Children are, by nature, curious, creative beings and our arts program gives them time — and ample dedicated space — to explore creative expression.
Take a walk through the halls of Lower School and you’ll see and hear how much we value the arts in Lower School. The walls are adorned with projects made in the art rooms and voices of children singing or practicing a play can be heard in the hallways. We are especially proud of works made by our students in collaboration with visiting artists. Check out the lobby of Lower School – it’s also an art gallery.
Each grade has an opportunity to practice and engage with public speaking, age-appropriate plays, and/or public performances of units explored in class. Some projects in the past few years have included, presentations on The Rainforest, Spanish play of Los Mariachis, La Sombrilla, a poetry slam, living history museums, Aesops’s fables, and many others.
In Lower School, we believe that all children are innately musical and experience music in different ways. Primary Circle engages in musical play and explores simple musical descriptors for tempo and dynamics. First and second grade focus on creative movement, rhythmic pattern recognition, and the movement application of familiar patterns. Third through fifth grade engage in active music making on the recorder, small percussion ensembles, and the ukulele. Fourth and fifth grade may participate in the instrumental program by taking weekly group lessons and playing in an ensemble.
Students in Lower School engage in creativity, improvisation, singing, moving, and playing at all stages of their development. We possess a wide array of Orff, percussion, and classroom instruments. Although our program emphasizes process, it is important to share our work with our community, Students have opportunities to perform in small, familiar settings for their peers, and first through fifth graders perform in a culminating Lower School concert for a larger audience each spring.
The Lower School art program invites children to explore their creativity with joy, curiosity, and confidence. Rooted in the Teaching for Artistic Behavior (TAB) philosophy—which celebrates each child as an artist—our studios encourages students to follow their interests, make meaningful choices, and express their ideas in ways that feel authentic to them. With thoughtfully designed studio spaces and resources, children engage in open-ended investigations that spark wonder, nurture independence and perseverance, and inspire discovery across a wide range of media.
Our approach brings together several contemporary frameworks that support deep, creative learning. We draw from Project Zero’s Studio Habits of Mind, Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Reggio Emilia tradition of child-centered exploration. Together with TAB’s choice-based studio environment, these philosophies help us create an inviting space where every child feels empowered, capable, and excited to grow as an artist.
