Art
Amy Rosenstrauch

1st Grade
Art classes emphasize good drawing technique, learning about the elements of art and using the principles of art, practicing shading and using values to emphasize realism, and gaining a sense of art history and aesthetics. The year begins with Judaic projects related to Rosh Hashana and Sukkot. We then focus on printing techniques such as leaf prints, bubble prints, pressure transfer prints, object printing and foam printing. Time is also spent on drawing trees, winter landscapes, and pictures influenced by Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. Weavings, rubbings, masks, and learning about Picasso rounds out first grade art.

2nd Grade
Art classes emphasize good drawing technique, learning about the elements of art and using the principles of art, practicing shading and using values to emphasize realism, gaining a sense of art history and aesthetics. Second graders work their imagination muscles during art class. At this level, the students learn about creating landscapes. They use crayon resist techniques to create landscapes in the style of folk artists Henri Rousseau and Grandma Moses. The students continue to learn how to create three dimensions on a two dimensional piece of paper. With themes like the Plains Indians, machines, castles, tree houses, under water, and dinosaurs the second graders work hard drawing from their imaginations.

3rd Grade
Art classes emphasize good drawing technique; learning about the elements of art; practicing shading and using values to emphasize realism; and gaining a sense of art history and aesthetics. Third Graders begin the year with pastel pictures of Georgia O’Keeffes’ large flower paintings. The students learn about abstract art and keep a sketchbook journal. They use their sketchbooks for ten minutes of observational drawing at the beginning of each art class. Third graders learn about the Impressionist painting when they study Monet and Post-Impressionism when they study Vincent Van Gogh. To round out our study of abstract art they students create childlike fantasy drawings like Jan Miro, grid pictures like Paul Klee, cut and paste cut outs like Henri Matisse, and create cubistic portraits in the style of Picasso. Judaic projects include mask making for Purim and creating matzah boxes and covers for Pesach.

4th Grade
Fourth graders begin the year learning about proper body proportion. Each student draws by observing a jointed wooden manikin. These lessons culminate with a study of Edgar Degas and a pastel drawing of dancers. Proper facial proportions are taught in preparation for self-portrait drawings. Fourth grade students have their first experience with ceramics. They make and glaze their own kiddish cup and seder plate for Passover. Art activities related to their study of Native Americans as well as stop action animation are included in fourth grade art.

5th Grade
Much of fifth grade art lessons are devoted to color theory and painting. Students learn about mixing colors to create a twelve-color color wheel. Lessons on color progress from using tints and shades to creating monochromatic paintings. We experiment with primary colors in the style of Piet Mondrian, or use complimentary colors like Sonia Delaunay. Students learn about mixing browns when we study George Rouault. We experiment with techniques reflective of Pointillist Georges Seurat, Fauvist Franz Marc, Expressionist Wassily Kandinsky, and Surrealist Salvador Dali.

Middle School
Art classes emphasize good drawing technique, learning about the elements of art and using the principles of art, practicing shading and using values to emphasize realism, and gaining a sense of art history and aesthetics. Middle school students learn about art in ancient cultures such as cave painting, aboriginal bark painting, x-ray painting, Egyptian tomb painting, Greek vase painting, Roman mosaics, medieval gargoyles, Gothic rose windows and Renaissance linear perspective. Judaic art lessons consist of wood burned challah trays and silk painted challah covers. The works and movements of Pop artist, Andy Warhol, and Op artist, Bridget Rilley, are studied by creating linoleum prints and drawings. Middle school students add to the beauty of the school’s hallways with group mural projects.