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1^st Grade Art develops fine-motor skills as students explore the fundamentals of line, color, form, composition, geometry, and drawing from observation.  Using artists’ books and prints of indigenous American and pre-Hispanic artifacts enriches visual vocabularies and awareness of the history of art and ideas.  Emphasis is on the learning-based experiential process.

1^st Grade Music students are involved in singing, rhythm echoes, instrument playing, listening and movement activities.  Children improvise with their voices and Orff instruments. Classes incorporate various topics studied in the classroom by using chants, songs, and dances to enhance learning.

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2^nd Grade Art students learn art history and the fundamentals of art through experimentation with materials such as clay, paint, collage, drawing, and printmaking. Our primary focus is on process versus product.

2^nd Grade Music utilizes songs of greater difficulty to expand and strengthen students’ vocal range. Children creatively explore time, shape, space, and force with a given form; and label and identify rhythmic values from earlier grades.  Tempo and meter are defined, as are basic time signatures. Proper vocal and instrumental techniques are emphasized through an age-appropriate repertoire. 

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3^rd Grade Art highlights interdisciplinary connections such as art and science, art and math, and art and humanities. It focuses on processes, techniques, and art history with intensive explorations in clay, collage, drawing, painting, and color theory; and exposure to the visual art of different cultures.

3^rd Grade Music students’ rhythmic vocabulary grows to include multiple notes/rests. Students experience instrumental and vocal repertoire as well as conducting patterns in different meters. Emphasis is on proper vocal and instrumental technique as students label treble clef lines and spaces and experience melodies with scale tones and hand signals. Both instrumental and vocal repertoire demonstrate phrases, interludes, extended forms, rondo form, accents, fermata, crescendo and diminuendo. 3^rd Graders may join the after-school Lower School Choir.

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4^th Grade Art highlights interdisciplinary connections such as art and science, art and math, and art and humanities. It focuses on processes, techniques, and art history with intensive explorations in clay, collage, drawing, painting, and color theory; and exposure to the visual art of different cultures.

4^th Grade Music studies based on five conceptual areas (rhythm, melody, harmony, form and timbre) spark creativity and higher-level thinking skills. Vocal repertoire in other languages is introduced as well as two and three-part ensemble singing. Students perform pieces using many different combinations of instruments, and create original dance and movement accompaniments to their instrumental and vocal pieces.   4^th Graders may join the after-school Lower School Choir.