PenPal Schools provides an excellent opportunity for students to learn and apply digital media and artistic skills in an authentic, global context through project-based learning!

"I was impressed with how thoughtful my students were about their responses, particularly after they learned they had authentic audiences! The topics really hit home."
Wendi Pillars
North Carolina, USA

With the teacher dashboard, educators can assess their students' work across a variety of learning objectives to help them improve:

PenPal Schools learning objectives are aligned to a variety of academic standards, including National Core Arts Standards in affiliation with Common Core State Standards, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, and International Baccalaureate Organization Standards. Read on to see how you can use PenPal Schools learning objectives to assess and improve students' abilities relative to the standards that interest you.

Don't see the standards you're looking for? Contact us to request documentation of how PenPal Schools learning objectives align to the standards that your school uses!

Creativity

PenPal Schools Learning Objective: Artistic Creativity
Student expresses ideas through artistic, creative, and original work

Creating:
​Anchor Standard #1. Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work.
Anchor Standard #2. Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.
Anchor Standard #3. Refine and complete artistic work.

§117.202-204. Art, Middle School
​(2)  Creative expression. The student communicates ideas through original artworks using a variety of media with appropriate skills. The student expresses thoughts and ideas creatively while challenging the imagination, fostering reflective thinking, and developing disciplined effort and progressive problem-solving skills. The student is expected to:
(A)  create original artworks that express a variety of ideas based on direct observations, original sources, and personal experiences, including memory, identity, imagination, and the community;
(B)  apply the art-making process to solve problems and generate design solutions;
(C)  apply technical skills effectively using a variety of materials to produce artworks, including drawings, paintings, prints, sculptures/modeled forms, ceramics, fiber art, photographic imagery, and digital art and media
§117.302-305. Art, High School
(2)  Creative expression. The student communicates ideas through original artworks using a variety of media with appropriate skills. The student expresses thoughts and ideas creatively while challenging the imagination, fostering reflective thinking, and developing disciplined effort and progressive problem-solving skills. The student is expected to:
(A)  create original artwork using multiple solutions from direct observation, original sources, experiences, and imagination in order to expand personal themes that demonstrate artistic intent;
(B)  apply design skills in creating practical applications, clarifying presentations, and examining consumer choices in order to make successful design decisions;
(C)  use an understanding of copyright and public domain to appropriate imagery constituting the main focal point of original artwork when working from images rather than direct observation or imagination;
(D)  create original artwork to communicate thoughts, feelings, ideas, or impressions;
(E)  collaborate to create original works of art; and
(F)  select from a variety of art media and tools to communicate specific ideas in drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, fiber art, jewelry, mixed media, photography, and digital art and media.

Criterion C: Thinking Creatively
​Students develop curiosity, and purposefully explore and challenge boundaries. Students explore the unfamiliar and experiment in innovative ways to develop their artistic intentions, their processes and their work. They discover their personal signature and realize their artistic identity.

Critical Response

PenPal Schools Learning Objective: Critical Reponse
Student analyzes, interprets, and evaluates artistic decisions

Responding:
​Anchor Standard #7. Perceive and analyze artistic work.
Anchor Standard #8. Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work.
Anchor Standard #9. Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work.

§117.202-204. Art, Middle School
​(4)  Critical evaluation and response. The student responds to and analyzes artworks of self and others, contributing to the development of the lifelong skills of making informed judgments and reasoned evaluations. The student is expected to:
(A)  create written or oral responses about personal or collaborative artworks addressing purpose, technique, organization, judgment, and personal expression;
(B)  analyze original artworks using a method of critique such as describing the artwork, analyzing the way it is organized, interpreting the artist's intention, and evaluating the success of the artwork;
(C)  develop a portfolio that demonstrates progress;
(D)  investigate and explore original artworks in a variety of venues outside of the classroom such as museums, galleries, or community art; and
(E)  demonstrate an understanding of and apply proper exhibition etiquette.
§117.302-305. Art, High School
(4)  Critical evaluation and response. The student responds to and analyzes the artworks of self and others, contributing to the development of the lifelong skills of making informed judgments and reasoned evaluations. The student is expected to:
(A)  interpret, evaluate, and justify artistic decisions in artwork by self, peers, and other artists such as that in museums, local galleries, art exhibits, and websites;
(B)  evaluate and analyze artwork using a method of critique such as describing the artwork, analyzing the way it is organized, interpreting the artist's intention, and evaluating the success of the artwork;
(C)  use responses to artwork critiques to make decisions about future directions in personal work;
(D)  construct a physical or electronic portfolio by evaluating and analyzing personal original artworks to provide evidence of learning; and
(E)  select and analyze original artwork, portfolios, and exhibitions to form precise conclusions about formal qualities, historical and cultural contexts, intentions, and meanings.

Criterion D: Responding
​Students respond to their world, to their own art and to the art of others. Students must make connections and transfer learning to new settings. Through reflecting on their artistic intention and the impact of their work on an audience and on themselves, students become more aware of their own artistic development and the role that arts play in their lives and in the world. Students learn that the arts may initiate as well as respond to change.

Forms Connections

PenPal Schools Learning Objective: Forms Connections
Student uses historic and cultural context to deepen understanding of art and its global impacts

Connecting:
​Anchor Standard #10. Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art.
Anchor Standard #11. Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural and historical context to deepen understanding.

---

§117.202-204. Art, Middle School
​(3)  Historical and cultural relevance. The student demonstrates an understanding of art history and culture by analyzing artistic styles, historical periods, and a variety of cultures. The student develops global awareness and respect for the traditions and contributions of diverse cultures. The student is expected to:
(A)  analyze ways that global, cultural, historical, and political issues influence artworks;
(B)  analyze selected artworks to determine contemporary relevance in relationship to universal themes such as belief, cultural narrative, life cycles, the passage of time, identity, conflict, and cooperation;
(C)  compare and contrast relationships that exist between a society's art and its music, literature, and architecture; and
(D)  identify career and avocational choices in art such as various design, museum, and fine arts fields.
§117.302-305. Art, High School
(3)  Historical and cultural relevance. The student demonstrates an understanding of art history and culture by analyzing artistic styles, historical periods, and a variety of cultures. The student develops global awareness and respect for the traditions and contributions of diverse cultures. The student is expected to:
(A)  examine selected historical periods or styles of art to identify general themes and trends;
(B)  analyze specific characteristics in artwork from a variety of cultures;
(C)  collaborate on community-based art projects; and
(D)  examine and research career, entrepreneurial, and avocational opportunities in art.

Criterion A: Knowing and Understanding
Students inform their work and artistic perspective using explicit and tacit knowledge alongside an understanding of the role of the arts in a global context.

Presentation Skills

PenPal Schools Learning Objective: Presentation Skills
Student conveys meaning through presentation or performance

Performing, Presenting, Producing:
​Anchor Standard #4. Select, analyze and interpret artistic work for presentation.
Anchor Standard #5. Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation.
Anchor Standard #6. Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work.

Criterion B: Developing Skills
Students develop their artistic ideas to a point of realization by applying their skills. Students make final commitments to their artwork by presenting it to audiences.