Specials

Music classes at Carroll Creek strive to bring global awareness to students through song, dance, and instrumentation in conjunction with the school wide practice of continent study. Students have many opportunities to play authentic, indigenous instruments and sing songs in many languages. There is a prominent focus on Latin percussion and traditional Spanish repertoire.

Students K-8 participate in music lessons several times a week that employ the Kodaly, Orff, and World Drumming methods. Kindergarten music focuses on building beginner singing skills to include simple Curwen hand signs and solfeggio syllables, exploring various hand percussion and rhythm instruments, engaging in creative movement and patterned dances, and learning foundational skills and concepts such as steady beat, dynamics, tempo, and pitch. The traditional Montessori Bell lessons are also used to build students’ aural and vocal skills.

Lower Elementary classes solfeggio singing expands to 1 ½ octaves, round and partner song singing, reading and performing simple musical notation on treble clef, instrument family study, singing games, and partner/small group dances. Classes also begin studying articulation of instruments and musical
form.

Upper Elementary students read, write, and perform intricate and syncopated rhythm patterns from around the world, learn to play the recorder, read and perform multiple part music scores, and analyze various music forms in conjunction with studying the European classical periods of music.

Middle School students can choose to participate in small group and Independent study on guitar, keyboard, ukulele, and mandolin and study various genres such as Opera, Musicals, Jazz, Blues, Rock, and Pop. Students can also explore foundational skills in Drama and theatre performance.

Carroll Creek currently has two performing ensembles: Elementary grades 3-5 focuses on beginner choral skills involving 2-part harmonies and beginner accompaniment patterns on various percussion, while the Middle School (grades 6-8) ensemble involves more solo singing and student accompaniment, including percussion. Performances are twice a year.

“If we try to think back to the dim and distant past… what is it that helps us reconstruct those times, and to picture the lives of those who lived in them? It is their art… It is thanks to the hand, the companion of the mind, that civilization has arisen.”
—Maria Montessori, The Absorbent Mind

In art, it is the process not the product that is important to the child.

Art classes at Carroll Creek provide a way for children to express themselves, communicate their feelings, and develop their fine motor skills. The art classroom is an inspiring space that provides open-ended art activities that help children explore and use their creativity. Each year, a variety of mediums are introduced including drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, weaving, and bookbinding. Children have a chance to choose their medium and approach to projects and work independently in the drawing, painting, and collage centers. Art history is an important component of the art program. School-wide continent studies are supported as the children learn about artists and movements from each continent. Children also learn to identify and write all art vocabulary in both English and Spanish.

The CCM Art Gallery provides Middle School students with the opportunity to gain experience in maintaining an art gallery space as they prepare, hang, and present student art exhibitions throughout the year.

At Carroll Creek the aim for each student is that, through art making, they become problem solvers, and independent, articulate, informed, compassionate, creative thinkers with a cultural awareness, kinesthetic practice, and evaluative skills.

Lisa Reed, our art teacher, has created a blog to allow the community to see and learn about what the children at Carroll Creek Montessori Public Charter School are creating in art class.

The blog includes both works of our primary and lower elementary students.  Additionally, there are art links for parents to follow.

http://artccmpcs.blogspot.com/

The goal of physical education at Carroll Creek is to give students the opportunity to explore and advance the physical abilities of their body. Students engage in a variety of sports and physical activities during class, both individually and as a group. Physical education is always a safe and positive environment for students to take part in daily physical activities. Students are always encouraged to remain healthy and active for the rest of their lives.