improve his grade. Extra credit pictures must be done on unlined paper (type paper or drawing paper), and must be done during the time the student is enrolled in the course (no previous drawings done in 5th or 6th grade, for example). Pictures may be in any medium and of any subject, and may or may not pertain to what is being studied in class.
Portfolio: Every student will be required to keep a portfolio of work that has been done throughout the course. This includes finished pictures that have been graded and pictures that are still in progress. The portfolio may be nothing more than a piece of poster board folded down the middle and stapled along the two sides. The portfolio has three main purposes: to keep work in that has been handed back, in case a question ever arises as to whether a project has been done or not; to keep projects in that are still being worked on, so that they stay neat and clean; and to carry projects in that need to be taken home to work on. The portfolio will be graded, and will be worth 100 points. Not having a portfolio could lower a student's grade.
A Few Things to Remember: Cell phones and I-pods are strictly forbidden in the classroom. If a student is caught with either, it will be confiscated and returned at the teacher’s discretion. Normally, if it is the first offense, the item will be returned at the end of the class period. If it happens again, the item will be taken to the office and will have to be retrieved from the principal or vice-principal, who may require parents to come in and pick it up. The best policy is—don’t bring a cell phone or I-pod to class, but if that's not possible, the item should be kept in the pocket, backpack or binder, and turned off or on silent. If a cell phone rings, even if it is put away, it will be confiscated. Also, treats and drinks are not allowed in class, with the exception of bottles of water. Treats and drinks will be confiscated and not returned.
Other Things to Remember: Respect for others is always the best policy. Behavior which disrupts other students’ right or ability to learn, or the teachers’ ability to teach, is not respectful. Respect for others also includes not bullying, teasing, or harassing, and not using foul language or gestures. Any such behavior will result in disciplinary action, either by the teacher or the administration.