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Charla Gaglio


 

Objectives:

AP Art History

COURSE DESCRIPTION
The AP Art History course is designed to provide students with an understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of architecture, sculpture, painting, and other art forms within historical and cultural contexts. Students will learn to look at works of art critically, with knowledge and sensitivity, and to articulate what they see or experience. Students who achieve this goal may receive advanced placement and/or college credit at many colleges or universities upon passing the AP exam in the spring.

Because this course is offered in preparation for a test that may yield college credit and students have chosen to take it as one of their electives, there are certain criteria to which they must adhere. These are included in the parent/student contract which must be signed and returned the first week of class (see attached). Students are also expected to follow all school rules regarding dress, absences, tardies, behavior, etc., as outlined in the Upper School Handbook provided to them at the beginning of the year.

In addition to the requirements mentioned above, visits to different local art museums are required before the AP exam is given. Field trips will be planned and scheduled so that students miss as few other classes as possible, but students are also strongly encouraged to visit galleries/museum on their own.

This course will cover European art chronologically with units of non-European art interspersed throughout. The textbook to be used is Gardner’s Art Through the Ages, 11th ed., 2001.

In the 2005/2006 examinations, one of the 30-minute essay questions will likely be based on one of the topics below and will require students to incorporate in their essay at least one example of art beyond the European tradition. Such examples may be drawn from areas traditionally covered by the AP Art History course and exam (the Near East, Egypt, and Islam) or from those areas not previously covered: Africa (beyond Egypt), the Americas, Asia, and Oceania.

The topics for the 2004/2005 examinations may be:

1) Narrative in Art
2) The Human Body in Art

GRADING
10% = Attendance and Participation
10% = Research Presentation and Paper
80% = Tests, Quizzes, and Writing Assignments