Course Content
Learners will continue to develop their knowledge of art and design practice. They will be given the opportunity to experience a range of practical media handling skills in both expressive and design contexts.
The units that S3 pupils will cover are:
- Portraiture – Learning how to draw the features of a face individually with focus on detail and scale. Pupils will also create a self portrait in a specific art style (eg Pop Art, Post Impressionist, Cubist etc).
- Still Life – Pupils will continue to develop their skills in using a range of media whilst building up experience in creating themed compositions. This directly links to the National 4/5 expressive folio
- 2D/3D design – Pupils will work to a set design brief which builds upon the experiences they have had in S1/2 design units. The focus will be on architecture, jewellery or masks depending on brief given. This unit may link with the Live Project if there is an opportunity to do so.
- Live Project – Opportunities arise each year for pupils to be involved in live projects linked with outside agencies. Previous projects have resulted in pupil work being put on display in the city centre as part of the Look Again Festival and pupil logo produced for the Bridge of Don Community Council. Jewellery designs by pupils have also gone on display in the Aberdeen Art Gallery as part of the Alchemy Project. S3 pupils were also given the honour of designing and painting a mural on the huts at Aberdeen Beach for the Aberdeen Surf Life Saving Club.
- Critical Writing – Pupils will continue to build upon their previous knowledge and skill in critical writing by exploring National 5 level questioning. They will also do personal research into an art movement/style connected with their Still Life and/or Portraiture units. A trip to the Aberdeen Art Gallery will be undertaken as part of the critical writing unit if possible but pupils will be encouraged to visit the gallery independently.
Assessment
Pupil work is continually assessed throughout the year and feedback given on a lesson to lesson basis. The class teacher will spend time discussing successes within the work and will highlight areas for improvements on a one to one basis with pupils. Exemplars from the class teacher and from other pupils are used to illustrate the success criteria for each outcome. Pupils will also use self/peer evaluation for each unit of work to strengthen their critical vocabulary.