Upper School Course of Study: Fine Arts

COURSE OF STUDY 2009-10

(All courses are not offered every year.)

FINE ARTS

PERFORMING ARTS

Advanced Placement Music Theory (with permission) (full year) (course number 627)
In this course, students learn music terminology and notation skills, the concepts of rhythm and tempo, concepts of pitch and pitch relationships, melody and harmony, including advanced harmonic structure, basic and advanced ear training and basic and advanced sight-singing.  They also examine different periods of music, becoming familiar with the different eras and the impact as musical complexity advanced. They are tested weekly, and they exercise their skills with practice AP Music Theory exams.  Ear Training, Sight Singing and Piano Exercises are alternated on a daily basis.  The course demands practice of skills outside of the classroom, and students are expected to be prepared and on-task at all times.  This is a very intensive course covered in a very short time period. 

Beginning Guitar (full year) (course number 621)
This class is for students who would like to learn how to play the guitar.  Students are taught the parts of the instrument, tuning, proper playing position, as well as basic chord structure.  Beginning notation and rhythm reading are practiced.  This class teaches students how to play in an ensemble as well as how to be a solo musician.  The group performs in at least one public concert each semester.

Beginning Guitar (semester elective) (course number 619)
This class is for students who would like to learn how to play the guitar.  Students are taught the parts of the instrument, tuning, proper playing position, as well as basic chord structure.  Beginning notation and rhythm reading are practiced.  This class teaches students how to play in an ensemble as well as how to be a solo musician.  The group performs in at least one public concert during the semester.

Chorus (full year) (course number 602)
This active singing ensemble is for students who wish to learn and rehearse a wide variety of choral music including arrangements of folk, classical, jazz, show tunes, pop songs, and spirituals.  The group performs in two concerts in the Highland Center for the Arts and also participates in a music festival in the spring, usually in D.C.  Other occasions for performances include assemblies and high school graduation. 

Guitar Ensemble (with permission) (full year) (course number 620)
This class is designed for students who have at least two years of experience playing the guitar.  It gives them the opportunity to perform in an ensemble as well as offering solo opportunities.  Students learn chords, notation, and other music theory concepts.  Students perform in at least two public concerts during the school year. Audition for seating placement is required.

Intermediate Guitar (full year) (course number 637)
This class is designed for students with at least one year of guitar experience (or two semesters of Beginning Guitar) and some music theory knowledge who want to improve their skills and possibly move on to Guitar Ensemble.  Students further the skills they learned in Beginning Guitar as well as learning the skills necessary to audition for the Guitar Ensemble.

Introduction to Theater (semester elective) (course number 638)
In this class students participate in at least two One-Act plays or selected scenes from longer plays in the Lise Hicklin Black Box Theater.  They are involved in acting, lighting, sound, set and costume production.  Assignments include line memorization and other work that can be done outside of class.  Class time is used for production purposes and rehearsals.  Students also assist in the fall and spring productions, learning to use the light and sound equipment in the main theater.

Jazz Ensemble (full year) (course number 635)
This ensemble is for students who wish to actively participate in a performing instrumental jazz group.  The main emphasis is to play musical instruments by ear, incorporating music theory into the practical playing of jazz pieces, and to develop the ability to improvise in various scales, modes, harmonies, and keys.  The ensemble performs publicly at two concerts in the Highland Center for the Arts; other performances are encouraged.

Music Theory (semester elective) (course number 652)
In this one semester course, students will learn fundamental music terminology and notation skills, the concepts of rhythm and tempo, concepts of pitch and pitch relationships, and melody and harmony.  They will also be introduced to different periods of music, becoming familiar with the major eras. Also, sight-singing and ear training will be practiced.  This course is a pre-requisite for AP Music Theory.

Songwriting (semester elective) (course number 624)
The songwriting course is a musical elective in which participants learn the basics of song-writing.  Time is spent analyzing existing songs and studying lyric-writing, basic music theory, and musical form.  Lyric-writing includes the setting of existing texts, rhyming, and creating original lyrics.  Musical concepts such as form, scales, keys, voice ranges, word rhythms, meters, and others, are discussed and applied directly to creative projects.

String Ensemble (two days per week for full year; only half credit is awarded) (course number 649)
This ensemble is for students who wish to actively participate in a performing string ensemble.  The main emphasis is individual performance improvement.  The ensemble performs publicly at two concerts in the Highland Center for the Arts; other performances are encouraged.
 
VISUAL ARTS

Advanced Filmmaking (semester elective open to juniors and seniors) (course number 655)
This course will be a continuation of Intermediate Filmmaking with more emphasis on better story development and higher production values.  Students will work as a team on a single documentary, sharing the work of planning, critiquing, filming, lighting and editing. This will result in the creation of a longer, more complex film as well as teaching the students to work collaboratively on a project by providing and receiving ideas, constructive criticism and feedback.

Advanced Placement Drawing (with permission) (full year) (course number 639)
AP Art in drawing is designed to take the student with a strong interest in art and develop that interest into a college level talent.  Students learn a variety of drawing techniques using a wide range of media, and most importantly they learn how to think about art, bring content to art and talk about their ideas in critiques.  They place their work in context by researching similar artists, so they learn to think about their own work by thinking about the work of others. In the first semester the students prepare a portfolio demonstrating a breadth of understanding of the elements of art and principles of design as applied to drawing.  During the second semester they work on a concentration which will be a semester long series of projects all specifically related. Photographic and computer-driven design is not permitted in AP Drawing.  Students select five of their best works for presentation.   At the end of the year during AP exam week, in lieu of an exam AP art students will be turning in a portfolio consisting of 24 separate works. 

Advanced Placement 2-D Design (with permission) (full year) (course number 640)
This course is identical to the Advanced Placement Drawing course, with the only exception being that photographic and computer-driven design is permitted.

Advanced Placement 3D Design (with permission) (full year) (course number 641)
AP Art is designed to be the culmination of a student’s high school art studies.  Students are expected to work at a higher level of art than in previous classes.  The course is comparable to an introductory college art course.  Students study and use the elements of art and the principles of design as a basis for self expression.  Work begins during the summer before taking the course; summer work and a paper are a requirement.  Work in the course goes towards an AP portfolio, which will be submitted to the AP Board during AP exam week in May.  The AP portfolio consists of at least 20 finished works to the College Board in lieu of a written exam as the course’s culmination.  The course is very demanding of both time and effort, but is very rewarding.  It is for serious art students who have taken at least Advanced Sculpture and/or Ceramics III.  Students may submit either a sculpture or ceramics portfolio, depending on their experience and interests.

Advanced Sculpture (full year) (course number 628)
This course is designed for students who have completed Introduction to 3D Art; other art classes are highly recommended.  Students develop skills already learned, as well as work with new media and techniques.  Design elements and principles are a primary focus of the course.  Students are expected to exhibit greater understanding of media and methods, and to produce more thoughtful and creative works.  Projects involve additive, subtractive, and constructive methods.  Students also develop ideas for projects on their own, choosing their own media and themes.

Art History I (semester elective) (course number 656)
This class is recommended for those with an interest in art or history. Students who plan to major in the Visual Arts in college may especially want to take this class. It is a good introduction to art periods, styles, and artists. Students learn about the world and work of the artist. They learn how works of art are evaluated and why people create art. The aesthetic properties of each work are discussed, including the sensory, formal, technical, and expressive properties, as well as the cultural and historical relevance. Students taking this course study non-Western art and Western art from the Paleolithic period through the Renaissance in Northern Europe. There are at least two field trips to various museums in the area.

Art History II (semester elective) (course number 657)
This class is a continuation of the study of art history I, although students need not take these two classes consecutively.  Students taking this course study non-Western art and Western art from the Renaissance in Northern Europe through the twenty-first Century.

Art II (with permission) (full year) (course number 623)
This class develops drawing, painting and printmaking skills and understanding of visual language through studio instruction. The students expand upon what they know about the fundamentals of drawing, learning how to translate what they see into the elements of art (line, shape, color, texture, value, and space) and using the principles of design (proportion, perspective, and composition) to create more meaningful art. They work on projects using drawing, painting and printmaking.  They also try their hand at watercolors, pastels and acrylics on paper or on canvas, prints and collages.

Beginning Filmmaking (semester elective) (course number 653)
An introduction to filmmaking techniques and theory. Students will learn to analyze films through readings and viewings, and recognize and understand the underlying film techniques. This theoretical knowledge will be solidified and applied through shooting short scenes and sequences around the school. Students will learn the basics of proper camera skills, sound recording, and lighting as well as professional editing and post-production software such as Final Cut Pro, Soundtrack Pro and Garage Band.

Ceramics I (semester elective) (course number 631)
In this introductory course, students learn methods and techniques for working with clay to create art.  They explore various hand building techniques, begin to work on the potter’s wheel, and discover ways to bring the two methods together in a single work.  Though they spend more time on the wheel, this course serves only as an introduction to wheel-throwing.  Students leave the course with a basic knowledge of clay.

Ceramics II (semester elective) (course number 632)
Students expand on their knowledge of clay in this intermediate level course after successfully completing Ceramics I.  More advanced wheel techniques are taught, as well as more methods for using handbuilding techniques with wheel-thrown pieces.  The primary theme of the course is combining functionality with aesthetics and design.  Students are expected to work more independently and show more creativity with their pieces than in Ceramics I.

Ceramics III (full year) (with permission) (course number 642)
Students further develop their skills with clay on and off the wheel.  The course focuses on improving skills and techniques already acquired and learning more advanced skills.  A good understanding and application of basic wheel skills are essential in undertaking the coursework.  Students assume more studio responsibilities, including recycling and preparing clay, keeping the classroom clean, maintaining an inventory of supplies, and loading and unloading the kiln.  Through the skill development and added responsibilities, students learn more about continuing with pottery on their own.  Work is critiqued continuously over the course by both peers and the instructor.  The course concludes with a final project showing skill mastery.  Juniors taking the course will prepare for an AP portfolio beginning in the spring semester.

Intermediate Filmmaking (semester elective open to juniors and seniors) (course number 654)
An introduction to the basics of making a short digital documentary, from concept development to finished piece. Beginning filmmakers will plan, shoot, and edit their own individual short documentaries. The class will cover the essential technical skills, the categories of emerging styles of non-fiction film, and how to experiment with a variety of documentary storytelling techniques. The course format consists of individual video assignments, screenings, and critique.

Introduction to 2D Art (semester elective) (course number 609)
Students in this class study the elements of art through a variety of materials and methods.  Incorporating art history as projects are conceived, they look at the development of Modern Art as followed through the work of several influential artists. This class is about process more than production and should leave students with a foundation that will make their own work stronger as well as making them more educated viewers of other’s work.  Students work in a variety of media, although drawing forms the basis for this class.

Introduction to 2D Design (semester elective) (course number 610)
Students in this class study the elements of art and the principles of design through a variety of projects and drawings.   This class is about process more than production and should leave students with a foundation in design that will make their own work stronger and enable them to analyze the works of others.   Using a variety of media students work on design projects which deconstruct what makes an artwork successful.  The projects in this class are generally more abstract than Introduction to Art.

Introduction to 3D Art (semester elective) (course number 622)
In this course, students learn methods for creating three-dimensional art work and sculpture using additive, subtractive, and constructional methods.  Students explore common media associated with three-dimensional art -- their uses, procedures, and results.  These include, but are not limited to, clay, plaster, foam, found objects, wood, wire, and papier mâché.  Projects are based on seeing and using the third dimension and ideas that separate three-dimensional art from two-dimensional art.

Photography (semester elective open only to seniors) (course number 611)
In this course, students learn to use an SLR camera and its settings, develop black and white film, make black and white prints, and learn photographic techniques to improve the quality and creativity of their photographs.  Students study composition, art elements in photography, portraiture, photojournalism, darkroom techniques, photography as narrative, presentation, and developing portfolios.  This is done through taking photographs, making prints, group critiques, and studying work by other photographers.  Various applications of photography and careers in the field are discussed.

Theater Technology (semester elective) (course number 616)
This course examines the practical application of set and lighting design. Students are involved in the building of sets for school productions, starting with drawings, model sets and the construction of actual set pieces.  Students also learn the basics of lighting and sound design, so that they can take charge of the sets, lights and sound for all drama productions and Center events.  The course is taught through lecture, video and class participation.  Some after-school participation may be required.

Yearbook (full year) (course number 645)
In this course, students learn aspects of yearbook journalism and graphic design while completing Highland School’s yearbook.  Students complete the yearbook from start to finish, beginning with fundraising and planning in the summer and ending with a published book to be distributed at the end of the school year; summer work and assignments are a course requirement.  This course is very demanding of both time and effort, with many out-of-class assignments.  This course does not apply to the one year requirement of a Fine Arts class for graduation.

(back to top)