According to the Texas Essential Knowldge and Skills (TEKS), all Junior and Senior High art classes  encompass 4 basic strands: perception, creative expression/performance, historical and cultural heritage, and critical evaluation.  These strands "provide broad, unifying structures for organizing the knowledge and skills students are expected to acquire." Students will express ideas creatively using imagination and reflective thinking as they rely on their perceptions of the environment and life experiences as a source for creating artworks.  Students also learn to appreciate traditions and contributions of diverse cultures through the study of artistic styles within historical periods. 

    Each art course varies slightly with the specific expectations of the TEKS for each grade level.  All classes will follow the same general course outline below.  The depth of study and the technical skills learned will range from exposure of basic knowledge of a topic to an extensive, closer look and application of techniques.