Diploma Visual Arts is rather complicated. I've worked in two different iterations and the current one, I think is quite strong. It encourages the study of art but keeps the focus on making art. However, it's complicated for both teacher and students and it took me a couple years of breaking it down and trying different approaches to truly teach it. Using the Understanding by Design template helped a lot and you will find that the units below are mostly in this format. They do contain all the required IB criteria. I have broken the organization into semesters. First term has two, theme-based units which cover all the assessment criteria once. The second semester focuses on the exhibition and process portfolio, although there is comparative study in there. First semester of the second year spends a lot of time on the comparative study, then one of my favourite units, Fail Hard, which hopefully wraps up the the process portfolio. After that it's exhibition and putting it all together.
AS with everything on this website, this is a work in progress. If/when the IB rewrites the IBDP Visual Arts course, I'll leave this up for a bit. Feel free to use these units as you see fit, and tune in regularly because I will add items as time goes by. don't forget to cite your source - Mr. Allen is Cool!
AS with everything on this website, this is a work in progress. If/when the IB rewrites the IBDP Visual Arts course, I'll leave this up for a bit. Feel free to use these units as you see fit, and tune in regularly because I will add items as time goes by. don't forget to cite your source - Mr. Allen is Cool!
Semester One - Window to the Soul and Get Up Stand Up
Windows to the Soul
This unit uses the exhibition and process portfolio assessment criteria to start students using creative processes that serve them well in the Diploma Visual Arts course. Students develop ideas, research and analyze art styles, techniques, and individual artists. The create portrait(s) and write about their work.
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Get Up Stand Up
This unit uses the comparative study as the basis for critical and formal analysis of art and artists. For the higher level students there is an opportunity to show how investigation can influence art making practices. The exhibition comes into play here as well as the students complete 2- 3 works of art which comment on a sociopolitical issue. I liked to play students some kin d of protest song at the beginning of each unit. Also, our service learning coordinator at ISB made visits during this unit.
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Semester Two - Themes and Comparative Study
Themes
These are two units, one right at the beginning of the semester and then another at the end. The goal is to flesh out the process portfolio with screens which can go into the final. It also get the students working in themes for a body of work. While the exhibition is more referred to than assessed, there is valuable practice. This unit has a lot of formative assessment, quizzes to test understanding, feedback and critiques. They are fun units to teach because the studio becomes more of a studio and less of a taught class. there is also a lot of confusion on the students part as they wrestle with the wide scope of assessment criteria.
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Comparative Study
This is where we start into the comparative study in earnest. I sandwich it in between the two theme units. Like the theme units there is a lot of formative assessment as well as confusion; the most common being student conflating process portfolio analysis with comparative study analysis. Be ready for this. I like this unit a lot because I'm a bit of an art history/criticism nerd and there are deep concepts with fun ways to teach them.
Visual Arts Final
Eleventh graders need to sit exams in other subjects, why not visual arts? This is a good opportunity to review both the work they have completed and put it into. In short the students retake the quizzes from the themes and comparative study units, choose 2 - 3 pieces they've finished, and work with a classmate or two to put together an exhibition. It serves the added benefit of having student work on display at the beginning of the next school year.
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Semester Three
Comparative Study 2.0
Full on comparative study. Begin with review and refining the students' understanding of the requirements. Revisit how to conduct effective research and go for it. This unit is a lot more guided classwork than teaching in the activity sense. The goal is to have the comparative study draft complete.
Mock Exhibition
Just what it sounds like. We mount exhibitions in the studio (because we don't want to give too much away at this point.) I've been lucky to have primary and middle school students to come visit and give feedback. It's also a good way to practice writing exhibition text and curatorial rationale. Be sure to have snacks for the visitors.
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Fail Hard
This is one of my favourite units because by now the students are solid with the assessment and the art they create is low stakes as the real intention is to fill out the process portfolio. In short I tell the students to do something they haven't had the chance to do yet. The beauty of it is that they are usually so good with the process portfolio that they usually do succeed with good art and they report on it with little need for revision.
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Semester Four
The Exhibition
Just what it states. Hopefully by this point the students have enough work to have the beginning of an exhibition. The theme units are good for this as there is normally a thing or two (or three of four) that can go into the exhibition. These provide the starting point for the art they create in the next two and half months. Like the themes and comparative study, give them quizzes and writing activities to hone their presentation skills. Also, it's super important to keep them on task making art in class. I give them a timeline.
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Wrapping it up
Ok, so I don't have a unit written for this one, although I think it's warranted. The last of everything needs to be prepared and organized for submission, which is its own kick in the paints.
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