Stories of Art Ideas, Activities, and Resources To Meet the New Visual Arts Standards First and second editions published by CRIZMAC Publications, in Tucson, Arizona Third expanded edition posted free online by MaryEricksonVentures.com

The Visual Arts Standards adopted by the Arizona State Board of Education, like the National Standards, draw from four art processes: Creating, Presenting, Responding, and Connecting. These art processes are addressed in turn by a total of 11 anchor standards, of which three are subdivided into components. There are, thus, a total of 15 specific standards for each grade level, one for each anchor standard or component.

Connecting standards are excellent starting points for building art units that draw from any or all three other art processes. Artists and students connect to their experiences to create meaning in their artworks, which leads us, as art teachers, to the Creating process. Viewers and students connect to artists’ backgrounds to interpret artworks, which leads us, as art teachers, to the Responding process. Artists and viewers convey meaning as they plan how to exhibit their own and others’ artworks, which leads us, as art teachers, to the Presenting process. Inspired bt collaboration with Liza Bergman and Nancy Fiering for a presentation at the 2015 Arizona Art Education Association conference

Theme in Life: We all.... Theme in Art: Artists.... These broad themes center on the Connecting standards of Arizona’s new Visual Arts Standards. All Stories of Art units are built around a theme in life (about all human kind) and a theme in art (about the role of art in the world).

Connecting 10: Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art Connecting 11: Relate artistic ideas and works with social, cultural, and historical contexts to deepen understanding. “Students’ Experience with the Theme” under “Discussion on Theme and Key Questions” “Thematic Artwork” under “Transfer to Studio” “Transfer to Diverse Cultures” Artworks for Key Cultures for Each Theme Connecting Stories of Art Anchor Activities and StandardsTeacher Resources

Responding 7: Perceive and analyze artistic work Responding 8: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work. Responding 9: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work Artworks from Key Cultures for Each Theme Responding Stories of Art Anchor Teacher Resources Standards

Creating 1: Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work Creating 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work Creating 3: Refine and complete artistic work “Thematic Artwork” under “Transfer to Studio” “Exhibition” under “Transfer to Studio” Creating Stories of Art Anchor Activities Standards

Presenting 4: Realizing artistic ideas and work through interpretation and presentation Presenting 5: Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation Presenting 6: Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work. “Exhibition” under “Transfer to Studio” Presenting Stories of Art Anchor Activity Standards

More Stories of Art Connections Activities and Teacher Resources Stories of Art has a strong reading component. Eight of its ten units includes a middle-school-level short story in which young people resolve issues in their lives by making artworks or artifacts. Each unit concludes with suggestions for teaching across the curriculum. “Present the Story” under “Story” Graphic Organizers for Each Theme “Interdisciplinary Transfer”