(a) General requirements. Students may fulfill fine arts and elective requirements for graduation by successfully completing one or more of the following art courses: Art IV, Drawing III, Painting III, Printmaking III, Fibers III, Ceramics III, Sculpture III, Jewelry III, Photography III, Design III, Digital Art and Media III, Advanced Placement (AP) Studio Art: Drawing Portfolio, AP Studio Art: Two-Dimensional Design Portfolio, AP Studio Art: Three-Dimensional Design Portfolio, AP Art History, International Baccalaureate (IB) Visual Arts II Standard Level (SL), and IB Visual Arts II Higher Level (HL) (one credit per course). There are no prerequisites for AP Art History. The prerequisites for the IB courses listed in this subsection are the corresponding Art, Level II IB courses. One credit in an Art, Level II course is a recommended prerequisite for AP Studio Art: Drawing Portfolio, AP Studio Art: Two-Dimensional Design Portfolio, and AP Studio Art: Three-Dimensional Design Portfolio. The prerequisite for all other Art, Level IV courses is one credit of Art, Level III in the corresponding discipline.
(b) Introduction.
  (1) The fine arts incorporate the study of dance, music, theatre, and the visual arts to offer unique experiences and empower students to explore realities, relationships, and ideas. These disciplines engage and motivate all students through active learning, critical thinking, and innovative problem solving. The fine arts develop cognitive functioning and increase student academic achievement, higher-order thinking, communication, and collaboration skills, making the fine arts applicable to college readiness, career opportunities, workplace environments, social skills, and everyday life. Students develop aesthetic and cultural awareness through exploration, leading to creative expression. Creativity, encouraged through the study of the fine arts, is essential to nurture and develop the whole child.
  (2) Four basic strands--foundations: observation and perception; creative expression; historical and cultural relevance; and critical evaluation and response--provide broad, unifying structures for organizing the knowledge and skills students are expected to acquire. Each strand is of equal value and may be presented in any order throughout the year. Students rely on personal observations and perceptions, which are developed through increasing visual literacy and sensitivity to surroundings, communities, memories, imaginings, and life experiences as sources for thinking about, planning, and creating original artworks. Students communicate their thoughts and ideas with innovation and creativity. Through art, students challenge their imaginations, foster critical thinking, collaborate with others, and build reflective skills. While exercising meaningful problem-solving skills, students develop the lifelong ability to make informed judgments.
  (3) Statements that contain the word "including" reference content that must be mastered, while those containing the phrase "such as" are intended as possible illustrative examples.
(c) Knowledge and skills.
  (1) Foundations: observation and perception. The student develops and expands visual literacy skills using critical thinking, imagination, and the senses to observe and explore the world by learning about, understanding, and applying the elements of art, principles of design, and expressive qualities. The student uses what the student sees, knows, and has experienced as sources for examining, understanding, and creating original artwork. The student is expected to:
    (A) consider concepts and themes for personal artwork that integrate an extensive range of visual observations, experiences, and imagination;
    (B) compare and contrast the elements of art, including line, shape, color, texture, form, space, and value, as the fundamentals of art in personal artwork;
    (C) compare and contrast the principles of design, including emphasis, repetition/pattern, movement/rhythm, contrast/variety, balance, proportion, and unity, in personal artwork; and
    (D) discriminate between art media and processes to express complex visual relationships such as content, meaning, message, and metaphor using extensive art vocabulary.
  (2) Creative expression. The student communicates ideas through original artworks using a variety of media with appropriate skills. The student expresses thoughts and ideas creatively while challenging the imagination, fostering reflective thinking, and developing disciplined effort and progressive problem-solving skills. The student is expected to:
    (A) produce an original body of artwork that integrates information from a variety of sources, including original sources, and demonstrates sustained self-directed investigations into specific themes such as a series or concentration of works;
    (B) evaluate and justify design ideas and concepts to create a body of personal artwork;
    (C) use an understanding of copyright and public domain to appropriate imagery constituting the main focal point of original artwork when working from images rather than direct observation or imagination;
    (D) create original artwork to communicate thoughts, feelings, ideas, or impressions;
    (E) collaborate to create original works of art; and
    (F) create artwork, singularly and in a series, by selecting from a variety of art materials and tools appropriate to course work in drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, fiber art, design, digital art and media, photography, jewelry, and mixed media.
  (3) Historical and cultural relevance. The student demonstrates an understanding of art history and culture by analyzing artistic styles, historical periods, and a variety of cultures. The student develops global awareness and respect for the traditions and contributions of diverse cultures. The student is expected to:
    (A) research and report on selected historical periods, artists, general themes, trends, and styles of art;
    (B) analyze and evaluate the influence of contemporary cultures on artwork;
    (C) collaborate on community-based art projects; and
    (D) examine, research, and develop a plan of action for relevant career or entrepreneurial art opportunities within a global economy, justifying the choice.
  (4) Critical evaluation and response. The student responds to and analyzes the artworks of self and others, contributing to the development of the lifelong skills of making informed judgments and reasoned evaluations. The student is expected to:
    (A) develop evaluative criteria to justify artistic decisions in artwork such as that in museums, local galleries, art exhibits, and websites based on a high level of creativity and expertise in one or more art areas;
    (B) evaluate and analyze artwork using a method of critique such as describing the artwork, analyzing the way it is organized, interpreting the artist's intention, and evaluating the success of the artwork;
    (C) analyze personal artwork in order to create a written response such as an artist's statement reflecting intent, inspiration, the elements of art and principles of design within the artwork, and the measure of uniqueness;
    (D) use responses to artwork critiques to make decisions about future directions in personal work;
    (E) construct a physical or electronic portfolio by evaluating and analyzing personal original artwork to provide evidence of learning; and
    (F) evaluate a wide range of artwork to form conclusions about formal qualities, aesthetics, historical and cultural contexts, intents, and meanings.

Source Note: The provisions of this §117.305 adopted to be effective July 28, 2013, 38 TexReg 4575