Arts Education

Art curriculum at PS 10 is closely aligned to the New York City Blueprint for the Visual Arts. Mediums are introduced through explorations where students can identify the affordances and limitations of a particular material. Open-ended explorations scaffold student’s experiences towards a final piece that is worked on over the course of several weeks. Each unit is accompanied by a written reflection, and a sharing day at its conclusion.  All grades will work with the fundamental materials outlined by the Blueprint; painting, drawing, printmaking, collage, sculpture, and 2D graphic design. The themes, subjects, and skills introduced in each unit vary depending on class, and grade.

Arts education is a vital part of whole-child education at PS 10.  Here are some of the additional programs in which the students participate:

Brooklyn Conservatory of Music www.bqcm.org
Last year the 3rd grade participated in the Music Partners Recorder Program. During these classes, students learned the art of the recorder playing as well as musical concepts, including staff notation, rhythm and note values, scales and technique.  The grade played together in groups at a year end performance.

Carnegie Hall Link Up: The Orchestra Rocks  www.carnegiehall.org/education/link-up
The 4th and 5th graders discover how composers and musicians play with elements of rhythm, creating patterns of sound and silence that are expressive and exciting.  The students explore a range of orchestral repertoire, students will sing, play the recorder, compose music and perform in a culminating concert in Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium.

Metropolitan Opera Guild  www.metguild.org/schoolpartnerships
The entire student body participates in this program, which began in 2005 and started the arts renaissance at P.S. 10.  In this program, students use opera as an artistic exemplar to discover arts learning opportunities.  The teaching artists from the Guild connect classroom learning with libretto writing, music composition, staging, actin, singing, literary analysis and critical response; in addition, students have the opportunity to create, present and attend opera.  Each grade has a specialized program.

Music & The Brain
Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade students learn to read and play music through classroom piano instruction.  We are one of 115 NYC public schools who participate in this program by the 42nd Street Fund.  The grant includes equipment for a keyboard lab, materials and teacher training.  The ultimate goal is for the child to be comfortable with musical concepts and to reinforce strong listening skills.

National Dance Institute
Supported in 2012-2013 with a CASA grant from City Councilwoman Sara Gonzalez, this program for 4th and 5th grade students in an afterschool program focuses on the fundamentals of dance and honing their critical and creative thinking skills.

Holiday Performance
The 4th and 5th grades work together to create an uplifting, engaging holiday show that contains a positive message. Using popular music, she teaches children how to use healthy vocal production to feel confident and empowered in their bodies while “having a blast performing!” Students use choral style to sing together and learn melody and harmony concepts while connecting music and movement.