Year 8 Arts Electives

Media

Media Studies

Students will start by learning about the history and development of communication and the mass media. They will explore the idea of representation in many forms and the various codes and conventions that are used to create them. Areas of study will be journalism, film criticism and film making with a balance between theory and practical activities. They will watch films in genres of their own choosing and learn how to create their own short films; planning, writing and filming them. They will investigate an issue, interview subjects and write their own newspaper articles.

Animation

Students are asked to use their imagination, digital skills and iPad applications to design, create and evaluate various 2D animation works.  They explore the history of animation, from cell animation through to computer animation. Students write, design, organise, and produce a short film that includes the student interacting with an animated character in an animated world. Students develop a design brief that shows all stages of project development and planning. They create images and bring them to life by using software such as StickMotion and Animation Desk. Students use basic sound recording techniques to incorporate music and sound effects into their animations.

Music

Jammin'

Students participate in a wide variety of activities designed to improve their song writing, teamwork and technical abilities in music. They will be introduced to the elements of music through interactive rhythm, melody and harmony activities. These activities move to an indepth study of music notation and chart reading. This knowledge will be applied in the activity “In the Deep End” where the students learn a song of their choice in a small group. Students will also study well-known songwriters and begin to write their own lyrics. The study of lyrics will lead to the creation of melody, harmony, song structure and eventually their very own songs. At the completion of this unit, students will have composed, recorded and performed these songs.

Rapping and Rhyming

Students explore the history and evolution of Hip Hop from its early stages in the late seventies, its growth in the eighties and nineties to the current hip-hop scene we have today. Students learn classic rhymes from well-known artists together with famous beats and breaks. Students work together to play these as a class band. This unit includes two workshops from visiting artists who provide students with a real life experience covering rhyming, rapping, performing and DJ’ing. Throughout the semester, students use the new skills from this unit to complete assessment tasks that include learning to play their favourite rap song and writing their own original song or rap.

Garage Band

Students pariticpate in a variety of song writing activities designed to expose them to various styles of music and music technology. Students will learn about melody, harmony, chords and song structure. Over time, they will begin to consolidate their understanding of using iPad software to create, edit and perform their songs. Students will learn to compose music for film, mash-ups of popular songs and contemporary music as a whole.

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