Massachusetts Visual Arts Framework for High School
from the Pre-K – 12 Learning Standards for the Visual Arts
STANDARD 1: Methods, Materials, and Techniques
Students will demonstrate knowledge of the methods, materials, and techniques unique to the visual arts.
By the end of basic study in grades 9 - 12, students will do each the following:
1.9 Demonstrate the ability to create 2D and 3D works that show knowledge of unique characteristics of particular media, materials, and tools
1.10 Use electronic technology for reference and for creating original work
1.11 Explore a single subject through a series of works, varying the medium or technique
For example, a student makes a drawing, woodcut, and painting of a still life, landscape, or figure.
1. 12 Describe and apply procedures to ensure safety and proper maintenance of the workspace, materials, and tools
By the end of extended study in grades 9–12, students will do the following:
1.13 Make reasonable choices of 2D and 3D media, materials, tools, and techniques to achieve desired effects in specific projects
For example, students select a medium for its expressive qualities or structural properties.
1.14 Demonstrate a mastery of tools and techniques in one medium
1.15 Describe and apply procedures for the safe and proper maintenance of the workspace, materials, and tools; identify potential health hazards associated with materials and techniques, and possible substitutes for hazardous materials
STANDARD 2: Elements and Principles of Design
Students will demonstrate knowledge of the elements and principles of design.
By the end of basic study in grades 9 - 12, students will do each the following:
2.12 Apply knowledge of color theory to a project focusing on the use of complementary colors. Be able to use values of colors in wet and dry media to create the illusion of 3D form on a 2D surface
2.13 Use color, line, texture, shape, and form in 2D and 3D work and identify the use of these elements in the compositions of others
Examples include: line as edge treatment and in patterns; color temperature, mass and volume as functions of color, size, perspective; negative space; visual and surface textures.
2.14 Review systems of visualizing information and depicting space and volume, for example, scale and vanishing point, linear, atmospheric, and isometric perspective; and create works using these systems
2.15 Create artwork that demonstrates understanding of the elements and principles of design in establishing a point of view, a sense of space, or a mood
By the end of extended study in grades 9–12, students will do the following:
2.16 Create artwork that demonstrates a purposeful use of the elements and principles of design to convey meaning and emotion
2. 17 Create artwork that demonstrates facility in selective use of elements and principles of design to establish a personal style
STANDARD 3: Observation, Abstraction, Invention, and Expression
Students will demonstrate their powers of observation, abstraction, invention, and expression in a variety of media, materials, and techniques.
By the end of basic study in grades 9 - 12, students will do each the following:
3.8 Create representational 2D artwork from direct observation and from memory that convincingly portrays 3D space and the objects and people within that space
3.9 Create 2D and 3D artwork that explores the abstraction of ideas and representations
For example, students make images that represent abstract concepts such as respect for human rights, empathy, solitude, community, justice, or injustice.
3.10 Create 2D and 3D images that are original, convey a distinct point of view, and communicate ideas
By the end of extended study in grades 9–12, students will:
3.11 Demonstrate the ability to portray emotions and personality through the rendering of physical characteristics in 2D and 3D work
For example, a student creates an expressive, yet recognizable, portrait or self-portrait in drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, film, photography, or computer graphics.
3.12 Demonstrate the ability to use representation, abstraction, or symbolism to create 2D and 3D artwork that conveys a personal point of view about issues and ideas.
For example, students create visual metaphors for topics such as memories of childhood, feelings about growing up, or hopes for the future.
STANDARD 4: Drafting, Revising, and Exhibiting
Students will demonstrate knowledge of the processes of creating and exhibiting their own artwork: drafts, critique, self-assessment, refinement, and exhibit preparation.
By the end of basic study in grades 9 - 12, students will do each the following:
4.9 Demonstrate the ability to conceptualize, organize, and complete long-term projects, alone and in group settings
• Conceptualize: plan, generate ideas, make preliminary sketches, participate in discussions, imagine outcomes, and set goals;
• Organize: choose materials and techniques to attain the desired look and feel; maintain work space and personal schedule; review progress of work with others; and revise work appropriately;
• Complete: prepare work for presentation or exhibition
4.10 Demonstrate the ability to develop an idea through multiple stages, responding to criticism and self-assessment
4.11 Maintain a portfolio of artwork that demonstrates a progression of ideas and skills over time
By the end of extended study in grades 9 - 12, students will:
4.12 Choose and prepare artwork for exhibition, and be able to discuss their choices
4.13 Create a presentation portfolio that includes work in several media and that demonstrates a progression of ideas and preliminary and finished work in each medium
4.14 Demonstrate an ability to see their own personal style and discriminate among historical and contemporary styles
4.15 Demonstrate the ability to draw from other disciplines in the creation of a body of work
4.16 Organize and present an exhibit of a body of their own work to others
STANDARD 5: Critical Response
Students will describe and analyze their own work and the work of others using appropriate visual arts vocabulary. When appropriate, students will connect their analysis to interpretation and evaluation.
By the end of basic study in grades 9 - 12, students will:
5.8 Demonstrate the ability to compare and contrast two or more works of art, orally and in writing, using appropriate vocabulary
5.9 Use published sources, either traditional or electronic, to research a body of work or an artist, and present findings in written or oral form
5.10 Critique their own work, the work of peers, and the work of professional artists, and demonstrate an understanding of the formal, cultural, and historical contexts of the work
By the end of extended study in grades 9–12, students will:
5.11 Analyze a body of work, or the work of one artist, explaining its meaning and impact on society, symbolism, and visual metaphor
5.12 Demonstrate an understanding how societal influences and prejudices may affect viewers’ ways of perceiving works of art
STANDARD 6: Purposes and Meanings in the Arts
Students will describe the purposes for which works of dance, music, theatre, visual arts, and architecture were and are created, and, where appropriate, interpret their meanings.
By the end of basic study in grades 9 - 12, students will:
6.5 Interpret the meanings of artistic works based on evidence from artists’ biographies, autobiographies, or videotaped or written interviews
For example, students read about how composer Aaron Copland and choreographer Martha Graham collaborated on the ballet, Appalachian Spring, and report on their sources of inspiration for the music and choreography.
6.6 Describe and analyze examples of art forms that integrate practical functions with aesthetic concerns
For example, students listen for similarities and differences in work songs from various cultures.
By the end of extended study in grades 9–12, students will:
6.7 Compare examples of works in one arts domain (dance, music, theatre, visual arts, or architecture) from several periods or cultures and explain the extent to which each reflects function, customs, religious beliefs, social philosophies, aesthetic theories, economic conditions, and/or historical or political events
6.8 Compare examples of works from several arts domains within a period or culture and explain the extent to which each reflects function, customs, religious beliefs, social philosophies, aesthetic theories, economic conditions, and/or historical or political events
STANDARD 7: Roles of Artists in Communities
Students will describe the roles of artists, patrons, cultural organizations, and arts institutions in societies of the past and present.
By the end of basic study in grades 9 - 12, students will:
7.5 Analyze how the arts and artists are portrayed in contemporary newspapers, magazines, films, and electronic media
7.6 Describe various roles that artists serve, cite representative individuals who have functioned in these roles, and describe their activities and achievements
7.7 Describe the roles of individual patrons, cultural organizations, and governments in commissioning and collecting works and presenting performances
For example, students find out who serves on the community’s cultural council, and how grants are awarded to artists and educators for programs in schools.
By the end of extended study in grades 9–12, students will:
7.8 Analyze how the arts and artists were portrayed in the past by analyzing primary sources from historical periods
7.9 Identify artists who have been involved in social and political movements, and describe the significance of selected works
7.10 Describe the roles of government, philanthropy, arts institutions, critics, and the publishing, recording, and tourism industries in supporting the arts and historic preservation, and in creating markets for the arts
For example, band members investigate music copyright laws and how they affect composers and performers.
STANDARD 8: Concepts of Style, Stylistic Influence, and Stylistic Change
Students will demonstrate their understanding of the concepts of style, stylistic influence, and stylistic change by identifying when and where art works were created and by analyzing characteristic features of art works from various historical periods, cultures, and genres.
By the end of basic study in grades 9 - 12, students will:
8.6 Classify works from the United States and world cultures by genre, style, and historical period; explain why the works exemplify a particular genre, style, or period
8.7 Identify works, genres, or styles that show the influence of two or more cultural traditions, and describe how the traditions are manifested in the work
* Suggested period: American and world cultures to c. 1920
By the end of extended study in grades 9–12, students will:
8.8 Identify the stylistic features of a given work and explain how they relate to aesthetic tradition and historical or cultural contexts
8.9 Identify examples of innovation and tradition in the arts, and explain the works in relation to historical and cultural contexts
8.10 Identify variants within the style of a particular time period, and describe the advantages and limitations of using the concept of style to describe and analyze the work of a particular period or culture
8.11 Identify and analyze examples of artistic and/or literary allusions in works of dance, music, theatre, and visual arts and architecture
STANDARD 9: Inventions, Technologies, and the Arts
Students will describe and analyze how performing and visual artists use and have used materials, inventions, and technologies in their works.
By the end of basic study in grades 9 - 12, students will:
9.5 Identify and describe examples of how technological development in one artistic domain can influence work in other artistic domain
9.6 Compare the available materials, inventions, and technologies of two historical periods or cultures and explain their effect on the arts
9.7 Identify and describe the examples of the persistence of traditional historical materials and technologies in contemporary artworks
For example, a student interested in textile design investigates the works of artists who use plants to make dyes and finds out why they choose to use these traditional techniques.
By the end of extended study in grades 9–12, students will:
9.8 Evaluate the effectiveness of the use of a particular technology to achieve an artistic effect
9.9 Identify and describe how some contemporary artists concentrate on the use of technologies and inventions of the past to achieve specific artistic effects
For example, music students investigate how musicians or dancers recreate historic works, and the research involved in their quest for authenticity.
STANDARD 10: Interdisciplinary Connections
Students will use knowledge of the arts and cultural resources in the study of the arts, English language arts, foreign languages, health, history and social science, mathematics, and science and technology/engineering.
By the end of basic study in grades 9 - 12, students will:
10.3 Continue the above and apply knowledge of cultural institutions to learning in the arts and other disciplines
Examples of this include:
• interviewing scientific illustrators, model-makers, or exhibit designers about the skills needed to create a display in a science museum;
• studying architectural plans and photographs in a historical society to trace the evolution of a neighborhood or urban landscape.
By the end of extended study in grades 9–12, students will:
10.4 Continue the above and integrate knowledge from various disciplines and cultural resources
For example, analyzing depictions of mythology in literature and art by drawing on literary and arts criticism and museum collections;
STANDARD 1: Methods, Materials, and Techniques
Students will demonstrate knowledge of the methods, materials, and techniques unique to the visual arts.
By the end of basic study in grades 9 - 12, students will do each the following:
1.9 Demonstrate the ability to create 2D and 3D works that show knowledge of unique characteristics of particular media, materials, and tools
1.10 Use electronic technology for reference and for creating original work
1.11 Explore a single subject through a series of works, varying the medium or technique
For example, a student makes a drawing, woodcut, and painting of a still life, landscape, or figure.
1. 12 Describe and apply procedures to ensure safety and proper maintenance of the workspace, materials, and tools
By the end of extended study in grades 9–12, students will do the following:
1.13 Make reasonable choices of 2D and 3D media, materials, tools, and techniques to achieve desired effects in specific projects
For example, students select a medium for its expressive qualities or structural properties.
1.14 Demonstrate a mastery of tools and techniques in one medium
1.15 Describe and apply procedures for the safe and proper maintenance of the workspace, materials, and tools; identify potential health hazards associated with materials and techniques, and possible substitutes for hazardous materials
STANDARD 2: Elements and Principles of Design
Students will demonstrate knowledge of the elements and principles of design.
By the end of basic study in grades 9 - 12, students will do each the following:
2.12 Apply knowledge of color theory to a project focusing on the use of complementary colors. Be able to use values of colors in wet and dry media to create the illusion of 3D form on a 2D surface
2.13 Use color, line, texture, shape, and form in 2D and 3D work and identify the use of these elements in the compositions of others
Examples include: line as edge treatment and in patterns; color temperature, mass and volume as functions of color, size, perspective; negative space; visual and surface textures.
2.14 Review systems of visualizing information and depicting space and volume, for example, scale and vanishing point, linear, atmospheric, and isometric perspective; and create works using these systems
2.15 Create artwork that demonstrates understanding of the elements and principles of design in establishing a point of view, a sense of space, or a mood
By the end of extended study in grades 9–12, students will do the following:
2.16 Create artwork that demonstrates a purposeful use of the elements and principles of design to convey meaning and emotion
2. 17 Create artwork that demonstrates facility in selective use of elements and principles of design to establish a personal style
STANDARD 3: Observation, Abstraction, Invention, and Expression
Students will demonstrate their powers of observation, abstraction, invention, and expression in a variety of media, materials, and techniques.
By the end of basic study in grades 9 - 12, students will do each the following:
3.8 Create representational 2D artwork from direct observation and from memory that convincingly portrays 3D space and the objects and people within that space
3.9 Create 2D and 3D artwork that explores the abstraction of ideas and representations
For example, students make images that represent abstract concepts such as respect for human rights, empathy, solitude, community, justice, or injustice.
3.10 Create 2D and 3D images that are original, convey a distinct point of view, and communicate ideas
By the end of extended study in grades 9–12, students will:
3.11 Demonstrate the ability to portray emotions and personality through the rendering of physical characteristics in 2D and 3D work
For example, a student creates an expressive, yet recognizable, portrait or self-portrait in drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, film, photography, or computer graphics.
3.12 Demonstrate the ability to use representation, abstraction, or symbolism to create 2D and 3D artwork that conveys a personal point of view about issues and ideas.
For example, students create visual metaphors for topics such as memories of childhood, feelings about growing up, or hopes for the future.
STANDARD 4: Drafting, Revising, and Exhibiting
Students will demonstrate knowledge of the processes of creating and exhibiting their own artwork: drafts, critique, self-assessment, refinement, and exhibit preparation.
By the end of basic study in grades 9 - 12, students will do each the following:
4.9 Demonstrate the ability to conceptualize, organize, and complete long-term projects, alone and in group settings
• Conceptualize: plan, generate ideas, make preliminary sketches, participate in discussions, imagine outcomes, and set goals;
• Organize: choose materials and techniques to attain the desired look and feel; maintain work space and personal schedule; review progress of work with others; and revise work appropriately;
• Complete: prepare work for presentation or exhibition
4.10 Demonstrate the ability to develop an idea through multiple stages, responding to criticism and self-assessment
4.11 Maintain a portfolio of artwork that demonstrates a progression of ideas and skills over time
By the end of extended study in grades 9 - 12, students will:
4.12 Choose and prepare artwork for exhibition, and be able to discuss their choices
4.13 Create a presentation portfolio that includes work in several media and that demonstrates a progression of ideas and preliminary and finished work in each medium
4.14 Demonstrate an ability to see their own personal style and discriminate among historical and contemporary styles
4.15 Demonstrate the ability to draw from other disciplines in the creation of a body of work
4.16 Organize and present an exhibit of a body of their own work to others
STANDARD 5: Critical Response
Students will describe and analyze their own work and the work of others using appropriate visual arts vocabulary. When appropriate, students will connect their analysis to interpretation and evaluation.
By the end of basic study in grades 9 - 12, students will:
5.8 Demonstrate the ability to compare and contrast two or more works of art, orally and in writing, using appropriate vocabulary
5.9 Use published sources, either traditional or electronic, to research a body of work or an artist, and present findings in written or oral form
5.10 Critique their own work, the work of peers, and the work of professional artists, and demonstrate an understanding of the formal, cultural, and historical contexts of the work
By the end of extended study in grades 9–12, students will:
5.11 Analyze a body of work, or the work of one artist, explaining its meaning and impact on society, symbolism, and visual metaphor
5.12 Demonstrate an understanding how societal influences and prejudices may affect viewers’ ways of perceiving works of art
STANDARD 6: Purposes and Meanings in the Arts
Students will describe the purposes for which works of dance, music, theatre, visual arts, and architecture were and are created, and, where appropriate, interpret their meanings.
By the end of basic study in grades 9 - 12, students will:
6.5 Interpret the meanings of artistic works based on evidence from artists’ biographies, autobiographies, or videotaped or written interviews
For example, students read about how composer Aaron Copland and choreographer Martha Graham collaborated on the ballet, Appalachian Spring, and report on their sources of inspiration for the music and choreography.
6.6 Describe and analyze examples of art forms that integrate practical functions with aesthetic concerns
For example, students listen for similarities and differences in work songs from various cultures.
By the end of extended study in grades 9–12, students will:
6.7 Compare examples of works in one arts domain (dance, music, theatre, visual arts, or architecture) from several periods or cultures and explain the extent to which each reflects function, customs, religious beliefs, social philosophies, aesthetic theories, economic conditions, and/or historical or political events
6.8 Compare examples of works from several arts domains within a period or culture and explain the extent to which each reflects function, customs, religious beliefs, social philosophies, aesthetic theories, economic conditions, and/or historical or political events
STANDARD 7: Roles of Artists in Communities
Students will describe the roles of artists, patrons, cultural organizations, and arts institutions in societies of the past and present.
By the end of basic study in grades 9 - 12, students will:
7.5 Analyze how the arts and artists are portrayed in contemporary newspapers, magazines, films, and electronic media
7.6 Describe various roles that artists serve, cite representative individuals who have functioned in these roles, and describe their activities and achievements
7.7 Describe the roles of individual patrons, cultural organizations, and governments in commissioning and collecting works and presenting performances
For example, students find out who serves on the community’s cultural council, and how grants are awarded to artists and educators for programs in schools.
By the end of extended study in grades 9–12, students will:
7.8 Analyze how the arts and artists were portrayed in the past by analyzing primary sources from historical periods
7.9 Identify artists who have been involved in social and political movements, and describe the significance of selected works
7.10 Describe the roles of government, philanthropy, arts institutions, critics, and the publishing, recording, and tourism industries in supporting the arts and historic preservation, and in creating markets for the arts
For example, band members investigate music copyright laws and how they affect composers and performers.
STANDARD 8: Concepts of Style, Stylistic Influence, and Stylistic Change
Students will demonstrate their understanding of the concepts of style, stylistic influence, and stylistic change by identifying when and where art works were created and by analyzing characteristic features of art works from various historical periods, cultures, and genres.
By the end of basic study in grades 9 - 12, students will:
8.6 Classify works from the United States and world cultures by genre, style, and historical period; explain why the works exemplify a particular genre, style, or period
8.7 Identify works, genres, or styles that show the influence of two or more cultural traditions, and describe how the traditions are manifested in the work
* Suggested period: American and world cultures to c. 1920
By the end of extended study in grades 9–12, students will:
8.8 Identify the stylistic features of a given work and explain how they relate to aesthetic tradition and historical or cultural contexts
8.9 Identify examples of innovation and tradition in the arts, and explain the works in relation to historical and cultural contexts
8.10 Identify variants within the style of a particular time period, and describe the advantages and limitations of using the concept of style to describe and analyze the work of a particular period or culture
8.11 Identify and analyze examples of artistic and/or literary allusions in works of dance, music, theatre, and visual arts and architecture
STANDARD 9: Inventions, Technologies, and the Arts
Students will describe and analyze how performing and visual artists use and have used materials, inventions, and technologies in their works.
By the end of basic study in grades 9 - 12, students will:
9.5 Identify and describe examples of how technological development in one artistic domain can influence work in other artistic domain
9.6 Compare the available materials, inventions, and technologies of two historical periods or cultures and explain their effect on the arts
9.7 Identify and describe the examples of the persistence of traditional historical materials and technologies in contemporary artworks
For example, a student interested in textile design investigates the works of artists who use plants to make dyes and finds out why they choose to use these traditional techniques.
By the end of extended study in grades 9–12, students will:
9.8 Evaluate the effectiveness of the use of a particular technology to achieve an artistic effect
9.9 Identify and describe how some contemporary artists concentrate on the use of technologies and inventions of the past to achieve specific artistic effects
For example, music students investigate how musicians or dancers recreate historic works, and the research involved in their quest for authenticity.
STANDARD 10: Interdisciplinary Connections
Students will use knowledge of the arts and cultural resources in the study of the arts, English language arts, foreign languages, health, history and social science, mathematics, and science and technology/engineering.
By the end of basic study in grades 9 - 12, students will:
10.3 Continue the above and apply knowledge of cultural institutions to learning in the arts and other disciplines
Examples of this include:
• interviewing scientific illustrators, model-makers, or exhibit designers about the skills needed to create a display in a science museum;
• studying architectural plans and photographs in a historical society to trace the evolution of a neighborhood or urban landscape.
By the end of extended study in grades 9–12, students will:
10.4 Continue the above and integrate knowledge from various disciplines and cultural resources
For example, analyzing depictions of mythology in literature and art by drawing on literary and arts criticism and museum collections;