Arts Electives

These subjects are offered as semester-long courses. Students must select at least one elective from the Arts subjects offered; however, you may elect to undertake more than one elective from the list.

Actors’ Workshop
Animation, Film, Video and the Moving Image
Architecture
Dance
Music
Photography
Visual Art

Actors' Workshop (DRAMA)

Curriculum Focus

In this unit students will look at the craft of the actor. Using the expressive skills of voice, movement, gesture and facial expression, students will develop their ability to create character and to engage an audience. Group dynamic will be developed and group performance will be a focus. Other areas that students will explore will include:

Brainstorming > Playmaking > Rehearsal > Performance
Improvisation
Storytelling
Characterization
The semester culminates with a performance evening

Learning Outcomes

At the completion of year 9 Actor’s Workshop, students should be able to make use of a range of performance and expressive skills such as manipulation of voice, movement, gesture and facial expression, to create a variety of characters. Students will utilise play-making techniques and examine what makes effective theatre, applying acting skills to engage an audience. Students will also develop conﬁdence in presenting work to an audience and explore the collaborative process.

Note: there is a fee associated with this course of approx. $40 per semester.**

Animation, Film, Video & The Moving Image (9AFV)

Curriculum focus

Animation is the art of creating life from an inanimate object whether it’s a drawing, a model or lines on a computer screen. Students examine historical attempts to create a moving image and make their own models showing the principles of animation. We study animation throughout history and across cultures. Students work on a major animation in either video or digital technologies.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this unit students will have an understanding of how animation operates, how it has evolved as an historical art form and will have an appreciation of the future for animation. Students will have completed an animation, along the way learning the principles of preproduction, production and post-production. Students will have thoroughly examined the practical and theoretical issues surrounding the making of animations.

Architecture - Designing a Home (9ARC)

Curriculum Focus

To develop an appreciation of the built environment and understanding that it is an expression of the art of living. Students will compare our contemporary home and lifestyle with that of young women in 19th Century Richmond. They will examine the work of a prominent Australian architect to ﬁnd out what makes an architectural design a successful and creative one. They will apply these ﬁndings to their own designs after learning the drawing and model making skills necessary to communicate their ideas and will also develop interior design ideas for their home.

Learning Outcomes

At the completion of this unit students should be able to:

have a basic understanding of how buildings work
have a basic appreciation of our architectural heritage
design a house using plan, elevation and orthogonal drawings from which to build their scale model
have a basic understanding of the aesthetic and physical properties inherent in diﬀerent building materials and construction techniques
evaluate the quality of an architectural design.

Dance (9DA)

Curriculum Focus:

The Year 9 Dance elective will allow students to learn, explore and create dance styles in various genres and from a variety of decades. Students will also research the origin of dance and what dance styles are popular today. In class students will develop their choreographic skills and improve performance conﬁdence. Students will participate in technique, choreographic and performance classes, producing work in duos and larger groups. The dance styles which will be learnt are: contemporary, jazz, ballet, commercial pop and hip‐hop.

Learning Outcomes

At the completion of this unit, students should be able to identify movement associated with diﬀerent dance styles. Students will also be able to choreograph and perform diﬀerent dance styles and will be assessed on their learning and performing of the style. The written component of the course enables each student to research a dance work and analyse a piece from contemporary society.

Note: there is a fee associated with this course of approx. $150 per semester.**

Dance Extension (9DAX Semester Two)

This unit is designed to prepare students who are wishing to undertake the accelerated VCE dance course the following year. Students will explore the movement creation process and expand their movement vocabulary through composition, performance and technique classes. Students will also be made aware of choreographers and analyse the elements of design in a variety of dance works that focus on speciﬁc movement styles. Please note that students selecting Dance Extension must complete Year 9 Dance in semester 1.

Learning Outcomes:

Choreograph a solo
Performance Task
Dance work analysis

Note: there is a fee associated with this course of approx. $150 per semester.**

Music (9MU)

Year 9 Music is a class designed to develop musical skills on an instrument of their choice, including voice. Students work in ensembles and as a soloist. Students will develop arranging, composing and theory skills, focusing on the structure of songs, melody and rhythmic devices. This process will be assisted by the use of computer programs such as Sibelius, Acid and Garage Band. The semester will culminate in an evening performance of student work.

Learning Outcomes:

At the conclusion of the unit the student should

be able to work in an ensemble
be able to read, notate and arrange music
be able to identify diﬀerent musical styles

Note: There is a fee associated with this course of $25.00 per semester.**

Photography (9HO)

Curriculum Focus

In Photography students become familiar with digital photographic techniques. Students also learn to compose and create photographs to suit a range of styles and contexts, and document their decision making and design process. At the completion of this subject, students will be familiar with general functions and capabilities of digital cameras and editing software (Adobe Photoshop). They gain an aesthetic appreciation of photography and practice critically analysing photographic works of their own and others.

Note: there is a fee associated with this course of approx. $10 per semester.**

Visual Art (9VA)

Curriculum Focus

Students will focus on Drawing, Painting and Print‐ making and cross media usage of each medium to develop folio work. Along with a study of contemporary artists, students will develop practical works varying in scale, style and subject matter. At the completion of this unit students should be able to:

understand a range of art making methods to produce two‐dimensional artworks using drawing, painting and printmaking techniques,
apply an understanding of various drawing,
painting and printmaking techniques to the analysis of artworks by practising artists.
be able to analyse artworks in gallery contexts
be familiar with artists’ studio practices and equipment used in studio spaces of diﬀering two‐ dimensional working artists.