Why Should I Join A Performing Arts Class?
The act of learning a musical instrument and participation in a quality group activity is vital to the success of each child. Our performing arts classes are offered as an opportunity for students to tap into unknown musical talent, to grow intellectually, and to make friends that will share a common bond with them all the way through high school.
As your child moves into middle school, it will be important for them to have a place to belong and a quality group of friends to associate with. The smartest, most talented and most dedicated students are in a performing arts class.
Many students are interested in joining, but are afraid that they don’t have the skills. There is no experience required to be in a music class. All you need is to have the ability to work hard and the desire to be successful. Ninety percent of the students that join have little to no experience in music. A majority of students don’t even need to know how to read music. All you have to do is give it your best effort and you will be taught the rest!
This class is open to all incoming students at Bear Valley. Students will be singing, learning how to read music, and performing in southwest Denver. Performances for choir have been at Bear Valley, Elitch Gardens and Kennedy High School. This is an intensive, performance based class with opportunity to move into the BVIS Performance Choir for 7th and 8th grade!
Band
This class is open to all beginners in 6th grade, and it is suggested that students have experience and/or are willing to come for extra help if they are beginners in 7th or 8th grade. Instruments include Trumpet, Trombone, Baritone, Saxophone, Clarinet, Tuba, Flute and percussion.
Orchestra
Students will learn a string instrument (Violin, Viola, Cello or String Bass). Performances will be held throughout the year and all beginners are welcome to join, no experience necessary! Orchestra will be held during tutoring hours 2 times every week (3:00-3:45).
Yeti to Shine
This is an entirely after school program that puts on two productions a year! By joining Yeti to Shine you will have the opportunity to audition, rehearse, and perform plays and musicals for the Southwest Denver community. We are a wonderful family of performers that can;t wait to find new talent for the 20-21 school year! Fall audition announcement will be posted in August.
Performing arts classes are not a requirement for all incoming students, however they offer a great experience for those who are interested in learning how to act, sing or play music! They will also fulfill some of the IB requirements at Bear Valley. IF you are interested in being in a performing arts class please click the link below!
The Visual Art program at Bear Valley supports all student’s art abilities in classes ranging from Introduction to Visual Art, up to Portfolio Development.Through exploration of concepts and materials, students will develop their own style and understanding of art and it’s connection in our visual culture. Students will work with a variety of areas from 2D watercolor, pastel, etc., to 3D ceramic, cardboard, paper mache, etc., to further their comprehension of abstracted concepts like identity and memory. Students who seek a future career in art are supported through Portfolio Development in which students are given further artistic direction to develop style, technique, and artistic voice.
In Wood Tech you will learn vital skills that you will use for the rest of your lives! These skills will include, but are not limited to: cutting, sanding, filing, nailing, and staining. Students that progress in the class are taught how to use various power tools and machines, which include: hand drills, orbital sanders, belt sanders, engravers, dremels, belt/disc sanders, oscillating sanders, drill press, scroll saw, band saw, table saw, and chop saw. After learning these skills, students are encouraged to design and construct a variety of different projects.
The Physical Education program provides each scholar with the opportunity to participate in a comprehensive program consisting of skill development, lead up games, team sports, and physical fitness activities. Scholars receive instruction in rules, skills, and strategies associated with the different sports as well as learning experiences involving physical conditioning activities. Scholars will also have opportunities to become involved in life-long physical activities through individual sport units. The program promotes the spirit of cooperation, leadership, fair play, and friendly competition.
Open to all grades and levels! Come learn the magic behind the theatre! This class will give you an all access pass to all aspects of the stage. We will create monologues, small group scenes, play improvisation games, and even learn some of the technical aspects of this wonderful craft. Drama will not only teach you to act – but also to be well spoken, confident, and to think fast on your feet! This class will be offered by trimester, but if you decide to stay for more than one cycle there will always be something new to learn! Outside performance opportunities will be provided and encouraged.
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, or STEM for short, is an Integrated Arts class where students will get the opportunity to explore a variety of STEM-related subject areas and learn skills that will support their academic growth in future. STEM is completely project-based, so students will get the chance to work in 6 different STEM fields: Circuitry, Software Engineering, Digital Communications, Computer Graphics, Mechanics and Structures, and Robotics. Using the IB design cycle, students will research, plan, create, and evaluate their projects in each field!
Watch Spongebob, learn trivia, write wacky stories, participate in cultural projects, or share your favorite hobbies. Spanish Language Acquisition is a face-paced and fun comprehensible input classroom. Comprehensible input means you participate by listening and show you understand through sign language, movement, and competitions. After a lot of practice, students start speaking and writing using the most important words. This is a research based approach. Spanish class is an opportunity to try learning in a different way. Let’s shake things up, and get excited to acquire Spanish!
English Language Development (ELD) class is designed to support our multilingual learners in developing their overall English fluency. In ELD, students work to grow their reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in English. Students who take this class with us are expected to develop the competencies to communicate appropriately, accurately and effectively in an increasing range of social, cultural and academic contexts. The goal of our language program is for all students to become fully bilingual.
This class is an opportunity for 7th and 8th grade students to participate in project based and independent learning, and advanced extensions for their core classes. This year our projects were: egg-drop, debates, independent study units, escape rooms, shark tank, and mock trial. Students get to help choose and design projects, and are always encouraged to work together and be creative! In addition to projects, we practice creative and divergent thinking using creative writing, brain teasers, riddles, puzzles, and more! For GT students with Advanced Learing Plans, the class is an opportunity to fulfil your plan requirements and to design what advanced learning should look like in your classes.
General Music
General music is similar to your music classes that you had when you were in elementary school. You will be learning how to read music, chords and play the guitar. Our activities will include performing music, analyzing music, and creating our own music! We will start from the very beginning so you don’t need to have any experience playing a musical instrument. There will be the possibility of playing music in front of others at school or after school concerts and events. By the time you leave this class you will have a basic understanding on how to play the guitar and read music.