Art Activities

The creative gifts of children flourish when they have an outlet for artistic expression. At Sunnybrook, every student has the opportunity to realize and develop his or her own creativity to it's fullest potential. The arts offer a gateway to understanding other cultures and perspectives in our international programme.

The IB Programme of Inquiry includes one unit each year that focuses on the arts, under the transdisciplinary theme 'How We Express Ourselves'. The arts are also incorporated into the other units as a means of facilitating learning and understanding. Through artistic expression learning comes alive in meaningful and creative ways.

Our new addition will have a wonderful art/drama studio, which will allow for a further expansion of learning in the visual arts and a venue for dramatic presentations.

Music

Music classes at Sunnybrook School are lively, enjoyable, and feature a balance of teaching and learning  approaches. Music is a performance art, and all music classes at Sunnybrook are focused on music making. As their musicianship grows, students develop musical literacy and deepen their understanding of musical concepts and ideas.

Rhythm and singing are the basis for the early years program at Sunnybrook School, and Orff instruments are used at every level. Students are encouraged to participate collaboratively in performance opportunities, as well as take risks in solo settings. Choral singing helps to develop ensemble skills, and performance enjoyment.

All students participate in two performances each year.

• The December concert is a choral event involving students from grades 1 - 6.
• The musical is the musical highlight of the year.
• Junior and Senior Kindergarten students give 2 concerts each year.

Our graduates leave Sunnybrook with a love of making and performing music, and have developed the skills to make the most of the band and/or strings programmes they will enjoy in middle school.

Music Theatre

Our spring musical is a highlight of every school year. Past performances include:

• The Sound of Music
• The Wind in the Willows
• Joseph
• Annie
• Willie Wonka
• The Wizard of Oz

Multi-Media Visual Arts

Creative expression is a part of all units of inquiry. During regular art classes students use art to express and respond to their learning. During other learning times, visual media are used in many ways as students present their thinking in visual ways. Our students are exposed to a variety of media in order to help them discover new and creative ways of demonstrating their ideas.

Drama and Public Speaking

Sunnybrook students are not shy to speak and express themselves in different scenarios. We expect our students to present their ideas and experiences to their peers from the beginning of Junior Kindergarten . As they grow through the grades they have numerous opportunities to speak before assemblies, to parents, and to prospective parents. Our grade 6 students are excellent ambassadors at our open houses.

Kids love to perform and we make sure they have lots of opportunities. In the classroom, students often use drama to present their knowledge to the class. Our French programme is based on the AIM method, which uses plays to teach French. Acting in the French plays is a large part of our drama programme. The musical is the highlight of our drama program.

Dance

Movement to music is a creative expression enjoyed by human beings throughout time. Whatever the style and the music, it is liberating to experience rhythm and music through movement. Dance as a form of expression is a part of the musical, the physical education programme and the AIM programme for French. We use every opportunity to incorporate dance in the Programme of Inquiry as well.