Special Subjects

Rhythm, Expression, and Joy

Our music program nurtures a love of music while building foundational skills in rhythm, melody, harmony, performance, and music reading. Through singing, movement, and listening, students develop musical understanding in an engaging and joyful environment. 

Singing is woven into the life of our school, at weekly assemblies, holiday performances, and a variety of special events throughout the year. During their time at Carden Hall, students perform on recorders, ukuleles, handbells, and other instruments. Signature experiences include an eighth grade musical, our all-school Spring Sing, choreographed dances, and the Carden Hall Christmas Program.

As students progress through the grades, they gain confidence in performance while developing an appreciation for the beauty, structure, and shared experience of music.

Creativity, Expression, and Observation

Fine art instruction at Carden Hall provides students with the opportunity to explore, create, and express themselves with confidence. Through a carefully sequenced program, students work with a variety of materials while developing foundational skills in drawing, design, and composition.

Through this process students refine their techniques and learn to observe the world with greater attention and appreciation. Our goal is for every child to experience both the joy of creativity and the pride of personal expression.

Language, Culture, and Connection

The study of French begins in Pre-Kindergarten with an approach that builds skills in listening, comprehension, speaking, and writing. Through stories, conversation, and cultural exploration, students develop an appreciation for another culture and language. 

Learning French strengthens vocabulary, sharpens thinking, and supports a deeper understanding of language as a whole. In the upper grades, students have the opportunity to extend their learning beyond the classroom through optional travel experiences, including immersion and exploration with a trip to France in seventh grade.

Additionally, in junior high, students have an option to dive into Honors French, which prepares them to sit for the National French Examine, on which Carden Hall students have shown strong performance historically. Alternatively, student may enjoy a Spanish elective. 

Spanning the grade levels, our foreign language program encourages curiosity, confidence, and a lifelong appreciation for language and culture.

Movement, Skill, and Character

Our P.E. program promotes healthy habits, skill development, and strong character. Through daily activity, students build coordination, strength, and confidence while learning the value of teamwork and sportsmanship. 

With a structured, sequential approach, students develop fundamental skills and apply them. Lower grade students strengthen balance, coordination, locomotor skills, catching, and throwing through purposeful movement. Upper grade students put these skills in motion through units that include flag football, volleyball, lacrosse, rugby, and track.

Curiosity, Exploration, and Discovery

Science at Carden Hall inspires students to observe, question, and explore the world around them. Based in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), our program emphasizes hands-on learning, critical thinking, and the development of scientific inquiry. 

In the early years, students engage in weekly science instruction that builds foundational skills in observation, discussion, and discovery. As they progress, science becomes a more frequent and in-depth part of the academic program, expanding to multiple classes per week and eventually daily study in the junior high years.

By eighth grade, students apply their knowledge and skills through an independently designed science experiment, culminating in a comprehensive Science Fair project.

Through each stage, students develop the ability to think analytically, communicate their ideas clearly, and see the relevance of science in the world around them.