Music
Middle Grades
The music program at Clinton supports students with a range of previous musical knowledge and experiences. The goal is to provide students with a strong experience in the musical arts, both in composing and performing. There is a large emphasis throughout all three years on ear training, Kodaly hand signs and solfa, individual and group performance, and learning through listening, creating, and discussion. Each semester of music culminates in a concert where students perform original songs and play several instruments. This is a chance to give parents and families a small snapshot into our music classroom!
In 6th grade, students explore the history of American Folk Songs and the basic rules of rhythmic and melodic composition.
7th grade music is the study of diatonic harmony. Students spend their time in the music classroom playing chords on the piano and learning drum set. They study common chord progressions and the structures of modern popular music.
In 8th grade, students have an overview of Western Music History from Gregorian Chant to today’s radio. They follow the music history unit by learning Guitar!
Encourage your students to listen to all sorts of music and talk about it with them!
Visual Arts
Middle Grades
Middle Grade Arts is a comprehensive three year program designed to engage and encourage students to establish a lifelong relationship with the arts. Art is fun and accessible to all. Our arts curriculum is created in consideration with the New York City Blueprint for the Arts, The Common Core ELA and Literacy and the New York State Arts Standards. Throughout our program we explore the role of Arts in many cultures by studying International Artists, Artists of Color and Female Artists.
In 6th grades we establish fundamentals by creating consistent language and skills. In 7th grade we build on the previous years work to explore our personal relationship to The Arts. In 8th grade we explore our roles as Artists through a wide variety of mediums.
We are so lucky to live in New York City and have access to all the amazing high quality art institutions in the area. We love leaving the classroom and taking opportunities to experience these. Through our Whitney Museum partnership, every student visits the museum at least once per school year. We are often given opportunities to work with Whitney Artists in special programs linked to specific exhibitions.
One of our most recent projects was highlighted in a New York Times article from 2020.
Art and Design
9th grade
In Art and Design 9th grade students will explore different methods through which artists develop their artistic practices. Students will be encouraged to experiment, observe and reflect as they work with a variety of different materials. Each project will offer an opportunity to engage with sophisticated conceptual and compositional challenges. In order to supplement the art making process students will look at, discuss and write about other artists and their work.
Digital Photography
10th grade
Digital Photography students will be engaged in a rigorous yearlong quest to better understand the unique role that photos play in our understandings of ourselves, the world around us and of history. Students will be challenged to use their cameras to investigate ways that they can frame what they see to give it meaning to other viewers. Students will study the history of photography with the intention of better understanding contemporary uses of photography in art.
For a look at the 2018 – 2019 Photography slideshow.
IB Film
Standard Level or Higher Level
The IB Diploma Programme film course aims to develop students’ skills so that they become adept in both interpreting and making film texts.
Through the study and analysis of film texts and exercises in film-making, the course explores film history, theory and socio-economic background. The course develops students’ critical abilities, enabling them to appreciate the multiplicity of cultural and historical perspectives in film. To achieve an international understanding within the world of film, students are taught to consider film texts, theories and ideas from the points of view of different individuals, nations and cultures. Students also develop the professional and technical skills (including organizational skills) needed to express themselves creatively in film.
The course emphasizes the importance of working individually and as a member of a group. A challenge for students following this course is to become aware of their own perspectives and biases and to learn to respect those of others. This requires willingness to attempt to understand alternative views, to respect and appreciate cultural diversity, and to have an open and critical mind. Course description from official IB materials.
IB Visual Arts
Standard Level or Higher Level
The IB Diploma Programme visual arts course encourages students to challenge their own creative and cultural expectations and boundaries. It is a thought-provoking course in which students develop analytical skills in problem-solving and divergent thinking, while working towards technical proficiency and confidence as art-makers. In addition to exploring and comparing visual arts from different perspectives and in different contexts, students are expected to engage in, experiment with and critically reflect upon a wide range of contemporary practices and media. The course is designed for students who want to go on to study visual arts in higher education as well as for those who are seeking lifelong enrichment through visual arts.
The role of visual arts teachers should be to actively and carefully organize learning experiences for the students, directing their study to enable them to reach their potential and satisfy the demands of the course. Students should be empowered to become autonomous, informed and skilled visual artists. Course description from official IB materials.
