Pennsylvania+(Maria)

// Pennsylvania Standards describe what students should know and be able to do; they increase in complexity and sophistication as students progress through school. (Wording used in SAS website) //

I was very impressed with the Arts and Humanities Standards for Pennsylvania and encourage you to use the link above to access their site. (Once there, click on the "Select a Grade Level/Subject Area" Tab. Leave the "Select a Grade Level" drop down box alone and find "Arts and Humanities in the Subject Area drop down box. Click the "Search" button.)

In my opinion, this document would be an excellent reference for the writing of our Benchmarks since we, too, are writing under the umbrella of the Arts.

Pennsylvania maintains the heading of Arts and Humanities in all the Standards and only breaks down the discipline within specific Benchmarks (A, B, and J). Examples are given below. There are four (4) Standards under Subject 9 (Arts and Humanities)
 * The Standards are clearly written and well organized. They are succinct, and when printed total only nine pages. You are not wading through documents and jargon searching for essential Knowledge and Skills.
 * The Standards are developmentally appropriate; incorporating specific application of learning that demonstrates an increase of cognitive function over time.
 * The Standards are measurable through observation and demonstration. Benchmark B is specific as to what is applicable for each discipline. Other Benchmarks give examples as well.
 * The Standards represent a unified vision – a cohesiveness of content. Core content is maintained across time differing only in levels of cognitive function (i.e., recognize, apply, analyze, evaluate).
 * The Benchmarks under each standard are precise, focused and consistent among Grade Levels [For Example 9.1: elements and principles (A); application of… (B); vocabulary (C); style of works (D); communication (E); description through performance (F); function of rehearsal and practice sessions (G); use of materials, equipment and space (H); description of arts events in schools and communities (I); traditional and contemporary technologies(J)].
 * The organization of the Standards and the use of spiral curriculum within bands, among Grade Levels and across disciplines make teaching of the Standards manageable and reasonable within a period of time.
 * 9.1: Production, Performance and Exhibition of Dance, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts
 * 9.2: Historical and Cultural Contexts
 * 9.3: Critical Response
 * 9.4: Aesthetic Response

Each of the four (4) Standards are into divided into ending Grade Level Achievement Standards or Objectives For Standard 9.1, the Knowledge Standard (K) is cohesive across grade levels but the cognitive level increases in complexity as students progress through the grade levels: 9.1.3. K: //Know// and use traditional and contemporary technologies for furthering knowledge and understanding in the humanities. 9.1.5. K: //Apply// traditional and contemporary technology in furthering knowledge and understanding in the humanities. 9.1.8. K: //Incorporate specific uses// of traditional and contemporary technologies in furthering knowledge and understanding in the humanities. 9.1.12. K: //Analyze and evaluate the use// of traditional and contemporary technologies in furthering knowledge and understanding in the humanities.
 * Grade 3
 * Grade 5
 * Grade 8
 * Grade 12

Standards 9.2, 9.3 and 9.4 are written in a similar method.

The principles and elements in Benchmark A remain consistent among all Grade Levels (3, 5, 8, and 12) Elements Principles The demonstrative elements listed Benchmark B that will "produce, review and revise original works in the arts" remain consistent among Grade Levels (3, 5, 8, and 12)
 * Dance: • energy/force • space • time
 * Music: • duration • intensity • pitch • timbre
 * Theatre: • scenario • script/text • set design
 * Visual Arts: • color • form/shape • line • space • texture • value
 * Dance: • choreography • form • genre • improvisation • style • technique
 * Music: • composition • form • genre • harmony • rhythm • texture
 * Theatre: • balance • collaboration • discipline • emphasis • focus • intention • movement • rhythm • style • voice
 * Visual Arts: • balance • contrast • emphasis/focal point • movement/rhythm • proportion/scale • repetition • unity/harmony


 * Dance: • move • perform • read and notate dance • create and choreograph • improvise
 * Music: • sing • play an instrument • read and notate music • compose and arrange •improvise
 * Theatre: • stage productions • read and write scripts • improvise • interpret a role • design sets • direct
 * Visual Arts: • paint • draw • craft • sculpt • print • design for environment, communication, multi-media.
 * Benchmark J** moves from //Know// to //Analyze// (Grade 3 to Grade 12) and the examples are different for each Grade Level
 * 9.1.3. J**
 * //Know// and use traditional technologies (e.g., charcoal, pigments, clay, needle/thread, quill pens, stencils, tools for wood carving, looms, stage equipment).
 * //Know// and use contemporary technologies (e.g., CDs/software, audio/sound equipment, polymers, clays, board-mixers, photographs, recorders).
 * 9.1.12. J**
 * //Analyze// traditional technologies (e.g., acid printing, etching methods, musical instruments, costume materials, eight track recording, super 8 movies).
 * //Analyze// contemporary technologies (e.g., virtual reality design, instrument enhancements, photographic tools, broadcast equipment, film cameras, preservation tools, web graphics, computer generated marching band designs).

In Standard 9.3 (Critical Response), you can see the cohesiveness among grade levels, the increasing complexity of cognitive function and specific examples within each Benchmark.

**9.3.8. B**:
 * 9.3.3. B**:
 * Know that works in the arts can be described by using the arts elements, principles and concepts (e.g., use of color, shape and pattern in Mondrian’s //Broadway Boogie-Woogie//; use of dynamics, tempo, texture in Ravel’s //Bolero//).
 * 9.3.5. B**:
 * Describe works in the arts comparing similar and contrasting characteristics (e.g., staccato in Grieg’s //In the Hall of the Mountain King// and in tap dance).
 * Analyze and interpret specific characteristics of works in the arts within each art form (e.g., pentatonic scales in Korean and Indonesian music).


 * 9.3.12. B**:
 * Determine and apply criteria to a person’s work and works of others in the arts (e.g., use visual scanning techniques to critique the student’s own use of sculptural space in comparison to Julio Gonzales’ use of space in //Woman Combing Her Hair//).