Art

In lower grades (K-4), art activities are integrated into academic lessons. Two periods per week are allocated for art. Students use various materials in their cross-curricular projects, which enhance their learning.

Grades Five to Eight students have art classes one or two times a week. Students are introduced to pencil techniques of shading, sketching, 3-dimensional perspectives from the view of a worm, a human and a bird, and tone values. Then these techniques are repeated in color. This is followed by material exercises in paper, clay, acrylic, oil and canvas. Students are encouraged to go outside and observe their surroundings; they learn to draw pictures of still life. These techniques are taught at each grade level, and projects are assigned, the degree of sophistication depends on the age group.

Physical Education

Kindergarten through grade Two students have P.E classes with their homeroom teachers, and a Physical Education instructor teaches students in grades Three to Eight. Grades Three to Eight students are taught the same skills at appropriate age levels, twice a week. One period is devoted to games and the other to running. Students learn how to prepare for P.E by stretching and doing “warm up” exercises. They learn group sports: kickball, volleyball, basketball, flag football, and relays (running laps and passing a baton). They work on building their stamina by running and tracking their time.

The students work towards The Presidential Award. To qualify, students must do a set number of push-ups, sit-ups and a timed one-mile run. Students are also taught leadership and sportsmanship skills. They take turns leading the warm-up exercises and being captain of a team during class. They learn to cooperate with each other and appreciate everyone’s efforts.

Computer

GIS computer classes apply the technology standards of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). ISTE's basic logic is that to live, learn and work successfully in an increasingly complex and information-rich society, students must be able to use technology effectively. During Granada's computer classes, we strive to teach students to become:

• Confident information technology users
• Information seekers, analyzers, and evaluators
• Problem solvers when using technology
• Creative and effective users of technology tools for productivity
• Communicators, collaborators, publishers, and producers

Students from 1st to 8th grade receive lessons in digital citizenship, are fully proficient in the entire MS Office suite upon graduation, and are skillful web researchers and note takers. Middle school students complete projects in web design, basic programming of games, and/or webquests..