Franklin prides itself on programs that enhance learning experiences including drama, music, language, outdoor education and community awareness.

The Drama program associated with Franklin's Performing Arts Department is designed to provide expressive experiences in the dramatic arts. Several wonderful productions are presented throughout the school year. The children are exposed to a wide variety of literature including poetry, fables, fairy tales, and classic stories which they analyze by discussing plot, setting, characters, and more. Our little thespians develop self-confidence, leadership qualities and body control as they act out a variety of stories and scenes. They learn gestures, stage direction, body control, storytelling and more as part of this dynamic experience.

Drama is a brain stimulator. The children use their powers of concentration and rhythm to exercise their bodies and memorize dance steps. As they develop dialogue, think about facial expressions necessary to show various emotions, learn stage right, stage left, pantomime, work toward a goal, follow direction, respond on cue, and memorize  to retain lines and lyrics, they are building self-confidence through public speaking and learning important life and academic skills connected with the sheer pleasure and exhilaration of a job well done! Children who are five years old by December 31st participate.

Art is an integral part of Franklin's early childhood program and is incorporated throughout the day blending instructional and creative techniques. The children explore a variety of medium and practice brush techniques with dabbing and sweeping. They learn about famous artists and their works. Art experiences include following a set procedure for some projects such as puppet making as well as many opportunities for open-ended activities offering free expression using tempera paint, fingerpaint, watercolor, clay, pencils, markers and crayons among other media.

Singing, learning to play simple instruments, reading music and learning about composers are all part of the music curriculum at The Franklin Schools. A Music Specialist is on campus twice each week to supplement daily music activities happening in our classrooms. Dr. Montessori viewed music as an integral part of the Montessori environment and believed music should emerge spontaneously whenever it happened to be appropriate.

Spanish and Chinese Specialists meet with the children once each week. The early childhood years are the perfect time to introduce a foreign language to children.

Spanish: Through the use of objects and interactive small group games and songs, the children learn words for home, family, colors, animals, weather, parts of the body, food & numbers. Storytelling is also used to introduce Latin American culture and society (ages 2-6).

Mandarin:  The language and culture of China are a part of the weekly schedule at The Franklin Schools. Our Mandarin specialist meets weekly with the children to present a group lesson to the entire class. Following the lesson the specialist engages small groups of children in a variety of activities including stories, songs, vocabulary development, art, origami and calligraphy. The children also learn to sing, count and write their names in Mandarin (ages 3-6).

Outdoor education takes on new heights in Franklin's Beyond the Walls program increasing the children's knowledge and interest in the environment. Natural gardening, habitats for animals, seasonal studies, observation skills and exploring the great outdoors in a variety of weather conditions are all part of this exciting program that is woven into Franklin's indoor classroom curriculum.