Middle School Fine Arts
The Fine Arts program at St. Charles strives to bring the joy of music and art into the life of every child and to help each student develop a love and appreciation of the arts that will remain with them always.
Art Electives
The art room is a place that inspires a love of art. It is enhanced with reproductions of famous paintings, both classical and modern, and with the students’ own art work. A highly original note is supplied by the painted ceiling tiles that are the work of the eighth grade classes. These students have made their own very creditable reproductions of great works on plain tiles that now adorn the art room ceiling. Middle School students are required to take 1 art class.
Drawing: Students review the Principles and Elements of Design while completing a variety of projects. They will experiment with drawing media and processes.
Painting: Students review the Principles and Elements of Design with a focus on Color Theory. They will experiment with tempera, watercolor, and acrylic painting techniques during the semester.
Sculpture: Students use the Principles of Design to explore sculptural media. They learn how to plan for and create dynamic sculptures during the course of the semester.
Drawing: Students review the Principles and Elements of Design while completing a variety of projects. They will experiment with drawing media and processes.
Painting: Students review the Principles and Elements of Design with a focus on Color Theory. They will experiment with tempera, watercolor, and acrylic painting techniques during the semester.
Sculpture: Students use the Principles of Design to explore sculptural media. They learn how to plan for and create dynamic sculptures during the course of the semester.
Music Electives
Music is an extremely important and well-established part of our curriculum, not only for the richness it brings our school community, but because it builds a student's confidence. It is believed by many educators to be an aid in developing higher levels of reasoning, and teaches discipline and perseverance. It is also a key area in which many students come to recognize and develop their individual talents. In middle school, students are required to take 2 music electives.
Band: The middle school band is a combined group of 7th and 8th graders. During the semester, students continue to build skills developed in 6th grade band along with reading and performing music of greater depth and difficulty. They will continue to learn the techniques of their own chosen instrument.
Choir
Beginning Guitar: This is an introduction to playing the guitar using basic techniques - strumming/pick/finger picking. It focuses on musical concepts such as melody, harmony, rhythm, form, and notation (traditional and TAB) with music from the folk and popular traditions.
Hand Bell Choir
Music History
Music Technology: This course uses a web based recording and editing application to study how sound is recorded. Students will also learn different effects and common editing techniques. Projects include writing/creating their own music, editing/mastering music, and editing sound for a video.
Band: The middle school band is a combined group of 7th and 8th graders. During the semester, students continue to build skills developed in 6th grade band along with reading and performing music of greater depth and difficulty. They will continue to learn the techniques of their own chosen instrument.
Choir
Beginning Guitar: This is an introduction to playing the guitar using basic techniques - strumming/pick/finger picking. It focuses on musical concepts such as melody, harmony, rhythm, form, and notation (traditional and TAB) with music from the folk and popular traditions.
Hand Bell Choir
Music History
Music Technology: This course uses a web based recording and editing application to study how sound is recorded. Students will also learn different effects and common editing techniques. Projects include writing/creating their own music, editing/mastering music, and editing sound for a video.
