Specialists Programs

ITALIAN 

PREP

In Term 4 the Prep students will spend time revising the topics that were covered during

Remote Learning. These will include; the colours, numbers one to ten and language associated with the parts of the body. Following on from this, they will continue to learn the numbers to twenty with particular attention to pronunciation and fluency.

The students will also engage in fun Italian Christmas stories, singing and traditions.

 

YEAR ONE AND TWO

In Term 4 the students will listen to the classic story “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” in Italian. They will be encouraged to engage in simple conversations about food likes and dislikes, practice the days of the week and learn adjectives in authentic and meaningful situations.

 

YEAR THREE AND FOUR

In Term 4 the students in Year 3 and 4 will read a class story titled, “Gli occhiali della Nonna”. The story will be used as a tool for students to practice and learn meaningful language in context. Students will engage in games and oral activities to practice verbs and repetitive language.

 

Signora Rosetta De Amicis

rdeamicis@sjmitcham.catholic.edu.au

CHINESE

In Term 4 the Year 5 and 6 students will communicate using the vocabulary and topics they covered in remote learning this year. In Culture, they will reflect on topics covered during the year about Chinese culture and daily life, reflecting on their own learning in this area. 

These topics include:  

  • food preparation and delivery
  • festivals in China
  • the features of WeChat for daily life in China
  • the effects of smartphones
  • Chinese money and table settings
  • the one Child Policy
  • what it is like to be a single child
  • the benefits of large families
  • the role of grandparents.

They will also learn how Christmas is a festival that is growing in popularity in China, make Christmas Cards and learn a Christmas song in Chinese.

 

Mrs Ange Crowe

acrowe@sjmitcham.catholic.edu.au

VISUAL ARTS

Prep

Students in Prep will participate in activities exploring both 2D and 3D art forms focusing on printing, painting, constructing, decorating and collage. They will be encouraged to select, arrange and make choices about expressive ways of using the art elements (e.g. line, shape, texture and colour) in their work. The students will be encouraged to develop and express their ideas about the artists they are exploring and the artwork they are producing, confidently and creatively. Students will use and integrate a variety of tools and materials to create simple art works that will be displayed in our end of year Art Show. They will be given the opportunity to improve their fine motor skills through drawing, printing, cutting, pasting and painting. 

 

Year 1 and 2

This term there will be a particular emphasis on the students being both artists and thinkers.  Students  in year 1 and 2 will be encouraged to give thought to their artwork before they take action and weigh up the possible outcomes of the different opportunities that can be explored. Students will use paint in a variety of ways including mixing colors, sponge painting, printing and the effects made by thin and thick brushes. Using new found printing skills, they will experiment with ways of expressing and communicating ideas and feelings to convey meaning to the audience. The students will have input into the most effective ways to display their creations at the Art Show. 

 

Year 3 and 4

Year 3 and 4 students will make 2D and 3D art works to display in the Art Show, while further developing their skills in the areas of drawing, painting, printing, constructing, decorating and collage. They will be encouraged to select, arrange and make choices about expressive ways of using the art elements (e.g.line, shape, texture tone and colour) in their work. There will be a focus on the use of recycled materials and the many ways they can be incorporated into construction pieces. Construction will provide further opportunity to develop cutting, joining and decorating skills. As they explore and respond to their own and others’ art works, students develop skills, techniques and processes for expressing emotions and ideas. 

 

Year 5 and 6

Term Four will provide opportunities for students to assume greater responsibility for their learning and assessment in the art room. They will plan, create and assess their own artwork and that of their peers using descriptive rubrics. Through exploring and responding to artworks, students will further develop and use appropriate arts vocabulary, to describe and discuss the content and structural qualities of their own and other people’s arts works. Students will develop their known printing and collage skills and discover new printing methods. 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.

 

Mrs Deirdre Cosgrave

dcosgrave@sjmitcham.catholic.edu.au

PERFORMING ARTS

This term in Performing Arts, the main focus will be on connecting with the students again and allowing them opportunities to perform and create. Although we are somewhat limited with the regulations regarding what we can and can’t do, I will endeavour to find ways to engage the students so they can put into practice the many skills and activities they learned online. 

 

We will spend the first few weeks going over some of the dances and respond and  analyse what we like and don’t like about each performance. We will then branch out into a unit of work on Music and playing instruments, as well as finding movements to go with each piece.

Prep

Students will specifically explore music, using a variety of percussion instruments and practise keeping in time with the beat and different rhythm patterns. 

 

Year 1 and 2

Students will create movement pieces that relate to The Carnival Of the Animals music and explore the use of rhythm patterns by using drumsticks to play songs and keep in time.

 

Year 3 and 4

Students will revise their knowledge of the treble clef and will learn to play simple songs on the glockenspiel and other percussion instruments. They will learn some sign language for songs and work collaboratively in groups to choreograph their own movement pieces.

 

Year 5 and 6

Students will explore the use of music notation by undertaking a course in learning to play the boom whackers. This collaborative approach will enable students to work together and be responsible for a group performance.

 

Mrs Lou Devoy

ldevoy@sjmitcham.catholic.edu.au