Sellwood School
The Arts
Fine Arts
The focus of Fine Arts at Sellwood Middle School is students learning art concepts - "the language of art" - while acquiring skills in the different media. We typically work in water color, color pencils, oil pastels and tempera in Studio Art. An example of a typical art project is printmaking. Students create a reduction print by carving a block in an original design, then printing and carving the design further to reduce the surface area that is printed each time. Students are evaluated on their attention to the art principles of balance, proportion, movement rhythm and harmony.
We also include an Introduction to Art History. When we study an artist, we look at the artist's work in context, studying the cultural and socio-political factors that may have influenced the artist's work. After learning about an artist, students are asked to complete an original piece in the style of that artist. Some of the artists we have studied include Kandinsky, Matisse, Jacob Lawrence, Van Gogh, Picasso, Seurat, and Lichtenstien.
Each year, a few exceptional art students at Sellwood Middle School are allowed to enter the Scholastic Art award competition. In 2006-07, Sellwood Middle School students were awarded six Gold Key awards (top honors), two Silver key awards, and one honorable mention.
Industrial Arts
The Industrial Arts (shop) class covers four areas of technology:
In addition to these areas of study, if time permits, this class focuses on basic electricity and electronics. Students will learn electrical safety, component identification and will complete projects which may require learning how to solder. Students may repeat this class and each time will have the opportunity to select more complex projects and activities.
"I have been in shop four times and each time has been a great experience for me. We have learned about checking oil in cars, the mechanics of machines, new measurements and most of all we have learned about lab safety!"
The focus of Fine Arts at Sellwood Middle School is students learning art concepts - "the language of art" - while acquiring skills in the different media. We typically work in water color, color pencils, oil pastels and tempera in Studio Art. An example of a typical art project is printmaking. Students create a reduction print by carving a block in an original design, then printing and carving the design further to reduce the surface area that is printed each time. Students are evaluated on their attention to the art principles of balance, proportion, movement rhythm and harmony.
We also include an Introduction to Art History. When we study an artist, we look at the artist's work in context, studying the cultural and socio-political factors that may have influenced the artist's work. After learning about an artist, students are asked to complete an original piece in the style of that artist. Some of the artists we have studied include Kandinsky, Matisse, Jacob Lawrence, Van Gogh, Picasso, Seurat, and Lichtenstien.Each year, a few exceptional art students at Sellwood Middle School are allowed to enter the Scholastic Art award competition. In 2006-07, Sellwood Middle School students were awarded six Gold Key awards (top honors), two Silver key awards, and one honorable mention.
Industrial Arts
The Industrial Arts (shop) class covers four areas of technology:
- Communications. Students complete drawings using traditional drafting tools and equipment while advanced students complete a series of drawings using a computer aided drawing program.
- Manufacturing. Students learn about wood manufacturing in which they complete required wood projects and activities using various hand and power tools. Projects include: key racks, mug racks, paper towel holders, spice racks, apple cutting boards, turned lamps, bud vases and custom designed bowls.
- Construction. Students gain an understanding of how residential homes are built, and learn vocabulary and occupational information related to the construction industry.
- Transportation. Students learn about different modes of transportation as they design and build a CO2 race car - which they get to race as part of this unit.
In addition to these areas of study, if time permits, this class focuses on basic electricity and electronics. Students will learn electrical safety, component identification and will complete projects which may require learning how to solder. Students may repeat this class and each time will have the opportunity to select more complex projects and activities."I have been in shop four times and each time has been a great experience for me. We have learned about checking oil in cars, the mechanics of machines, new measurements and most of all we have learned about lab safety!"
