Nashua School District Visual Arts Curriculum

Enduring Understandings:
Standard 1:
Apply appropriate media, techniques, and processes.
Enduring Understanding:
An individual’s informed choice and appropriate
application of media, techniques and/or processes
enhance personal expression and determine the
quality of art.

Standard 2:
Identify and apply the elements of visual art and
principles of design.
Enduring Understanding:
An understanding of the elements and principles of
design can lead to an effective use of visual
communication in all areas of life; aesthetic choices
are achieved through this understanding.

Standard 3:
Select and apply a range of subject matter, symbols
and ideas.
Enduring Understanding:
An individuals ability to choose subject matter,
symbols and ideas as a basis for personal expression
enhances the visual communication of ideas.

Standard 4:
Understanding the visual arts in relation to history
and culture.

Enduring Understanding:
Recognition of the visual arts as a basic aspect of
history and human experience can play a significant
role in creative expression.

Standard 5:
Analyze, interpret and evaluate their own and others'
artwork.

Enduring Understanding:
Informed opinions promote the ability to analyze,
respond to and evaluate art in daily experiences.

Standard 6:
Students will make connections among the visual
arts,
other disciplines, and daily life.

Enduring Understanding:
Recognizing how the arts relate to all aspects of
learning in relationship to the practical
characteristics of daily life enhances the ability to
make connections and solve problems.

Standard 7:
Understand the range of careers in the field of visual
arts and identify careers associated with this field.

Enduring Understanding:
An individual’s ability to present their skills
determines the quality of post-secondary choices,
work, and life.

Essential Questions:
Standard 1:
1. Why is it important to experience different
materials?
2. How do different techniques, media, and
processes affect self-expression?
3. Why must art materials and tools be used in a
safe and responsible manner?

Standard 2:
1. Why do we need to know about the elements
and
principles of art?
2. How do the elements and principles of art
help
to create a better visual image?
3. How do the elements and principles of art
help us
analyze works of art?
4. What if a work of art were created without
utilizing the elements and principles of art?

Standard 3:
1. How does art communicate meaning through
subject matter, symbols and ideas?
2. Why do art forms and ways of making art
stay the same? Change?
3. How would society interact with the creation
of new art forms?
4. What if the meaning of traditional symbols
evolves into different meanings over time?

Standard #4:
 1. What are the purposes for which cultures
create art?
2. Where can you identify cultural influences
reflected in art?
3. How have art materials and techniques been
unique to a culture?
4. How have historical developments affected
the visual arts?
5. What are some similarities and differences
that can be identified in art from other
cultures?
6. How have cultures influenced the
development of art within the United States?
7. What if there was no evidence of other
cultures in history?

Standard 5:
1. What makes an art work successful or
unsuccessful?
2. When do personal experiences impact
specific art forms?
3. What if there were no expectations for
evaluation in making art?
4. How does art terminology describe individual
expression?
5. How do criteria influence personal artistic
growth?
6. What if there were no standards for
evaluation?

Standard 6:
1. How do the visual arts influence other
disciplines?
 2. What are the connections between the visual,
musical, dance, and theatrical arts?
3. Why is art important to our daily lives?
4. What if art didn’t exist?
5. What if all art was created electronically?
6. What is the relationship between art and
technology?

Standard 7:
1. What careers are available to individuals
interested in the visual arts?
2. How would a cumulative student portfolio
demonstrate artistic growth?
3. How are portfolios put together?
4. Why do artists develop portfolios to present
their work?
5. When would an artist present their portfolio or
an exhibition of work?
6. What defines a successful portfolio?