The Arts at BCD

The Arts are an integral part of BCD’s curriculum from Kindergarten through Grade 9. We provide rich opportunities for every student to participate in creative work in the visual and performing arts.

Students are introduced to Music and Art starting in Preschool. In Music class, the focus is on listening, dancing, simple instrumental work and singing. In Art, students are introduced to a variety of tools and media to explore their own creativity and develop fine motor skills.

In Lower School, starting in Kindergarten, students receive two periods a week of both Music and Art. In Music, students are introduced to simple rhythmic concepts and notation, and participate in the Lower School Chorus. Art classes concentrate on personal exploration of expression and mediums. Students learn to paint, draw, sculpt and build using materials from watercolor to clay, with an array of age appropriate mediums. Art class is supplemented by classroom activities that provide a wide variety of art experiences designed to stimulate creativity and encourage personal expression.

In Middle School, students not only create but learn the principles of art and how to reflect on artwork; art history is taught peripherally through the study of individual artists, movements in art, slides and videos, and reproductions. The Middle School Music program provides an opportunity for all students to become actively involved in four basic areas of musical experience: creating, performing, listening, and history.

In Upper School, students are introduced to a range of advanced artistic mediums such as photography, graphic design, vocal ensemble, Caribbean music, electronic music, acting, and digital filmmaking as part of the Arts Block. Through the Arts Block, students are offered a unique opportunity to broaden their artistic horizons by experimenting in new mediums and to advance areas of personal interest.

Studio Art

  • Art begins in Pre-kindergarten and is an integral part of the curriculum through Grade 9.
  • The Studio Arts Department strives to provide the time, place, materials and instruction to allow every student to experience the power and joy of creation.
  • Students gain hands-on familiarity with a variety of media, including but not limited to, paint­ing, mosaics, photography, and printmaking.

Theater

  • The theater program at BCD exposes students in Grades 1–9 to the ancient tradition of live theater through workshops and production.
  • Grade 1-3 students each take one trimester of theater three times a week. The class consists of theater games and exercises increasing self-awareness and introducing them to theatrical concepts. It culminates in a performance demon­stration for peers and parents.
  • Grade 4-5 students each have theater workshops during the year exploring acting skill and developing their strengths as individual creative artists.
  • Upper School students have the opportunity to work in scripted and original plays produced at BCD’s Winthrop Theater, as well as participate in the digital film program, creating and editing their own short films and a collaborate full length film.

Film

  • All Upper School performances and screenings will take place at the Winthrop Theatre.
  • There is a small digital film production in the spring. Students write a screenplay through a collaborative process that includes ideas from all participants. They then set about producing the project, learning about acting for film, camera work, continuity, editing, and more.

Shop

  • Shop is another aspect of BCD’s mission to teach the whole child. It provides an opportunity for children to learn to create pieces of art using tools.
  • Shop is a subject for Grades 4 through 9.
  • Students will work in wood, stained glass, and clay.
  • In the Shop program, age appropriateness is directly related to the machinery the students are allowed to operate. As the students mature, they are given more responsibility, whether it is a new tool they may operate or a piece of machinery they can use without assistance or supervision.
  • The pottery portion of the program is designed to build on the students’ skills as they are mastered individually.
  • The Shop program focuses on the use of hand and portable power tools to create items from stepstools to birdhouses.

Graphic Design

  • Graphic Design classes are offered to Upper School Grades 7 through 9.
  •  The primary objective in this class is to expose students to the exciting realm of visual commu­nication in the world around them. As a form of communication, principles of design that govern effective communication are explored.
  • Students become familiar with the Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop, Illlustrator, and InDesign.
  • In class assignments are chosen from a range of projects that graphic designers handle on a daily basis, including logo design, letterhead layout, poster design, and t-shirt design.
  • Yearbook is a course offered to Grades 8 and 9. In this course, principles of design and layout are applied to the creation of the school’s annual yearbook, The Penguin.
  • Students learn the finer points of collaboration and will have the opportunity to participate under the titles of Project Manager, Art Director, Pho­tographer, Designer and/or Copy Writer.