Fine Arts courses are offered in music, art and drama. Emphasis is placed on cultural, historical and aesthetic dimensions of artistic expression in an attempt to encourage a broad appreciation of each discipline and an interdisciplinary awareness. Opportunities for individual expression and hands on activities are an integral part of the curriculum.
We offer music and art elective classes for our elementary school students. Music will be integrated into the Reading and Social Studies curriculum of the school. Students will learn about musical forms as they occurred in the historical periods studied. These musical forms include, but are not limited to Folk Music, Symphony, Opera, Ballads and Multicultural music. Special emphasis will be placed on listening to and appreciating music from all historical periods as well as traditional American music, and music from specific cultures.
Art will be integrated into the Reading, Math, Science, and Social Studies curriculum. The artistic media will include, but are not limited to quilting, painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, weaving, metalworking, model building, tessellations, geometric art, and sewing. Their appreciation of art will be enhanced by the study of great artists of various disciplines, such as Impressionists, Realists, Transcendentalism, and the Old Masters.
Students will first learn to identify basic shapes, perceive inner structures of objects of art. While students learn a vocabulary with which to talk about art, they will learn about the important artistic organizing principles, such as repetition, patterns, theme and variation, shapes, symmetry, balance, color, line, texture, etc and how to apply these concepts to their own works of art. The idea is to awaken their perception to the great variety and functions of art in their surroundings and to see the underlying themes and common ideas among them. For example, students will compare and analyze the story telling of a piece of music with that of a piece of visual art and may write a poem in response to both. The fundamental organizing principles of visual, music and language arts will be used as a basis for a wide variety of hands-on activities that encourage students to find their own creative voice.
From basic drawing skills with pencil and charcoal to working with pastels, paints and mixed media, students are encouraged to develop skills and experience in self-expression while basing their beginning ideas on a variety of cultural models. During this process of working with various media, they are introduced to major styles of visual art from around the world in the context of culture, history and geography. They also study the achievements of great artists and the variety of Western European styles in art. This examination of great musical and visual artists helps them understand and exercise the value of critical thinking and inquiry. Seeing these artists and styles in their historical and cultural context deepens their appreciation of the arts, history and culture in general.
Strong emphasis is placed on the discipline involved in developing an idea from its beginning through the process of developing it into a piece of finished art. This multi-step process reinforces understanding the discipline needed to follow a series of steps toward a demanding goal. Completing this process provides students with greater skills in self-expression, more confidence, and multicultural awareness and appreciation of the arts.
In music appreciation students will study musical notation and rhythm, including creating, reading and performing rhythms and melody. Students will also listen to music from other countries such, Ghana, Zimbabwe, India, Indonesia, comparing and contrasting other methods of organizing the musical rhythmic and harmonic systems. Sixth grade students will study the variety of music in the United States; seventh grade will study more about music from other countries in more detail. Both will study the major historical periods of Western Classical music and corresponding visual arts styles.
Sonoran Science Academy requires that all students in 8th grade study drama. This is a year-long course that meets three times a week. Students learn the basics of acting with a strong emphasis placed on social awareness. Through improvisation, acting exercises and performing scripted works, students will learn to become skilled actors. The communications skills become stronger when students learn how to use their voices, bodies and personal expression to tell a story. A great deal of self-confidence will be gained by the end of the year, along with sensitivity to others. All students will act in a monologue, scene and one-act play.
Fine Arts courses are offered in music, art and drama. Emphasis will continue to be placed on cultural, historical and aesthetic dimensions of artistic expression in an attempt to encourage a broad appreciation of each discipline and an interdisciplinary awareness. Opportunities for individual expression and hands on activities will be an integral part of the curriculum.
The high school arts curriculum is designed to offer students a chance to develop advanced skills in the arts, gain a working familiarity with new technologies, and expand their multicultural arts appreciation. The high school arts curriculum is a choice of in-depth electives. The visual arts elective builds on the basics of drawing, painting and mixed media skills while students learn to use more recent technologies such as digital design, photography and animation. Students will become knowledgeable about major artists and genre and choose a major project.
Music students will learn rehearsal and performance techniques in order to perform a variety of repertoire and styles for a graded performance. Music theory students will learn basic Western European music theory and composition, arranging and alternative non-Western musical organizational systems. Theory students will be required, like the others, to produce a major work. Where possible, students will work collaboratively in preparation for post graduation. Emphasis is placed on a deeper understanding of professional arts standards and productivity.
Drama students will learn social awareness, as in middle school drama, but a strong emphasis will be placed on the art of acting. Students will be aware of the elements of acting immediately via a number of different exercises that also create a strong group dynamic. Students will learn the importance of focus, responsibility, awareness, listening and how they all relate to acting and everyday interactions. Drama students will learn how to develop a three dimensional character by definition of environment, activity, and relationship. Students will become skilled improvisational actors and will also perform a monologue , scene and full-length play.