Roosevelt High School

Roosevelt High School

Photography Syllabus

2024-2025

INSTRUCTOR:         Ms. Sara Haag             PLANNING PERIOD:   TBA

EMAIL: sara.haag@slps.org

COURSE DESCRIPTION: PHOTOGRAPHY

This is an additional exploration into visual art techniques, processes, and media. Students will be challenged to develop their capacity to interpret and create images. Students will build upon interpretive and technical skills that enhance the understanding of the power of photography to communicate their perspective of the world. The study of the elements and principles will be used in professional and historical examples and they will be used to enhance the expressive quality of students own work. Students will also learn to enhance their observational skills, and increase their artistic vocabulary to better verbalize their thoughts and feelings of the visual world in which they live, and recognize and understand the interconnections with other academic areas.

COURSE OBJECTIVES/COMPETENCIES: As a result of this course you should be able to…

• Understand and apply media, techniques, and processes.  (FA 1)
• Use knowledge of structures and functions of art. (FA 2)
• Choose and evaluate a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas.  (FA 3)
• Understand the visual arts in relation to history and cultures. (FA 4)
• Reflect upon and assess the characteristics and merits of their work and the work of others. (FA 5)
• Make connections between visual arts and other disciplines. (FA 6)

COURSE OUTLINE:

Fall Semester:

Chapter 1 What is Photography?

Chapter 2 The Art of Photography

Chapter 3 Black and White

Chapter 4 Digital Photography

Chapter 5 Portraits

Chapter 6 Action Photography

Spring Semester:

Chapter 7 Photojournalism

Chapter 8 Architecture and Urban Landscapes

Chapter 9 Landscapes

Chapter 10 Animals

Chapter 11 Still Life

EXPECTATIONS:

1.Be Respectful- Have grace (put yourself in the other person’s shoes before you jump to conclusions), listen to others and do not talk over them, pay attention, and use language appropriate for an academic setting.

2. Be Responsible- Show up to class on time, turn all work in, try your best, take pride in your work, and let me know if you are having a hard time meeting a deadline. Students will be expected to attend all classes on all days allotted.
3. Be Safe- Clean up after yourself, use common sense, no horseplay, and walk items to the trash instead of throwing them from a distance.
4. Be Kind- Treat others the way you want to be treated and be sensitive to others feelings. Every person in this class has value.
5. Be Cooperative- Participate in class discussions and listen while I give instruction. Be flexible. Students will be expected to utilize class time efficiently.  You should be on task during studio time and textual work.  You must be focused and contribute during discussions.
6. Be Brave- Try new things, enjoy the creative process, and learn from your mistakes. The process of being creative is inherently risky and it’s important to allow yourself to be vulnerable at times in order to grow. CAN’T is a bad word in this class.

ASSESSMENTS: Your assessments in this class will consist of written tests and studio performance tasks. Tests will focus on vocabulary and analytic use of concepts. Performance tasks will ask you to synthesize the unit concepts inside the framework of a visual problem solving environment.

Studio (Actual photographs) 70%

In class writing assignments 10%

Tests and quizzes 20%

REQUIRED TEXTS/RESOURCE MATERIALS:

Focus on Photography

DSLR Camera (provided by the school)

REQUIRED SUPPLIES:

• PENCIL
•  NOTEBOOK
• Camera Checkout Contract

Class Policies:

• Good attendance is mandatory for success in this course.  Many of the classes will be used for studio time.  Materials will not be available for students to take home, therefore missed class time must be made up after school on specific days to catch up on missing work.
• If you feel you can not meet a deadline for a specific studio assignment not related to poor attendance, please discuss this with me.  I am usually flexible and want you to explore ideas and techniques in order to master the content.
• If you miss a test or quiz due to an absence it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to set up a time with me during my planning period or after school to make it up.  If you are absent for a test or quiz and do not take it you will not receive a grade for that specific assessment.
• Feedback is given to you for studio assignments individually using the self assessment rubric at the time of completion.
• Cell phone use will not be allowed in class.  If I see or hear it, I will report the cell phone to security.  It is not personal.  My personal belief is that cell phone use is distracting to the learning environment and interferes with your growth in this class.
• Students and their parents can look their grades up on SIS in the parent portal at any time.  Students are also given frequent updates on what their score is and why face to face.  If for any reason, you feel like a mistake has been made, or you do not understand your scores, please feel free to have that conversation with me.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY/PLAGIARISM: All the work that you turn in is expected to be of your own design and creation. Plagiarized work, copied work, or work completed by others will not be tolerated and will result in loss of credit for the assignment. Theft or damaging of other student’s work will similarly not tolerated.

During test assessments, use of testing aides of any kind, including any use of electronic devices, without the expressed permission of the instructor shall lose any completion credit for that particular test. Disruption of testing environment shall also lose credit for the test. Any of the above activity may also be reported to administration for further action.

My signature indicates that I have read and understand all of the expectations and policies set forth by this document. I further agree to abide by those expectations and policies to the best of my abilities.

My signature indicates that I have read and understand all of the expectations and policies set forth by this document. I understand and agree that my child will be expected to adhere to those expectations and policies.