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Keystone Oaks Middle School
8th Grade Art Syllabus
Course Description
This introductory pottery class shall explore coil, pinch-pot, drape and slab construction in clay. Various firing/glazing techniques and historical/cultural aspects of ceramics shall be discussed and reviewed. Vocabulary, principles/elements of design, level appropriate quizzes, 3-ring binder maintenance, Internet activities, ceramic-related community service projects, daily participation/attendance, deadline management, classroom responsibilities and course preparation are essential to the success of this course.
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Instructional Time
Students taking this course will attend five-42 minute sessions weekly. The length of the course is 12 weeks.
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Daily Attendance
Daily attendance in a studio class is crucial to a student’s success, academically and skill-leveled. Excessive absence from this class shall result in a parental/guardian and guidance phone call to address the problem. Absences due to school/class tardiness, field trips, excused/unexcused absences from school and late passes of every kind shall be recorded/reported as time missed and shall affect his/her participation points. It is strongly advised that students make up this missed time so that he/she does not fall behind in the course load.
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Quizzes
Ceramic quizzes will be used to evaluate student understanding of ceramic terms, techniques and processes discussed in class. Any student with special needs has the option to take the quiz with their special education teacher and if necessary, test adaptations shall be made to optimize the students test performance.
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Homework Requirements
Homework assignments shall range from having a paper signed to brainstorming exercises to research results. Homework assignments will be averaged into the overall grading period and may negatively affect a student’s grade if he/she fails to participate.
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Participation Grade
Every student shall earn a Participation grade for the 12-week period totaling approximately 120 points (or 2 points per school day). Daily participation, clean-up procedures, individual and group participation and brainstorming activities are just a few of the elements factored into the Participation Grade.
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Deadline Management
Deadline management is an important aspect of each student’s time and work schedule, responsibility as an aspiring student artist and overall grade. The inability to meet deadlines may affect the student in the following ways:
1) Late homework assignments shall receive a 10% deduction. Lateness of an assignment is an assignment that has not been collected by the teacher in the regularly scheduled class period. Late homework will be accepted up until the end of that school day deadline date. Papers/assignments turned in at later date shall not receive credit – NO EXCEPTIONS! Please note that although credit will not be given for these papers/assignments, it is important that the student completes them, for many are used in future projects and could count for future points. Students who may have a field-trip, internship, etc., on a collection date must turn in their assignment that morning before their departure. Students who were legitimately ill on a deadline date should provide a medical excuse from a parent/guardian and turn in their assignment during class on the first day of their return otherwise no credit shall be given.
2) Late projects (physical objects) and their penalties shall differ from project to project and will be teacher defined. The deadline dates shall be displayed on the teacher’s dry/erase board, teacherreports.com, class homepage and reinforced verbally in class. As a standard, late greenware work shall receive a 10% deduction. Also, the teacher may penalize late glazeware works with an additional 10% deduction. Please note that each project usually has two deadlines – greenware and glazeware. Therefore, the inability to meet either deadline may result in a 20% total deduction of points.
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Tutoring Sessions
For students needing additional studio time, independent studio sessions will be held one day a week from 3:00pm until 4:30pm (tba). Teacher recommendations for tutoring sessions shall be recorded by the teacher – it is the responsibility of the student to take advantage of this time. Students who opt to take advantage of Tutoring Sessions are expected to assist in light clean-up duties.
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Fire Alarm Procedure
Students shall exit the Ceramics room according to the teacher’s instructions. It is critical that students stay with the class and keep conversation at a minimum so that the teacher may relay instructions. Failure to display appropriate behavior in a fire drill shall result in serious consequences of 1) a 20% deduction of the student’s Participation grade for that 9-week grading period 2) an assigned one hour working Teacher Detention and 3) a principal referral of incident.
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Procedures for Evaluation
Evaluation of student progress will be based on the number of produced works within a given amount of time. Criteria used for grading shall include, but not be limited to, design, originality, craftsmanship, trimming, glazing, following directions and objectives, studio maintenance/habits, participation, meeting deadlines, design research, note/sketchbooks and test/quiz material.
Grades will be based upon the following percentages:
Grade
.....
%(-).....
%.....%
(+)
A’s.....
93-94.....
95-98.....
99-100
B’s.....
85-86.....
87-90.....
91-92
C’s.....
75-77.....
78-81.....
82-84.....
D’s.....
65-67.....
68-71.....
72-74.....
F’s.....
55-57.....
58-61.....
62-64
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Equipment and Supplies
The 8th Grade Ceramics Program at Keystone Oaks Middle School requires the use of many tools and special equipment. Many steps are taken to care for and extend the life of such tools and equipment to service all students throughout the school year. Every student is responsible for the proper care and usage of all tools and equipment. Any student demonstrating the mishandling or abuse of any tools or equipment shall be 1) reported to the principal 2) receive a working Teacher’s Detention (hours will be determined based upon severity of mishandling/abuse of tools/equipment) and 3) parental call home and possible Saturday Detention.
In addition to the proper use and handling of tools and equipment of the Ceramics program, it is important to understand that it is considered inappropriate to handle another student’s projects in any way, in any state of production. Failure to abide by this rule shall result in a scheduled meeting between the offending student, the owner of the work and teacher.
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Tardiness/Class Cuts
Every student is expected to arrive to class on time. Ceramic students have an additional 30 seconds after the late bell rings to arrive on time to class. However, if a student is late three times beyond the 30-second window, the student shall serve a one-hour working Teacher Detention in the Ceramics Room. On the sixth offense, the student shall receive a 2-hour working Teacher’s Detention, a parental phone call and an incident report write-up. The seventh offense shall automatically result in a Saturday Detention. Arriving late to class from another classroom, teacher or faculty member without a pass shall be counted as a late to class. It is the student’s responsibility to provide verification – not the teachers!
Class cuts shall be dealt with in accordance with the Keystone Oaks School guidelines. A class cut is defined as an unauthorized absence (10+ minutes) from a class. If unable to provide appropriate documentation, the teacher will write up an Incident Report. Any student who cuts two (2) classes will be removed from class promptly and permanently.
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Food in the Classroom
Any food (candy, gum, pretzels, etc.) and/or drinks will not be tolerated in the classroom setting in accordance with the school district’s policy. Any student violating this policy shall be referred to meet with Mrs. Todd.
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Student Requirements
Students taking this course will be expected to:
1) report to the teacher for all class sessions and assignments when excused for other school-related activities (field-trips, sports events, etc.). The student shall notify the teacher prior to his/her absence. Students with excused absences will be encouraged to make up missed classes.
2) comply with teacher assignment(s) when absence is due to a vacation, extended leave of absence or temporary physical impairment which would inhibit the completion of studio assignments.
IN CASE OF TEMPORARY PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT, AN EXCUSE MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE TEACHER BY A PARENT/GUARDIAN AND PHYSICIAN.
3) observe and participate in teacher demonstrations. Students should be able to convey demonstration techniques and information in both verbal, written and physical forms.
4) verbally/physically participate in class discussions, quiz/test reviews and/or community service projects.
5) practice and complete all weekly studio assignments.
6) care for the various stages of clay projects every day. In the event of an absence, students are encouraged to have a “buddy” to take care of their clay. In cases of prolonged absences, students may contact me (via phone or e-mail) to handle the care of their clay.
7) share in the responsibilities of maintaining a clean and healthy environment within the ceramics room.
8) pass studio quizzes at a level of 75%. Students who are absent on exam dates shall make up the test the next day that the student is present.
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Skill and Content Objectives
Students taking this course will be able to:
1) demonstrate and recognize the need for the proper care and safe use of tools and equipment.
2) recognize and demonstrate the importance of maintaining a clean and healthy environment within the art room.
3) appreciate, recognize and demonstrate good craftsmanship.
4) demonstrate the proper methods of preparing clay for use.
5) make thoughtful decisions that implement the use of design elements and principles in pottery (i.e. line, color, value, shape, texture).
6) distinguish and identify the various stages of clay (i.e. leather-hard, greenware, bisqueware and/or glazeware).
7) demonstrate skill in one or more hand-building techniques (i.e. slab, coil and pinch combinations), especially in the joining of the seams where the slip and score method is used, manipulation of texture and weight of the finished project.
8) demonstrate glaze application to bisqueware
9) describe and identify a variety of forming techniques used in works of pottery (slab, coil, pinch or wheel-thrown).
10) identify and utilize tools for their specific function and techniques within the ceramic arts.
11) recognize that artists often create works of art to be used in daily living (functional) and non-functional.
12) recognize and employ good craftsmanship quality in their own artwork as well as that of classmates and professionals.
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Internet Resources
Class Homepage
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