Music, Drama, and Movement

Since the beginning of third quarter, our pre-k students have been continuing to build strong listening skills in music, drama, and movement by learning how to follow musical cues with their bodies. One favorite activity has been "Seven Jumps", a wonderful musical piece that allows students to tell a story through movement while practicing focus, balance, and using their impressive sponge-like memories to remember each new step. Pre-k students have also been shining during our yoga work, demonstrating amazing concentration as they recall the names and shapes of many different yoga poses. It is always a joy to work with this playful, energetic group of movers and musicians!

Since the beginning of our third term, fifth graders have been hard at work preparing for their upcoming Greek mythology performance in music, drama, and movement! Students have been learning lines, songs, and solos while building confidence, projection, and strong ensemble skills. We have been using improvisational games to dig deeper into character development, helping students bring humor, emotion, and personality to their roles. Recently, we’ve begun adding choreography and staging to our musical numbers, bringing even more energy, drama, and excitement to the show. The students’ focus and dedication have been truly impressive, and it is shaping up to be a spectacular performance!    

Since the beginning of our third term, second graders have been exploring creativity, teamwork, and performance skills in music, drama, and movement! Students have been working on small-group improvisational scenes called "fractured fairytales,” where they retell familiar fairytales with imaginative twists, practicing collaboration, quick thinking, and expressive acting. They have also been performing two-person fantasy scenes using scripts, building confidence with speaking roles, character development, and stage presence while sharing their work with classmates. In addition, we’ve been having a great time with "orchestra of emotions,” a favorite activity in which students learn to conduct a group of emotional musicians, using movement and dramatic expression to lead the ensemble through different moods and feelings. Second graders have brought wonderful energy, humor, and creativity to all of this exciting work!

Since the beginning of our third term, kindergarten students have been diving into exciting work in music, drama and movement! We have been practicing how to listen closely to music and respond to musical cues with specific types of movement - using tempo, mood, and changes in the music to guide our bodies. Students have also been building their acting skills through a favorite drama activity, “pass the expression,” where they explore creative ways to show emotions using their faces, voices, and whole bodies. Most recently, kindergarteners have begun learning songs and lines for their upcoming grade-level performance, and they are doing a wonderful job working together, practicing focus, and bringing big energy and expression to the stage!

Over the past month in fourth-grade music, drama, and movement, students have continued their creative momentum following their stellar and delightful performance in If I Ever Knew 2. In music, they have learned to play "Three Little Birds" on the ukulele and explored group percussion using stones and body percussion, focusing on ensemble awareness and rhythmic cooperation. In drama, students have begun writing Frog and Toad scenes to share with their younger “buddy” classes, thoughtfully considering character, clarity, and audience. They have also continued to dive into dramatic improvisation - always a favorite - building confidence, imagination, and expressive storytelling skills. Fourth graders are showing wonderful focus, creativity, and generosity as artists and mentors.

Over the past month in first-grade music, drama, and movement, students have been building strong musical and dramatic foundations through active, hands-on learning. We’ve been learning rhythmic syllables such as "ta" and "ti-ti" and connecting them to their corresponding musical notation, helping students understand how rhythms look, sound, and feel. Students have also been strengthening their listening skills by carefully following musical cues—starting, stopping, and changing movements or sounds in response to the music. In drama activities, we’ve continued exploring expressive storytelling through improvisational games that encourage creativity, focus, and collaboration. These experiences support musical literacy while helping students grow in confidence, imagination, and expressive communication.