Lower School Arts
The purpose of music at the Pre-Elementary level is to develop our young children's innate love of singing, rhythm, and dance, by giving them the joy and experience of sharing their talents with others. Each class has music twice a week with a music specialist. Singing, folk dancing, creative movement, pantomime, and playing all types of rhythm instruments are the activities enjoyed each week. All students participate in our Christmas program, as well as sing at one of our all-school Eucharist services. A spring music program highlights all students with songs, dances, dramatics and rhythm instruments. All students expand their music repertoire by singing chapel songs daily.
The purpose of music in the elementary grades is to awaken the child's interest in music through singing, playing musical games, folk dancing, and playing Orff-type instruments and recorders. A full-time music specialist teaches music to primer through fourth-grade students for thirty minutes twice a week. In addition, each grade level prepares an anthem to be sung for Eucharist. Each grade level also presents a musical play for the parents and student body. The music teacher's responsibilities also include directing two after-school musical ensembles. ESD Singers is an auditioned fourth-grade choir that meets once a week and performs at school functions as well as in the community. The Fourth Grade Recorder Ensemble also meets once a week after school.
The curriculum in first through fourth grades is based on the Kodaly method, a developmental music approach.
The art program aims to provide experiences that will enrich the creative life of the children and sustain them with a lifelong interest in art. The art program teaches the aesthetics of art, the culture that surrounds the art, and the production of individual art pieces. Student activities include drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, and crafts.
