The Arts
Creativity at Kent
The Middle School schedule is designed so students have arts (music, art, drama) in a concentrated block of time. Students will take Music for six weeks before moving onto Art for six weeks and so on throughout the year. This block allows students and teachers to become fully engaged in projects and allows students to concentrate on completing a piece or mastering a technique.
Art
- In fifth grade art, students concentrate on the Impressionistic Period, copying techniques using acrylic, pastel, and clay. In the spring, the curriculum is based around Colonial art.
- Sixth grade art students study the principles and elements of design, create Op art, learn the proper proportions of the human form through life drawing, and concentrate on print making.
- In seventh grade, students concentrate on painting techniques that focus on color theory and value. The students then create the backdrop for the spring musical.
- Eighth grade students focus on 20th Century Artist, graphics, and clay. They end the year painting their legacy block.
Drama
- In drama, fifth grade students learn rhythmic movements and explore sensory awareness through team-building activities, pantomime and expression exercises.
- In the sixth grade drama class, students explore character building and plot through visualizations, group skits and solo improvisations. They also perform a play in conjunction with their language arts studies.
- In seventh grade drama, students hone acting skills such as observation and concentration through strategy exercises and theatre games.
- The eighth grade explores character and movement in depth by reading through and acting out various scripts. In the spring, they audition for parts, and then rehearse the 8th grade musical, which is performed on the second weekend in May.
Music
- In the fall, fifth grade students learn the fundamentals of guitar playing. In the spring, they learn colonial songs and dances, and continue their musical studies in connection with their colonial history curriculum.
- In sixth grade, students study music theory and analysis, then in the spring they sing 19th century songs, dance and play instruments to connect music studies with their Civil War curriculum.
- Seventh graders spend a block immersed in music appreciation, then in the spring they study world music by singing, dancing and playing instruments, connecting to their geography studies.
- Eighth grade students enhance their 20th century history work by studying American roots music. Then in the spring, they learn the music for the annual 8th grade Spring Musical.
