Electives

 

Art 1 is a foundation-level class that encourages students to develop their own creative voice through the visual arts. Students will work in several different 2D and 3D mediums using different techniques such as drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and digital media.  Students will build technical skills using line and tone to depict light and shadow, depth, visual weight, and a believable illusion of space. Drawing will be from observation and include still life, interiors, landscape, and costumed models. At the end of the year, portfolios will include drawings and paintings that emphasize positive and negative space, value, cropping as a compositional tool, photo-realistic artwork, mixed media composition - 2D and 3D, color illustration, and graffiti-type artworks. Instruction in digital preparation and presentation of artwork through the use of digital cameras, scanners, Photoshop, keynote, powerpoint, etc. will also be covered.  All students will maintain a “process portfolio” and a sketchbook in order to visually map their creative development.
Course meets the prerequisite for enrollment in the Arcata Arts Institute & fulfills the Fine Art Requirement.

Through this course, students explore techniques in movement, dance, physical theatre, acting, and the art of performing.  Students are encouraged to develop their skills in all aspects of performance, including dance, spoken word, and drama, with the main focus on student creativity.  The first semester acts as an introduction to movement and dance, physical theatre, and stage direction, with varying dance styles taught each year and a culminating Winter Performance that showcases student developments from the semester.  The second semester fine-tunes students' acting and performance skills as the class focuses more in-depth on specific aspects of theatre, dance, and movement. 
Course meets the prerequisite for enrollment in the Arcata Arts Institute & fulfills the Fine Art Requirement.

 

INTRO TO TECH THEATRE
9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Grades (Year Course)

Journalism is writing characterized by a direct presentation of facts or description of events without an attempt at interpretation.  Students in this class will plan, develop, and produce the school newspaper, The Swashbuckler.  They will also learn techniques of basic reporting and the fundamentals of journalism.  Students must attend school and community events and obtain accurate information in order to properly write articles.  This is a student-centered project-based classroom.  The class will choose an editor who will lead students in creating The Swashbuckler’s content.  The journalism class also creates an original and creative yearbook that accurately documents the events of our school.  Students must attend school events, take photographs, interview classmates, and use class time to construct yearbook pages.  The class will choose an editor who will lead everyone in creating the layout and contents of the yearbook.  Everyone will learn how to use the following programs:  Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe In Design, and Microsoft Word. 

CEDAR stands for Community Environmental Design And Restoration. In this class, you will make a difference in our community, be that SRCHS, NoHum, Arcata, or Humboldt as a whole. We will be practicing the Next Generation Science Standards for Engineering Design focusing on defining a problem, developing possible solutions, and improving designs. This means you will tackle some of our problems with creative real-world solutions. Many of our projects will have an ecological emphasis, but it is ok to head in another direction if you see an issue you can fix. This course is student-driven, as you will set your project, pace, and achievement benchmarks. Through your project, you will gain hands-on skills in project management, organization, and communication.

 

 

Film Appreciation is a course in the craft and analysis of “the most important art form of the 20th century.” The elective course will be open to all students in grades  9 through 12.  Film Criticism will focus on the history of film and will move chronologically through six decades from the 1930’s to the 1980’s.  Students will view approximately one film a week.  Students will view, analyze, discuss, and write about the many aspects of film as an art form.  In addition, the course offers insight into technical terminology and devices as well as the mastery behind the quality filmmaking that shapes our lives.