Recognizing and Evaluating Stages of Art

In your Readings this week you read about the three basic levels in drawing that apply to early childhood development: the scribble stage, the basic forms stage, and the pictorial stage. When early childhood professionals can recognize and evaluate each stage through direct observation of a child's art work, then they are best able to plan appropriate art activities and materials for toddlers, preschoolers, and school aged children K-2nd grade.

View the following videos from the Colorado Department of Education found in your Web resources: Jacob at the Easel, Kyrill at the Easel, Kyrill and Kira at the Easel, and Sam Draws a Scarecrow.

Source: Results Matter Video Library - Practicing Observation, Documentation and Assessment Skills, Colorado Department of Education. Retrieved from http://www.cde.state.co.us/resultsmatter/RMVideoSeries_PracticingObservation.htm

• Select which stage of art development best characterizes each picture.

• Explain any differences in scribble stage examples such as: early or late period, types of scribbles (circular, jagged, etc.); control of crayon or marker.

• Explain any differences in basic forms examples such as: type of basic form used, how clear and exact the forms are, child's control of the crayon or marker, and early or late basic forms period.

• Compare the differences in pictorial examples such as: early or late period, what basic forms are combined with symbols' and observable symbols.