Grade 6 Fine Arts Ontario Curriculum Standards

Visual Arts

Music

Drama

Dance

Creating and Presenting: apply the creative process to the composition of short dance pieces, using the elements of dance to communicate feelings and ideas

incorporate the use of props and materials (e.g., fabric, chairs, hats, hula hoops, balls, sticks) into dance pieces they create (e.g., use fabric as a shawl or an extension of an arm gesture or the movement of a ship's sail; use a stretchy fabric body bag to create abstract shapes; use an artefact like a garbage can to explore rhythm and body movement)

use dance as a language to interpret and depict central themes in literature (e.g., develop a movement vocabulary that reinterprets themes such as good versus evil or humans versus nature; construct a dance that explores bravery in a legend or peace in a poem)

use guided improvisation in a variety of ways as a starting point for choreography (e.g., use exercises such as mirroring, flocking, and body storming to create movement material for choreography)

combine the elements of dance in different ways to communicate a variety of ideas (e.g., combine a low level and a wavy pathway to show evasion; use the sudden, quick, and indirect movements of a dynamic orchestra conductor and translate them into a whole body expression of the music)

Reflecting, Responding, and Analysing: apply the critical analysis process to communicate their feelings, ideas, and understandings in response to a variety of dance pieces and experiences

construct personal interpretations of dance pieces that depict stories, issues, and themes, and explain their interpretations, using dance terminology (e.g., write an opinion paragraph on a recorded or live community dance performance [Red Sky]; write a response journal entry on a dance piece performed by peers about a social issue [emotional or physical bullying, friendship, safety, fairness, family, inclusion, equity])

analyse, using dance vocabulary, how the elements of dance are used in their own and others' dance pieces and explain how they help communicate messages and ideas (e.g., pairing free-flowing movements with slow music suggests a dreamy mood; using low levels and quick, short movements suggests busyness; using symmetry and asymmetry conveys the idea of change or transformation)

identify and give examples of their strengths and areas for growth as choreographers and audience members (e.g., determine how their preparations for a performance improved the performance and what they might do differently to strengthen future performances)

Exploring Forms and Cultural Contexts: demonstrate an understanding of a variety of dance forms, traditions, and styles from the past and present, and their sociocultural and historical contexts

describe, with teacher guidance, types of dances used among Aboriginal peoples in the past and the present that express aspects of their cultural identity (e.g., dances to express prayers and/or gratitude; initiation dances to mark rites of passage; shamans' dances to assist in physical or spiritual healing; contemporary powwow dances for cultural affirmation and/or revitalization)

identify and describe ways in which pop culture and the media influence our awareness, understanding, and appreciation of dance (e.g., by making us aware of different kinds of dance and diverse uses of dance in society; by providing male role models in dance and helping us view dance as a way to have a healthy, active lifestyle)

Creating and Presenting: apply the creative process to process drama and the development of drama works, using the elements and conventions of drama to communicate feelings, ideas, and multiple perspectives

engage actively in drama exploration and role play, with a focus on identifying and examining a range of issues, themes, and ideas from a variety of fiction and non-fiction sources and diverse communities, times, and places (e.g., adapt roles and develop improvised scenes based on human rights issues and/or environmental issues such as species extinction; dramatize opinions about cultural appropriation; role-play historical characters; prepare a presentation about peace for Remembrance Day; use choral speaking and role playing to interpret poetry)

demonstrate an understanding of the element of role by selectively using other elements (e.g., time and place; relationship; tension) to build belief in a role and establish its dramatic context (e.g., develop a character in the context of a courtroom drama: judge, lawyer, witness, juror, the accused)

plan and shape the direction of the drama or role play by introducing new perspectives and ideas, both in and out of role (e.g., In role: conduct a "hot seat" interview with the protagonist or antagonist; Out of role: make suggestions and introduce new ideas when planning a drama presentation)

communicate feelings, thoughts, and ideas to a specific audience, using audio, visual, and/or technological aids to strengthen the impact on the viewer (e.g., use a data projector to project evocative imagery; use filters and gels to create unusual effects with lighting; use music to suggest a mood; use masks to highlight specific character traits)

Reflecting, Responding, and Analysing: apply the critical analysis process to communicate feelings, ideas, and understandings in response to a variety of drama works and experiences

express personal responses and preferences and make connections to themes and issues presented in their own and others' drama works (e.g., describe their response to the attitudes and beliefs of specific characters in a drama)

identify a favourite scene and give reasons for their preference, using correct drama terminology to describe how the elements of drama contribute to its effectiveness (e.g., explain what elements made the final confrontation between the hero and the villain exciting to perform or watch)

identify and give examples of their strengths, interests, and areas for improvement as drama creators, performers, and audience members (e.g., write a journal entry about a new strategy they have learned; write a letter to a new student about how to cope with stage fright; respond to interview questions about their growth and development; explain to the teacher how they collaborated and contributed to the group work of developing, planning, and designing a drama)

Exploring Forms and Cultural Contexts: demonstrate an understanding of a variety of drama and theatre forms, traditions, and styles from the past and present, and their sociocultural and historical contexts

demonstrate an understanding of some drama and theatre themes and traditions from a variety of times, communities, and places (e.g., Aboriginal communities: storytelling forms – the Seven Grandfather teachings, Haida tales, Medicine Wheel stories; theatre forms – Red Sky Performance Theatre, De-ba-jeh-mu-jig Theatre)

identify and describe key contributions drama and theatre make to the community (e.g., provide opportunities for self-expression and creativity to both amateurs and professionals; provide employment for a wide variety of workers; encourage tourism; promote strengthening and healing in Aboriginal communities)

Creating and Performing: apply the creative process to create and perform music for a variety of purposes, using the elements and techniques of music

sing and/or play, in tune, from musical notation, unison music and music in two or more parts from a wide variety of cultures, styles, and historical periods (e.g., perform three- and four-part rounds by Canadian choral composers; perform pieces for Orff ensemble using recorder and pitched and non-pitched percussion; perform pieces, using technology to provide the accompaniment)

apply the elements of music when singing and/or playing, composing, and arranging music to create a specific effect (e.g., compose a piece in the theme and variations form, using a well-known song for the theme to engage the listener; change the metre of a familiar eight-bar melody and describe the effect of the change; remove tone bars on a xylophone to create a pentatonic tonality, and then improvise a pentatonic response on the xylophone to a call played on a recorder)

create musical compositions for specific purposes and audiences (e.g., write a melodic composition reflecting a piece of art of their own or by another, such as Norval Morrisseau or Emily Carr; create a rhythmic composition using non-pitched percussion to accompany a First Nation legend, story, or poem; with a partner, compose a song to promote Canada to the rest of the world)

use the tools and techniques of musicianship in musical performances (e.g., conduct pieces in duple and triple metres, listen for balance and blend when singing and/or playing, interpret musical markings and Italian terms during performance)

demonstrate an understanding of standard and other types of musical notation through performance and composition (e.g., perform music that includes ledger lines, triplets, simple and compound metres; use original graphic or symbolic systems to represent vocal and instrumental sounds and musical ideas)

Reflecting, Responding, and Analysing: apply the critical analysis process to communicate their feelings, ideas, and understandings in response to a variety of music and musical experiences

express detailed personal responses to musical performances in a variety of ways (e.g., write a critical review of a live or recorded performance; write analyses of works they have listened to in a log or journal; create a drawing or graphic representation of their initial reaction to a song)

identify the elements of music in the reper­toire they perform, listen to, and create, and describe how they are used (e.g., describe the way in which dotted rhythms, the sound quality of brass instruments, higher pitches, loud dynamics, and accented articulation combine to suggest music that introduces royalty)

identify and give examples of their strengths and areas for improvement as composers, musical performers, interpreters, and audience members (e.g., reflect on their first draft of an original composition and incorporate suggestions from their peers into their final piece)

Exploring Forms and Cultural Contexts: demonstrate an understanding of a variety of musical genres and styles from the past and present, and their sociocultural and historical contexts

identify and describe ways in which awareness or appreciation of music is affected by culture and the media (e.g., people attend concerts of music that they know and like or have found out about through the media; people can be influenced to buy products that are advertised with music that they relate to)

compare some aspects of the music of one culture and/or historical period with aspects of the music of another culture and/or historical period (e.g., compare selected characteristics of music from the baroque and classical periods, using a Venn diagram; write a review of music from another society, comparing the music of that society with the music with which they are familiar)

Creating and Presenting: apply the creative process to produce art works in a variety of traditional two- and three-dimensional forms, as well as multimedia art works, that communicate feelings, ideas, and understandings, using elements, principles, and techniques of visual arts as well as current media technologies

create two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and multimedia art works that explore feelings, ideas, and issues from a variety of points of view (e.g., art work inspired by the motifs in other art forms [dance, music] or by hopes and dreams; a mixed-media piece or one-minute video "short" about adaptation and survival; a still-life painting that offers a social commentary on fast-food packaging)

demonstrate an understanding of composition, using selected principles of design to create narrative art works or art works on a theme or topic (e.g., use a larger area of a lighter tint and a smaller area of a darker tone of one colour in an asymmetrically balanced painting; use repetition, simplification, and exaggeration of proportion and shape to create a sense of rhythm in a graphite-and-pastel drawing of musical instruments and their shadows)

use elements of design in art works to communicate ideas, messages, and understandings (e.g., a design of a letter of the alphabet using shapes, symbols, colour, and font style to represent a selected animal and its habitat; a DVD cover design or movie poster that uses line, shape, space, colour, and value to communicate information about the content)

use a variety of materials, tools, techniques, and technologies to determine solutions to design challenges (e.g.,<ul><li>drawing: use charcoal to create a shaded drawing of the exaggerated details of a face, a figure, or natural objects [e.g., shells, pods] on earth-toned papers [e.g., tan construction paper]</li><li>mixed media: create a collage that uses a limited colour palette by cutting, pasting, and layering to combine images, symbols, textured papers, and text about consumerism or cultural pride</li><li>painting: use a variety of paint techniques [e.g., blending, scumbling, glazing] in a mural of a landscape or cityscape incorporating stylistic elements from contemporary pop culture</li><li>printmaking: cut and gouge a variety of lines and marks to enhance the background and negative spaces in a softoleum, linoleum, or block print that depicts an endangered animal species</li><li>sculpture: create an assemblage on a topic or theme, using found objects that are painted or otherwise unified through colour, in the style of a sculpture by Louise Nevelson</li><li>technology: create a digital photo montage that represents aspects of environmentalism)</li></ul>

Reflecting, Responding, and Analysing: apply the critical analysis process to communicate feelings, ideas, and understandings in response to a variety of art works and art experiences

interpret a variety of art works and identify the feelings, issues, themes, and social concerns that they convey (e.g., describe Ted Harrison's use of line, colour, brushstrokes, and rhythm to create a feeling of movement and excitement; compare the themes and the emotions conveyed in selected Western animations and in Japanese animations such as those by Hayao Miyazaki)

explain how the elements and principles of design are used in their own and others' art work to communicate meaning or understanding (e.g., identify the point of view or gaze of the main subject, and explain how it is used to influence an intended audience of an art work or a media work; explain how Kenojuak Ashevak's use of formal balance (symmetry) in The World Around Me conveys a sense of harmony in nature; explain how a rough texture can be used to represent strength, anger, or something unpleasant)

demonstrate an understanding of how to read and interpret signs, symbols, and style in art works (e.g., symbolism for sending messages and telling stories in Egyptian hieroglyphs, Agawa rock paintings, or graffiti art; symbols on currency or in advertisements that have specific national or other connotations; meanings associated with colour in different cultures [white dresses symbolize purity in Western culture but mourning and death in some Asian cultures])

identify and explain their strengths, their interests, and areas for improvement as creators, interpreters, and viewers of art (e.g., reflect on challenges and successes in the form of an artist's statement; maintain a sketchbook or collection of ideas and images for art works; do peer reviews of each other's art works, using a checklist of criteria created by the class to help them identify areas that need revision, and provide suggestions)

Exploring Forms and Cultural Contexts: demonstrate an understanding of a variety of art forms, styles, and techniques from the past and present, and their sociocultural and historical contexts

identify and describe some of the ways in which art forms and styles reflect the beliefs and traditions of a variety of communities, times, and places (e.g., art can represent ways in which people view their personal identity; contemporary Aboriginal artists use their artistic traditions to comment on identity, society, and the world; art can be a record of human experience; differences in style among different artists can be associated with a specific reason, intent, or motivation)

demonstrate an understanding of key contributions and functions of visual and media arts in various contexts at both the local and the national levels (e.g., community art schools or programs provide opportunities for creative expression and instruction by and for both amateurs and professionals; a wide variety of workers are employed by arts industries such as advertising, design, movie making, and broadcast media; artists contribute to Canada's economy by providing both goods and services)