Elements and Principles Ox-Plow Study Guide & Graphic Organizer

HOMEWORK for 5, 6, & 7/8 (Week 2)

**Homework and quiz dates have been altered. Please review the list below.**

5A: Using the slideshow below, complete both sides of the Elements and Principles graphic organizer. Do not finish the Ox-Plow book - we will do it in class next week!  (assigned 9/1, due 9/8) QUIZ ON TUESDAY 9/15
5B: Using the slideshow below, complete both sides of the Elements and Principles graphic organizer. (assigned 9/3, due 9/10) QUIZ ON THURSDAY 9/17
6: Use the slideshow at the bottom of this post to fill out the Elements of Art & Principles of Design Study Guide graphic organizer. (assigned 9/2, due 9/4) QUIZ ON FRIDAY 9/11.
7/8(1): Use the slideshow at the bottom of this post to fill out the Elements of Art & Principles of Design Study Guide graphic organizer. Complete the Elements & Principles Ox-Plow Book using the resources below. (assigned 9/2, due 9/9) QUIZ ON WEDNESDAY 9/9
7/8(2): Use the slideshow at the bottom of this post to fill out the Elements of Art & Principles of Design Study Guide graphic organizer. (assigned 9/1, due 9/4) QUIZ ON FRIDAY 9/11

Directions for Elements of Art and Principles of Design Study Guide Graphic Organizer

Use the slideshow and Prezi at the bottom of this post to find information on the Elements and Principles!
1) On the front side of the paper, write the name of each one of the 7 Elements of Art (Line, Shape, Texture, Value, Form, Color, and Space) in one of the 7 boxes on the left.
2) Write a definition for each one of the Elements in the same left box.
3) Draw or write an example in the right column that will help to explain the Element of Art.
4) On the back side of the paper, write the name of each one of the 10 Principles of Design (Balance, Contrast, Emphasis, Movement, Pattern, Rhythm, Unity, Variety, Proportion, and Harmony).
5) Write a definition for each one of the Principles in the same left box.
6) Draw or write an example in the right column that will help to explain each Principle of Design.

First Day of School

The school year started off great yesterday! I was thrilled to meet two of my classes yesterday and look forward to meeting the other three within the next few days. 

I just wanted to share that the 5-8 Art syllabus will be sent home next week. I will also make an electronic copy available on my blog. This week will be about showing what students remember from previous years of art and getting to know one another. Next week we will begin reviewing rules and expectations and starting on our first project!

Follow Me on Social Media!

Hello Students & Families!

I am inviting everyone to follow me on Twitter and Instagram at @MsStrasserArt. I am a huge advocate of using Social Media to promote art and also allow family members to digitally look into the art room. I often post pictures of student artwork and classroom activities, as well as links to great art education resources and information for students, such as art techniques and further information about the art and artists we are studying in class. I may not post pictures of artwork on my blog every day, so to stay up to date on what students are working on in class, follow me!

For those of you who are not on Twitter, don't feel obligated to sign up for an account; my feed shows up on the homepage of my blog and can be viewed from there.

I look forward to seeing new art lovers following me on Twitter and Instagram!

Ms. Strasser

A Letter From Ms. Strasser

Dear Parents & Students,

My name is Kacy Strasser and I am thrilled to be teaching the middle school students at Frederick Classical Charter School. I grew up in Frederick County, moving from Howard County in 2000 and attended schools within the Governor Thomas Johnson feeder pattern. I loved Frederick so much that I stayed in town and attended Hood College for the last four years to earn my BA in Art & Archaeology with a concentration in Art Education.

I am a huge supporter of the arts in school. I debuted in my one and only on-stage role in Bye Bye Birdie in the 6th grade at Governor Thomas Johnson Middle, but in high school joined the Governor Thomas Johnson Marching Band as a member of the color guard for two indoor and one outdoor season. While in college I served as a color guard instructor for the Oakdale/TJ Junior Guard and Catoctin High School Pep Band color guard. I appreciate the musical arts just as much as performing. I took piano lessons for four years through elementary and middle school. Even though I spent quite a lot of time performing, the visual arts have always been my passion. As a small child, I would put together homemade picture books of various drawings spanning from family portraits to drawings of favorite foods and toys I enjoyed. I am proud to say that my artwork was featured in the FCPS Youth Art Month exhibition at the Delaplaine on three separate occasions, but it was not until my Junior year of college that I decided to enter my artwork into juried exhibitions around Frederick. I first submitted a drawing into the art show at the Great Frederick Fair in 2013 and placed first in my category and won a Best in Show. As an artist, it is always exciting to see your artwork on display. I strive to encourage all of my students to proudly display their artwork for others to see, whether it is on a social media platform or hanging in a gallery.

My education at Hood College has prepared me extremely well in becoming an efficient teacher for your students. Middle School students are my preferred age group; I enjoy their enthusiasm about art and think my content is highly beneficial to their everyday lives. Most recently, I was a student teacher at Windsor Knolls Middle School, where I was deeply involved in the classroom. I planned lessons for five classes (two 6th, two 7th, and one 8th grade group) and created homework and classroom assignments. I kept a blog retelling the activities with the students and my accomplishments and reflections as a student teacher, which can be accessed at KStrasserArtEduc2015.blogspot.com if anyone is interested in reading about my previous endeavors. At WKMS I was involved in the Yearbook Committee, Art Club, and the drama program where I spent afternoons and evenings painting backdrops and props for their production of Annie, Jr.

Working in the community is very important to me. I was a Girl Scout for 11 years and returned as an Assistant Troop leader for a year. As a Girl Scout, I completed my Bronze Award (collecting school supplies for students in Foster Care), my Silver Award (sewing and filling purses for teen girls of Big Brothers Big Sisters), and the Silver Trefoil Award. My troop was very active within the community, setting up events for younger scouts and participating in various community service events. My fondest memories of being a Girl Scout are of attending the Oak Ridge Crossing day camps initially as a Program Aide, where I was responsible in aiding adult volunteers run the arts & crafts or games stations, and then later as an adult volunteer, where I was leading groups of teen girls as they completed service requirements for a badge.

I entered college under the impression that I was going to earn a degree in Art History and go on to work as a museum curator or conservator. After speaking with people in those professions, I realized that was not the career pathway destined for me. Stumped and discouraged because I was not sure what I wanted to do with my future, family and friends planted the idea that I look into education. I had not considered it before, but I had always held leadership positions throughout my years as a Girl Scout and color guard instructor. "Why should I not be an art teacher?" I thought. I had always enjoyed working with younger students and I would always share my love of art with anyone who would listen. Thus, a degree in Art Education is what I sought, and I am so pleased that I did because I loved every minute of my education from Hood College and the internships that I partook in.

I am so very excited to be spending my first year teaching here at FCCS. I look forward to working with you and your students to help them develop their artistic skills and learn about the importance of art and how beneficial it is in our everyday lives.

Thank you,

Ms. Strasser