Speech
In seventh and eighth grades, students learn how to effectively organize, prepare, present, and critique both informal and formal speeches with confidence and poise. Our methodology is experiential; students learn by doing. We also include peer feedback in every session, so students learn to self-monitor and coach others. Homework consists of speech preparation—research, outlining, and rehearsals.
Drama
Keys students have many opportunities to develop and use dramatic skills. Lower school students use their imagination and voices to make puppets come to life. Reading groups act out stories and poems. Middle school students learn the basics of production and acting. Additionally, each class puts on an annual play, often a musical, with the assistance of teachers and the music director. In addition, the seventh and eighth graders put on two full-scale productions each year, one musical and one dramatic play. By the eighth grade, our students have partaken in the entire dramatic process – character development, acting, costume creation, set production, and lighting techniques.
Dance
The new dance program at Keys exposes students to the fun and physical benefits of coordinated movement. In the lower grades, dance is integrated into physical education, and it often ties in with subjects being studied in music, Spanish, and social studies. In middle school, dance is offered as a separate class, where students try out a variety of dance styles, including modern, classical, jazz, and hip hop.
Seventh Grade/ Eighth Grade
