Visual Arts

Philosophy

We believe that the visual arts are essential to a well-designed curriculum program and to the development of all students.. Quality arts education encourages individual creative expression as well as understanding and appreciation of other places and times.  The Three Rivers visual arts curriculum provides:

• a developmentally appropriate art program for all learners;
• a sequential art program for all students in grades Y5’s-5th; and elective program classes for middle school and high school students;
• exposure to the arts of many cultures, art history, and art careers to enhance understanding that art has a great influence on the world.

Goals

The Arts Goals for individual students are contained in these essential components:

• All students should be provided with skills to participate in all of the arts at levels of expertise appropriate to their interest and development.
• All students should experience arts processes in the learning activities of the entire curriculum.
• All students should understand the role of the arts in the historical development of our culture and in the cultures of others.
• All students should acquire skills in developing their own criteria for making aesthetic judgments.

Achievements

• All student art showcases held at each elementary school building each year
• Countywide High School and Middle School Student Art Exhibit at Carnegie Center for the Arts in downtown Three Rivers
• High School Principal’s Award selects pieces each year to be permanently displayed outside the auditorium
• College Art Scholarship Recipients from Three Rivers High School
• Student art displayed annually at the St. Joseph County ISD
• Student showcase at the Three Rivers Library
• Ceramic Tile Legacy Murals created and maintained at Andrews and Norton Elementary.

Visual Arts Elementary Program

All elementary students in Young Fives through 5th grade receive quality art instruction 2-3 sessions a week for 35 minutes.  The elementary art curriculum is designed to provide students with a variety of experiences. Media areas of drawing, watercolor painting, tempera painting, ceramics, sculpture, printmaking, technology, pastels, and cutting & gluing skills. Additionally, units of study are divided among the subject areas of portrait, landscape, still life and design. Students are inspired to create art personal to their lives and experiences. Teachers guide students to focus on big ideas like identity, place, dreams, and family to name a few. Students are also exposed to a variety of art and design careers that are available. Historical and modern artists and art periods, as well as art traditions from around the world are also used to inspire art making.

All students have artwork on display at an annual all-school art show hosted by their school.  These annual showcases are an opportunity for students and art teachers to showcase how the arts are important in developing important skills for all students.