Summer at Stepping Stone School

During Stepping Stone School’s Summer Break Camp at The Brainery™, students will investigate their own unique Creative Genius while exploring the various art forms that inspire us. Each two-week session learning plan will focus on a different type of artistic expression, along with a leader in that art form. Campers will discover the potential opportunities open to them to become the creative geniuses of the future. Our camp offers six specialty camps in one place. All of our bi-weekly lesson plans are based on our unique Platinum Learning for Life™ curriculum, with S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) principals and projects incorporated to immerse your child in a whole-child adventure that nourishes their mind, body, and spirit. Swim Lessons are also available at most campuses.

June 4-15: Visual Arts

The leader of the Week-Michelangelo

Students will study the various mediums of visual arts which will include: painting, drawing, sculpture and photography.  The children will gain a deep understanding of these art forms which permeate our world from the masters of old to the celebrated modern artists.

June 18-29: The Stage

The leader of the Week-William Shakespeare

Theater and dance are two of the oldest art forms and this unit looks at their varied styles and histories to take an in-depth look at what makes them so unique.  The children will discover and participate in acting, dance, opera and other types of stage performances.

July 2-13: Literature

The leader of the Week-Maya Angelou

The pen has often been said to be mightier than the sword.  In this session, the children will explore all of the ways to use the written word to create something beautiful.  Students will investigate books, poems, illustration and even comics.

July 16-27: Music

The leader of the Week- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Music as an art form has undergone many changes over time.  In this unit, the children will discover the history of music and the many instruments that make it able to soothe the soul and bring out the best in humankind.

July 30-August 10: Film

The leader of the Week-Meryl Streep

Film is a relatively new art form when compared with the others.  However, there are many new and interesting techniques and ideas encompassed in its creation.  The children will participate in screenwriting, special effect, directing, and even writing reviews.

August 13-17: Mixed and Multi-Media Art

The leader of the Week- Pablo Picasso

This theme focuses on more recent art forms and introduces the children to the concept of joining the ideas they have learned throughout the summer.  They will explore the critical thinking side of art to discover new types of expression combining various art forms to create a new medium.

Entrepreneurism and Philanthropy

In addition to their gaining a wealth of knowledge of the arts, the campers will learn how to start and run a business, as well as the importance of giving back in our Young Entrepreneurs and Philanthropists™program.  Over the course of the summer, the children will build four separate businesses from the ground up.  The children will create a series of two lemonade stands, a baked goods shop and an arts and crafts store.  With each of these enterprises, the children will participate in all aspects of running the business, including delegating jobs (cashier, marketing, accounting, management, ), designing advertisements, cost analysis and of course, making and selling the product.  At the end of the summer, the children will be donating all of the proceeds to the Ronald McDonald House Charities.  To date, Stepping Stone School and our children have donated over $ 41,000.

Field Journeys and Professional Speakers

Not all of the fun is happening in the classroom either. Each week, your child will embark on 2-3 field journeys as they learn and explore a variety of interesting and educational topics.  The children will visit museums, restaurants, theaters, and a multitude of other fun and exciting locales.  In addition to the field journeys, this summer will also feature a continuation of Stepping Stone School’s unique Professional Speaker Series™.  With this series, students will visit one of our Children’s Conference Centers where they will listen to professionals in the art industry talk about their job and their expertise.  In this way, the campers are provided with a real-life connection to the things they are learning about in the classroom.

Extending the Learning

The fun and excitement (and learning) don’t have to stop once your child leaves for the day, there are lots of things that you can do at home to take part in the exploration of the arts.

• Sculpting is a form of the visual arts that is often forgotten. Sit down with your child and sculpt things out of clay or playdoh. If you don’t have any clay at home you can make your own with simple household ingredients.  Visit here for several different recipes for homemade clay.
• The extent to which you investigate the stage at home is only limited by your imagination. You can act out scenes from a family favorite movie or even sit down with your child and write your own story together.  If you have time, you could even make costumes together. You would be amazed by what you can make out of simple brown paper bags.
• Literature doesn’t have to be boring. Sit down with your child and write a story, but alternate who writes each sentence. This way the story will go through all kinds of interesting twists and turns.
• Making musical instruments together is a wonderful way to spend time with your child, not to mention the jam sessions after the instruments are made. Here is a list of musical instruments to make at home.
• You can analyze, compare and contrast film concepts with your children. A great way to explore movies more deeply is to watch one with the mindset of preparing a film review.  Look at the lighting, camera angles, sets, costume design, editing, etc. Discuss these concepts with your child and the work that goes into making a movie.
• A Kaleidoscope is an excellent example of mixed media art. Simple kaleidoscopes can be quite easy to make or you can opt to make a more advanced version.  To see three different types of Kaleidoscopes you can make with your child, click here.