Clayburn Middle boasts an outstanding Explorations program for all
students in grades 6-8. During rotating 10-week terms, students attend
Explorations classes for one hour, every second day. Students receive
hands-on experience and training in four curricular fields: Digital
Visual Arts, Technology Education, Music and Home Economics. Whether
they are creating a stop-motion animation, etching glass, composing
their own movie soundtrack, or sewing a pair of boxer shorts, students will be engaged in exciting activities using the latest technologies and
skills.
Digital Visual Arts
The focus of Digital Visual Arts (DVA) is to teach students to communicate visually. We choose to provide digital art because Photoshop, photography, and film are very accessible and relevant art forms for students who live in the digital age. A child who may not be able to draw, paint or sculpt, may be more comfortable and successful expressing themselves using digital media. Software programs today also make it possible for students to create very high quality images that they can be proud of and easily share online with an authentic audience. In class, we ponder the questions, "How can I communicate visually? How can I use visual symbols and metaphors to communicate? How can I make this say something about who I am?" In grade six, students learn the basics of Photoshop and graphic design. In grade seven, we study digital photography and build on the skills they have already learned to create photo art, including designing original movie posters. In grade eight, students use video and animation as their medium. Some student projects are available to view on our DVA YouTube channel. For a closer look at how the class works, please check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpQ0rczEEuc.
The Music Exploratory Program is designed to inspire in students a life-long love for music. The program has two key goals - to build basic music performance skills and to develop an appreciation for the important role music plays in our everyday lives. Throughout grades 6-8, students will progressively develop basic piano / keyboard skills. Technology also plays an important part in the class. The music room is equipped with iMac computers that enable students to compose music, create radio shows, and do research on various styles of music. This year I will be piloting the use of iPads in the music program, mainly to provide enrichment activities for advanced performance. An example of this is plugging electric guitars into the iPad to learn basic chording in genres such as rock, metal, and funk.
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