Canada · Ontario Curriculum Expectations
Grade 7 The Arts
This course explores the multifaceted world of the arts through hands-on creation and critical analysis. Students engage with visual arts, music, dance, and drama to understand how artistic choices convey meaning and reflect diverse cultural perspectives.
01Visual Narratives and Studio Practice
Students master the elements of design and principles of composition to tell stories through two-dimensional and three-dimensional media.
Exploration of how varied line weights and implied textures create depth and emotional resonance in sketches.
Differentiating between two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional forms, and their use in visual art.
Investigating the psychological impact of color schemes and the technical application of color mixing.
Mastering various shading techniques to create depth, form, and light in two-dimensional artwork.
Exploring symmetrical, asymmetrical, and radial balance to create visual stability or tension.
Understanding how artists use focal points and implied lines to direct the viewer's gaze.
Manipulating physical materials to understand the relationship between positive and negative space in three dimensions.
Learning the basics of one-point perspective to create the illusion of depth on a flat surface.
Arranging and drawing objects to practice observational skills and compositional principles.
Exploring basic printmaking techniques like linocut or monoprinting to create multiple images.
Introduction to digital tools for creating and manipulating images, focusing on basic software functions.
Creating self-portraits using various media to explore personal identity and representation.
Exploring how visual art conveys messages, emotions, and stories across cultures and time.
02Rhythm, Melody, and Soundscapes
An introduction to music theory and composition where students analyze how sound structures influence human response.
Understanding meter, tempo, and syncopation through percussion and movement.
Learning to identify and write basic musical notes, rests, and time signatures.
Examining how pitch and intervals combine to create memorable themes and supporting harmonies.
Understanding major and minor scales and how key signatures indicate tonal centers.
Introduction to basic chords (triads) and common chord progressions in popular music.
Analyzing musical forms and the role of different instruments in an ensemble setting.
Exploring how changes in volume and articulation affect the emotional impact of music.
Identifying and describing the unique sound qualities (timbre) of different instruments and voices.
Students compose short musical phrases using learned elements of rhythm, melody, and harmony.
Exploring how music can be used to tell stories, create narratives, and evoke imagery.
Investigating how music reflects and shapes cultural identities and traditions.
Understanding the responsibilities of a conductor in leading an ensemble and interpreting a score.
Exploring basic functions of digital audio software for creating and editing sound.
03The Dramatic Arc
Students explore the fundamentals of theater through character development, script analysis, and stagecraft.
Developing believable characters using physical expression and vocal variety.
Breaking down scenes to understand objective, obstacle, and motivation.
Investigating how lighting, sound, and costumes support the narrative of a production.
Understanding exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution in a play.
Developing quick thinking and collaborative skills through improvisational theater games.
Interpreting and executing stage directions to create meaningful movement and stage pictures.
Exploring the purpose and performance of extended speeches delivered by a single character.
Investigating how costume choices communicate character traits, setting, and theme.
Exploring how scenic elements create the environment and mood of a theatrical production.
Understanding the role of the director in interpreting a script and guiding a production.
Examining how theater can address social commentary, provoke thought, and inspire change.
Students learn basic scriptwriting elements, including dialogue, stage directions, and character development.
Discussing the dynamic relationship between performers and audience, and audience etiquette.
04Movement and Meaning
An exploration of dance as a medium for storytelling and cultural expression across various styles.
Learning the core concepts of body, effort, shape, and space, focusing on the body as an instrument.
Exploring different ways the body can move (locomotor, non-locomotor) and the qualities of movement (dynamics).
Techniques for creating original sequences using repetition, contrast, and transition.
Understanding how dancers use personal and general space, and different levels (high, medium, low) to create visual interest.
Exploring how changes in tempo, rhythm, and duration affect the feeling and interpretation of a dance.
Researching and performing movements from diverse global dance heritages.
Exploring how dance can communicate narratives, emotions, and abstract ideas without words.
Students create original short dance phrases, applying the elements and principles of dance.
Investigating the relationship between musicality and movement, and how dancers interpret music.
Focusing on stage presence, projection, and the communication of artistic intent in performance.
Developing vocabulary and frameworks to describe, analyze, interpret, and evaluate dance.
Exploring how dance can be used as a tool for social commentary, activism, and community building.
Investigating how technology (e.g., video, digital effects) can enhance or transform dance performance and creation.