CBSE Class 12 Heritage Crafts syllabus 2011

HERITAGE CRAFTS

CLASS XII

THEORY 50 Periods

SECTION (A)

Reader: Living Craft Traditions of India, Textbook for Class XII (to be published by NCERT)

1.1 Philosophy and Aesthetics

1.2 Material Processes and Techniques

1.3 Environment and Resource Management

1.4 Social Structures

1.5 Economy and Marketing

1.6 International Examples

SECTION B

Field Studies: Documenting/ Exploring crafts

• Anecdotal Experiential question

• Question Based on Case Study

SECTION C

Question based on the Craft chosen (Clay/ Stone/ Metal/ Jewellery/ Fibre/ Textile/ Painting/ Theatre/ Paper) for practice and innovation, on individual basis.

Note: Questions in sections B and C above will be based on the practical part of the syllabus.

II. PRACTICAL

Field studies: documenting/ exploring crafts 180 Periods

• Two short projects

• One long project

Applied crafts 40 Periods

• Learning a craft

• Innovation in design and processes

(Guidelines for Section B and C as well as Practical has been provided in the Work Book:Exploring Craft Traditions of India, prepared by NCERT for classes XI & XII)

Section-wise Weightage: Class - XII

Examination:

PRACTICAL:

3 hours

30 Marks

FIELD STUDIES: EXPLORING A CRAFT 10 marks

1. Field Studies Project Work 05 marks

In this part of the course students will be required to do two short and one detailed projects in each class XI and XII. These projects are essentially experiential and analytical in nature.

Each student will prepare:

Two short assignments (10 pages each)
Students in the first instance will study their immediate environment and learn about everyday crafts in their everyday lives. They will prepare an assignment of crafts found at  home, in their town/village, artisans and crafts communities who live in their locality.

The teachers may discuss the areas and topics related with the topics mentioned in the following paragraph, before starting the work and they may call a craftsperson or someone from the community who feels comfortable talking to the children and at the same time is well versed with the craft traditions specially of that region. Students may talk to people both producers and consumers, find out about different aspects of production and marketing or study the architecture of monuments, visit museums, study the artifacts (sculpture and painting and crafts) and work on the costumes, jewelry, the way of life etc. The assignments can have drawings, illustrations, photographs, maps etc. The students may choose any two topics from following areas for this short project:

• Crafts in their own locality/home/state to enable students to understand the design and function of craft traditions in their daily life.

• Local Heritage in Museum/ monuments/ religious-secular structures to understand the various craft skills involved in historic architecture/building/sculpture/painting.

• Vernacular architecture to study the variety of craft skills in contemporary building of homes, and other structures.

• Market/ shop/ mela/ haat to understand market forces.

Note : Teacher to assess the two assignments out of 05 marks each and take the best out of the two for final assessment.

2. Exploring a Craft - Project Work 05 marks

One long term project on Exploring a Craft

This project will necessarily be a scientific, methodical documentation of a particular craft tradition prevalent in the region (for the first year that is class XI), which will have the following core issues in the background, which the students have also studied in theory;

• Craft Traditions

• Philosophy and Aesthetics

• Materials, Processes and Techniques

• Environment & Resource Management

• Social Structures

• Economy and marketing

• International Examples

The projects taken up for this subject may have different stages of planning, execution and presentation.The projects may be taken up in a group of 4 to 6 students where they can work on a particular craft tradition. In class XI students may visit the crafts-persons in their own region whereas in class XII students may take up crafts clusters of another region if the schools and the students find it convenient.

In the preparatory stage, students along with teachers can discuss about various crafts traditions practiced in the region, their history, distribution etc., collect all information available through various sources including library, internet and resource persons. To avail comprehensive data on various aspects of the crafts, students may develop an interview schedule and decide on number of crafts persons to be interviewed, which all places they will be visiting etc. Teachers must equip the students on interaction with craftspersons and other people from the community, type of language they should use, how to be polite with them and while handling their materials etc. Students can buy some of the objects from craftspersons, take photographs films after seeking their permission, make drawings, etc. which later on they can use in presentation or submission of project report. After the completion of documentation, students could make presentation at school assembly or the class or in parent- teachers' meeting for which they can creatively use.

APPLIED CRAFTS 20 marks

This component will consist of a hands on experience of creative work with a multi-disciplinary approach:

1. Learning a Craft 10 marks

Students can learn the basics of a chosen craft from a practicing local artisan, such as pottery/ weaving/ drawing and work on its techniques, handling of materials and tools, experiment with colour, form, texture, rhythm, balance etc. They can then experiment with them, know about the traditional practices in that craft, the symbolism in them and the different points of views associated with it. The schools should have all the facilities required for practicing all the processes involved in a craft including working space, materials and tools. Schools may not have a teacher who is also an expert in all these crafts and in such a case, the schools should identify resource persons/ craftspersons from the community, who can come to the school for demonstrations and students also can visit them.

Help can be sought from TRIFED, SPIC-MACY, CCRT and other such organizations which are trying to retain the cultural fabric of Indian Society.

2. Innovation in design and processes 10 marks

In this stage, students will develop their creative, innovation skills. They will chose one development topic and translate theory into practice.Eg Based on the interest and regional needs, like stone craft in parts of M.P., Tamil Nadu, Orissa, etc.

where stone is easily available.

• Materials, Processes and Techniques

Experiment with eco-friendly packaging of different crafts,

• Environment & Resource Management

Recycling of materials, Reducing hazards,

• Economy and marketing

Assisting a craftsperson in proper methods of costing and pricing, Studying consumer needs/ behaviour and informing crafts person of changing trends etc.

• International Examples

Creative contemporary uses of the craft in India and abroad

• Creating an aesthetic environment

Finally it is critical that students who undertake this course have an opportunity to use what they learn to enhance their daily life. Students will be asked to practically demonstrate how they will create an aesthetic environment at school, home, and community. They can redesign their classroom with crafts they have studied; they can design a notice board for the school, or decorate the principal's office. Periodically students can display and organize exhibitions to show the works and obtain feedback. Students can learn how their products can be creatively used in their lives as well as community members.

Textbook

In this subject area of Indian Crafts, there will be three textbooks for classes XI and class XII. One textbook each in both the years will be for theory, and one book giving guidelines/ addressing the schools, teachers and students about the practical components.

The theory textbooks for classes XI and XII will be a fully illustrated textbook giving photographs, sketches, maps, timelines, case studies etc. The class XI textbook of theory will introduce children with diverse traditions of the Indian crafts. Whereas the class XII textbook will address the six aspects of Craft Traditions: a. Philosophy and Aesthetics, b. Materials, Processes and Techniques, c. Environment & Resource Management d. Social Structures f. Economy and marketing g. International Examples. These aspects will be studied in light of the crafts traditions referred in class XI.

A work book which will be addressing the students as well as teachers and schools for conducting different activities in practicum, like the field studies and applied crafts will provide some samples of documentation methods/ formats based on which children can develop their own formats to conduct them. This will be a book for both years. It will also suggest what facilities the schools should provide for conducting these activities etc.

Teacher qualifications:

A. A Post Graduate in any Art Form Masters in Fine Arts (MFA) or Masters in Drawing or Painting

An exposure to at least one Craft even if it is in an unorganised sector.

B. In case a teacher does not have 1.1 above an undertaking should be taken so that at least a 10 day training is done with the CCRT or Sanskriti or Crafts Museum or NCERT etc.

Infrastructure:

Basic space and kiln etc, potter`s wheel and other equipments required for the specific craft being offered.