Arcola Intermediate School

Art

At Arcola our goal in the visual arts is to develop the skills and techniques used in expressive activities and to foster an understanding and appreciation for cultural and historical influences. Students have art class one marking period out of the school year in seventh and eighth grades. This condensed rotating schedule allows each student to experience an in depth, versatile study of a variety of media and subjects in art.

The nine week, or 45 day, marking period is broken down into two sessions consisting of approximately 22 days per session. Students rotate among the two teachers and the subjects that they teach for the marking period.

Every student is required to keep a sketch book throughout their art experience at Arcola. They are responsible for six drawings, which are assigned as homework and will be due on a specific date determined by the teacher. They also have the option of visiting an art gallery on the Internet and selecting a famous work of art to critique. This can be done as an alternative to doing a drawing.

Grading Policy
As a student in art class at Arcola you will be engaged in various art activities, which will be evaluated on a point system:

                           100 points- lab work (class projects, tests)

                            25 points- class conduct

                            60 points- three homework assignments (sketches)

It is possible to earn a total of 185 points in each of the two sessions, making 370 the total number of points the student can earn for the entire art rotation. In addition to work completed in class, there are six sketches assigned as homework. The art staff consider these drawings a very important component of the students art experience.

Technology Education courses provide hands-on learning experiences along with skill development fostering the understanding of technology by the student. Students develop insight and understanding of our technological society and the current emerging trends that will affect them. By practicing a variety of methods and processes, students develop the ability to evaluate the quality of finished products as well as develop work ethics in the timely completion of projects. Beginning in grade 7 students learn the proper use of tools, processes, and resources of technological and industrial systems. Technology Education is an academic setting in which success depends on the application of learned skills, cooperation and the social interaction among students. Students planning careers in engineering, the sciences, management, sales, or general employment can benefit from a series of Technology Education courses. Communication courses and drafting courses are particularly valuable for students considering engineering, graphic design, photography, and architecture.

Teaching Staff

• Dave Mayan: https://sites.google.com/methacton.org/mr-mayan-technology-education/home
• Matt Pluscht: https://sites.google.com/methacton.org/mr-pluscht-technology-educatio/home

The Gifted Program is a special part of the overall educational program for children identified by a Certified School Psychologist as mentally gifted. Identification is based on a multi-criteria evaluation that includes building level evaluations of academic performance and teacher observations, along with a norm-referenced achievement and reasoning quotients assessment administered by school personnel. If a child meets the minimum requirements at the building level gifted screening, individual achievement and intelligence testing is performed by a school psychologist. Students may be referred for screening by a teacher and/or this screening may be requested in written form by a parent. Once a student is identified, a team of parents and school personnel called a “G.I.E.P. Team” meets and agrees upon individual goals and specially designed instruction for that student.

Valarie Loughnane - Gifted Support Teacher (Grades 7 and 8)

sites.google.com/methacton.org/loughnanegifted/home