Visual Art 9-12 Benchmarks

East Central Ohio Area Media Center

Resources for Visual Art 9-12 Benchmarks

Historical, Cultural and Social Contexts

Students understand the impact of visual art on the history, culture and society from which it emanates. They understand the cultural, social and political forces that, in turn, shape visual art communication and expression. Students identify the significant contributions of visual artists to cultural heritage. They analyze the historical, cultural, social and political contexts that influence the function and role of visual art in the lives of people.

A. Explain how and why visual art forms develop in the contexts (e.g., cultural, social, historical and political) in which they were made.

B. Compare works of art to one another in terms of the historical, cultural, social and political influences evident in the works.

C. Explain ways in which selected, contemporary works of art relate to the themes, issues and events of their contexts.

D. Select a culture and create an original work of art that demonstrates understanding of a historical, social or political issue of the culture.

Creative Expression and Communication

Students create artworks that demonstrate understanding of materials, processes, tools, media, techniques and available technology. They understand how to use art elements, principles and images to communicate their ideas in a variety of visual forms.

A. Demonstrate mastery of materials, concepts and personal concentration when creating original artworks.

B. Create expressive artworks that demonstrate a sense of purpose and understanding of the relationship among form, materials, techniques and subject matter.

C. Engage in ongoing assessment to revise and improve artworks and to produce a portfolio of works.

Analyzing and Responding

Students identify and discriminate themes, media, subject matter and formal technical and expressive aspects in works of art. They understand and use the vocabulary of art criticism to describe visual features, analyze relationships and interpret meanings in works of art. Students make judgments about the quality of works of art using the appropriate criteria.

A. Apply the knowledge and skills of art criticism to conduct in-depth analyses of works of art.

B. Explain how form, subject matter and context contribute to meanings in works of art.

C. Critique their own work, the works of peers and other artists on the basis of the formal, technical and expressive aspects in the works.

Valuing the Arts/Aesthetic Reflection

Students understand why people value visual art. They present their beliefs about the nature and significance of selected artworks and the reasons for holding these beliefs. Students reflect on and respect diverse points of view about artworks and artifacts.

A. Communicate how an aesthetic point of view contributes to the ideas, emotions and overall impact of personal artworks and the works of others.

B. Identify and analyze a variety of viewpoints on aesthetic issues and themes in visual art and develop a personal point of view.

C. Judge the merit of selected artworks and provide the aesthetic basis for their positions.

Connections, Relationships and Applications

Students connect and apply their learning of visual art to the study of other arts areas and disciplines outside the arts. They understand relationships between and among concepts and ideas that are common across subjects in the curriculum. Students recognize the importance of lifelong learning and experience in visual art.

A. Summarize and explain the impact of a historical event or movement (e.g., realism, feminism, modernism or postmodernism) on the development of visual art.

B. Formulate and solve a visual art problem using strategies and perspectives from other disciplines.

C. List and explain opportunities for lifelong involvement in the visual arts.

Other Visual Art Grade Level Benchmarks

Grades K-4 Visual Art Benchmarks

Grades 5-8 Visual Art Benchmarks

Other Arts Grade Level Benchmarks

Grades K-4 Dance Benchmarks

Grades 5-8 Dance Benchmarks

Grades 9-12 Dance Benchmarks

Grades K-4 Drama/Theater Benchmarks

Grades 5-8 Drama/Theater Benchmarks