Cultural+Arts+Program

Cultural Arts Programs
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= = The Cultural Arts Programs at Chester Elementary School are funded and organized by the Chester Elementary PTO, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. It is because of the combined efforts of our community of parents, teachers and administration, that we are able to provide our students with bi-disciplinary programs that enhance the classroom curriculum, offering memorable, enriching experiences, as a student body and at different grade levels. Cultural arts programs may include, but are not limited to, music, dance, drama, theater, creative writing, literature, architecture, painting, sculpture, folk arts, photography, crafts, public media, history, as well as, archaeological and natural science.

=**2017-2018 CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAMS AT CES**=

__**OCTOBER 2017 **__

(School-wide assembly)
 * [[image:empty-hands-music.png align="left"]]Nimo Patel from Empty Hands Music **
 * FREE! **

We are extremely excited and fortunate to welcome Nimo Patel, founder of //Empty Hands Music// to CES this fall!! //Empty Hands Music’s// mission is to spread seeds of goodness in the world through selfless service, music, and love. //Empty Hands// is a 501(c) (3) US-based non-profit, 100% gift offering with an intention to spread seeds of goodness through its music, events & sharings all across the world, as well as through its grassroots, arts-based service work from the Gandhi Ashram, for underprivileged children in the slums of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Our Music Teacher, Meg Gister, has been working directly with Nimo to create a full-day program focusing on shared values of **kindness, gratitude and giving**. All students will enjoy a school-wide performance of singing and stories, incorporating Nimo’s songs which they have already been singing in Meg’s classroom! Nimo will stay for a workshop with student leaders in 5th and 6th grades to discuss school initiatives and collaborate on developing ways to continue our work together. All of //Empty Hands Music’s// offerings are gifts, which means that Nimo Patel is visiting our school free of charge. If you’d like to learn more and consider supporting the cause, please do so here.



 (K, 4th & 6th Grades) Full Day Programs for 4-6th; Workshop for K
 * CT Audubon Society **


 * MAJORITY WAS PAID FOR BY THE KITCHINGS FOUNDATION GRANT! **

Award-winning science education program, //Science in Nature.// //Science in Nature// is a hands-on, standards-based, multidisciplinary program that engages elementary and middle school students in the practice of the scientific method, including observation and analysis using various scientific technologies, data synthesis and inference, and real-world problem-solving. Students have the unique opportunity to witness in nature the very biological and earth system processes they learn about in the classroom, enhancing comprehension of often difficult and abstract concepts. Ultimately, our goal is to improve your students’ scientific literacy and critical thinking skills while imparting a sense of conservation stewardship and a connection to the natural world.

Program Team, Design, and Evaluation: The Program Team will consist of school teachers and administrators and the CAS Education Team. The program design has a multisensory, hands-on approach and grouping practices to help students achieve success and mastery. Ideally, students will participate in multiple modules throughout the course of the school year: 1. Weather and Climate, 2. Geology 3. Adaptations, 4. Wetland Ecology and/or 5. Bird Ecology. Each module consists of a combination of 1 in-class unit at school and 1 field experience at our CAS Sanctuary. During each field experience, students will be provided a grade-appropriate science journal to record observations in various habitat types. Students will visit the same habitat types for all visits, providing them opportunities to compare and contrast throughout the seasons. As developmentally-appropriate, students will use a variety of scientific tools, including digital data recorders, anemometers, sensors and probe ware.

In line with the practices of the Next Generation Science Standards, CAS Teacher-Naturalists will also facilitate students’ use of models to explain phenomena, guide students through using their evidence to draw conclusions about the environment, and use their built knowledge to propose solutions to various environmental issues. Program evaluations will be based on the results of teacher surveys, student journals, pre- and post-tests, and teacher observations to ensure that virtually every student is successful. Teachers will be paired with a CAS Teacher-Naturalist who will provide program support throughout the school year. The Program Team will communicate regularly throughout the school year to discuss student evaluation results. At the end of the school year, the Program Team will meet to evaluate the overall program and modify objectives and design should assessment results demonstrate that to be necessary.



__**NOVEMBER 2017 **__

(4th Grade)
 * [[image:goodspeed.jpeg width="240" height="187" align="left"]]GoodSpeed Opera House Theatrical Workshop **

<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">A customized workshop from the professional at the GoodSpeed Opera House Educational Outreach department, developed to advise and encourage students on how to best put together their //Snow Day Play// in December. The first part of this comprehensive workshop provided students with insight into the history of American theater and how the Goodspeed has been an integral part, as well as all of the possible jobs one could have in the industry. The second half of the workshop was customized specifically for the children at CES and their upcoming work on this year's Snow Day Play. These guests provided guidance and encouragement through fun acting exercises. Students learned how to keep the show going, be active listeners, project voices and enunciate words, transition through scenes and most importantly, how to work together as a team. This year's play is sure to be great!!



__** JANUARY 2018 **__

<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">(5th Grade) 2-Day Program
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">[[image:thp-letterhead.jpg width="320" height="68" align="left"]]Treehouse Players **

<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> (thp) offers a variety of arts-integrated school workshops, aligned with state standards, that teach curriculum content through theatre, music, voice, and/or movement. Amy Forbes, thp teaching artist, collaborates with teachers to design, for content and grade level, engaging learning experiences that deepen students’ knowledge of the chosen curriculum focus. Amy utilizes dramatic tools such as improvisation, theatre games, and role-play, as well as song-writing, poetry, and creative movement, to lead students and teachers as they actively and creatively explore curriculum concepts. Through this process, students’ varying learning styles are addressed, they engage with content emotionally, and their literacy of the concept grows.

<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;">Amy Forbes is a professional actress, educator, storyteller, and teaching artist. Merging these professions, she ventured into the business world to found treehouse players and treehouse studio. In thp Amy combines her desire for children to nurture their creative spirits and self-esteem with her passion for drama, music, story, and dance. Through thp’s interactive story theatre, Amy is both storyteller and teaching artist, engaging players at libraries, schools, or in her weekly and weeklong theatre workshops. ths evolved from her 20+ years as a professional actress, singer, and music educator. Through ths she offers private coaching in voice, acting, and audition technique. Amy also teaches music and drama in preschools and directs school musicals, grades 5-8. As an equity (AEA) actress, Amy performed in NYC, on tour, in regional theatre, and locally at the Ivoryton Playhouse. Today, she loves taking on a strong role when it fits in her family’s schedule! Amy holds a B.S. in Music Education (theatre minor) and is a certified Music Together teacher. She lives in Deep River with her funny, creative, spirited children.

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__** FEBRUARY 2018 **__ =**<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Eshu Bumpus from CT Arts for Learning **= <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">(School-wide assembly, K-2 & 3-6) =Celebrating Black History Month!=

<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Master Teaching and the 2015 Arts for Learning Connecticut’s Teaching Artist of the Year, Eshu Bumpus, tells a selection of African and African-American stories in an atmosphere that encourages laughter, creativity and participation. Many stories include a musical element. Writing workshops give students a solid foundation in deconstructing and building their own folktale or story with rich detail.

//<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">African and African-American Tales //



=__** MARCH 2018 **__=


 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">[[image:Hartford-Stage-Education-Logo-264x200.jpg width="213" height="163" align="left"]]Hartford Stage Connections **<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">(1st, 2nd & 3rd Grades) 2 and 5-Day Residencies

<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">An in-school residency program that uses theatre techniques to strengthen reading comprehension and build excitement about reading. For two to five consecutive days, a Hartford Stage teaching artist visits a classroom to lead drama activities based on a work of literature chosen by the school. Through improvisation, role-play, dialogue, and other theatre techniques, students explore the context, plot and characters of the book, building prior knowledge, creating suspense, and encouraging empathy. At the end of the program, each student receives a copy of the book to keep and read. All Connections residencies engage students through theatre skills that are inherently active and collaborative, and reinforce grade-level Common Core Standards in Speaking and Listening/Comprehension and Collaboration.

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=__** APRIL 2018 **__=


 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">[[image:upperpond-farm.jpeg width="174" height="174" align="left"]]Upper Pond Farm **<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">(5th Grade)

An exciting 2-day visit at CES for 5th graders! Farmers Baylee and Quinn teach students the value of environmentalism and good food, as well as local, real-world applications of farming and the benefits of eating organically. They will also explain some of the ecologically based agricultural practices used on their farm in Old Lyme. Upper Pond is a sustainable vegetable farm on Sill Lane in Old Lyme, and on Beaver Brook Road in Lyme, Connecticut. Upper Pond Farm focuses on growing fresh annual vegetables, edible flowers, Microgreens, fruits and herbs for local markets.

<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">School-wide assemblies, K-2 (9:30am) & 3-6 (10:15am)
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">[[image:EWS-Logo5.png width="187" height="138" align="left"]]Essex Winter Series Classical Music Performance **
 * FREE! Tuesday, April 10 **

<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">As part of its robust outreach program, Essex Winter Series (EWS) brings highly accomplished musical artists to schools, senior residences, and community organizations in several Shoreline communities each year. THE QUODLIBET ENSEMBLE is a New York-based string chamber orchestra of young, dynamic artists presents a range of great music, from the Baroque to the modern day. After its debut in 2008, the Ensemble has since performed at the Shepherd Music Series in Collinsville, the Yale British Arts Center, and at Drew University in Madison, N.J. Quodlibet Ensemble made its New York debut in March 2016, followed by an appearance at Rockefeller University.



=__** MAY 2018 **__=

<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">(K and 6th Grades)
 * <span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">[[image:Owl-Scientist.jpg width="212" height="228" align="left"]]High Touch High Tech **

<span style="font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">High Touch High Tech delivers quality science activities for kids and we are excited to welcome their workshops into CES! These educational and enriching programs ignite a child's natural curiosity about science, and help to build problem-solving skills, self-esteem and the confidence to try something new. These programs also meet all state standards and enhance success on standardized tests. Our classes will enjoy non-stop, hands-on science fun in the Weather or Not workshop. In Weather or Not children learn about weather, as we take an up close and hands-on look at a real tornado. Watch as we make clouds and rain indoors. Discover all the amazing properties of air and air pressure. Touch lightning! Make the conditions change as we lift ice cubes with a string.