Scope and sequence · Arts
Grade 7 Art
A year of drawing from life, painting in acrylic, and learning from the old masters, with real art vocabulary and the reasons behind every technique.
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What to cover
32 of 32 lessons are MUST COVER. They are tested on the unit tests and exams, or are skills the SAT/ACT relies on. OPTIONAL lessons are enrichment. Do them if time allows. The course is complete when the MUST COVER lessons are done.
Unit 1: Seeing Like an Artist
- MUST COVER 1.1 Still Life: Seeing Shapes, Not Symbols · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.2 Drapery: The Folds of Cloth · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.3 Edges: Hard, Soft and Lost · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.4 Measuring: Sighting, Angles and Proportion · unit test
Unit 2: Figure and Portrait
- MUST COVER 2.1 Gesture: Capturing the Action · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.2 Proportions of the Figure · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.3 The Portrait in Light and Shadow · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.4 Hands and Feet · unit test
Unit 3: Color and Painting
- MUST COVER 3.1 Acrylic Painting Basics · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.2 Color Temperature: Warm and Cool · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.3 Natural Colors from a Limited Palette · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.4 Color Harmonies · unit test
Unit 4: Light
- MUST COVER 4.1 Value Studies: Seeing in Three Values · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.2 Reflected Light and the Anatomy of a Shadow · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.3 Edges and the Turning Form: Sfumato · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.4 Grisaille: Painting in Grays · unit test
Unit 5: Material Science: Paint
- MUST COVER 5.1 Pigment and Binder: Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor and Tempera · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.2 Supports and Grounds: Panel, Canvas, Paper and Gesso · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.3 Brushes: Shapes, Hairs and Care · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.4 Colors That Last: Lightfastness and a Safe Studio · unit test
Unit 6: Perspective and Landscape
- MUST COVER 6.1 Linear Perspective in the Landscape · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.2 Atmospheric Perspective · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.3 Trees and Skies · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.4 Painting Outdoors: Plein Air · unit test
Unit 7: Composition and Narrative
- MUST COVER 7.1 Thumbnail Sketches: Planning a Picture · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.2 The Focal Point · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.3 Notan: Designing in Light and Dark · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.4 Telling a Story in a Picture · unit test
Unit 8: Renaissance and Baroque Masters
- MUST COVER 8.1 Leonardo: The Last Supper and the Notebooks · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.2 Raphael: Harmony and Grace · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.3 Rembrandt: Light and the Human Soul · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.4 Velázquez and Vermeer: Painters of Space and Light · unit test
36-week pacing calendar
From the course’s own 32-week pacing guide, with catch-up and review weeks added to fill a 36-week (180-day) year.
| Week | Plan | Done | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | Session 1: Lesson 1.1 Still Life: Seeing Shapes, Not Symbols: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.1 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 2 | Session 1: Lesson 1.2 Drapery: The Folds of Cloth: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.2 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 3 | Session 1: Lesson 1.3 Edges: Hard, Soft and Lost: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.3 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 4 | Session 1: Lesson 1.4 Measuring: Sighting, Angles and Proportion: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.4 studio project and sketchbook practice Session 3: Unit 1 review and portfolio piece | ||
| Wk 5 | Session 1: Lesson 2.1 Gesture: Capturing the Action: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.1 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 6 | Session 1: Lesson 2.2 Proportions of the Figure: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.2 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 7 | Session 1: Lesson 2.3 The Portrait in Light and Shadow: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.3 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 8 | Session 1: Lesson 2.4 Hands and Feet: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.4 studio project and sketchbook practice Session 3: Unit 2 review and portfolio piece | ||
| Wk 9 | Session 1: Lesson 3.1 Acrylic Painting Basics: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.1 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 10 | Session 1: Lesson 3.2 Color Temperature: Warm and Cool: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.2 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 11 | Session 1: Lesson 3.3 Natural Colors from a Limited Palette: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.3 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 12 | Session 1: Lesson 3.4 Color Harmonies: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.4 studio project and sketchbook practice Session 3: Unit 3 review and portfolio piece | ||
| Wk 13 | Session 1: Lesson 4.1 Value Studies: Seeing in Three Values: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.1 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 14 | Session 1: Lesson 4.2 Reflected Light and the Anatomy of a Shadow: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.2 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 15 | Session 1: Lesson 4.3 Edges and the Turning Form: Sfumato: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.3 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 16 | Session 1: Lesson 4.4 Grisaille: Painting in Grays: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.4 studio project and sketchbook practice Session 3: Unit 4 review and portfolio piece | ||
| Wk 17 | Catch-up and review week (no new lessons) | ||
| Wk 18 | Session 1: Lesson 5.1 Pigment and Binder: Oil, Acrylic, Watercolor and Tempera: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.1 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 19 | Session 1: Lesson 5.2 Supports and Grounds: Panel, Canvas, Paper and Gesso: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.2 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 20 | Session 1: Lesson 5.3 Brushes: Shapes, Hairs and Care: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.3 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 21 | Session 1: Lesson 5.4 Colors That Last: Lightfastness and a Safe Studio: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.4 studio project and sketchbook practice Session 3: Unit 5 review and portfolio piece | ||
| Wk 22 | Session 1: Lesson 6.1 Linear Perspective in the Landscape: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.1 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 23 | Session 1: Lesson 6.2 Atmospheric Perspective: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.2 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 24 | Session 1: Lesson 6.3 Trees and Skies: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.3 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 25 | Session 1: Lesson 6.4 Painting Outdoors: Plein Air: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.4 studio project and sketchbook practice Session 3: Unit 6 review and portfolio piece | ||
| Wk 26 | Session 1: Lesson 7.1 Thumbnail Sketches: Planning a Picture: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.1 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 27 | Session 1: Lesson 7.2 The Focal Point: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.2 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 28 | Session 1: Lesson 7.3 Notan: Designing in Light and Dark: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.3 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 29 | Session 1: Lesson 7.4 Telling a Story in a Picture: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.4 studio project and sketchbook practice Session 3: Unit 7 review and portfolio piece | ||
| Wk 30 | Session 1: Lesson 8.1 Leonardo: The Last Supper and the Notebooks: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.1 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 31 | Session 1: Lesson 8.2 Raphael: Harmony and Grace: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.2 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 32 | Session 1: Lesson 8.3 Rembrandt: Light and the Human Soul: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.3 studio project and sketchbook practice | ||
| Wk 33 | Session 1: Lesson 8.4 Velázquez and Vermeer: Painters of Space and Light: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.4 studio project and sketchbook practice Session 3: Unit 8 review and portfolio piece | ||
| Wk 34 | Catch-up week: finish any MUST COVER lesson not yet done | ||
| Wk 35 | Catch-up week: finish any MUST COVER lesson not yet done | ||
| Wk 36 | Year-end review, portfolio and records |
Grading: Studio projects 40%, Sketchbook practice 15%, Unit reviews 20%, Portfolio pieces 25%. Scale: A 90–100, B 80–89, C 70–79, D 60–69, below 60 should be redone.