This ceramics class is designed to develop skills of observation and artistic perception as well as advancing the students’ individual expression. The students will build confidence in their ability to solve problems of design and construction while learning to value the skills involved in the ceramic process. (A one-semester elective course for 8th grade students.)

Do you like to doodle? Do you find yourself drawing all over your homework and tests? This is the class for you! We’ll build on the fundamentals of drawing (line, composition, value, color) and develop technique (in perspective, observational drawing, and light and shadow). We’ll experiment, collaborate, play drawing games, and work to hone our personal style. We’ll use a wide range of materials (pencil, ink, pastel, etc.) and translate our drawings into printmaking, painting, and sculpture. (A one-year study hall exploration class for 7th and 8th grade students.)

In this course we'll look at filmmaking techniques, creating short film sequences that allow us to explore composition, lighting, editing, and visual effects. We'll also explore the use of a green screen, allowing us to use virtual locations as backdrops. By the end of the course students will have a solid understanding of the basic tools of movie-making and editing, and an appetite to further explore the possibilities that new technology has opened up to filmmakers. (A one-semester elective course for 8th grade students.)

This class is held in a state of the art TV studio, so students will learn the basic principles and techniques of shooting a multi-camera television production. Students will work in a collaborative environment and learn hands-on operation of studio and control room equipment including, cameras, switcher, character generator, teleprompter, audio mixer, video recorders, microphones, studio lighting and green screen techniques. All students will rotate through every position on set and will have the opportunity to act in each other’s projects in front of the camera, as well as direct from the control room. By the end of the course, each student will have a thorough understanding of the process of producing a TV show from start to finish. (A one-semester elective course for 8th grade students.)

Explore painting! In this class, students create still-lifes, portraits, landscapes, and abstract compositions using a variety of drawing and painting techniques. Learn to work from observation, sketches, source images, and your own imagination using two-dimensional wet and dry media such as pencil, ink, watercolor, and acrylic paint. Build on the fundamentals, develop your artistic voice, and practice the process of looking-at-and-thinking-about painting. No previous experience is necessary. (A one semester elective course for 8th grade students.)

Do you like to tinker, build, or make things with your hands? Experiment with ways of building in this sculpture class! We’ll learn the hand-building, glazing, and surface decoration techniques of ceramics as we make functional and sculptural clay pieces. We’ll experiment with different sculptural materials such as rigid (wood), plastic (ceramic clay, modeling clay, wire), and additives (plaster, paper mache). We’ll build the tallest freestanding structures and carve the smallest miniatures. We’ll make hanging sculptures, kinetic moving sculptures, and cast objects. We’ll experiment with forms in space (this is basically the broadest definition of sculpture there is) and have a lot of fun doing so. (A one-year study hall exploration class for 7th and 8th grade students.)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and in this elective, 8th graders will prove that there are compelling stories behind the photographs they take. While practicing basic digital photography techniques such as the rule of thirds, framing, perspective, and symmetry, students will capture the stories surrounding them as they build their own portfolios through a series of creative projects. We will explore the fundamentals of documentary and photojournalism with a tribute to a loved one and a series of portraits. On the narrative side, students will dive into the magic of films like Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Lego Movie as they create a stop motion movie. Then, after studying the mesmerizing images in children’s books like Knuffle Bunny and Bent Objects, students will set to work creating their own picture books to share with the elementary students. The only requirements for this class are a love of taking pictures, a sense of curiosity, and a desire to create. (A one semester elective course for 8th grade students.)