Last updated: 7/14/2025

8th Grade Art Curriculum Map Q1 2025-26

1st Quarter

10 weeks

Students are seen every other day.

Elements & Principles of Art

-Focus on process of art-making using elements and principles

-Focus on elements of art

-Introduction to 'art as a business'

(1)	VA:Cn10.1.8a	Make art collaboratively to reflect on and reinforce positive aspects of group identity.
(1)	VA:Cr1.1.8a	Document and reflect on early stages of the creative process, visually and/or verbally in traditional or new media.
(1)	VA:Cr1.2.8a	Collaboratively shape an artistic investigation of an aspect of present-day life by using a contemporary practice of art and design.
(1)	VA:Cr2.1.8a	Experiment, innovate, and take risks to pursue ideas, forms, and meanings that emerge in the process of artmaking or designing.
(1)	VA:Cr2.2.8a	Explain environmental implications of conservation, care, and clean-up of art materials, tools, and equipment; and demonstrate self-regulation in applying the understandings in the art classroom.
(1)	VA:Cr2.2.8b	Demonstrate ethical responsibility when appropriating, posting, and sharing images.
(1)	VA:Cr2.3.8a	Select, organize, and design images and text to make visually clear and compelling artistic work.
(1)	VA:Cr3.1.8a	Apply relevant criteria to examine, reflect on, and plan revisions for a work of art or design in progress.
(1)	VA:Pr4.1.8a	Develop and apply criteria for evaluating a collection of artwork for presentation.
(1)	VA:Pr5.1.8a	Collaboratively prepare and present selected theme-based artwork for display, and formulate exhibition narratives for the viewer.
(1)	VA:Pr6.1.8a	Analyze why and how an exhibition or collection may influence ideas, beliefs, and experiences.
(1)	VA:Re7.1.8a	Explain how the method of display, the location, and the experience of an artwork influence how it is perceived and valued.
(1)	VA:Re9.1.8a	Create a convincing and logical argument to support an evaluation of art.

1. How does collaboration expand the creative process?

2. How does knowing the contexts, histories, and traditions of art forms help us create works of art and design?

3. Why do artists and designers follow or break from established traditions?

4. How do artists and designers determine what resources and criteria are needed to formulate artistic investigations?

5. Where else can you observe the elements of art in your life besides the art classroom?

6. Explain how you work through the creative process.

7. In what ways can you make money through art?

Students will identify, evaluate, and create "Elements & Principles of Art" in their artwork. They will use different materials and techniques to give them a great understanding of the topic. Students will learn how to correctly and accurately use different tools. They will be able to describe the art process and the successes and failures of an artwork.

Students will begin exploring ways to make money from art: through selling their own artwork and exploring various other careers in the arts. Students will learn how to sell their artwork from projects completed in class.

Elements of Art: the techniques used to create art

Line: a mark made between two points

Contour Line: An outline of an object

Blind Contour Drawing: Creating a contour drawing while not looking at what you are creating

Continuous Contour Drawing: Creating a contour drawing without lifting your tool from the page

Value: The amount of light or dark in any color.

Hatching: Creating value with lines going in the same direction

Cross Hatching: Creating value with lines going in intersecting directions.

Stippling: Creating value with dots.

Blending: Creating a value scale by slowly smoothing from dark to light.

Tortillion Stumps: A blending tool made of paper.

Shape: a two-dimensional, enclosed area

Geometric vs. Organic

Form: a three-dimensional, enclosed ares

Space: the area around, above, below, and within things

Texture: the way an object feels, or looks like it feels

Color: what you see when light reflects off an object

Primary, Secondary, Tertiary. Monochromatic, Analogous, Complementary, Hue, Warm, Cool

Principles of Art: the way in which the elements of art are organized

Rhythm: repetition of elements of art within an artwork

Movement: use of elements of art to create the illusion of movement and/or the use of elements to direct the viewers' eyes through the artwork

Emphasis: the use of the elements of art to make an area stand out

Contrast: to create visual tension within an artwork by using elements of art that oppose one another

Balance: the visual weight of an artwork based on the placement of the elements of art

Asymmetrical balance: different on all sides

Symmetrical balance: same on both sides

Radial balance: from the center out

Pattern: repetition of the elements of art in an organized manner

Unity: when all the elements and principles of art come together to create a completed artwork

I CAN identify the elements & principles of art in my personal and others artwork.

I CAN evaluate the elements and principles of art in my personal and others artwork.

I CAN create the elements and principles of art in my personal and identify them in other artworks.

I CAN use different methods, tools, and techniques to create, identify, and understand the elements and principles of art.

I CAN understand how artists make money from their artwork.

Google Classroom

Google Slides

Contemporary Artists

Worksheets

Teacher Examples

Printed Photographs

Classwork (Formative): Students will be evaluated on completion of different small classwork exercises to build their understanding and gauge their own learning progress.

Projects (Summative): Students will be evaluated on completion of larger project.

Critique (Reflection): Students will evaluate and critique their own, peers, and professional artwork.