Magic and Light: Exploring Photographic Techniques

Discover the magic of the colors, textures, and patterns all around us as we create amazing works of art with natural materials! We explore nature’s chemistry by grinding pigments to paint with, layering landscapes into vibrant collages, transforming dried flowers into glowing sun catchers, and dyeing fabrics with botanical sun prints. Along the way, children find inspiration in Andy Goldsworthy’s stunning nature sculptures and Yayoi Kusama’s fantastical mushrooms. At the end of the week, we celebrate our creations in a student art show, sharing the rich colors, patterns, and wonders of nature that we captured in our art.

Discover how amazing our bodies are through art! Each day, we celebrate a new way our bodies move, feel, and express. We stretch and trace our outlines to create life-sized portraits, stamp handprints and footprints into colorful patterns, build clay models inspired by our bones, and paint swirling shapes that capture the energy of dance and play. We explore textures to spark our senses and create faces that show big feelings. Throughout the week, we use drawing, painting, and sculpture to see ourselves in exciting new ways—inside and out. At the end of the class, every child proudly shares artworks that celebrate the wonder of being uniquely them!

We celebrate bravery as young artists discover how powerful it can be to speak up, stand out, and care deeply. Each day, we explore the stories of historical figures who changed the world—not through conflict, but through courage, creativity, and compassion. We meet heroes like Joan of Arc, a young girl who led with strength and belief in herself; Harriet Tubman, who guided others to freedom in the darkness; and Guy Fawkes, who shows that people have always questioned unfair rules. We keep stories simple, visuals vibrant, and conversations open-ended, inviting children to connect with big ideas in ways that make sense for them. Through storytelling, movement, and hands-on art-making, children express their own bold ideas using a wide variety of materials, discovering that bravery isn’t just in history—it’s in all of us.