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| The Upper School Play, Willy Wonka, Jr. |
At East Woods, the performing and visual arts are essential -- not peripheral -- to the school experience. Every student from Nursery through Ninth Grade has an enriched arts curriculum.
Music and Drama comprise the performing arts program. Music is part of the core curriculum from Nursery through Ninth Grade. Students sing together, play Orff instruments, learn how to read music and become familiar with musical composers, styles, traditions and instruments. Third graders learn to play recorders in preparation for playing a band instrument in the Fourth Grade. Band and Chorus are key components of the Upper School program.
Drama is introduced in the early grades in a classroom setting, as young children learn the elements of storytelling and creative dramatics. Students will perform in several major theatrical productions throughout their years at East Woods -- in Kindergarten, in Fifth Grade and every year thereafter in a Upper School (Sixth-Ninth Grade) Play. All students participate whether it be in acting, music production or stage design.
The visual arts program encourages students to express their creativity and explore a range of art mediums. Throughout the school on walls, on shelves and in classrooms, East Woods adventurous and exuberant art program is evident. In addition to integrating art in the classrooms with other disciplines, beginning in Kindergarten, students receive art instruction in an art studio. Upper School students develop skills in drawing, painting, ceramics, sculpture and print-making, and theatrical scenery.
Students in Third through Ninth Grade attend Industrial Arts classes where they gain experience with tools and techniques used in woodworking and other manual arts. In the lower grades emphasis is placed on developing eye-hand coordination and gaining proficiency with hand tools. Students in the upper grades learn to work safely with power tools to create elaborate projects such as musical instruments and rockets, work with electronic kids, and design and make brass and silver jewelry.