Fine Art Learning Standards for Illinois


STATE GOAL 25:  Know the language of the arts.

Why This Goal Is Important:  Through observation, discussion, interpreta­tion and analysis, students learn the “language” of the arts.  They learn to understand how others express ideas in dance, drama, music and visual art forms.  In addition to acquiring knowledge essential to performance and production, students become arts consumers (e.g., attending live performances or movies, purchasing paintings or jewelry, or visiting museums) who understand the basic elements and principles underlying artworks and are able to critique them.


STATE GOAL 26:  Through creating and performing, 

understand how works of art are produced.

Why This Goal Is Important:  Students acquire skills to produce and perform dance, drama, music and visual art.  They learn to use media, tools and technologies.  They learn to shape ideas and emotions into sounds, images and actions.  As students create and perform their own artworks and review the works of others, they become more imaginative, strengthen their problem-solving skills and learn to respond to the creativity of others.  Creating and performing are at the core of the fine arts.  Students also learn about the role of the artist (e.g., dancer, painter, actor, director, scriptwriter, musician).


STATE GOAL 27:  Understand the role of the arts in 

civilizations, past and present.

Why This Goal Is Important: The arts are a record of civilizations, past and present.  Artists are influenced by—and influence—the times and places in which they live and work.  As students learn through the arts about people and civilizations, they learn about others and themselves.  Also, students learn about careers related to this goal (e.g., animator, curator, art historian, sound technician).