Lower School Hosts Evening with the Arts Event

Evening with the Arts is the culminating event of the fall program, where students have the opportunity to show friends and family what they have been working on. At the beginning of the school year, students chose which specialty they were going to participate in: Funtography, LEGO Robotics, Advanced Art, or Drama. Projects from each specialty were on display throughout the evening showcase, including two performances by Drama students. 

 

Students in Funtography began by learning the major elements of creating a powerful presentation with color, typography (font), design, balance, composition, contrast and harmony, layouts, and image. They made a variety of items that were compiled in their portfolios and were on display in the Maker Lab: avatars, business cards, bookmarks, book vending machines, Halloween Bingo Boards, Evening with the Arts invitations, and more. 

 

Vicki Dabrowka, who led Funtography this fall, loved seeing the creativity and imagination of her students. "As a teacher, it is always exciting seeing how one assignment can come out in a dozen different ways, full of each student's personality and their own vision," says Dabrowka. Students also got to both take and edit a myriad of photos, and many of these candid photos will be included in the 2023-2024 Lower School yearbook.

 

LEGO Robotics students had the opportunity to use new LEGO SPIKE Prime robotic sets, making building and programming LEGO robots smarter and faster. They built and programmed robots using these kits, making them walk, spin, follow lines, and stop when they met an obstacle in their way. Students used motors and sensors to add these behaviors and movements to their robots. They also completed challenges throughout the program's three units: Kickstart a Business, Life Hacks, and Competition Ready. These fully functional and moveable robots were displayed in the Science Lab during Evening with the Arts, with students demonstrating how they work to family and friends. 

 

Advanced Art students used their creativity to put together a mock dinner party for artists. Each student created a place setting for one famous, influential artist. The project began with research and a portrait of each student's chosen artist, and then they sculpted a dinner plate and drinking vessel, which were finished with brightly colored glazes. They also created an eating utensil and a placemat to round out their displays. 

 

Drama students worked hard on preparing for their performances of Aesop, Come Back! This play is a fun twist on the classic book Aesop’s Fables and features all of the characters students know and love: The Tortoise and the Hare, the Woodsmen and the Mermaids, the Lion and the Mouse, the Simpletons, and more. They performed two shows to packed houses in the Sivy Theater. 

 

For Lower School Head Cathy North, Evening with the Arts serves as a reminder of the many ways students at Severn can discover what matters to them. "Watching our fourth and fifth-grade students come together to create in their classes and perform on stage has been so rewarding," says North.  "Witnessing how students within and across Renaissance classes celebrated their work, cheered, and encouraged one another on and off the stage speaks volumes to their character, friendship, and love of learning. We are so proud of students' work in Renaissance this semester.”

 

Looking ahead: Fourth and fifth-grade students will choose from Advanced Art, Drama, Adventures in STEM, and Yearbook for their specialty classes for the Spring 2024 Renaissance Program.