Visual Arts as a subject in Senior Secondary 1 (SS1) in Nigeria is a broad and engaging field that introduces students to essential concepts, techniques, and historical backgrounds of art. The Lagos state unified scheme of work for visual arts aims to enhance students’ creativity, aesthetic appreciation, and cultural awareness through diverse forms of visual expression.
This subject is an entry point to exploring and understanding visual art’s rich and varied world. It is not just about producing visually appealing works; it includes a wide array of activities that enable the communication of ideas, emotions, and cultural values through different mediums.
In Nigeria, with its vibrant cultural heritage and contemporary art scene, studying Visual Arts offers a distinctive opportunity to connect with our history, traditions, and the modern world. This subject familiarizes students with fundamental art concepts, techniques, and principles. They learn to value different art forms, from traditional crafts to modern digital art, and develop their creative skills through practical projects.
In senior secondary school 1, students are assessed in Visual Arts based on the school’s prerogative. However, typically, they are evaluated through tests or quizzes (Continuous Assessment Tests), practical art exercises, and end-of-term exams.
Grading follows a scale from A to F, with A representing excellent performance, typically scoring around 70% or 80%, and F indicating failure, usually below 50% or 45%.
| LAGOS STATE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION: UNIFIED SCHEMES OF WORK FOR SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS | ||
| Visual Arts Scheme of Work for Senior Secondary Schools 1(SSS1) | ||
| Class | S.S.S 1 | |
| Subject | Visual Arts | |
| Term | First Term | |
| Week | Topic | Breakdown |
| 1&2 | Visual arts | 1. Consciously created through an expression of skill or imagination. The act of making skillful use of materials to produce things for human use and pleasure 2. Classification of visual arts. FINE ARTS 1. Drawing 2. Painting 3. Sculpture APPLIED ART 1. Graphics 2. Textile 3. Ceramics 3. FUNCTIONS OF VISUAL ART: Utilitarian i. Teacups ii. Clothes -Advert posters -Aesthetic i. Painting ii. Sculpture -RELIGIOUS carved images as idols, masks, divination tray -POLITICAL chiefly stools-Symbols to Educate |
| 3 | Visual sense | 1. The dynamics of basic shapes in every object eg. Cylinder or bottle i. The basic shapes ii. All objects have more than one color because they reflect the colors of objects around them. Every object is unique in the surface likeness (texture). 2. The nuances of colour mixture on surfaces of objects we see. |
| 4 | Professions and job opportunities | Professions of visual artists 1. Graphic designer i. Video Editors ii. Cartoonist iii. Designers for lithographic printing 2. Industrial designers e.g. Textile designers 3. Painters 4. Sculptors 5. Ceramic Industry 6. Photography 7. Cultural officers 8. Medical illustrators 9. Investigative illustration |
| 5 | Drawing lines | Concept of lines a. Types of lines: -vertical -horizontal -diagonal -wavy -spiral -zig-zag b. Qualities of lines: -thick -thin -heavy -light -rigid -flexible |
| 6 | Drawing nature and man made objects | Lines as patterns in nature i. woodland (trees without leaves) ii. Lines on animals e.g Zebrah. iii. Skeleton of animals. iv. Veins in leaves 2. Lines as pattern in man-made objects. |
| 7 | Drawing and shading | 1. Power and railway lines. 2. Steel frame work and structure of buildings. 3. Bridges, fences i. Eye and hand coordination, imitative drawing. ii. Shading techniques cross-hatching pointillism, blurring, and hatching. |
| 8 | Drawing still life objects | Still-life drawing 1. Composition of inanimate objects -Lines, qualities direction of shapes, and forms. -Simple perspective in object drawing. Natural objects, from texture, and tone -Study of nature e.g flowers, rocks, fruits, vegetables, insects, and fish |
| 9 | Drawing human figure | i. Life drawing composition ii. Proportion iii. Tonality |
| 10 | Introduction to art appreciation | 1. The analysis and evaluation of works of art 2. Form and their suggestions 3. Use of elements and principles of design 4. Composition in art work for harmony 5. Significance of pictorial elements 6. Terminologies in art Art terms: -Appliqué, Balance,Bas-relief, Calligraphy,Cartoon, Motifs, Silhouette,Cire Perdue |
| 11&12 | Revision and Examination | |
| Term | Second Term | |
| Week | Topic | Breakdown |
| 1&2 | Introduction to graphics | Block lettering and calligraphic lettering feature: -spacing -formation of letters -streamlining letters -skill and craftsmanship -learn loops -curves -ascenders -descenders ELEMENTS OF DESIGN: -line -texture -colour -size -value -shape PRINCIPLES OF DESIGNS: -balance -contrast -proportion -variety -gradation -harmony |
| 3&4 | Introduction to graphics | Forms of Graphic Advertisement: -newspaper -posters -handbills -invitation cards -book cover -CD Jackets -banners FEATURES: -suitable design -legibility of lettering -communication -technical proficiency -colour distribution and harmony -colour symbolism |
| 5&6 | Introduction to computer graphics | 1. Computer hardware. The visible and tangible components of the computer Components -Monitor -Systems Unit -Printer-Keyboard -Mouse 2. Computer software. The instructions that tell your computer what to do. Examples -Corel draw -Harvard graphics -Adobe Photoshop 3. The 4 basic mouse techniques -Pointing -Clicking -Double-clicking -Dragging |
| 7&8 | Textile designs | A. Textile design on paper. A motif. A single unit of design. B. Repeat patterns -Block -Half drop -Mirror -Orgee -Brick-Diamond 2. Printed textile design 3. Printing techniques -Block -Lino cut -Woodcut -Yarn cut -Screen printing |
| 9 | Terminologies in 2 dimensional art | Terminologies in 2-dimensional art: vanishing point medium chiaroscuro foreshore tuning, aerial view Repeat motif picture plans |
| 10 | Terminologies in 3 dimensional art | Terminologies in 3 dimensional art. – Terra -cotta – Sculpture in the round – Green ware – Leather hard – Marquette – Relief |
| 11 | Revision | |
| 12 | Examination |
| Term | Third Term | |
| Week | Topic | Breakdown |
| 1 | Introduction to modeling | Terminologies in ceramics 1. Types of clay -Primary clay -secondary clay 2. Properties of clay: -Pliability 3. ceramic tools and equipment 4. Methods of molding -Coiling -Slabbing -Pinching 5. Processes of drying and firing |
| 2 | Introduction to modeling (continued) | |
| 3 | Introduction to modeling (continued) | |
| 4 | Historical foundation of Nigerian arts (200BC–1900 AD) | 1. Nok Arts 2. Igbo-Ukwu Arts 3. Ife Arts: -Terra –cotta -Bronze works -Quartz carving 4. Benin Art-Bronze works-Ivory carving 5. Owo terracottas 6. Tsoede Bronze 7. Esie soapstone 8. Wood carving e.g. Ekpo wood carving an Ekpo mask of the Ibibios and Annangs 9. Alok Monolith stones at Ikom L.G.A, Cross River State |
| 5 | Historical foundation of Nigerian arts (continued) | |
| 6 | Historical foundation of Nigerian arts (continued) | |
| 7 | Historical foundation of Nigerian arts (continued) | |
| 8 | Museums and art | 1. Definition of Museum building or institution where objects of artistic, historical or scientific importance and value are kept; studied and put on display 2. Definition of Art Gallery: A place where artworks are exhibited and sometimes sold. 3. History of museums in Nigeria 4. Types of museums; natural history of museum at Ife, war museum at Umuahia, Museum of Nigerian Traditional Architecture monta in Jos |
| 9 | Museums and galleries in Nigeria | |
| 10 | Museums and art galleries in Nigeria (Continued) | |
| 11 | Revision | |
| 12 | Examination |
The recommended Visual Arts textbooks for SSS1 include but are not limited to the following:
Bounty Press
Sea Publishers
ART MATERIALS
