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ARTE: 383 Teaching Art in Elementary Schools- Section 4

Fall 2014
Monday 6:00- 8:40
Room 207, Jack Arends Visual Arts Building

Instructor: Bjana Lunde
E-mail: bjana.lunde@gmail.com (until further notice)

Required Texts
Emphasis Art, 9
th
Edition by Clements and Wachowiak
Additional Readings on the ARTE 383 Blackboard Class page
Fee
There is a required course fee for this class. The fee is used to purchase art-making materials that we will be using in the course.
Required Art Supplies
In addition to the course materials fee, you will also be required to purchase and/or acquire a few inexpensive items.
An inexpensive bound sketchpad or journal, approximately 5x7. You can purchase a larger size if you prefer.
You will need some basic arts & crafts supplies for completing your homework. These include a pair of scissors, a glue stick, a
black Sharpie marker, and a means of adding color to your journal, such as a small colored pencil set, a watercolor tray,
crayons, or oil pastels.
In Class Minutes 2250 2 hours per week
Out of Class Minutes 5400 6 hours per week

Planned Activity In Class Percentage of Time Out of Class Percentage of Time
Lecture 15 0
Portfolio Development 40 40
Presentations 15 15
Quiz Preparation 10 10
Writing Activities, Graded 20 35

Class Percentage Total 100 100

Blackboard
This course makes extensive use of Blackboard. Please see me if you have questions about how to access information. The
CONTENT page on Blackboard will have both required readings and supplemental course material that can be of use to you.
Course rubrics and templates for homework assignments will also be posted under CONTENT. We will use DISCUSSIONS for
writing assignments. Course ANNOUNCEMENTS will be used to post important class information. Lesson plans will be submitted
in ASSIGNMENTS. Blackboard sends notifications to your @niu.edu account. It is important that you check this account
frequently as this is how I will communicate with you.
Teaching Philosophy/ Rationale
This course centers on the importance that art plays in a childs development and learning and focuses on teaching art to
grade levels K-8. As an art teacher in the public school system for the past ten years, I have seen a trending pattern in education
which has begun to force art out of the curriculum and minimize student exposure to the arts. There has been a strong push for
students to be college ready and to begin taking college preparation courses as early as the sixth grade. Even though this may
sound like we are increasing the rigor for students, I believe, inclusion of arts are vital to our society and can teach the same type
of strategies for learning plus additional skills, which support students to be successful and college ready. Visual imagery

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inundates our society through a variety of different media such as: television, movies, computer programs, social media,
billboards, and magazines. Our children are growing up in a society where they are bombarded with a constant stream of
imagery. It is more important than ever for them to have a strong art program where they can learn about these images so they
may process, interpret, filter through the noise, and find the beauty which remains.
In a successful art program, I believe an educator should be seen as a strong figure of support and guidance with the ability to
connect to students and foster an environment where continued investigation of a topic, or topics are encouraged. I believe by
creating a classroom environment where there is a strong foundation but there are many solutions to the same question will in
turn help students gain problem solving skills, critical thinking skills, social and cultural awareness, creativity, self- expression, and
self-confidence.
Throughout the semester you will be introduced to different types of art materials, techniques, and offered a variety of different
ways you as a teacher can incorporate art lessons into cross-categorical subject matter. You as a future educator are responsible
for drawing upon your own personal experiences and being open to ideas and suggestions from your peers and mentors.
Rationale for a Visual Culture Approach to Teaching Art
Conceptions of art are changing and expanding. The boundaries that inform our understanding of art institutions, practices, and
values are in flux. Recent theoretical and philosophical shifts have emerged in and across various domains of knowledge. Those
shifts have been informed by critical theories, such as postmodernism and feminism that shape analyses of art and culture. New
self-conscious trans-disciplinary fields of study have emerged to challenge conceptual dichotomies, such as fine/ popular arts. As
a result of these changes, it has become necessary to expand concept and practice of art education to the realm of visual culture.
The term visual culture reflects the recent global explosion of prolific pervasive visual images and artifacts and their importance to
social life. (Boughton et al. 2002).
Course Description- (From the Catalog)
Objectives, procedures, resources, and activities related to art education for the culturally responsive and creative elementary
classroom. Emphasis on content and knowledge and student growth and achievement connected to self-motivation, emotional
well-being, and active engagement. Studio, lecture, and discussion. Limited to elementary education and special education
majors, or consent of school.
Assessment Tasks
Students in the course will:
1. Create three works of art that are adaptable to teach in the elementary classroom. These artworks will not be graded strictly
on artistic technical skill. Instead, each of these artworks will be evaluated on the quality of creative thought inherent in the
conception of the work and the quality of execution.
2. Produce three art lesson plans. Each plan will be created specifically to address the developmental needs of a different age
group: grades K-2; grades 3-4; grades 5-8. Produce an example of the artwork that students will create. This artwork will be
turned in with the corresponding lesson plan.
3. Present three lesson plans in the class. Formats for these presentations may change, but generally you will work in groups of
four for presentations. You will have 25-30 minutes to lead the members of your group through an art lesson. Your group will
then assess your presentation and provide you with feedback.
4. Keep a written/ visual journal throughout the duration of the course. The journal will allow each student to reflect on his/her
evolution as an art teacher and provide opportunities to practice art-making skills. The journal will also serve as an incubator
for the creation of a future art lesson plans. The rubrics of Technical Skill, Formal Quality, and Conceptual Complexity will
apply to the Visual Journal. Journals will also be evaluated as part of each students professional dispositions section of his/
her grade (see Grading Policy below). Before each assigned visual journal entry, you will be given a question designed to
prompt you to reflect upon what you have learned about the teaching of art and your own identity as a teacher and an artist.
When your journal is laid open, your reflection should cover two pages. The pages must contain developed visual imagery
and coherent language. You must turn in your journal on the last class session.
5. Participate in a capstone class art project.
6. Writing: Post periodic reflections to posted questions on Blackboard. Minimum word count for the grade of:
A- 250 words
B- 125 words

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7. There will be five pop quizzes on readings from Emphasis Art. The lowest quiz score can be dropped when figuring the final
grade.
8. THERE IS NO FINAL EXAM

Course Calendar Date Assignments
Class 1

August 25 Blackboard: Robert Marzano, Chapter 1
Blackboard: 21
st
Century Learning Skill
Reflection 1
Emphasis Art 1,2 & 3
Visual Journal 1
Labor Day
No Class
September 1
Class 2 September 8 Start Art Project 1
Emphasis Art Chapters 4 & 5
Visual Journal 2
Reflection 2
Class 3 September 15 Emphasis Art: Chapters 6, 7 & 8
Visual Journal 3
Reflection 3
Class 4 September 22 BRING VISUAL JOURNAL TO CLASS
Lesson Plan 1 Presentations (Sept. 29)
Visual Journal 4
Class 5 September 29 Emphasis Art, Chapters 9, 10, 12 & 13
Reflection 4
Class 6 October 6 Emphasis Art, Chapters 14, 15 & 16
Visual Journal 5
Begin Project 2
Reflection 5
Class 7 October 13 Emphasis Art, Chapters 23, 24
Visual Journal 6
Reflection 6
Class 8 October 20 Emphasis Art, Chapter 17, 20, 21 & 22
Visual Journal 7
Lesson Plan 2 Presentations (Oct. 27)
Class 9 October 27 Begin Project 3
Reflection 7
Class 10 November 3 Emphasis Art, Chapters 25 & 26
Visual Journal 8
Reflection 8
Class 11 November 10 Visual Journal 9
Lesson Plan 3 Presentations (Nov.17)
Class 12 November 17 Emphasis Art: Chapters 27, 30 & 31
Reflection 9
Class 13 November 24 Emphasis Art, Chapters 18, 19, 28 & 29
Visual Journal 10
Reflection 10
Capstone Project (Dec. 1)
Class 14 December 1 Visual Journal 11
Reflection 11

Final Exam Period

DROP OFF FINAL PORTFOLIOS



Assessment Criteria and Procedures

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Art Projects (including Visual Journal)
Art Projects will be assessed by three criteria: Technical Skill, Formal Quality, and Conceptual Complexity. Rubrics for these
criteria are on Blackboard. Visual Journals are also part of the Art Project grade. Each Visual Journal entry must cover two pages
of the sketchbook.
Art Lesson Plans
The lesson plans will be assessed by four criteria: Thoroughness, Technical Skill, Formal Quality, and Conceptual Complexity.
The template and rubrics are on Blackboard. Blackboard will also contain important resources for completing lessons with
Conceptual complexity including information on 21
st
Century Learning Skills, the national Common Core Standards, and the
Illinois Language Arts Standards. Resources for building lessons with Technical Skill and Formal Quality are in Emphasis Art.
Final Lesson plans are posted to Blackboard.
Final Portfolio
Your Portfolio consists of three art projects, the visual journal, the three benchmark examples from your lesson plans, and, if
applicable, the final capstone project. You may submit your portfolio as actual objects or in a digital format including but not
limited to PowerPoint or Prezi. Portfolios are Monday December 8
th
. You may make arrangements to drop off your portfolio
earlier/ on the last day of class.
Reflections (Blackboard Discussions)
Reflections begin at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday and must be posted by 11:00 a.m. on Friday.
Lesson Plan Presentations
There may be different formats for lesson plan presentations. Plan to lead a small group through your lesson plan. You will be
given between 25-30 minutes to do so. Rubrics will be on Blackboard.
Quizzes
Quizzes will consist of no more than five short answer questions taken from the assigned reading in Emphasis Art.
Attendance
You are permitted one excused absence. Thereafter, every unexcused absence drops your grade 5% (5 points from your final
grade point average). Thus, your fourth unexcused absence will drop you one letter grade. However, all absences after your first
will cost you points, which will factor into your overall grade.
Tardiness
Classes begin promptly when scheduled. Everyone is expected to be present at the start of class, when attendance will be taken.
NIU is a big campus and if you know you may have a problem being present when class begins; it is your responsibility to let me
know. Tardiness will first result in a warning. Repeated tardiness will count as an absence for each occurrence.
Professional Dispositions
A full description of professional disposition is listed below. If there is a problem, the instructor will contact you. If you are not
contacted you may assume that you are receiving full credit.

The following dispositions are assumed. Failure to meet these dispositions can result in your final grade lowered by up to 10
points.

As mandated by the National Council for Accreditation of Teaching (NCATE) through the NIU Committee for the Teacher
Certification (CITC) your university supervisors must assess you in terms of your disposition for teaching. Indicators of the
appropriate disposition in the context of art education coursework and clinical experience include the following:
Responsibility:
Be punctual and reliable in your attendance. (Note: Your attendance in class and thoughtful contributions to class discussions
are required. Unexplained absence or absence for unsatisfactory reasons will result in a grade penalty).
Complete all university, school, and other professionally related responsibilities. Prepare written work professionally:
appropriate layout, word-processed, accurate spelling, correct grammar, no typographical errors, and submitted on time.
(Note: Poorly presented written work will not be accepted).
Lesson planning completed, written, and submitted at deadline.
Appearance and Behavior:

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As a studio class without a practicum component, professional dress is not a requirement. However, use of appropriate
professional language is expected.
Collaboration:
Exercise politeness, courtesy, cooperation, and responsibility in your interactions with others. Take responsibility for your own
learning. Show respect for supervisors and professional mentors.
Demonstrate a positive attitude towards your learning situation through the nature of your actions, dialogue, and body
language.
Caring:
Demonstrate integrity in your interactions with students, colleagues, supervisors, parents, and school administrators. Be
responsive to the welfare of your students and professional colleagues. Foster a positive classroom climate based on trust,
respect, and mutual responsibility.
Scholarship:
Employ current research and new knowledge in instructional content areas.
Employ the most effective pedagogical methods available in the field. Demonstrate a critical and enquiring intellectual attitude.
Be tolerant of multiple perspectives appropriate of our democratic society.
Diversity:
Demonstrate through classroom and clinical performance commitment to the belief that all students are capable of learning
irrespective of their race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, disabilities, social circumstances, or other background.
For more information about dispositions, visit the website: Dispositions Office, COE
NIU Teacher Certification Conceptual Framework
The NIU community of learners builds on knowledge, practice, and reflection to produce exemplary educators. The community
encompasses scholars, education professionals, and pre-service teachers in an interaction that develops the strengths that
embody excellence in education. These strengths include creative and critical thinking, scholarship, and caring. Application of
these strengths emerges through the collaborative efforts of a diverse community that supports lifelong learning. Link: Framework
for Educator Certification Programs at Northern Illinois University.
Language Arts Standards
The Committee for Initial Teacher Certification (CITC) of NIU requires that teacher education students at both the undergraduate
and graduate levels comply with the ISBE Language Arts Standards for all Illinois teachers. The Division of Art Education supports
the ISBE definition of the competent teacher as one who must know and understand the rules of English grammar, spelling,
punctuation, capitalization, and syntax how to communicate in both written and oral contexts. Additionally, the competent teacher
must understand how to communicate ideas in writing to accomplish a variety of purposes. Students who do not appear likely to
meet Language Arts Standards will be required to seek help with written assignments at the NIU Writing Center. Failure to do so
could result in a grade penalty. The University Writing Center is located in Stevenson South, Tower B, Lower Level; phone: 753-
6636. Plan all appointments accordingly.
Grading Information
Grading Policy
40 % Art Projects (including Visual Journal)
20% Art Lesson Plans
15% Reflections (Blackboard Discussions)
15% Lesson Plan Presentations
10% Quizzes

Note: Up to a 10% deduction for poor demonstrations of Professional Dispositions (beyond poor attendance-attendance
penalties are separate and stated above).

Late submission of work will only be accepted when the student presents a medical excuse or has pre-arranged with the
instructor for an extension due to unforeseen personal circumstances.
Attendance and Tardiness can affect your comprehensive grade. Refer to the policies stated above.

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A 90-100 % Exceptionally fine work: outstanding achievement against all course learning objectives
B 80-89 % Above average work: superior achievement against most course learning objectives
C 70-79 % Average work: good, meets most course objectives at a basic level
D 60-69 % Below average work: noticeably weak, fails to meet most course learning objectives
F <60% Clearly deficient against all course learning objectives

The instructor may assign extra credit projects that together can be worth up to 5 percentage points of the final grade.
The grade of I (incomplete) is conditional. (According to the 2012-2013 UG Catalog: must be cleared no later than 200
calendar days from the end of the term in which the student received the grade According to the GRAD Catalog: In no
case may the deadline be later than 120 days after the last day of final examinations during the term for which the incomplete
is assigned. The incomplete must be removed within 120 days.) After the deadline, the I becomes ab F.
The grade of W (Withdrawal) appears on grade reports when students withdraw from a class by the withdrawal deadline.

Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism is a type of cheating that involves the use of another persons ideas, words, design, art, music, etc., as ones own
in whole or in part without acknowledging the author or obtaining his or her permission. Plagiarism is not just restricted to
written text, but is applicable to other works such as ideas, design, art, and music.
Proper citation formats must follow one of the academic writing style manuals, such as APA, Chicago, or MLA. Art Education
generally uses APA. All images and texts from the internet, journals, or books must have full citation to be used in your own
work. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated.
Types of Plagiarism
Plagiarism can occur in many ways:
1. Direct plagiarism
2. Direct patchwork plagiarism
3. Insufficient citation of partial quotations
4. Paraphrasing (or summarizing) without citing sources
5. Insufficient citation of paraphrase (or summary)
6. Plagiarism of graphs, charts, figures, or images
7. Misinterpretation of material as common knowledge
2005 Faculty Development and Instructional Design Center, Northern Illinois University. All Rights Reserved.
Students guilty of plagiarism may suffer a grade penalty or in extreme cases be reported for academic misconduct to the
Office of Community Standards & Student Conduct. Academic Misconduct can result in dismissal from the university.
Disturbances
Cell phones should not be heard in the classroom. Please shut them off or put them on vibrate before the start of class. If you
are using your cell phone or your cell phone goes off during class, you may receive an F for class participation for that day.
A critical educational outcome of art education is learning to work cooperatively with others. This includes sharing with the
group and listening to what others have to say. This requires the following:
1. Remove your headphones and earbuds when you come into the classroom. You cannot relate to the other people
around you if you are oblivious to the outside world.
2. Moderate your own conversation so that it does not intrude on others. When we work on projects, talking is
permitted, but the volume needs to remain at an appropriate level. This is professional behavior; it can significantly
influence your grade.
In art education, we are concerned with what you do and how you conduct yourself in relation to others. We work in a studio;
we talk with each other to accomplish tasks. You must learn to work successfully in this environment. These are part of the life
lessons of art.
Disability Statement

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NIU abides by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which mandates reasonable accommodations be provided for
qualified students with disabilities. Students with a documented disability on file with the University need to meet individually
with the instructor during the first week of classes to discuss special needs to attain appropriate accommodations for optimum
achievement and success in this course.
Students with disabilities need to register with the N.I.U. Disability Resource Center (formerly Center for Access- Ability
Resources [CAAR]); located on the fourth floor of the University Health Services [815-753-1303], the designated office on
campus to provide services and accommodations to students with diagnosed disabilities.
Your success as a student is of utmost importance to me. If you have a disability or any other special circumstance that may
have some impact on your work in this class, and for which you may require special accommodations, please contact me early
in the semester so that accommodations can be made in a timely manner. You should note, however, that accommodations
may not be made if you have not registered with the Disability Resource Center.
Syllabus Change Policy
This syllabus is both a guide and a legal contract. While every attempt is made to provide an accurate overview of the course,
unanticipated circumstances or events may make it necessary for the instructor to modify the syllabus during the semester.
Such circumstances may arise as a consequence of the progress, needs, and experiences of the students, or may result from
other extraneous circumstances. Changes to the syllabus will be made with advance notice so as not to disadvantage
students. Should the indicated change present any unanticipated difficulties please contact the instructor immediately.