Residency Programs

Pre-K through 5th Grade Garden Residency - Healthy Children Healthy Planet: Riverside School is the home of one of the largest public school garden in New Jersey, including over a dozen “outdoor classrooms” and a vegetable garden for the benefit of our local food pantry. Through a garden residency funded in large part by the PTO, Riverside students pre-K through grade 5, including the autism program, learn in the gardens on a regular basis, enjoying hands-on lessons in science, mathematics, language arts, environmental stewardship, community service and more. Our children plant, tend, harvest and taste - experiencing real food as it grows in nature. Each class works with the Louise Senior, Riverside's garden educator, at least six times during the school year, both in the gardens and, during colder months, in the classroom. Students understand how personal behaviors and choices affect their own health and the health of the planet.

2nd Grade Residency with McCarter Theater – Storytelling Over the course of this residency, students will explore storytelling through classroom exercies surrounding their preparation of four world fables for their parents and fellow classmates. Students will learn about the fable structure and storytelling, as well as learn the four stories chosen for performance. The final adaption will be developed, rehearsed, and performed over the course of four sessions within two weeks.

3rd Grade Residency – Poetry Performance: Over the course of this residency, students will explore various works of poetry through writing and improvisation exercises. Teaching Artists will guide each of the classes of students through the process of discovering the significance of rhythm, pattern, and form in each of the chosen works. The final performance, a collection of combined performance and poetry narration, will be developed, rehearsed and performed over the course of a five week period and presented to fellow classmates at the conclusion of the residency.

4th Grade Residency with McCarter Theater – Greek Mythology Over the course of this residency, students will explore various works of Greek mythology through writing and improvisation exercies surrounding their preparation of four Greek myths for their fellow classmates. Students will learn abuot the 12 major gods and goddesses, as well as the four myths chosen for performance. The final adaption will be developed, rehearsed, and performed over the course of five sessions within two weeks.

5th Grade Classics Residency – Shakespeare: Over the course of this residency, students will explore Shakespeare’s Tempest through writing and improvisation exercises which will help them gain a better understanding of the story. Teaching Artists will guide each of the classes of students through the process of developing their own take on a part of the story. The final adaptation will be developed, rehearsed and performed over the course of ten sessions within four or five weeks.