Specialists Programs
Specialist Programs Term 2
Visual Arts
If you could please send in any Empty paper towel rolls, for the art room, that would be greatly appreciated.
Foundation
The students in Foundation will be exploring what it means to be an artist. They will continue to develop an understanding of line and colour. Through experimentation they will discover that lines can be straight or curved, they can be thick, thin, zigzag, scribbly, short wandering or scrambled and lines can be repeated to create patterns.
Visual Art classes will continue to focus on Painting and Drawing this term and developing fine motor skills. The students will be exploring a variety of painting tools (eg.sponging, brushes, toothbrushes) to create different effects. We will continue to explore different types of lines and marks (eg.thick,thin wavy, straight) and drawing techniques using a variety of drawing implements (eg.pastel, crayon, pencil). Inspiration will come from many artists including Australian artist Anna Blatman.
Year 1 & 2
During this term students will get inspiration from animals and nature.Their first project will be to learn about Peacocks and the intricate patterns and designs that are evident in their feathers. Students will draw and colour a peacock using a combination of pastel, ink and watercolours.
They will explore a variety of tools to achieve different textures. Students will investigate the attributes of dry pastels and oil pastels completing different projects using smudging and blending to create different effects.Continuing to build on fine motor skills, particularly cutting, will continue throughout the term.
Year 3 & 4
Visual Art classes this term will introduce various forms of printing, in particular foam printing. Continuing to build on their knowledge of marks, students will work with real and abstract shapes in their drawings. Students will share their learning around how marks can show how a surface looks and feels. Students will also be making hand painted papers that will be used for collage. We will be looking at the works of many artists for inspiration especially that of French painter Henri Matisse and Japanese artist, Yayoi Kusama.
Year 5 & 6
The students will build on their knowledge of tertiary colours and techniques for creating shade, tone and tints. Students will use their prior printing and collage skills and discover new printing methods. One point perspective will be a focus in the first few art works with students demonstrating their ability to create a foreground, middle ground and background. They will be encouraged to discuss their opinions about the arts ideas they are exploring through planning, creating and reflecting upon their artworks. Students will learn about appropriate and effective presentation of their art pieces in readiness for the Art Show.
Deirdre Cosgrave dcosgrave@sjmitcham.catholic.edu.au
Performing Arts
Prep
This term in Performing Arts, the Prep students will re-enact stories and familiar fairy tales, using these stories to explore character feelings, make connections with their own experiences and create imaginary worlds and characters. They will experiment with different dramatic forms including mime, puppetry and tableaux. Students will begin to explore sound and silence, using their voices, movement and instruments to express ideas and create music.
Year 1/2
This term in Performing Arts, the Year 1/2 students will continue working on manipulating puppets to create and reenact stories. They will explore using their voice, facial expressions and movement to communicate different roles and situations in drama. Students will use simple technical and expressive skills to communicate ideas about themselves and their world through dance. They will work collaboratively, combining ideas and movements, to create, rehearse and perform these dances for an audience. Students will learn to provide and receive feedback, and use this to adapt and enhance future performances.
Year 3/4
This term, students in Year 3/4 will have the opportunity to attend an incursion run by the group, Melbourne Puppet Kerfuffle, where they will participate in a workshop further developing their skills in puppeteering. They will focus on using the elements of movement and voice to bring life to their puppets, improvising, rehearsing and performing short plays. Students will continue working with the element of movement as they engage in mime experiences, exploring and creating imaginative roles and scenarios. They will explore different types of choreography and choreographic devices. Students will experiment with these to create short dance sequences collaboratively.
Year 5/6
This term, students in Year 5/6 will explore using empathy to develop characters and situations in drama. They will practice techniques of voice and movement to create character, mood and atmosphere in their own performances. Students will make their own puppets and plan short plays both independently and in groups, considering the engagement of their audience, the development of characters, movements used to make their puppet ‘life-like’ and transitions used to make the performance smooth. Students will explore different elements of dance and choreographic devices. They will observe and experiment with these to create dance sequences and explain how they are used to communicate ideas and feelings for an audience.
Whole School Bush Dance
At the end of this term, all students will participate in a Bush Dancing incursion, in preparation for our Family Bush Dance. They will learn the steps and movements involved in this style of dance and participate in a whole school bush dance. The Family Bush Dance will follow this, taking place on Friday, 21 June at 6pm. Make sure you save the date, so that you can come and join the fun!
Amanda Hill
ahill@sjmitcham.catholic.edu.au
Chinese
Prep Overview:
In Term Two, our Prep students will be exploring Chinese numbers and body parts. Students will keep focusing on using Chinese numbers to count objects and using gestures and body parts to make numbers in Chinese characters. Students will also learn to say simple body parts vocabulary in Chinese via songs and games. In terms of handwriting, students will learn to follow sequences of strokes to write simple Chinese characters. The will recognise Chinese characters as a form of writing and Pinyin as the spelled-out sounds of spoken Chinese.
Year 1/2 Overview:
In Term Two, Year 1/2 students will be exploring health, focusing on body parts. Students will be learning names of body parts and how to express themselves in Chinese when they are unwell. Students are learning to identify the distinctive language systems of writing and speaking. They will be learning the tonal nature of Chinese and understand that characters are formed by strokes. They will also learn word order of simple Chinese sentences and try to develop their own sentences by following particular structures.
Year 3/4 Overview:
In Chinese this term, students will be exploring health, focusing on body parts and healthy food. students will be learning names of body parts and using structured sentences to develop conversations. Students will deepen their understanding of Chinese pinyin and practise using pinyin to read new words. In terms of writing, students will follow strokes and sequences to write Chinese characters. They will also follow the subject–verb–object structure to make their own Chinese sentences.
Year 5/6 Overview:
In Chinese this term, students will be exploring health, understanding different emotions and methods to support personal sense of wellbeing. Students will be learning to identify and express different feelings and emotions in Chinese. They will further explore what activities can help them to relax and relieve stress. Students will keep learning to pronounce new words with Pinyin, focusing on the nature of tone-syllables. In terms of writing, students will be focusing on producing short informative and imaginative texts by using characters and structured sentences with details.
Elina Li
LOTE Teacher
Email: eli@sjmitcham.catholic.edu.au
Physical Education
Welcome to Term 2! This term all students will have the opportunity to be involved in a number of fun and engaging sporting activities including whole school events, incursions, district events and Gala days. This includes our whole school KABOOM sports incursion on May 6. In addition, I look forward to guiding the students in developing their sporting skills in our focused weekly PE lessons, as well as continuing to encourage the importance of teamwork skills and good sportsmanship for all.
Prep
At the beginning of term, students in Prep will be learning the basics of soccer and netball skills. This carries on from the skills learnt in term one where throwing and catching were a major focus. Students will be focusing on the basic necessary skills for these sports including the correct way to kick a soccer ball and enhancing their throwing and catching skills with netballs. In the second half of term, we have been lucky enough to have been granted Sporting Schools Funding which will include specialist gymnastics coaches coming to guide students in age appropriate gymnastics skills and techniques.
Year 1/2
Students in 1/2 will begin the term by learning the basics of soccer and netball skills. This carries on from the skills learnt in term one where throwing and catching were a major focus. Students will continue working on the necessary skills for these sports including the correct way to kick a soccer ball and enhancing their throwing, catching and passing skills with netballs.In the second half of term, we have been lucky enough to have been granted Sporting Schools Funding which will include specialist gymnastics coaches coming to guide students in age appropriate gymnastics skills and techniques.
Year 3/4
The 3/4 students will be participating in their Winter Gala Day on 12 June. This will include the opportunity to participate in soccer, AFL, netball or softball. Selected students will also have the opportunity to represent the school at the district Cross Country on May 20. In our PE lessons, 3/4 students will begin with a focus on soccer and netball where they will develop their skills in these sporting areas and continue to learn about the importance of teamwork and sportsmanship. In the second half of term, we have been lucky enough to have been granted Sporting Schools Funding which will include specialist gymnastics coaches coming to guide students in age appropriate gymnastics skills and techniques.
Year 5/6
This term 5/6 students will be lucky enough to be participating in two Gala Days. The first took place in Week 1 and included the summer sports of Volleyball, Hotshots tennis, TeeBall and European Handball. The 5/6 Winter Gala Day will take place on Friday 21st June and include the sports: netball, soccer, softball and AFL. Selected students will also have the opportunity to represent the school at the district Cross Country on May 20. In our PE lessons, students will begin with learning about the skills of soccer and netball through tailored clinics to suit the needs of the students. There will be a focus on gameplay, skill development and teamwork to help develop the students’ overall understanding and successful participation in these sports. In the second half of term, we have been lucky enough to have been granted Sporting Schools Funding which will include specialist gymnastics coaches coming to guide students in age appropriate gymnastics skills and techniques.
Emma Pattison - PE Specialist