Arts Activities

Spring Musical: The musical is a one-term mainstage, process-to-production experience. Students are cast through acting, dancing and singing auditions. The cast works throughout the rehearsal process to bring the play to fruition using music, dance and character development to tell the story, alongside the technical theater and costuming students. Placing equal focus on the process as well as the product, students build collaboration, creative problem solving, empathy, and leadership skills as well as performance skills. Students entering this process should be highly motivated and interested in an intense and exciting experience that requires a great deal of commitment.  Rehearsals are each day from 3:45pm-5:30pm. In the weeks leading up to the performances, Saturday rehearsals are added as well as late rehearsals ending at 6:30pm the week before the show, 9:00pm the week of the show, and later into the evening for the actual performances. Past shows have included In The Heights, Hairspray, Rent, and Dreamgirls. This activity counts towards the fitness requirement. Participation in the play will be confirmed following auditions. Spring Musical - Technical Theater: Spring Tech Theater is a one-term, production-based activity where students practice Technical Theater skills related to the public performance of the Spring Musical Activity at Beaver. This activity is open to both experienced and inexperienced technicians; it includes on-the-job training which prepares students to take on necessary challenges. Technical theater roles may include stage management, run crew, set, props, lighting, projection, and sound production. Students entering this activity should be highly motivated and interested in an intense and exciting experience that requires a great deal of commitment. Spring Tech Theater offers dedicated students a chance to build essential skills such as effective communication, problem solving, organization, iteration, and leadership. Past shows have included flown scenery, turntables, projection mapping, sculpture, prop building, and textured scenic painting techniques.  Spring Tech meets each day from 3:45pm-5:30pm. In the weeks leading up to the performances, Saturday rehearsals are added as well as late rehearsals ending at 6:30pm the week before the show, 9:00pm the week of the show, and later into the evening for the actual performances. Based on the size of the crew and production needs of the play, participation will be confirmed during the first week of the term. Spring Musical - Costume Construction and Design: Spring Costume Construction and Design is a one-term, production-based activity related to the public performance of the Spring Musical Activity at Beaver. The term begins by focusing on script and character analysis to inform the design and construction process and then students bring the play to fruition alongside the performers and technical theater students. Past projects have included pattern making, construction, fabric painting, jewelry making, and hair and make-up design and execution. Students entering this activity should be highly motivated and interested in an intense and exciting experience that requires a great deal of commitment.  Spring Costume Construction and Design meets each day from 3:45pm-5:30pm. In the weeks leading up to the performances, Saturday rehearsals are added as well as late rehearsals ending at 6:30pm the week before the show, 9:00pm the week of the show, and later into the evening for the actual performances.  Visual Art Workshop: Visual Arts Workshop is a place for all student artists to explore their own creativity and find new ideas and techniques. Through instruction and peer feedback, students will hone their existing artistic skills while being introduced to a range of themes and concepts. There will be opportunities for directed peer critique for those that are ready for intense constructive dialogue. Students will also have an option to formally display their work on campus. Meets in the McElwain Studio, Monday through Friday 3:45 - 5:00 pm.

Arts Activities

Winter Play - Experimental Theater Project: The Experimental Theater Project is a workshop style, student-driven process, exploring various theater styles and immersing students in the experience of creating a piece of theater. Recent topics have included Theater of The Oppressed, Comedia del Arte, Neofuturist, Immersion Theater and Radio Plays. In this unique theatrical experience, plays may be devised or taken from source material. The term culminates in three public performances. Placing equal focus on the process as well as the product, students build collaboration, creative problem solving, empathy, and leadership skills as well as performance skills. Students entering this process should be highly motivated and interested in an intense and exciting experience that requires a great deal of commitment and collaboration.  Rehearsals are each day from 3:45pm-5:30pm. In the weeks leading up to the performances, Saturday rehearsals are added as well as late rehearsals ending at 6:30pm the week before the show, 9:00pm the week of the show, and later into the evening for the actual performances. Past projects have included The Boal Project, 30 plays in 60 minutes and The Arte of Comedy. Participation in the play will be confirmed following auditions. Advanced Theater - Technical Theater: Winter Tech Theater is a one-term, production-based activity where students practice Technical Theater skills while working on the Advanced Theater Production. This activity is open to both experienced and inexperienced technicians; it includes on-the-job training which prepares students to take on design, production, and devising challenges. Technical theater roles may include stage management, run crew, set, props, lighting, projection, and sound production. Winter Tech Theater offers dedicated students a chance to build essential skills such as effective communication, problem solving, organization, iteration, and leadership. Students entering this activity should be highly motivated and interested in an intense and exciting experience that requires a great deal of commitment. Winter Tech meets each day from 3:45pm-5:30pm. In the weeks leading up to the performances, Saturday rehearsals are added as well as late rehearsals ending at 6:30pm the week before the show, 9:00pm the week of the show, and later into the evening for the actual performances. Based on the size of the crew and production needs of the play, participation will be confirmed during the first week of the term. Advanced Theater & Winter Musical - Costume Construction and Design: This is a one-term, production-based activity where students practice costume design and construction skills while working on the Advanced Theater Play and the Middle School Musical. The term begins by focusing on script and character analysis to inform the design and construction process and then students bring the play to fruition alongside the performers and technical theater students. Past projects have included pattern making, construction, fabric painting, jewelry making, and hair and make-up design and execution. Students entering this activity should be highly motivated and interested in an intense and exciting experience that requires a great deal of commitment.  This activity meets each day from 3:45pm-5:30pm. In the weeks leading up to the performances, Saturday rehearsals are added as well as late rehearsals ending at 6:30pm the week before the show, 9:00pm the week of the show, and later into the evening for the actual performances.  Dance: This activity is open to all students, from the novice to the advanced dancer, who are interested in exploring dance through a variety of styles including (but not limited to) Jazz, Funk, Musical Theater, Modern, and Latin dance. In this workshop-style class, dance skills will be practiced and key performance concepts will be discussed. The daily routine will include warm-up and stretch and movement drills with a focus on improving coordination, balance, efficiency, strength, flexibility and rhythm. Performance routines will be developed over the course of the term. This activity meets daily from 3:45pm-5pm and counts towards the fitness requirement. Visual Art Workshop: Visual Arts Workshop is a place for all student artists to explore their own creativity and find new ideas and techniques. Through instruction and peer feedback, students will hone their existing artistic skills while being introduced to a range of themes and concepts. There will be opportunities for directed peer critique for those that are ready for intense constructive dialogue. Students will also have an option to formally display their work on campus. Meets in the McElwain Studio, Monday through Friday 3:45 - 5:00 pm.

Arabic Introduction to Conversation and Storytelling

In Intro to Arabic, students learn the alphabet as well as the following vocabulary: family, school, furniture, numbers, adjectives, prepositions, country and city vocab and colors. Students work on collaborative projects which include videos, songs and skits. By the end of the year, students can describe themselves, their families, friends and home using written and spoken Arabic. Unlike our other languages, we do not have a full 3-year program in Arabic. This means that Intro to Arabic is open to any student, but only students who have fulfilled their language requirement may take Arabic as their only language class.

A Cappella Foundations

A Cappella Foundations is a vocal ensemble that will introduce students to the fundamentals of a cappella singing, including vocal technique, music literacy, and artistic expression. In a cappella music, everything you hear is made using only the human voice—no instruments—through harmony, vocal technique, and beatboxing-style vocal percussion. They will also cultivate a working knowledge of fundamental music theory and explore the wider cultural context of the repertoire they study. Throughout the course, students will learn how to listen for tuning and ensemble blend during rehearsal. The aim of the course is to develop confident musicians and prepare for a public concert at the end of the term. Weekly individual voice lessons are not required but are available on campus to students for an additional fee. Students who are on financial aid at Beaver have the same percentage of aid applied to their private music lessons. Students interested in taking more than one art class should reach out to the registrar or the Head of Performing Arts to discuss possible options. One Term Course Prerequisite: No prerequisite

Engineering Applications – Robotics

Inspired by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission, this robotics course challenges students to design, build, and justify a robotic system under real-world constraints. Students learn not just how to build robots, but how engineers think—balancing budgets, managing risk, learning from failure, and communicating technical ideas. The course emphasizes problem-solving, resilience, and collaboration, culminating in a mission-style final challenge that mirrors how real space missions are designed and executed. Do not take this course if you plan to attend NuVu. Prerequisites: Physics Applications: Engineering or departmental permission.

Biology Foundations – The Structure & Function of Human Life

From the use of antibiotics to the evolution of skin color, this survey course applies the concepts of biology to the real and changing world around us. This course gives students the opportunity to learn about the fundamentals of life, from the evolution of homo sapiens down to the microscopic viruses that invade us. This course focuses on a deeper understanding of the biological concepts of biochemistry, cellular biology, genetics, and evolution while further developing lab skills, data analysis, inferences and reasoning, scientific writing, and presentation skills. Collaborative and independent research projects have students incorporate strategies to process and more deeply understand complex biological concepts and how they play out over time. Prerequisites: Chemistry Foundations. Honors section with departmental permission.

Chemistry Foundations – Atoms and Reactions

Chemistry Foundations covers essential core content while providing hands-on opportunities for students to learn how to think like a chemist. Students learn to use the language of chemistry to describe physical and chemical changes in matter. They explore atomic structure and theory, ionic and covalent bonding, and the structure and organization of the Periodic Table in order to understand how atoms function both individually and when bonded together. In addition, students will examine the nature of chemical reactions in theory and in practice. Students investigate environmental chemistry and pollution while applying it to issues of injustice in the US through an independent research project. Students further develop skills around conducting labs, scientific research, synthesis in scientific writing, and creating formal scientific posters.  Prerequisites: Physics Foundations and Physics Applications -Engineering (previously Conceptual Physics) or departmental permission. Honors section with departmental permission.

Chinese Advanced

In Advanced Chinese, students will continue to develop their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. At this level, students have greater autonomy with the language and are encouraged to use it creatively and authentically. Grammar is studied incrementally through storytelling as functional chunks for meaningful communication. Vocabulary is practiced in a thematic and communicative way, and the topics that are discussed include: dining, shopping, asking for and giving directions, and expressing opinions. Students will study the culture and diversity of the Chinese-speaking world in the form of culturally rich images, videos, music, and some authentic texts. Audio and video materials, computer software, games, projects, skits and presentations foster student interaction and participation. Prerequisites: Demonstration of mastery of Intermediate Chinese skills. Departmental RecommendationRequired. Course topics are briefly outlined below. Health & Environment: Students will explore topics including individuals’ well-being, exercise, nutrition, access to healthcare, and the interrelationships between human activity and the natural environment. They will put their learning into practice by doing a research and design project. Learning Chinese Through Media: Through various sources of Chinese media including authentic images and a movie, students will learn to compare and contrast their high school experience with high school life in China and create meaningful learning material for other Chinese learners at Beaver and beyond. Students will also gain more understanding of regional cultural differences in Chinese speaking areas.

Spanish Advanced

Prerequisites: Demonstration of mastery of Intermediate Spanish skills and Departmental Recommendation Required.

Course topics are briefly outlined below.

Current Events: This course aims at improving your knowledge and understanding of Latin American cultures. The goal is to enhance your awareness and understanding of the cultural diversity of the Spanish-speaking world. The course is organized by themes based on contemporary social, political and cultural issues of Spanish-speaking societies. Class activities will consist of discussions, oral and written reports, and debates, emphasizing problem-solving and respect for the opinions of others. This course uses a large selection of materials. We will use movies, the Internet, newspapers, readings, and radio programs that will be discussed during the semester and upon which class activities are based. 

Film and Representation: In this course, students will explore major themes in Latin American in Spanish history via the analysis of award-winning Spanish language films. Students will investigate the history and current trends influenced by the historical events presented in the films via the use of news articles, documentaries, and tv clips. Class activities will consist of discussions, oral and written responses, debates, and creative writing.

Intercultural Dynamics: In this course, students will investigate the products of intercultural exchanges that have occurred throughout different periods in history and in different locations throughout the Spanish-speaking world. We will examine the interactions between different groups, cultural and intellectual contributions, and societal structures and/or inequities that lead to conflict. In addition, students will make comparisons to current events in other parts of the world. This class will use a variety of sources, including images, news and opinion pieces (clips and articles), fiction, and poetry. Class activities will consist of discussions, oral and written responses, debates, and creative writing. 

Research Seminar (H): This course will offer students the opportunity to explore a topic of their choosing related to their Spanish studies. This course will represent an automatic Honors credit and a culmination of students’ language studies at Beaver. Students will work with the teacher in the class environment to craft a final research project on their topic, while sharing their discoveries with other students in the classroom setting.

French Advanced

Prerequisites: Demonstration of mastery of Intermediate French skills and Departmental Recommendation Required. Course topics are briefly outlined below. French Theater: In this class, students will explore plays from various centuries and compare and contrast how French theater has evolved. What brought about these differences in both themes and in style? Students will delve into works by Marcel Pagnol, Molière and other Francophone playwrights. Students will analyze what themes came up in these plays which represented the reality in France and the world in those centuries. Through close readings of  plays, performances, videos and other sources, students will explore ways French theater has evolved. Revolutions: This course will look at Revolutions across the Francophone world and their effects on national identity. We will begin with the enlightenment philosophy that fueled the French Revolution and other revolutions since. We will look at significant moments in and the causes and aftermaths of the French Revolution, the Haitian Revolution and other revolts and revolutions across the Francophone world. We will look at these revolutions through different lenses using a variety of primary and secondary sources, from official documents to novels, plays, movies and more. The class will also address current conflicts happening in the Francophone world such as in Mali and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Research Seminar (H): This course will offer students the opportunity to explore a topic of their choosing related to their French studies. This course will represent an automatic Honors credit and a culmination of students’ language studies at Beaver. Students will work with the teacher in the class environment to craft a final research project on their topic, while sharing their discoveries with other students in the classroom setting. This cannot be a student’s first course at the Advanced level.

Chinese Intermediate

In Intermediate Chinese, students continue to develop their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. At this level, students have greater autonomy with the language and are encouraged to use it creatively and authentically. Grammar is studied incrementally through storytelling as functional chunks for meaningful communication. Vocabulary is practiced in a thematic and communicative way, and the topics that are discussed include: making recommendations, giving directions, expressing doubt and certainty, and expressing opinions. Students will study the culture and diversity of the Chinese-speaking world in the form of culturally rich images, videos, music, and some authentic texts. Audio and video materials, computer software, games, projects, skits and presentations foster student interaction and participation. Prerequisites: Demonstration of mastery of Foundations of Chinese skills and Departmental Recommendation Required.  Course topics are briefly outlined below. Meeting Our Needs: Students will expand their vocabulary related to people’s feelings, physical and mental states, and various day-to-day needs, such as technology and social interactions. They will also learn about people’s cultural practices, needs, and customs in China and other Chinese-speaking regions. Human Interactions: Students will learn how to express themselves and get to know people better through more in-depth conversations about their backgrounds, hobbies and interests. They will practice the necessary skills and vocabulary to express opinions,  plan outings, pay visits, and learn more about cultural practices when interacting with people with Chinese cultural backgrounds.

Design & Tech Studio

Design & Tech Studio is a course for students interested in Technical Theater and/or Theatrical Design. Drawing from many disciplines and utilizing a variety of skills and technology, students will learn to research and communicate their ideas through a series of student-driven individual projects and mainstage shows, allowing them to learn and utilize design and production tools as well as carpentry, scenic painting, props, lighting, and sound. Students will explore how theater artists use these tools for creative problem solving and to communicate with audience members. The successful student would gain an understanding of shop and theater safe working practices, basic construction skills, knowledge of lighting and sound instrumentation and rigging, as well as how communication, planning, and collaboration are central to the health of a theater production. This course can be taken more than once and at the Honors level with permission from the instructor. Students interested in taking more than one art class should reach out to the registrar or the Head of Performing Arts to discuss possible options. Three Term Course No Prerequisites.