United States · Common Core State Standards
9th Grade Visual & Performing Arts
This course introduces ninth grade students to the diverse worlds of visual art, music, theater, and dance. Students engage in technical skill development while exploring the historical and cultural significance of various artistic disciplines.
Visual Language: Drawing and Composition
Exploration of the fundamental elements of art and principles of design through observational drawing and spatial arrangement.
Investigating how different line weights and shading techniques create form and depth on a two dimensional surface.
Analyzing the rule of thirds and symmetrical versus asymmetrical balance in visual works.
The Architecture of Sound: Music Theory and Appreciation
An introduction to musical notation, rhythm, and the cultural evolution of musical genres.
Understanding the core building blocks that allow musicians to create cohesive and engaging auditory experiences.
Examining how musical movements have reflected and influenced social change throughout history.
The Dramatic Arc: Theater Performance and Analysis
Focusing on the craft of acting, script analysis, and the collaborative nature of theatrical production.
Students learn to inhabit a character by analyzing subtext and physical movements.
Exploring how lighting, costume, and set design work together to support a director's vision.
Movement and Meaning: Dance and Choreography
Investigating dance as a medium for expression through various styles and the study of choreography.
Breaking down dance into space, time, force, and body alignment.
A survey of traditional and folk dances and their importance to community identity.
Historical Perspectives: Art History and Criticism
Analyzing major art movements from the Renaissance to the contemporary era to understand the evolution of aesthetic values.
Studying the shift toward realism, perspective, and the celebration of the human form.
Exploring the 20th century break from tradition through movements like Cubism, Surrealism, and Abstract Expressionism.
The Digital Frontier: Media Arts and Design
Examining the intersection of art and technology through digital photography, graphic design, and video production.
Analyzing how typography, color theory, and imagery are used in branding and advertising.
Learning the basics of cinematography and editing to create compelling visual narratives.