Reinforcement of skills continues. The focus is to maintain a high level of motivation and confidence, and continue to create a strong foundation in manipulating materials and organizing ideas. Connections between history, cultures, and art continue. Emphasis is also placed on the role of art in society. The importance of art in our lives whether it be architecture, industrial design, graphic design, landscape architecture, fashion and jewelry design, website design, along with painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking is a focus. Some projects are multifaceted, incorporating a variety of techniques and media such as painting, drawing, and sculpture; others target skills or concepts such as shape, pattern, contrast, color, and elements of composition. Focus is on The Head, The Figure, Fantasy, Abstraction, Realism and Surrealism.
Discovering Social Issues through Art is the focus of our trip to The Yale Center for British Art. This experience connects Social Studies, Language Arts and Art. Not only do our artists articulate connections they make by viewing pieces at the museum, but also create individual works which focus on a social issue that is important to them. By making art, looking at art, talking about art and exhibiting art, students form connections between what they make and how their work impacts the world around them, all the while developing their visual literacy, verbal language, and fine motor skills.
We teach our students they are artists who possess the capability to shape the world around them, to change perspectives, to take action, and to understand that everything they do can have an impact.
Each year the Sixth Grade collaboratively creates a work as a permanent reminder of their class’ artistic expression. The pieces have ranged from permanent murals both interior and exterior to an impressive array of collaborative works in our Rotunda.
Open Studio Group: Open Studio gives children freedom and responsibility to create visually. Children have an opportunity to work an idea through either individually or in groups. The studio offerings focus on myriad forms of expression designed by each child. We celebrate the willingness of our students to try new things and build upon “mistakes”. Along the way they achieve not just artistic but personal growth… always challenging the conventional … occasionally brushing against the avant-garde. They work toward discovering not just what they want to build, but what they’re trying to express. This special time is available to artists in Grades 5 and 6.
Artsweek: Artsweek has been salted away during a week in May to celebrate the Visual Arts. Each year a theme is chosen. The community collaborates in creating a singular piece of art as well as each child contributing their own. During Artsnight children and their parents create together. The week is topped off by a schoolwide performance. Artsweek is sponsored by the PTO.
Days of Artistic Focus: Dot Day, A Drawing Challenge (Inktober, 20 Turkeys Falling Off a Cliff), Dress If You Dare Day! Sparkle Day with Starry Night , and Shades of Red Day and a rendition of The Memory Project involving portraiture.
The Beecher Gallery, which encompasses the entire school is ever-changing as our children’s creative expressions continue to evolve, showing us the swelling uniqueness of each child. Their work eventually finds its way into your homes.