Students in Grades Prep, 1 and 2 have had the opportunity this Term of participating in a lunchtime Jam Club in the Music Room on Thursdays. Students can come along and try instruments that they’ve never played before such as the drum kit, electric guitar and ukulele. They form small groups and ‘jam’ on musical ideas and express their creative side. It has proven to be a very popular club!
This term the Grade 1/2s have been looking at the work of sculptor, Yumi Okita. They have been learning all about moths! Through their drawings and paintings, they have been learning about symmetry, texture and warm and cool colours. Their paintings show their understanding of these concepts wonderfully. The students are currently working on a mixed-media relief moth artwork, with fabric collaged wings. Watch this space in the next few weeks to see the final artworks!
This term, Preps have been looking at the work of Mandy Pattullo and her fabric owl collages. The students have spent 5 weeks learning how to draw owls, painting them and they’re currently working on their own owl collages made from scrap material (thank you to all the mums that helped cut up the scraps!). These drawings and paintings are work the students have done in their art journals as part of the developmental process. The skill level is truly amazing! Stay tuned for their owl collages in the next few weeks!
If you’re a parent of a Grade 1 or 2 student, you might have heard them mention that they’re making mixed-media moth artworks inspired by the sculptures of Yumi Okita. Melbourne Museum currently has a fantastic exhibition called Bug Lab, which has great links to our learning in art at the moment. If you happen to be in the city these next few weekends, you should definitely check it out! https://museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/whats-on/bug-lab/
Since Term One, the Grade 4 lunchtime art club have been working on three large-scale butterfly sculptures that will accompany the Australian native flora mural, which a parent committee are currently working on. Students used black-out plastic from last year’s BIFF that was used to block out the light in the theatres and repurposed it by weaving it onto the armature of the sculptures and then finally spray painting it.
At lunchtime today and part of session 5, the art club students spray painted their butterfly sculptures with patterns inspired by the colouration and markings of the indigenous butterfly, the Meadow Argus.
In Term 3, Preps will use literature to learn songs through stories. Movement and dance are an important part of learning about music and both help us understand pitch and rhythm. Students will experiment with movement while singing songs and explore how drawings and symbols can represent music and sound. Preps will learn that some songs are sung for specific occasions and will also practice using simple music terminology to talk about the music they play and hear.
Grade 1 and 2
In Term 3, Grade 1 and 2 students will use movement, body percussion, speech and singing to help them learn percussion music. They will begin experimenting with the different sounds that instruments make and will learn that it’s not just conventional instruments that we can use to make music with! Students will participate in workshops that encourage exploration and creativity by using learned parts and expressing them in their own unique way. Working towards a whole class performance will help students understand the process of rehearsal and learning to overcome the challenges of working in a large ensemble.
Grade 3 and 4
Grade 3 and 4 students will be taking rhythm to a whole new level this term in a unit focusing on Bucket Drumming. Who knew buckets and chopsticks could be so musical! Students will participate in a series of workshops introducing them to the process of learning and playing in small groups and as a large classroom ensemble. They will focus on different rhythm patterns, demonstrate their playing and stick technique, rehearse in groups and perform as a class. Students will practice using correct music terminology when describing their performance and will be encouraged to use feedback from their peers and teacher to refine their performance. They will also practice giving feedback to other groups including making suggestions on how to improve their performance.
Grade 5 and 6
Pack your bags and get your passports ready! This term Grade 5 and 6 students are travelling around the world to explore music from different cultures. Students will analyse and perform music from various countries. They will learn about traditional instrumentation and use scales specific to those cultures to write simple melodies and develop their improvisation skills. Drawing on world music influences, students will have the opportunity to compose short pieces using their developing knowledge of these cultural styles. They will also practice describing the music they listen to, play and compose using correct music terminology.
This semester, students in the Junior Art Extension class will be looking at the collaborative duo Adam Frezza & Terri Chiao, otherwise known as Chiaozza. Students will be creating small clay ‘plant’ sculptures, followed by a collaborative mural backdrop to accompany their sculptures. Watch this space in the coming weeks to see their progress!