The Visual Arts Goals for PS 217 are aligned with the Benchmarks in the Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Visual Arts. The Blueprint is grounded in the New York State Learning Standards for the Arts and are addressed in every facet of the Blueprint. The benchmarks provide a pathway for excellence and engagement in the arts for all students beginning in early childhood and continuing to fifth grade.
Goals for Kindergarten-2nd Grade Students
Art Making
Students explore a variety of art materials and techniques, exercise imagination, construct meanings, and depict their experiences; work in two-dimensional and three-dimensional art forms, use basic art tools, and gain knowledge of media and compositional elements.
Developing Art Literacy
Through observing, discussing works and art making, students develop visual arts vocabulary. Students read, write and respond to works by famous artists and reflect on their own work as well as others.
Making Connections Through Visual Arts
Students examine images in the classroom, on museum websites or the internet and discuss how community sites are depicted. Using these observations, discussions and prior knowledge, students will recognize the societal, cultural, and historical significance of art; connect the visual arts to other disciplines; apply the skills and knowledge learned in visual arts to interpreting the world.
Community and Cultural Resources
By working in the art room, students access primary resources on the internet that are available in the community, the borough, and the city to extend their learning beyond the classroom
Careers and Lifelong Learning
Through various units, students will gain an awareness of careers in visual arts; learn to work independently and in teams; set goals for themselves and gain an appreciation of art as a source of enjoyment and lifelong learning.
Goals for Third - Fifth Grade Students
Art Making
Students begin sequential unit projects in painting, drawing, collage, sculpture and 2D/graphic Design. They will extend knowledge of art media and compositional and design elements: choose new ways of using familiar tools and materials: and deepen imaginative capacities, observational and expressive skills.
Developing Art Literacy
Students hone observation skills and discuss works of art; develop visual arts vocabulary to describe art making, the tools and techniques used to produce art, and the elements and principles of design. Students interpret artwork by providing evidence to support assertions.
Making Connections Through Visual Arts
Students recognize the societal, cultural and historical significance of art; connect the visual arts to other disciplines; apply the skills and knowledge learned in the visual arts to interpreting the world.
Community and Cultural Resources
Students will learn that primary resources are available to them in the borough, the city and all over the world via cultural institutions, public art and design and the Internet.
Careers and Lifelong Learning
Students gain an awareness of careers in the visual arts, learn to work independently and in teams and gain an appreciation of art as a source of enjoyment and lifelong learning.