Sculpture Curriculum Overview

The Sculpture Curriculum Provides:

• learning materials that strengthen art teachers and in turn, student knowledge about contemporary sculpture within the broader context of contemporary art as it relates to art production, aesthetics, art criticism, and art history.
• curriculum, instruction and assessment strategies for experienced and novice art teachers.
• a half-year unit elective for grades 10-12.
• six individual units of study, each of which contains a number of distinct lessons.
• opportunities for adaptation in other schools, with or without an association with a museum and/or sculpture park.
• a model for other school districts in New Jersey and beyond.

Organization of the Sculpture Curriculum Provides:

• Unit overviews with
  • statements about artists and media being studied.
  • images of artists' work.
    
    
• Individual lessons with
  • reference to National Art Standards for Visual Arts Education.
  • reference to New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards.
  • reference to New Jersey Cross-Content Workplace Readiness Standards.
  • objectives and their reference to thinking skills (Bloom's Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain.)
  • list of necessary/suggested materials.
  • vocabulary.
  • teacher preparation guidelines.
  • procedures.
  • images of students and student art work.
  • student and/or teacher assessment instruments.
  • curriculum extensions.

A Note to Art Educators

This Sculpture Curriculum is designed to be a flexible tool that can be used in many different ways. It can be used as

• complete units of study.
• single lessons.
• preparation and/or follow-up for a field trip to view contemporary sculpture.

The curriculum is designed

• to provide opportunities to familiarize teachers and students with selected aspects of contemporary sculpture within the context of contemporary art.
• so that other sculptors can be substituted for the artists and works illustrated and studied in the lesson plans.
• to encourage the exploration of local contemporary sculpture sites.
• as a tool for classroom instruction with or without a visit to an outdoor art setting and/or museum.
• to encourage the use of Web sites as an alternative to field trips.
• to offer a list of national, regional, and New Jersey arts organizations and cultural institutions.
• to encourage the sharing of ideas for promotion and dissemination of student art work with members of the school community. (See ideas in Public Relations.)

Opportunities Provided by the Sculpture Curriculum for Art Teachers, Students, School, and Community

The goal of the project is to develop technical skills, increase knowledge, and develop appreciation for contemporary sculpture while integrating aesthetic, cognitive, and affective skills.

Up Close provides a variety of opportunities for art teachers to

• access and utilize prepared and tested units of study for a half year course of study.
• fulfill National Art Standards for Visual Arts Education, New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards, New Jersey Cross-Content Workplace Readiness Standards and thinking skills.
• gain and share knowledge, skills, and techniques.
• strengthen knowledge of a variety of assessment instruments including rubrics, self-assessment, and teacher observation.
• gain new insights into their students' capabilities.
• collaborate with arts and cultural institutions in the community.
• become familiar with the work of artists who offer new perspectives on the visual arts curriculum.
• participate in field trips to outdoor and indoor sculpture venues.
• join with members of the school community in advocating for expanded art programming in the study of sculpture.
• re-discover aspects of the artist within themselves.

For students to

• develop an appreciation of the creation and understanding of contemporary sculpture.
• strengthen their own self-expression and creativity.
• appreciate their community's cultural riches and to hone their skills and interests as a visual arts audience.
• meet new role models who have the potential of introducing students to a variety of professional options in the arts as well as stimulate their personal interests through interaction with artists.
• learn how to better assess their own and other's work.
• be encouraged to volunteer at museums and arts organizations to fulfill school's community service requirements.
• serve as museum interns.

For school and community to

• build on the enthusiasm of the students by involving administrators, faculty, staff, parents, and other community members.
• form partnerships with local, county, and/or state arts organizations and cultural institutions.
• explore exhibition venues and support from corporations and businesses.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS	INTERNATIONAL SCULPTURE CENTER 19 Fairgrounds Road, Suite B Hamilton, NJ 08619 P: 609.689.1051  F: 609.689.1061		SCULPTURE MAGAZINE 1633 Connecticut Ave NW 4th floor Washington DC 20009 P: 202.234.0555  F: 202.234.2663

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