District of Columbia K–6 visual art standards

Name art materials (e.g., clay, paint, crayons) introduced in lessons.

Identify and name spatial relationships in 2-dimensional works of art and the real world (e.g., left, right, top, bottom, side, center, front, back, over and under).

Distinguish between 2-dimensional shapes and 3- dimensional forms (e.g., circle vs. sphere, square vs. cube).

Distinguish between 2-dimensional (no overlapping) and 3- dimensional (overlapping showing depth) visual fields.

Identify and name the elements of art (line, color, shape, and texture sight/touch, rough/smooth) in objects in nature, in the environment, and in works of art. Examples such as Klee's Way to the Chapel, Bonnard's Open Window, and Hopper's Approaching a City can be viewed at The Phillips Collection. Other works can be seen at the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

Recognize and describe simple patterns found in the environment and works of art

Assemble a collage with cut or torn paper shapes.

Use basic geometric shapes to create an image of a person

Create symmetrical, patterned and random arrangements using lines, shapes, forms, and colors.

Create three-dimensional constructions using basic tools and art processes, such as paper and foam products, scissors, and glue.

Express ideas about family and neighborhood using paint.

Create three-dimensional forms (e.g., a real or imaginary animal) using clay and other workable media.

Describe functional and nonutilitarian art seen in daily life, (e.g., works of art that are used versus those that are for viewing).

Recognize, describe, and discuss American and international flags and symbols.

Investigate everyday objects from various time periods and cultures by comparing and contrasting them with objects students recognize from their daily lives (e.g. ceramic mug from US and ceramic tea bowl from Japan).

Identify and describe works of art that show people working and living together (genre paintings or sculpture).

Identify, describe, and discuss the meaning of visual elements and symbols of holidays, birthdays, and/or cultural events (e.g. birthday candles, pi•atas, menorahs).

Discuss the objects in own works of art, using appropriate art vocabulary (e.g., color, shape, form, texture. Student holds art and says, "This is my mommy wearing a yellow color and me wearing blue stripes).

Discuss subject of the work and how it relates to the color, shape, form, and texture.

Discuss how and why students made a specific work of art and provide reasons why they like it, using appropriate art vocabulary.

Describe various reasons that he/she has made art in the way that it was done.

Draw lines (e.g., curved, straight, parallel) to represent movements used in play.

Draw geometric shapes (e.g., circles, squares, triangles) and repeat them in dance/movement sequences.

Look at and draw something used every day (e.g., scissors, toothbrush, fork) and describe how the object is used.

Identify art forms (e.g., photographs, paintings, murals, ceramics, sculptures) and images found at home, in school, and in the community.

Recognize American symbols (flag colors and shapes, monuments, the statue of Liberty) and symbols used in commercial products created by artists and designers that can be seen at an art museum such as the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

Distinguish among various media (e.g., clay, paints, drawing materials) when looking at works of art, including his/her own.

Describe and replicate lines that show movement in figures and nature.

Identify the elements of art -line, color, shape, form, and texture in objects in the environment and works of art.

Distinguish between circle, square, triangle, rectangle, oval, and organic free-form shapes. Visit a local art museum to see shapes and original works of art.

Distinguish between sphere, cube, cylinder, cone, and forms of objects in nature.

Find, describe and replicate visual rhythms seen in nature, the environment, and works of art.

Draw a person using a variety of lines and shapes to show movement (e.g., bending parts).

Create two-dimensional and threedimensional works of art using both real and visual textures.

Mix secondary colors from primary colors and describe the process.

Use basic tools and art-making processes, such as printing, crayonrubbings, collage, and stencils.

Use overlapping in a collaged still life composition.

Create two-dimensional artwork based upon observations of everyday scenes and in response to literature.

Create three-dimensional artwork actual of actual objects using clay, paper and other media.

Plan and use variations in line, shape/form, color, and texture to communicate ideas or feelings in works of art.

Identify and describe real-life subject matter in landscapes, seascapes, cityscapes, portraits, still lifes, and scenes of everyday life. Examples can be viewed at The Phillips Collection.

Identify and describe the artwork of Maya, Inca, Aztec, European American, and traditional African cultures, exploring the role of artists and how art objects were understood in cultural contexts. Examples can be found at local art museums.

Recognize, list and pose relevant questions about important monuments from various time periods in North America.

Discuss the subject of works of art created in the classroom, focusing on selected elements of art (e.g., shape, form, texture, line, color), and using appropriate art vocabulary.

Describe how and why students made a selected work of art, focusing on the media and technique and explain what the work means to them, what they like about their works of art and what they might change.

Describe what is seen, including both literal and expressive content, in selected works of art.

Clap out rhythmic patterns found in the lyrics of music and use symbols to create visual representations of the patterns.

Recognize symbols/icons used in the country and local community (e.g., U.S. flag, dollar sign, monuments).

Identify and sort pictures into categories according to the elements of art emphasized in the works (e.g., color, line, shape, form, texture).

Describe objects designed by artists (e.g., furniture, appliances, cars) that are used at home and at school.

Perceive and discuss the use of lines to represent objects in the environment

Perceive and discuss differences in mood created by warm and cool colors.

View public (outdoor) sculpture and determine what the artist was trying to express.

Identify and name basic spatial relationships of objects seen in nature, the environment, and works of art, using art vocabulary: overlapping, foreground and background.

Identify and name color, line, shape, form, and texture seen in nature, the environment, and works of art based on a museum/gallery visit.

Find, describe and replicate visual rhythms and balance in nature, in the environment, and in works of art

Create a contour drawing of shapes.

Express personal thoughts and feelings using both warm and cool colors.

Create artworks using art media such as oil pastels, watercolors, and tempera paint.

Create an illustration of your family using 2-dimensional visual field (e.g., large to small size relationships).

Create form and texture in works of art using clay, paper, papier mach•, and fibers.

Represent people, animals and buildings with sculptural materials.

Create two and three-dimensional expressive artwork that explores abstraction using line, shape, color, and texture.

Create visual balance using line and rotational symmetry.

Create still life and genre paintings.

Articulate how artists use their work to share experiences and/or express ideas, comparing and contrasting specific examples.

Describe the function and meaning of specific art objects from Africa. African art can be viewed at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art.

Discuss how art is used in events and celebrations in American culture, past and present, and relate to objects used for similar events and celebrations in other cultures.

Explain how cultures have used design to communicate ideas. Artist examples can be viewed at the Museum of the American Indian, the Smithsonian museums, such as the Anacostia Museum, the Sackler/ Freer Galleries or the National Museum of African Art.

Compare the subjects, and elements of art and expressive content used in students' original work with those found in the works of others.

Articulate qualities in a work of art that make him/her like it and compare to qualities of good design .

, - Compare different responses to the same work of art in group discussion.

Describe the successful use of an element in one of student's works of art, using appropriate art vocabulary.

Contrast reactions to varying styles(e.g., stylized exaggeration, realism, impressionism, abstract, expressionism) of original works of art in a museum or gallery.

Use various techniques to show opposites (e.g., up/down, in/out, over/under, in front of/behind, together/apart, far/near, fast/slow, stop/go).

Select and use expressive colors to create mood and to show the personality of a hero (from long ago to the present) in a portrait.

Identify and sort pictures into categories according to subject, theme and mood.

Find examples of various works of art in the city (e.g., murals, paintings, sculpture), discuss their purpose, and type of media used.

Describe elements of art in works of art, emphasizing line, color, shape, form, texture, space, and value.

Identify the elements of art in students' own art work

Describe how artists use tints and shades in painting.

Describe how the illusion of 3-D objects are depicted in 2-D works of art.

Identify and describe how foreground, middle ground, and background are used to create the illusion of space.

Identify and describe a contour drawing of an object found in the environment.

Compare and contrast two works of art made by the use of different art tools and media (e.g., watercolor, tempera, and computer).

Perceive and describe rhythm and movement in works of art, in nature and the environment.

Name criteria of quality design.

Identify and describe representational, abstract and nonrepresentational works of art.

Distinguish between representational and nonrepresentational sculpture seen on a visit to museums such as the Sculpture Gardens of the National Gallery of Art and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

Create a contour drawing of shapes.

Mix and apply tempera paints to create tints, shades, and neutral colors.

Use fibers or other materials to create simple weaving. Visit museums such as the Textile Museum.

Experiment with digital technologies to create art (e.g., CDs, computer software, digital photography).

Create an illustration of people using 3-dimensional visual field (e.g., overlapping or foreground, middle ground, and background).

Maintain the workspace, materials, and tools responsibly and safely.

Show the illusion of space by using a background, foreground and overlapping objects in a two-dimensional painting or drawing (e.g., landscape, seascape, or cityscape).

Create a work of art based on the observation of objects and scenes in daily life, emphasizing value changes.

Create an imaginative clay sculpture based on an organic form.

Use a printing process to create an original work of art emphasizing rhythm and movement.

Compare and describe various works of art that have a similar theme and were created at different time periods.

Identify artists from his or her own community and discuss local or regional art traditions.

Identify basic styles of art from student's own cultural background and other parts of the world.

Compare and contrast the different purposes for which people of different cultures create art.

Describe the function and meaning of specific works of art and objects from the Pacific Islands.

Explore and form an opinion about public art and design in the neighborhood, such as monuments, parks, plazas, murals, buildings, and bridges. Explain how these structures contribute to the cultural life of the neighborhood.

Identify and discuss works of art from different cultures that contribute to the history and art heritage of the District of Columbia.

Identify and discuss the Classical (Greco-Roman) influences in the monuments and special buildings of the Federal Government in Washington, DC Which can be seen in art museums such as the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

Respond to works of art and design using the critique process of determining: • What the artwork looks like (describe) • How it is made (describe) • How the parts of the artwork are arranged (analyze) • How the work affects feelings, mood, expresses ideas, or themes (interpret) • Is it successful? (judgment)

Compare and contrast appearance and content of selected works of art using appropriate vocabulary of art.

Judge own work against a rubric. Discuss what was successful or less successful in his/her work, giving reasons based on the visual characteristics.

Identify successful and less successful compositional qualities of student works of art using the principles of design and describe what might be done to improve them.

Look at public (outdoor) sculpture and determine what the artist was trying to express.

Create a folded paper book (using book arts) on the subject of reading or mathematics content (e.g., vocabulary pictures, multiplication facts).

Represent and construct architectural features (e.g., arches, columns, symmetry, domes, post and beam) identifying mathematical concepts.

Describe how costumes contribute to the meaning of a dance.

Look at images in figurative works of art and predict what might happen next, telling what clues in the work support their ideas.

Identify artists in the community who create different kinds of art (e.g., prints, ceramics, paintings, illustrations, sculpture, buildings).

Identify various types of lines (e.g., straight/curved, thick/thin, long/short, vertical/horizontal/diagonal, contour, ruled lines, calligraphy, and other freehand studies from observation, imagination, and schematic studies).

Describe and analyze the elements of art, (e.g., line, color, shape, form, texture, space, and value) emphasizing form, as they appear in nature, the environment and works of art found in the classroom, in art reproductions, in students' own work, during online research, or a museum visit, such as the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

Identify, name and describe negative shapes and forms and positive shapes and forms seen in a selected work of art.

Differentiate between visual and actual textures using objects in nature, the environment and works of art

Identify pairs of complementary colors (e.g. yellow/violet; red/green; blue/orange) and discuss how artists use them to communicate an idea or mood

Perceive and describe contrast and emphasis in works of art, nature and in the environment.

Identify criteria of quality design

Identify and describe a gesture drawing found in a work of art.

Discuss the style and techniques used to create portraits of the U.S. colonial and American Revolutionary heroes that can be seen at Art museums such as the National Portrait Gallery and/or the National Gallery of Art.

Create a contour drawing of objects showing convexity.

Use shading (value) to transform a two-dimensional shape into what appears to be a three-dimensional form (e.g., circle to sphere).

Create a self portrait using proportional size relationships.

Draw people in proportion to objects found in nature or in their environment.

Work with contemporary technologies (e.g., internet access, library computer card catalogues) to create art.

Maintain the workspace, materials, and tools responsibly and safely.

Use the interaction between positive and negative space in a works of art.

Create a portrait demonstrating personality or a figure drawing or painting, using proportional size relationships.

Use additive and subtractive processes in making sculptural forms.

Use complementary colors in an original compositional to show contrast (light and dark) and emphasis.

Articulate how art and artifacts play a role in reflecting early Native American life (e.g. in photography, quilts, architecture).

Describe the function and meaning of works of art and objects from Europe. View Impressionist, post-Impressionist, and non-representational artists at The Phillips Collection.

Describe an historic district observing the architecture and landscape; speculate how it has changed since its original construction.

Describe a local historical house, sharing observations about how the structure and the objects in it present a picture of life in another era.

Compare and contrast art objects that have a similar theme from different part of the world observed in visits to museums or galleries (e.g., puppets, masks, containers).

Identify and discuss the content of works of art in the past and present, focusing on the different cultures that have contributed to the District of Columbia's history and art heritage.

Research and describe the influence of religious groups' history on art and architecture, focusing primarily on buildings in the District of Columbia both past and present.

Identify and describe how a person's own cultural content influences responses to works of art. Create a composition that illustrates a personal cultural celebration.

Analyze works of art and design using a critique process.: • Description of elements (describe) • How it was made (explain) • How the parts of the artwork are arranged as a whole (analyze) • How the work affects feelings or mood, and presents ideas or themes (interpret) • How the artwork is related to events in the artist's life themes (investigate/ interpret) • How it may relate to events or social trends of the period (investigate/interpret)

Discuss how the subject and selection of media relate to the meaning or purpose of a work of art. .

Describe how the individual experiences of an artist may influence the development of specific works of art.

Using appropriate vocabulary of art, explain the successful compositional and communicative qualities of an artist's work.

Write and illustrate a book (using book arts) implementing the writing process (e.g., prewriting, drafting, revising, editing/proofreading, publishing/presenting) demonstrating a unified drawing style.

Identify through research twentieth-century artists who have used symmetry in their work and then create a work of art, using bilateral or radial symmetry.

Draw diagrams, maps, graphs, timelines, or illustrations to communicate ideas or tell a story about a historical event.

Read biographies and stories about artists and summarize the readings in short reports, telling how the artists mirrored or affected their time periods or culture.

Use knowledge of all the elements of art to analyze similarities and differences in works of art and in the environment.

Analyze and describe why and how value and contrast are used by artists to create shading as they appear in nature, the environment and works of art.

Identify and describe how foreground, middle ground, background, and overlapping are used to create the illusion of space

Identify and describe works of art using one-point perspective.

Identify, name, and describe the principles of design in visual compositions, emphasizing unity and harmony

Distinguish and describe the concept of proportion (e.g. in face, figure) and scale used in works of art.

Discuss the style and techniques used to create images of Industrial America and 20th century heroes that can be seen at art museums such as the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Identify criteria of quality design.

Identify and describe the differences between contour and gesture drawing.

Perceive and explain how artists create unity and harmony in assemblage sculpture which can be seen at art museums such as the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden or the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

Create gesture and contour observational drawings demonstrating horizontal axis, vertical axis and diagonal axis.

Use one-point perspective to create the illusion of space (e.g., hallway, railroad).

Draw a figure study using the conventions of facial and figure proportions.

Experiment with digital imagery (e.g., computer-generated art, digital photography, or videography).

Maintain the workspace, materials, and tools responsibly and safely.

Create an expressive abstract composition based on real objects using line characteristics (e.g. straight/curved. thick/thin/zigzag).

Draw a landscape showing foreground, middle ground and background using overlapping to demonstrate perspective in a real or an imaginary scene.

Use the principles of unity and harmony to create an assemblage (a found object sculpture) or a mixed media two-dimensional composition that communicates a universal theme.

Communicate values, opinions, and/or personal insights in an original work of art.

Describe, compare, and contrast various depictions of the American West, posing relevant questions about the perspectives of the artists.

Identify and describe examples of African-American art and architecture, explaining how African-American artwork reflects multicultural West African and European-American art and societies.

Compare and contrast images of industrialization, discussing how they celebrate or criticize its impact.

Relate six works in the arts chronologically to historical events (e.g., 10,000 B.C. to present)

Identify and compare works of American art and architecture that show regional differences. View and discuss original examples that can be seen at a major local art museum, such as the National Building Museum, the Smithsonian American Art Museum or the Corcoran Art Gallery.

Analyze the visual languages used in the fine art, advertising and propaganda of the World War II era..

Identify and describe how various cultures define and value art differently

Research the role of visual art and arts during the Harlem Renaissance, exploring how visual arts reflect society and relate to other art forms (e.g. music, dance & theatre).

Make judgments about works of art and design using a context and critique process involving elements of background history • Description (describe) • Technical qualities (explain & analyze) • Composition (analysis) • Meaning, theme, or message (interpret) • Perspective on interpretation of subject content • Expressive qualities (interpret)Relationship to period or society of origin (investigate/interpret) • Significance (judgment)

Analyze how works of art are organized by determining how the principles of design are used and how they affect personal responses and evaluation.

Develop and use specific criteria individually and in groups to assess works of art.

Using specific criteria, students assess their own works of art and describe what changes they would make for improvement

Write and illustrate a book (using book arts) implementing the writing process (e.g., prewriting, drafting, revising, editing/proofreading, publishing/presenting) demonstrating a unified drawing style.

Use linear perspective to depict geometric objects in space.

Interpret an abstract painting relating it to dance/ movement.

Design a poster that illustrates a theme.

Identify and design icons, logos, and other graphic devices as symbols for ideas and information. Write how the design represents the idea or information.

Research and report on what various types of artists (e.g., architects, designers, graphic artists, animators) produce and how their works play a role in our everyday environment.

Develop a working understanding of line drawing techniques. Interpret the technical characteristics of a drawing such as the convexity, specificity, technical qualities, and axis.

Discuss the technique of implied line, value contrasts, and variations of value to provide shape identification and visual separation of objects.

Identify and discuss works of art including the subject, theme, genre, style, function, and differences in media. Describe how an artist can use the same theme in a work of art using different media and style resulting in a different effect.

Describe the differences between two and three-dimensional visual fields.

Identify one point perspective and how artists use value, light and shadow to show emphasis in perspective drawings.

Describe how balance is effectively used in work of art (e.g., symmetrical, asymmetrical, radial).

Visit a museum to identify examples of balance through symmetry, (e.g. Henri Matisse, Large Composition with Masks (National Gallery of Art), Eiffel Tower, Brooklyn Bridge, Islamic tilework; M.C. Escher; and asymmetry, e.g. Chinese landscapes (Freer/Sackler), Edgar Degas, Four Dancers (NGA*)

Visit museum /gallery to study figurative sculpture, (e.g. Northwest Native American masks, Tlingit, Kwakiutl, Yup'ik Eskimo, National Museum of the American Indian).

Identify and describe examples of art that shapes the natural environment (e.g. gardens, eco-design, etc.).

Recognize contemporary technology in works of art (e.g., color fills on computers, texture methods on computers, fonts/point systems, animation techniques, video teleconferencing, multimedia techniques). View artists examples, e.g.,

Apply the rules of one-point perspective in creating a thematic work of art (e.g. landscape).

Use curved lines to create a symmetrical and/or asymmetrical drawing using implied and overlapping lines.

Use varying values of tints, shades, and intensities when drawing(e.g. portraits, still life, landscapes) to define form

Maintain the workspace, materials, and tools responsibly and safely.

Select specific media and processes to express moods, feelings, themes, or ideas.

Design and create an expressive figurative sculpture.

Use contemporary technology to create original works of art (e.g., color and texture methods on computers, fonts/point systems, animation techniques, video teleconferencing, multimedia techniques).

Identify the characteristics and purposes of works of world art in historical and cultural contexts.

Describe the various ways that ethnic groups in the U.S., world regions and countries, understand and value art and design.

Describe the function and meaning of specific works of art and objects from Asia.

Describe how selected works of art from ethnic groups in selected world regions and countries have changed or not changed in theme and content over a period of time.

Demonstrate a fundamental awareness of architectural styles and the ways that these have influenced painting and sculpture.

Compare, in oral or written form, representative images or designs from at least two selected cultures, to identify universal symbols and themes, based on museum internet research or a museum visit.

Describe the influence of religious groups' history on art and architecture, focusing primarily on buildings in the District of Columbia both past and present.

Construct and describe interpretations of what is perceived in works of art using aesthetic valuing vocabulary - the subject (the image viewers can identify), the composition (the way the principles of design are used to organize the elements of design), and content (the message the work communicates): • Subject • Composition • Content • Description • Significance • Merit

Judge own work against a rubric. Discuss what he/she liked about the work and what he/she did not like about the work, in writing, using appropriate visual and qualitative (aesthetic) vocabulary.

Identify and describe ways in which culture is reflected in current works of art.

Develop specific criteria alone or in groups to assess and critique works of art.

Articulate reasons for changing, editing, or revising personal works of art after a critique and museum visit.

Research how traditional characters (such as the trickster) found in a variety of cultures past and present are represented in illustrations.

Write a poem or story inspired by original works of art.

Write and illustrate a journal using the writing process (e.g., prewriting, drafting, revising, editing/proofreading, publishing/presenting).

Create a line design using a variety of angles, triangles, quadrilaterals, and polygons. Identify the lines and shapes used.

Create a tessellation showing a translation, reflection or rotation. Distinguish the three types.

Describe tactics employed in advertising to sway the viewer's thinking and provide examples.

Establish criteria to use in selecting works of art for a specific type of art exhibition.

Access a variety of resources such as books, a CD-ROM or visit a museum website to research an artist or art movement; share new information with classmates, e.g. National Gallery of Art: www.nga.gov; The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Timeline of Art History: www.metmuseum.org/toah; Art Institute of Chicago: www.artic.edu/aic/collections/index.php.