In grades K-4, students attend art once a week to build an appreciation of the art making process and a solid understanding of vocabulary, concepts, techniques, routines and procedures that will be built on as the child progresses through school.
In Kindergarten, First Grade and Second Grade, students engage in exploration and imaginative play in the art making process through experimentation and building skills through various forms of traditional and non-traditional media.
In Third and Fourth Grade, students take on longer-term projects and apply knowledge of available resources, tools, and technologies to create more unique, personalized creations that reflect individual students’ voices and emerging styles.
Young students also attend music daily and learn through group participation and experimentation. Beginning in Kindergarten and proceeding through Fourth Grade, students develop and improve musical skills in age-appropriate activities.
The Middle School art curriculum explores the formal issues of art through the investigation of color theory, composition, and the elements and principles of design. In addition to exploring and comparing artworks from different perspectives and cultural contexts, students are encouraged to develop their personal vision and technical abilities through experimentation with a wide variety of media. Problem solving, critical thinking and experimentation help to build a foundation for aesthetic thinking.
In the classroom and outside of formal studies, middle schoolers begin to build a lifelong appreciation for music and theater arts. Students are inspired to develop a passion for the arts, as they develop their critical thinking skills. In a nurturing environment, they are supported to take creative risks and express themselves. Fine Arts faculty are expert teachers and practitioners who inspire and push students to grow creatively as well as intellectually.
In Upper School, students supplement their academic coursework with electives that are designed to push them creatively. Among the offerings:
Outside of class, activities include:
Students often pursue their own creative endeavors outside of school, which have included forming their own rock bands, classical music competitions and submitting their creative writing to print and online outlets.
Research has shown that creative activities help stimulate the brain in ways that complement rigorous academic activity, and Keystone students succeed in both realms.