Activities in this introductory trimester course are devoted to developing essential life skills such as creativity and innovative thinking. The primary focus of the course is to explore different mediums and approaches to making art through experimentation, practice, and play. 

This semester course aims to develop essential life skills such as creativity and innovative thinking. Students will be offered a variety of choices as they begin to shape their own artistic investigations. We will explore different mediums and approaches to making art through experimentation and practice. 

Drawing Skills is an introductory course which focuses on creativity and innovative thinking. Students will practice techniques, set goals, and develop ideas through the exploration of various drawing materials such as: graphite, charcoal, ink, pastel, watercolor, and mixed media. This course provides the time and space for experimenting, taking creative risks, practicing, receiving constructive feedback, reflecting, revising, and refining work over time. 

This course is all about challenges! Students are given a material and a subject and challenged with constructing a 2- or 3-dimensional piece, emphasizing invention and creativity. The course will cover the fundamentals of design through experimenting, taking creative risks, practicing, receiving constructive feedback, reflecting, revising, and refining work. In this course students will use an amazing array of materials from LED lights and motors to discarded books and magazines, to cardboard boxes, wire, and fabric. Sketch books are kept throughout the term to jot down ideas and work on fun (and sometimes pretty funny) exercises.

Painting is an introductory course which focuses on creativity and innovative thinking. Students will learn various acrylic painting techniques. Through the process of creating several paintings, students have the opportunity to set goals, develop skills, and communicate ideas. This course provides the time and space for experimenting, taking creative risks, practicing, receiving constructive feedback, reflecting, revising, and refining work over time.  

Woodshop introduces students to the safe use of power and hand tools, mechanical drawing, and woodworking skills. Students learn hands-on skills while following woodshop protocols and safety precautions. Cutting boards, boxes, and step stools are examples of projects that can be made during the term. In addition, students will have the opportunity to work on a final project of their own choosing, using the skills and tools learned during the semester.

US Drawing is an introductory course with emphasis on basic drawing skills using a variety of materials and techniques. Drawing is a fundamental activity in the visual arts which involves critical thinking, learning to ask questions, and making judgments. This course introduces students to a visual art vocabulary that helps to interpret and understand works of art. Students will be challenged to deepen their experience as an artist by experimenting, taking creative risks, practicing, receiving constructive feedback, reflecting, revising, and refining work over time.

Graphic Design is web sites, signs, products, books, clothing, and more! Basically, it’s everywhere! In this course, students will learn how to use design as a means of visually communicating ideas. Students will learn Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Procreate, and use hands-on materials to produce logo designs, posters, food packaging, book jackets, and more. In addition, students will learn about different designers and what it means to work in the Graphic Design field as a career. This is a great course for those who want to apply their creativity to a practical application and for those who want to learn new skills in the visual arts.

Graphic Design is everywhere. It’s the web sites you use, the signs you see, on the products you use, the covers of the books you read, the logos and labels on the clothing you wear, and so much more more! In this course, students will learn how to use graphic design as a means of visually communicating ideas. Students will learn Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, ProCreate for iPads, and use hands-on materials to produce logo designs, posters, food packaging, and more. In addition, students will learn about different designers and what it means to work in the Graphic Design field as a career. This is a great course for those who want to apply their creativity to a practical application and for those who want to learn new skills in the visual arts.

This visual art class will introduce students to industrial design by developing concepts and specifications through drawing, making prototypes, analysis of data found through trial and error.  Students will use a variety of materials to create prototypes of their designs.  Students will learn traditional skills such as working with metal, woodworking, and project layout. In addition, students will gain experience and skills for working with CAD software and CNC hardware. Student projects will require creative problem solving, critical thinking, and experimentation through design.

US Painting is an introductory course which teaches basic painting skills using a variety of painting materials and techniques. This course introduces students to a visual art vocabulary that helps to interpret and understand works of art. Students will be challenged to deepen their experience as an artist by experimenting, taking creative risks, practicing, receiving constructive feedback, reflecting, revising, and refining work over time. 

Photography 2 is a deeper exploration of photography as fine art. Students will continue working with digital photography while focusing on creativity through skill building. We will spend time viewing photographs in all genres from around the globe and explore the more personal side of making art. Photography 2 also allows students to explore film photography and darkroom printing. Tools used for this class will be cell phone cameras, smartphone apps, digital SLR cameras, Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom. Students do not need to have their own digital camera to take this course.

We all have the ability to take picture with the fancy, tiny computer in our pockets, but how can you take great photographs that say something beyond the “selfie” and the candid?  Looking at and creating photographs is an incredible way for people to connect, and to appreciate the world around us. This course will help students become thoughtful fine art photographers through shooting and editing photographs using digital cameras (DSLR)*, cell phone cameras, and Adobe programs. Each student will build a web site portfolio and make prints to show off their work. *Students do not need to have their own digital camera to take this course.

This hands-on course is a general introduction to the visual arts, with an emphasis on skill building and exploring a wide variety of materials and techniques. Students will work on two- and three-dimensional projects and learn basic drawing and painting skills, while focusing on the important elements and principles of art. This course will emphasize experimentation and creative risk taking.

This hands-on course is an introduction to sculpture in the visual arts.  Students spend the semester experimenting with 3-dimensional forms, shapes, balance, techniques, and materials. We will emphasize trial and error, along with experimentation, and move from traditional to experimental skill building and conceptual ideas. Sculpture 2 is offered depending on student interest and availability.

Advanced Studio Art is for the student who has taken at least one US Visual Art class in Painting, Drawing, Sculpture, or Mixed Media, and has a desire to explore the medium more fully. This class is an intermediate to advanced level course, where students will be expected to work independently and responsibly on each chosen project with supervision and guidance from the instructor. Students will have the studio space to make a body of work in the medium (or mediums) they have selected, including - but not limited to - painting, sculpture, drawing, 2-D or 3-D design.

Help decide what's covered in the Overlake Odyssey while also developing editing, design and photography skills. Yearbook staff will brainstorm what theme to choose, as well as what topics to include, and everyone works on a variety of pages throughout the year. The main goal of this year-long class is to produce a high quality yearbook. One credit is earned for successful completion of Yearbook.

The College Board has completely redesigned this course—only 250 images! The new curriculum is organized around the following units: Global Prehistory; Ancient Mediterranean; Early Europe and Colonial Americas; Later Europe and Americas; Indigenous Americas; Africa; West and Central Asia; South, East, and Southeast Asia; The Pacific; and Global Contemporary.

The course has two primary goals: first, to teach students to visually analyze works of art; and, second, to teach students to understand works of art within their historical context—i.e., its intended use, audience, and role in a particular society, sociopolitical concerns, gender issues, patronage, function and setting.

The AP Art History course is the equivalent to a beginning college course. The material and concepts covered, as well as the time required for reading and research, will reflect this designation. The AP Exam is in the spring. Students who do not take the AP Art History exam are required to take a final exam.

“After taking this class, you will never look at the world in the same way.”

View the College Board AP Art History Course Description.

Beginning Band is an after school elective class designed primarily for students in the 5th - 8th grade who wish to play a concert band instrument. Students will be guided in the selection of an appropriate instrument and taught the fundamentals of tone production, counting rhythms and note accuracy. Students will perform in two concerts during the year, in December and May. The following instruments are taught: flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, and percussion. Other instruments may be added at the instructor's discretion.

Beginning Strings is an after school elective class designed for students in the 5th, 6th, 7th, or 8th grades who wish to play a string instrument (violin, viola, cello, or string bass), but have had little or no previous experience. In the first classes, students are guided in the selection of an appropriate instrument. In the early part of the first semester we will learn the proper way to hold both the instrument and the bow. Note naming, rhythm counting, and tone production will be the foundational work, with the introduction of a variety of songs and exercises rehearsed throughout the semester. Beginning Strings will have the opportunity to perform twice during the school year, in December and May.

This trimester course provides exposure to a broad range of music skills, and an introduction to instruments and the voice. Students will actively participate in an exploration of musical styles through various games and activities designed to develop a strong foundation for future music courses. A celebration of different musical cultures will also play a key role in the curriculum of this course. Students will have the opportunity to sing as a vocal ensemble as well, with options for performance at the end of the year.

The 6th grade band is a two-semester course designed for students just past the introductory level. The focus of this course is to increase individual and group performance skills on the following instruments: flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, electric bass, keyboard percussion, bass drum, and snare drum. Students will review the fundamentals of playing their instrument and will continue with the basics of tone quality, intonation, articulation, and dynamics. This band will perform at two concerts during the school year.

The 6th grade choir is a one-semester class designed for all students regardless of previous singing experience. This ensemble is an excellent foundation for students interested in vocal development during their middle school years. The study of basic music theory and sight singing will be emphasized as students prepare repertoire for one concert performance at the end of the semester, with other opportunities to be determined.

6th grade Strings is a course for string players just past the introductory level. Players should have at least one year of experience on violin, viola, cello, or string bass. Students will continue their instrument study, with emphasis on technical proficiency, tone production, musicianship, and ensemble-building. Opportunities for performance will be twice yearly at the Winter and Spring Orchestra concerts, with additional performances throughout the school year, as available.

This course is a continuation of the band curriculum, designed for students wanting to continue their studies on their instruments in Concert Band or Jazz Band in the upper school. Students will focus on the basics of good tone quality, intonation, balance, blend, technical accuracy and musical style. The seventh and eighth grade band will perform at two school concerts per year. At least one year of playing experience is required for enrollment in this class.

The 7th & 8th grade choir is a course designed for students with varied degrees of singing experience. Participation in this ensemble will continue to develop students’ performance skills and strengthen their foundation for further exploration in vocal or choral ensembles at Overlake. As a group, we will work on the basics of healthy vocal technique, teamwork, creating a safe space for expression, good musicianship, and sight singing. Students will rehearse repertoire in preparation for one concert, with a possibility of other performance dates to be added, if time permits.

This course is for 7th and 8th grade string players with 1-2+ years of playing experience on violin, viola, cello, or string bass. Emphasis in this course will be placed on ensemble building, as well as technical proficiency, tone production, and musicianship. The 7th/8th Strings ensemble will perform at least twice a year in at the Winter and Spring Orchestra Concerts, with a variety of additional performances to be scheduled during the school year.

This course is designed to advance performance skills in a symphonic ensemble setting, and to offer further leadership experience to upper school students wishing to hone their skills and technique on their instrument. Emphasis is placed on refining the basic skills of intonation, dynamics, articulation, balance, blend, and phrasing through rehearsal and performance of a variety of concert band, pep band, and jazz repertoire. There is no limit to the number of instruments that can participate in this group. Concert band instruments include trumpet, trombone, French horn, baritone, tuba, flute, clarinet, oboe, saxophone, percussion and string or electric bass.

The Overlake String Orchestra is open to string players in grades 7 through 12 with at least two years of previous playing experience, or permission of the instructor. This ensemble plays three concerts a year featuring music for string orchestra and small chamber ensembles, as well as selected works including woodwinds and brass, and concertos featuring student soloists. There are opportunities to perform in solo and ensemble festivals at both the middle and upper school level. Emphasis is on developing and improving ensemble and individual performance skills, as well as sight-reading ability. Repertoire will include music from a variety of composers and genres.

The Overlake Chamber Choir is a select vocal ensemble open to all upper school students by audition only (the audition will include matching pitch, sight-reading, a short melodic exercise, and assessing the student's ability to sing independently within a 4-part ensemble.) Members should possess skills in musicianship, teamwork, collaboration, and leadership. This course will emphasize healthy vocal production, ensemble skills, music theory, sight singing, and creating a positive group dynamic. Musical focus will be placed on a variety of styles and languages, and the study of challenging choral repertoire, both accompanied and a cappella.

The 1950s saw the growth of a new kind of popular music called Rock and Roll. This class will explore the many genres that were connected to this new creation, including rhythm & blues, jazz, country, and gospel styles. Students will also examine the musicians and performers that made the biggest impact during the 50s and 60s, and into the current world of popular music. 

AP Music Theory is a college-level course designed to cultivate an understanding of music and how it is structured. Students will analyze performed and notated music and explore the concepts of pitch, rhythm, form, and musical design. Although this course will focus on music theory that is based on Western European notation, it is just one of many ways of listening and writing music, so other styles and genres will be studied for context and comparison. Students will prepare for the AP Music Theory exam in May, and their final project will be an in-depth study of a piece of music and attendance at a live performance of that piece in the Seattle area. Please note: Although there are no official prerequisites for AP Music Theory, prospective students should be able to read and understand musical notation and have basic performance skills with voice or an instrument in order to successfully keep up with the rigor of this course.

This course will explore voice, movement, and character building through the music of the Broadway Theater. We will build strong ensemble skills in singing, dancing, and acting, in addition to rehearsing smaller scenes and musical numbers for a final showcase performance at the end of the semester.  A wide range of music will be explored, from the Golden Age of Broadway to contemporary musical theater and cabaret selections. No experience is necessary, but students should prepare to take risks and work collaboratively and generously with one another as we build our repertoire together.

This is a perfect course for anyone wanting a deeper study of acting technique and exploration into the world of theater. Over the course of the semester, students will explore physicality and vocal work through method acting techniques, ensemble building activities, and theater games. They will continue to develop skills in building trust and confidence, listening, and teamwork through a variety of course projects including movement-based theatre, monologue study, scene work, and live performance.

In this class, students will have the opportunity to develop story ideas through the medium of digital video. This course emphasizes collaborative production work, critical thinking, and communication skills through a variety of student-focused film projects using video, audio, and lighting equipment, along with provided software. 

In Theatrics, we will explore a variety of different ways to create theatre. Students will explore acting methods, voice over work, musical theatre, stage combat, gore makeup, and even a directing unit! Come experience a new way to look at the world of theatre. No experience necessary, but a willingness to engage with new ideas is a must!