Arts

Lower School Arts

The Art Program exposes students to the basic concepts and vocabulary of art, enabling them to grow with each sequential art experience. Learning in the Music program takes place in an active, participatory setting using song, poetry, movement, instruments, and directed listening. For more detailed description visit our Teaching and Learning section under Lower School Curriculum, Specialists.

Visual Art

It is our goal that children share in the excitement art offers. Young children need exposure to basic concepts of art and art vocabulary to enable them to grow with each sequential art experience. Although kindergarten through fifth grade children work with many of the same materials, how they approach projects varies according to their past art experiences, motor skills and abilities.

We provide opportunities for children to express their ideas, to plan what they want to do and how they wish to do it. Often the projects have a problem solving aspect to them. Projects relate to children's experiences, imagination and observations and are often integrated with classroom studies. They work with a variety of materials and are encouraged to experiment with them to find out possibilities and limitations. The more they handle and become familiar with materials, the more free and confident they feel using them. We provide time for children to share their work with others and to critique the work in a positive way.

Music

In the Music Program, learning happens in an active-participatory setting: song, song games, speech rhythms, movement, instruments and directed listening. The Kodaly and Orff philosophies are the core of the Bush Lower School program. Students play a variety of percussion instruments including xylophones, metallophones, glockenspiels and drums, as well as Irish tin whistles (fourth grade) and recorders (fifth grade). Classes are child-centered environments incorporating concepts, skills and cultural context with a focus on the process of learning. Individual expression and discovery are balanced with group experiences as children develop music literacy.