2. SETTING
I chose to assess Mrs. Fly’s third grade inclusion class. They have one
regular art class per week in addition to an art enrichment period. Every nine
weeks, the class location changes from the art room to their classroom.
The student assignment was to draw a still life based on observation. We
used the same selection of household items each time, although they were
arranged differently.
3. FEATURED SOL
SOL 3.8: Identify and use foreground, middle ground, background to create
two-dimensional works of art.
SOL 3.9 Identify and use forms e.g. sphere, pyramid, cylinder, cube – in
observational drawing
4. GOAL SETTING &
STRATEGIES
This School year, 100% of my students will make measurable progress in
their abilities to draw a still life in respect to horizon, form, and overlapping.
Strategy Evidence Target Date
Use Sketchbooks as a practice tool.
We use sketchbooks during the beginning
stages of each lesson.
Ongoing
Identify and demonstrate understanding of
horizon line.
Identify and demonstrate understanding of
Foreground, Middleground, and
Background in works of art. (overlapping)
Cityscape Lesson
Three Little Birds Lesson
February
May (We did not get to this due to the early
SOL testing window)
Categorize works of art by subject matter
(still life).
Identify how form corresponds to objects in
our environment.
Sweet Still Life Lesson November
5. RUBRICFocus 5 4 3 2 1
Exemplary Exceeds Standards Meets Standards Emerging Below
Standards
Strand E7.1 SOL 3.8 Foreground, middle-
ground, background
Representation (ILLUSION OF DEPTH)
All of (Level 4) and includes the
beginnings of scale changes
(perspective) into space rendering.
All of (Level 3) and includes some
overlapping
Baseline raised, possibly to a horizon
line behind objects. Space defined and
used as foreground, middle-ground,
background
Baseline drawn above the bottom
of page
Objects float in space or are pinned
to the baseline.
SOL 3.9 In observational drawing, identify
and use forms e.g. sphere, pyramid,
cylinder, cube. (ACCURACY IN FORM)
Forms are drawn as in Level 4, but
with the beginnings of the
rendering value in shadows and
highlights.
Forms are drawn as in Level 3, but
with attention to depth and detail.
Forms are related to observation and
not symbolic schema.
Forms are drawn partially from
observation and partially from
symbol schema.
Forms drawn nearly completely from
schema.
SOL 3.9 In observational drawing, identify
and use forms e.g. sphere, pyramid,
cylinder, cube. (LINE QUALITY)
Line quality is decisive as in Level
3, but includes variety that relates
to the form’s texture or value.
Line quality is decisive as in Level
3, but includes variety, although not
necessarily relating to form.
Line quality is decisive (not faked or
arbitrarily drawn to look “sketchy”. I.E.
not “hairy”) with no variety.
Line quality describes only shape
with no attempt to define the form.
Line quality is arbitrary and rushed
with little or no intention relating to
the form.
6. FIRST ASSESSMENT
September 2012
The classroom climate and attitude was anxious. Students were
uncomfortable with this assignment, although I stressed that it was just a
helping tool for myself to decide what to teach this year. Most students drew
the objects floating in space. The drawings had very little information to
suggest the relationship between objects. Some students even tried to pick
up the objects, put them directly on top of their papers, and trace them.
7. SECOND ASSESSMENT
December 2012
Most students improved. They began including horizon lines and suggesting
3D form. The class was much more comfortable with the assignment. No
one attempted to pick up the still life objects to trace them.
8. THIRD ASSESSMENT
By this time, students had experienced lessons on most of the rubric skills.
Most students showed increased awareness of 3D form and horizon line.
Some showed overlapping. I did not teach a lesson on overlapping this year
due to the early SOL window and loss of class time for 4 weeks as a result.
None of my students showed shading- although it was on the district-
assigned rubric, it is not typically a part of my third-grade curriculum.
9. TEACHER SELF-REFLECTION
This year, 81% of my students improved (21 students). 12% saw no change (3 students), and
8% of the scores dropped (2 students).
The students whose scores dropped, in my opinion, were completely capable of doing the
assignment with an improved score. The day of the final assessment, I had a number of
behavior problems, which is typically uncharacteristic of this class.
I am not satisfied with an 81% improvement rate. Next year, I plan to pace the lessons
differently and increase exposure to observational drawing. I would also like to revise the
rubric to fit my needs, as well as to reflect the new SOLs.
