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Visual & Performing Arts Courses Offered
The Visual and Performing Arts courses include elective academic offerings aligned with the state content standards in the areas of drama, instrumental music, vocal music and creative art. It is strongly recommended that all students take at least one credit in this department.
Drama I: “Creative and Practical Drama I”
Available to students in grades
9, 10, 11, 12; ½ Credit
Students will learn and practice improvisation, public speaking skills, audience etiquette, and job interview skills, as well as other creative and practical forms of self-expression. Emphasis is on overcoming “stage fright” – becoming confident and comfortable with vocal projection, diction, and basic stage movement. Students will also be exposed to theatrical scripts and videos, which they will read, watch and critique. Student actors are expected to actively participate cooperatively and respectfully with peers and the teacher.
Drama II: Creative and Practical Drama II
Available to students in grades9, 10, 11, 12 ½ Credit
Students will practice and expand upon the techniques and ideas introduced in Drama I. Character development, script memorization, and scene structure/composition (playwriting) will be emphasized, as well as advanced improvisation techniques and theatrical criticism. Prerequisite: Drama I
Drama III/IV/V: “Advanced Drama”
Available to students in grades10, 11, 12; 1 Credit
“Advanced Drama” is a year-long participatory course for serious drama students. Monologues and plays will be analyzed, memorized, and performed in showcases, for live audiences, in the WPHS auditorium. Improvisation will also be showcased. In addition, students will be informed of various professions in the entertainment industry (for example: director, producer, agent, entertainment lawyer, etc.), and the role of each. Students will have the opportunity to showcase plays and monologues that they have written themselves, as well. Often, “Advanced Drama” students are members of the Penn Players, participating in the Fall play and/or Spring musical.
Prerequisite: Drama II
Drama III/IV/V: Audition- Only Drama Seminar
Available to students in grades10, 11, 12 1 Credit
Students must audition and be selected to participate in this intensive seminar. It is intended for students whose interest in drama extends beyond the classroom. Students will create a theatrical resume and develop a repertoire of audition material that will help them pursue drama-related careers and/or community theatre opportunities. All of these students will be in the cast and/or crew of Penn Players’ Fall production.
Chorus
Available to students in grades 9, 10, 11, 12; 1 Credit
Chorus consists of students who are in their first year at William Penn or a beginning chorus student. This course emphasizes choral music representative of different periods and styles such as madrigals, spirituals, and pop music. Emphasis is on evaluation, analysis, correct singing techniques, music reading, and utilizing three or four parts, some in different languages. Students are expected to perform in a winter and spring concert. These activities are all aligned to the Delaware State Music Standards.
Concert Choir
Available to students in grades 10, 11, 12 1 Credit
Concert Choir students are students who have already participated in Chorus and are chosen by the director. This course emphasizes musical literature of all types, styles, and time periods requiring a more advanced knowledge of music and singing skill. Evaluation and analysis of music will be more comprehensive at this level. Singing in 4 or more parts in different languages is part of this curriculum. Students are expected to perform in a winter and spring concert. These activities are all aligned to the Delaware State Music Standards.
Concert Band
Available to students in grades9, 10, 11, 12 1 Credit
Concert Band is designed to teach music literature appropriate for the early high school instrumentalist. Literature will include a wide variety of styles and genres requiring technical skill development. Members can also participate in other small ensembles. Students are expected to perform at graduation.
Prerequisite: Students must have had previous band experience.
Symphonic Band
Available to students in grades 10, 11, 12 1 Credit
Symphonic Band is a continuation of Concert Band and emphasizes advanced musical literature and skills. Students are expected to perform in a holiday and spring concert. Students are also given the opportunity to perform in smaller ensembles, the District Band Festival and competitions. General attitude and performance level for the past year will also be reviewed. Prerequiste: Symphonic Band is for students who have successfully completed Concert Band and are chosen by the Director.
Music Theory (Combined Theory I & II)
Available to students in grades9, 10, 11, 12 1 Credit
Music Theory introduces technical and theoretical aspects of music. It includes primary chords rhythmic and melodic dictation, keyboard harmony, solfeggio, and basic musical composition. Computer-assisted instruction will be used in ear training/dictation.
Voice Class I
Available to students in grades 9, 10, 11, 12 1 Credit
This class is offered for students who would like to learn to sing solo and in an ensemble. Special
emphasis is placed on developing the male voice. The class will focus on individual attention to correct singing techniques, ear training and basics reading of music, and concludes the year with a performance.
AP Music Theory
Available to students in grades 12 1 Credit
Advanced Placement Music Theory is for the student who is serious about furthering their education in music and who has previous music study. Students will intensely study music analysis, aural analysis of music literature, composition, sight-singing and dictation skills. The AP exam will be offered in the spring, which will allow students to earn college credit.
Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation.
Guitar
Available to students in grades 9, 10, 11, 12 ½ Credit
The guitar course is for the non-music student who would like to learn the basics of music, which includes reading and performing. Students will be taught all 9 music standards while playing the guitar. They will perform individually and in a small ensemble setting. Guitars will be provided to the students.
Creative Art/Design
Available to students in grades 9, 10, 11, 12 ½ Credit
This introductory course is a prerequisite for all art courses offered at the high school level. This course will emphasize critical thinking and problem solving using the elements and principles of good design and apply them to the student’s own original work in a variety of drawing and painting mediums. Understanding of art criticism through the study of art as it relates to history and how it reflects in their work is also covered.
Creative Art/Drawing
Available to students in grades 10, 11, 12 ½ Credit
This advanced course is designed to reinforce critical thinking skills using design elements and principles used to create art and to advance drawing skills using a variety of techniques and media, including pencil, charcoal, chalk, pastels, ink, pen and color pencil. The student will study, produce and critique a variety of original works through the study of various artists and their styles. In depth study in portraits, figure drawing, still life and other pieces for a college portfolio are an important aspect of this class.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Creative Art/Design
Creative Art/Sculpture
Available to students in grades 10, 11, 12 ½ Credit
This course is designed to focus on three dimensional sculpture and related materials as a form of art. A continued focus on design composition, materials, processes, and techniques are included along with how to apply them to 3-D forms as a form of expression. Developing the skills to visualize in more than one direction (all sides) and the use of representational and non representational approaches will be pursued in a variety of media, such as wire, mache, plaster, metal working, carving and molding various materials. Through the study of sculpture in history we will learn to critique three-dimensional styles, use processes and formations. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Creative Art/Design.
Creative Art/Painting
Available to students in grades 10, 11, 12 ½ Credit
This advanced course is designed to reinforce design elements and principles through the concepts of composition, materials, techniques and processes of painting. Some mediums include pastel, watercolor, tempera, acrylic and oil. An in-depth study of painting as a form of visual communication and expression is emphasized. Students will work with various mediums to create original works and techniques of art criticism will be further developed through study of painting styles, movements, and individual artists.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Creative Art/Design
Creative Art/Commercial Design
Available to students in grades 10, 11, 12; ½ Credit
This course explores the history and contemporary aspects of graphic design as a form of visual
communication. The emphasis is on the advertising and illustrative components. Skills will be developed in composition, layout, typography/lettering, and the aesthetics of art as applied to promotional philosophy and psychology. Students will create original work through creative problem solving and utilizing various media. Also items such as logos, letterheads, advertisements, and the study of typography/lettering as a vital aspect of successful design are explored.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Creative Art/Design
Creative Art/Ceramics and Pottery
Available to students in grades 10, 11, 12 ½ Credit
This course expands the student’s knowledge of the difference in applying 2 and 3-D spatial concepts of design elements and principles through the production of functional and non functional ceramic forms. One of a kind and multiple piece works using hand building, slab coiling, wheel throwing, and press mold techniques of clay construction will be explored. Emphasis will be placed on the design of forms, application of techniques and styles used to create original works.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Creative Art/Design
Creative Art/Printmaking
Available to students in grades 10, 11, 12 ½ Credit
This course explores the concepts of original two dimensional art being designed and produced utilizing techniques that produce multiple images rather than one of a kind. Students will study and produce original works in stencil, block, relief, intaglio, and direct transfer printing. Applying design elements and principles to the study of the history and production of original works are a central focus.
Prerequisite: Successful completion of Creative Art/Design
Creative Art/Portfolio
Available to students in grades 12 ½ Credit
This course, planned by both the teacher and the student, is an independent study experience. This will lead to a portfolio of high quality artistic work that illustrates a broad knowledge base and allows an indepth understanding of their personal art form to be developed and refined. The development of skills, research and knowledge to create and present their own work in an acceptable fashion are emphasized and the final result is a portfolio that can be mounted for presentation, as well as, presented for a college
portfolio review.
Prerequisite: Teacher recommendation.
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