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Waratah Works: The Arts

Drama, Music, Dance, Visual Arts and Media

Learning Module

Abstract

This learning module for year 3 and 4 students focuses on intercultural understanding and citizenship through a study of the picture book, 'Lin Yi's Lantern'. Students redesign the book as a drama that they act out, transferring the narrative from the written and visual modes into the spatial and gestural modes.

Keywords

Intercultural Understanding, Drama, Gestural, Spatial, Audio, Studies of Asia.

Australian Curriculum

Australian Curriculum

English

Year 3: Draw connections between personal experiences and the worlds of texts, and share responses with others (ACELT1596)

Year 4: Discuss literary experiences with others, sharing responses and expressing a point of view (ACELT1603)

Civics and Citizenship

Years 3 and 4

Reflect on their cultural identity and how it might be similar and different from others (ACHCS010) and (ACHCS021)

Explore the diversity of the Australian population

Year 3: Why people participate within communities and how students can actively participate and contribute (ACHCK003)

Year 4: How a person’s identity can be shaped by the different cultural, religious and/or social groups to which they may belong (ACHCK014)

Drama

Years 3 and 4

Explore ideas and narrative structures through roles and situations and use empathy in their own improvisations and devised drama (ACADRM031)

Use voice, body, movement and language to sustain role and relationships and create dramatic action with a sense of time and place (ACADRM032)

Shape and perform dramatic action using narrative structures and tension in devised and scripted drama (ACADRM033)

Identify intended purposes and meaning of drama, using the elements of drama to make comparisons (ACADRR034)

Music

Years 3 and 4

Develop aural skills by exploring, imitating and recognising elements of music including dynamics, pitch and rhythm patterns (ACAMUM084)

Practise singing, playing instruments and improvising music, using elements of music including rhythm, pitch, dynamics and form in a range of pieces, including in music from the local community (ACAMUM085)

Create, perform and record compositions by selecting and organising sounds, silence, tempo and volume (ACAMUM086)

Identify intended purposes and meanings as they listen to music using the elements of music to make comparisons, starting with Australian music, including music of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (ACAMUR087)

Visual Art

Years 3 and 4

Explore ideas and artworks from different cultures and times, including artwork by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, to use as inspiration for their own representations (ACAVAM110)

Use materials, techniques and processes to explore visual conventions when making artworks (ACAVAM111)

Present artworks and describe how they have used visual conventions to represent their ideas (ACAVAM112)

Identify intended purposes and meanings of artworks using visual arts terminology to compare artworks, starting with visual artworks in Australia including visual artworks of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (ACAVAR113)

Dance

Years 3 and 4

Improvise and structure movement ideas for dance sequences using the elements of dance and choreographic devices (ACADAM005)

Practise technical skills safely in fundamental movements (ACADAM006)

Perform dances using expressive skills to communicate ideas, including telling cultural or community stories (ACADAM007)

Identify how the elements of dance and production elements express ideas in dance they make, perform and experience as audience, including exploration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance (ACADAR008)

Media Arts

Years 3 and 4

Investigate and devise representations of people in their community, including themselves, through settings, ideas and story structure in images, sounds and text (ACAMAM058)

Use media technologies to create time and space through the manipulation of images, sounds and text to tell stories (ACAMAM059)

Plan, create and present media artworks for specific purposes with awareness of responsible media practice (ACAMAM060)

Identify intended purposes and meanings of media artworks, using media arts key concepts, starting with media artworks in Australia including media artworks of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (ACAMAR061)

 

Drama 1a. Mimes

For the Student

Learning Intention: To draw on your prior knowledge to communicate ideas through mime.

Success Criteria

  • I can show facial expressions to communicate ideas in mimes.
  • I can use gestures to communicate ideas in mimes.
  • I can talk about what I have learned about facial expressions and mimes.
  • I can write a reflection/comment.

Join with your partner and sit on the floor facing each other. We are going to do some mimes. Mimes communicate without words. Instead they use facial expressions and gestures. 

1. Firstly , you are going to show facial expressions. You will both being doing these mimes at the same time; it's a bit like you are a mirror for each other. As you do them, look at your partner's face. You can learn from each other as you each show your facial expressions. Show that you are:

  • happy
  • sad
  • surprised
  • angry
  • tired
  • shy
  • determined
  • sorry
  • not feeling well

2. Now stand up and face each other. This time use facial expressions and gestures (hand and body movements) to communicate the same ideas.

Think-Pair-Share: Which one communicates the ideas best? Facial expressions or facial expressions plus gestures? Why?

3. Still standing and facing each other, communicate these ideas.

  • Tell someone to come here
  • Tell someone to go away
  • Tell someone to be quiet
  • You are cooking and you open a rotten egg
  • You are taking some terrible tasting medicine
  • You are smelling your favourite food
  • You are playing cards and you win the game
  • You are shopping in the toy section of a shop and you see something you like; you know you can't buy it because you don't have enough money

Now work in pairs with one person being the parent and one person being the child. Remember you can't use words in mime - only facial expressions and gestures.

  • You ask your parent to buy you that toy, but they say they don't have enough money.
  • When you get home, your parent surprises you because they bought you the new toy.

Swap roles and repeat.

Think-Pair-Share: Was it hard to communicate those ideas when you don't have words? Words in plays and mimes are called dialogue. Do facial expressions and gestures help you to communicate?

Comment: Look at the image below and describe what the gestures and facial expressions communicate. Read other students' comments and comment on one that you agree with, explaining why. Start with @Name so they know that you are commenting on their comment.

Fig. 1: What do the gestures and facial expressions communicate?

For the Teacher

Overview of Learning Module: Introduction for Teachers:

In this learning module we will be covering all five strands of The Arts curriculum. We will follow this overall structure:

-Drama: Lin Yi's Lantern

-Music: Lin Yi's Lantern

-Visual Art: (Visit to the National Gallery of Australia)- focus on "Blue Poles" by Jackson Pollock

-Dance: Traditional Indigenous Dance

-Media: "Nolan's Cheddar- Advertisement" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0K8lrVjT6fM)

This learning module links to the "Waratah Works" learning module. There are consistent themes throughout both learning modules. These include social skilling, values based themes and a focus on audience and purpose. 

Students have been introduced to the topic and concept of "Waratah Works". This focuses on what works to create a sense of belonging in a combined year 3/4 unit (4 classes- Waratah), what constitutes "Quality Work" (linked to the concepts and themes of the work of Dr William Glasser) and different types of works across the curriculum. In this learning module, the focus will be on the different types of works across the five areas of The Arts (Drama, Music, Visual Art, Dance and Media). 

Introducing the unit to the students: during unit novel time each day (approximately 5-10 minutes of short intensive unit wide focused teaching), explore the themes covered in "Waratah Works". Then introduce the concept of Waratah Works: The Arts; focus on how quality work within the arts contributes to a sense of community. 

Purpose: This update allows students to draw on their prior knowledge and experiences as they communicate ideas and emotions through mime.

Teaching Tips

If the students have not had much experience of mime, there is a range of mime activities at Mime Workshop for All Ages. These should precede the activities in this update which are designed as an introduction to the text, Lin Yi's Lantern by Brenda Williams.

Links to Waratah Works

  • Emphasise showing respect and support to each other as students mime.

Drama 1b. Responding to Lin Yi's Lantern

For the Student

Learning Intention: To read and respond to the story, Lin Yi's Lantern through talk and mime.

Success Criteria

  • I can talk about my predictions of the story.
  • I can create a mime on my favourite part of the story.
  • I can use facial expressions and gestures in my mime.I can write a reflection/comment.

Firstly, look at the cover of Lin Yi's Lantern by Brenda Williams and Benjamin Lacombe. In a Think-Pair-Share, predict what the story will be about. 

Listen to the teacher read the story. Half way through, stop and discuss your predictions. Are they on the right track? You can make a new prediction to your partner if you like.

At the end, discuss your predictions. Were you right? What surprised you? Is it a good story? Why/why not?

Now with your partner, decide on your favourite part of the story. Together you will create a short mime about that part of the story. Plan it together first. Think about your facial expressions and gestures.

Then perform your mime to the class. See if they can guess what part of the story you are miming.

Comment: Comment on one mime that you thought was good. What made it good? What facial expressions and gestures did you observe? What did they communicate?

Fig. 2: 'Lin Yi's Lantern' by Brenda Williams and Benjamin Lacombe

For the Teacher

Purpose: This update introduces the focus text to the students and to have a go at mime. 

Background

The text tells the story of a little boy living in China named Lin Yi whose mother sends him to the market to buy a list of items for their upcoming Moon Festival Celebration. His mother explains to him that he may purchase a red lantern (something he has always wanted) if he has enough money at the end.

Teaching Tips

Vocabulary

During and after the reading, discuss meanings, similar words, examples and non-examples. Some key vocabulary you may wish to highlight includes: bargain, reciting, trader, pounds, fragrant, lantern, resist. Encourage students to add words to a class word wall. 

Links to Waratah Works

  • Social skilling - listening and viewing attentively
  • Respect

Drama 2. Themes

For the Student

Learning Intention: To infer the deeper meaning of the story.

Success Criteria

  • I can understand the main ideas of the story by inferring.
  • I can write words to describe the main character.

Let's read the story again.

In a Think-Pair-Share, discuss:

  • Was Lin Yi tempted to buy the lantern at first?
  • What stopped him?
  • What are some words to describe Lin Yi?

Let's look at some of the main ideas in the story by inferring. Inferring is when you look at what the text says on the surface - this is the literal level. Then you infer what the author is saying at a deeper level.

As a class we will compete the first two lines of the Inferences Chart. Then with a partner, you can add 5 more images that you can analyse at the literal and inferential levels. You can sketch the drawing in the first column of the box.

Picture What I see What I infer
.
Lin Yi is remembering what is on the list (he is counting them on his fingers) and his mother is straightening his collar. His mother's expression shows that she loves and trusts Li Yin; Li Yin intends to remember and buy everything on the list.
Li Yin is looking at the rabbit lantern and the shopkeeper is telling him how much it is. Li Yin's expression shows that he really wants the lantern and he is tempted to buy it. The size of the shopkeeper shows he is older and more powerful and maybe he can persuade Li Yin.
     
     
     
     
     
Inferences Chart

Comment: Share some words to describe Li Yin. Keep adding words until you run out. Keep reading what other students add and try not to repeat any. You can look up a thesaurus to find more words too. We will have a long class list of words.

For the Teacher

Purpose: This update focuses on identifying the main themes of the text. It enables students to practise the reading strategy of inferring as well as scaffolding the update that follows. 

Teaching Tips

As students complete the chart, work with pairs who might need help to infer. Promote further collaboration by pairs joining so a group of 4 compares and contrasts their inferences, adding more information to their charts. 

Links to Waratah Works

  • Work collaboratively, helping each other to complete the chart
  • Show respect for people's ideas

Drama 3. Act Out a Scene

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand the main ideas of the story through acting them out.

Success Criteria

  • I can create a freeze frame of a scene in the story.
  • I can include facial expressions and gestures in the freeze frame.
  • I can add words to teh scene.
  • I can present my scene to an audience.
  • I can write a reflection/comment.

You and your partner will be allocated a scene of the story to act out. 

First of all, create a freeze frame of the scene.

  • Where will you be looking?
  • How will you stand?
  • What will be your facial expression? 
  • What gestures will you use?

Create that scene.

Then add words. You can use the words from the story or make up your own based on the story.

Present your scenes to the class.

Comment: What was your favourite? What made it successful? Read other students' comments and comment on one that you agreed with. Explain why.

Fig. 4: Lin Yi and the shopkeeper - how can you tell that the shopkeeper is more powerful?

For the Teacher

Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to interpret the main ideas of the story through role plays. Ask students to identify the pages from the story as well as the main idea that they are acting out.

Teaching Tips

This activity will be repeated again after students have learned about dramatic structure and more about the gestural, audio and spatial modes.

The shopkeeper shows he is more powerful as he is taller and looking down while Li Yin is looking up. His hands on his hip also shows he is confident. Li Yin looks unsure - he is tempted to buy the lantern first.

Links to Waratah Works

  • Be responsible in completing the task.
  • Give and receive respect in performance.

Drama 4. Narratives: Stories and Plays

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand how books and plays are the same and different.

Success Criteria

  • I can identify what is the same and what is different about books and plays.
  • I can complete the chart.
  • I can turn speech into dialogue.
  • I can write a reflection/comment.

1. Let's read the story again. We will stop at certain times so that you can complete the table to find out how narratives in stories and in plays are the same and different. 

Picture Books/Novels Lin Yi's Lantern Dramas/Plays

Setting (time and place) 

 

Setting (time and place)

The set with props on a stage

Characters   Characters/actors
Event sequence with a problem or complication   Scenes with a problem or complication
 Event sequence has a resolution    A scene where there is a resolution
 Coda    Coda
Language in sentences and paragraphs; can include speech/dialogue   Language in dialogue with stage directions (script)
We read/listen to the story   Actors use facial expressions, gesture and voice to act out the story
Drama Terms Chart

Add new words to our class Word Wall.

Now let's practise turning some speech from the picture book into a script.

Here is an excerpt from the picture book:

"Can I buy a red rabbit lantern for the moon festival - please?" begged Lin Yi.

"Well, that is up to you," said his mother. "I have no more money to spare but if you bargain well at the market you may have enough left for a red rabbit lantern."

This is what it would look like as a script:

Lin Yi (begging): Can I buy a red rabbit lantern for the moon festival - please?

Mother (calmly): Well, that is up to you. I have no more money to spare but if you bargain well at the market you may have enough left for a red rabbit lantern.

What did you notice? With your partner, find one more examples of speech and turn them into dialogue. Include stage directions.

Act it out.

Comment: Why are the stage directions important? How do they help the actors? Read other students' comments and comment on one that you agree with.

Fig. 5: Plays may be performed on a stage.

For the Teacher

Purpose: In this update, students compare and contrast narratives in books/novels with narratives in plays/dramas. In doing so they develop a metalanguage for describing terms uses in drama.

Teaching Tips

Complete the table as a class, with students using examples from Li Yin's Lantern to complete the centre column.

 
Picture Books/Novels Lin Yi's Lantern Dramas/Plays/Performance
Setting (time and place)  The narrative is set in China at the time of the Moon Festival. It is in the past as the characters are wearing traditional Chinese clothing.

Setting (time and place)

The set with props on a stage

Characters Lin Yi, mother, Uncle Hui, shopkeepers  Characters/actors
Event sequence with a problem or complication  Li Yin wants a rabbit lantern but he does not have enough money to buy it. Scenes with a problem or complication
Event sequence has a resolution Lin Yi cannot save enough money through bargaining to buy the rabbit lantern. however, his Uncle Hui surprises him by bring him one. A scene where there is a resolution
Coda You will be rewarded for being honest and doing the right thing. Coda
Language in sentences and paragraphs; can include speech/dialogue

"Can I buy a red rabbit lantern for the moon festival - please?" begged Lin Yi.

"Well, that is up to you," said his mother. "I have no more money to spare but if you bargain well at the market you may have enough left for a red rabbit lantern."

Language in dialogue with stage directions(script)
We read/listen to the story (Students could draw a picture here) Actors use facial expressions, gesture and voice to act out the story

If necessary, you may have to revise the structure of narratives - orientation, complication, resolution, and coda. You could use a Story Frames Strategy:

Similar to story maps, story frames are visual representations that focus students' attention on the structure of a story and on how the content of the story fits its structure.Students use story frames as a way to activate their background knowledge of the elements of story structure and thus to organize and learn new information from a story. Simple story frames require students to provide basic information about the sequence of events in a story:

The problem/complication in the story is ______.
This is a problem because ______.
The problem is solved when ______.
In the end (resolution) ______.

More complex frames might involve having students supply more detailed information by summarizing sequences of actions or events, or providing factual information to explain problems or motivations.

The second part of this update focuses on transforming text into a script.

Links to Waratah Works

  • Showing respect to each other.
  • Helping each other.

Drama 5. Gestural, Spatial and Audio Modes

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand the effects of the gestural, spatial and audio modes.

Success Criteria

  • I can use facial expressions and gestures in a mime.
  • I can analyse the effects of using facial expressions and mimes.
  • I can analyse the effects of using voice.
  • I can write a reflection/comment.

In pairs, repeat mimes from initial update using gesture and facial expressions. Choose one from the list below. Present your mime to the class.

  • Tell someone to come here
  • Tell someone to go away
  • Tell someone to be quiet
  • You are cooking and you open a rotten egg
  • You are taking some terrible tasting medicine
  • You are smelling your favourite food
  • You are playing cards and you win the game
  • You are shopping in the toy section of a shop and you see something you like; you know you can't buy it because you don't have enough money

Present your mime to the class. We will analyse each mime after it has been presented and add information to a class chart.

Group Facial Expression/s Effect/s Gesture/s Effect/s
1.        
2.         
3.        
4.        
5.        
6.        
7.        
8.        
9.        
10.        
11.        
12.        
13.        
14.        

Now work in pairs again and repeat your mime. This time you are going to add voice. Think about what you will say and how you will speak. Consider:

  • Volume (loud or soft)
  • Pitch (high, medium or low pitched)
  • Tone (happy, sad, energetic, dull)
  •  Rate (fast, slow)

Also think about your staging: Consider:

  • how far apart you are
  • who is higher/lower/forward/b
Group Volume, Pitch, Tone, Rate Effect/s Staging Effect/s
1.        
2.        
3.        
4.        
5.        
6.        
7.        
8.        
9.        
10.        
11.        
12.        
13.        
14.        

Comment: Describe something you learned about performing. Read other students' comments and comment on one that you agree with, explaining why.

Fig. 6: What does this gesture mean? What is its opposite? What colour would it be?

For the Teacher

Purpose: In this update students deepen their understanding of the gestural, spatial and audio modes by analysing their effects in mimes and role plays. This will enable them to make deliberate choices in their own performances about some of the elements of drama - facial expressions, gesture and voice.

Teaching Tips

Students plan and present mimes and role plays. After each one is presented, the teacher analyses the effects on a whole class chart. Use Think-Pair-Shares for students to discuss ideas before adding them to the chart. 

After a pair has performed, they could be asked to analyse the next pair of performers. That way everyone contributes to the analysis.

Background Notes on Voice

Pitch

To understand pitch, think of music. It has high and low notes as do people's voices. Everyone's voice has a natural pitch. Women's tend to be higher than men's, and everybody has a pitch range: the number of notes habitually used. When that range is very small, the effect is monotonous.

Tone

Tone refers to the emotional content carried by our voices. It is not the words themselves, but 'how' we say them. To speak expressively, is to fill or energize our words appropriately.

For example: a person who puts very little energy into their speech, no matter what they are saying, is often described as being 'flat'. By contrast someone who fills their speech to overflowing with energy is described as being 'exuberant' or 'enthusiastic'.

Volume

How loudly or quietly you speak is called volume. Some people are habitually loud and others quiet, regardless of their speech content. 

Rate

The term 'rate' refers to speaking pace. 

Links to Waratah Works

  • Helping each other.
  • Showing appreciation and respect for performers.

Drama 6. Class performance of Lin Yi's Lantern

For the Student

Learning Intention: To apply what you know about the gestural, audio and spatial modes to a performance.

Success Criteria

  • I can work with a partner.
  • I can write a script.
  • I can perform the script.
  • I can use voice, facial expressions and gestures in my performance.
  • I can write a reflection/comment.

As a class, we are going to perform the story of Lin Yi's Lantern.

Each pair will be allocated a page from the story. Your job is to write the script, decide on staging (where you will stand), props (keep them simple).

Rehearse your scene. Start with a freeze frame. Then think about your gestures, facial expressions, and how you will use your voice. End with a freeze frame.

Present your scene in the order of the story.

Comment:  Write a self-evaluation of your performance. What elements of drama did you do well? What elements could you improve? Read other students' self-evaluations and comment on one that you liked. 

Fig. 7: Plan your facial expressions and gestures.

For the Teacher

Purpose: Students apply what they have learned about multimodality - the gestural, audio and spatial modes - by presenting a scene from Li Yin's Lantern.

Teaching Tips

Allocate a scene to each pair of students. If necessary the same scene can be allocated to more than one pair.

Students perform their scenes, following the event sequence of the picture book.

Their comment provides an opportunity for metacognition about their performance.

Links to Waratah Works

  •  Helping each other.
  • Showing appreciation and respect for performers.

Music 1: Listening Clips

For the Student

Learning Intention: To respond to different pieces of music, identifying volume, pitch, tone and rhythm.

Success Criteria

  • I can concentrate as I listen to a piece of music.
  • I can discuss how the music makes me feel. 
  • I can discuss the volume, pitch, tone and rhythm of the piece of music.

Listen to the following pieces. After each one, discuss what you have heard in a Think-Pair-Share with your partner. Discuss:

  • How did this piece of music make you feel? 
  • What was its volume - loud or soft? Does it change?
  • What was its pitch - high, medium or low-pitched? Does it change?
  • What was its tone - happy sad, energetic or dull? Does it change?
  • What was its rate or rhythm - fast, slow or medium paced? Does it change?

Happy by Pharrell (4.0)

Media embedded February 21, 2017

The William Tell Overture by Rossini (3.24)

Media embedded February 21, 2017

The Trout by Franz Schubert (1.07)

Media embedded February 21, 2017

Yhuko pappora by Ash Dargan: an Indigenous Australian didgeridoo player whe is a member of the Larrakia people but did not find out about his aboriginality until he was 21. He teaches and performs all over the world. (4.32)

Media embedded February 21, 2017

In the Hall of the Mountain from Peer Gynt by Edvard Grieg (2.39)

Media embedded February 21, 2017

Sad Piano Music - Hurt by Lucas King (2014) (3.31)

Media embedded February 21, 2017

Comment: Which was your favourite piece? Explain why by referring to its volume, pitch, tone and rhythm. Read other students' comments and comment on any that you thoutht were interesting, explaining why. It could be because you thought the same thing or because they made you think about a different idea. Start with @Name so they know you are commenting on their comment.

For the Teacher

The music section builds on the drama section, leading to students finding a clip to set to a reading of Li Yin's Lantern or another favourite story.

Purpose: In this update, students revisit the conventions of drama that are applicable to music. These include volume, pitch, tone and rate/rhythm. The focus is on listening with concentration and identifying what they hear.

Teaching Tip: After each clip, stop and allow time for students to respond through Think-Pair-Shares. You could make a card with the focus questions so that students can work through each one after listening to a piece. Alternatively, prompt students with each question.

Music 2: Identity

For the Student

Learning Intention: To think about what makes you.

Think Pair Share: what factors influence and make up who people are? (e.g. where they live, their parents, cultural background, language, accent, religion, gender, clothing, education, opportunities, lifestyle etc).

Brainstorm what makes you? What things have influenced you identity - who you are?

Create a passport with a picture of yourself and draw/write about the factors that have shaped your identity.

Comment: How are we the same? How are we different?

Fig. 9: How are we the same and different?

For the Teacher

 The activity allows students to draw on their prior knowledge and experiences and share their ideas and understandings with others.

 

Music 3: Reading a Story to Music

For the Student

Learning Intention: To apply what you have learned about mood in music to a reading of a story.

Success Criteria

I can select and read a story aloud with other students.

I can select music as background to create a mood that fits in with the reading of the story.

I can collaborate with other students.

Working with a partner or small group to:

  • select a story that you would like to read
  • practise reading the story aloud - take turns so everyone participates in the reading
  • find a piece of music that you will use as background music as you read
  • practise reading the story with the music, pausing, adjusting volume, rhythm and pitch

Comment: What were some of the difficulties you faced in this activity? What were some of the successes? 

 

For the Teacher

Purpose: To apply what students have learned about music to a reading of a narrative.

Teaching Tips: Provide a range of texts for students to select from, including LinYi's Lantern.

 
 

Visual Arts 1: Splatter Patterns

For the Student

Stand in a circle with your cup of water. Your goal is to splash the water into the middle of our circle to create a splash artwork.

Consider how you can change what the water will look like on the concrete.

We will then sit in a circle around the splash artwork and discuss what we created and how we created it.

For the Teacher

 

This is an optional activity in Experiencing the Known. If attending the National Gallery of Australia excurion, this activity may be covered by this experience.

Students stand in a circle with a plastic cup of water for each student on a clean concrete surface. Teacher explains to students that we are going to "throw" the water into the circle to create water splash patterns. 

Teacher will review expectations of where the water will land, the importance of showing responsibility when completing this activity to achieve the best learning possible. 

Students will examine the water patters that are created and then contribute to a circle time around the water splash work to discuss:

-how is the water creating a splash pattern?

-could the owner of each cup choose what types of marks would be made?

-how could the actions used to place the water on the concrete contribute to the overall end product?

-what would happen if you did this with paint?

Teaching Tip:

To ensure this is a controlled and successful activity, the following scffolds are suggested:

-explain to students (when in the classroom) what the activity is prior to going outside

-prepare a bucket of water (with at least enough water to fill a full cup for each student in your class)

-have students stand in the circle with an empty cup

-using a jug, fill each student's cup one at a time, having them "throw" the water from their cup and make the contribution to the work one at a time

-prompt students to look at the actions used by other students and the result of the splatter patterns

-take photographs throughout the process, before the circle is completely wet

-when complete, take a photograph of the splatter pattern work to review with the class at a later date (or if it dries before you finish the circle time).

 

Visual Arts 2: National Gallery of Australia Visit

For the Student

We are going to visit the National Gallery of Australia (NGA). During this visit, you will get to see a range of works that we will refer to throughout this learning module. We will spend some time looking at "Blue Poles" by Jackson Pollock. He created this artwork using oil based paint on canvas. He used the same techniques we did in creating our water splash patterns. We will learn more about how artists create works for a variety of purposes (to engage, to entertain, to prompt thinking, to be controversial) using a variety of techniques.

 
Fig. VA2: National Gallery of Australia

For the Teacher

We are going on an excursion to the National Gallery of Australia. We are going to view some of the key artworks that are referenced in this unit (see Visual Art Retrieval Chart) in real life to engage students in experiential learning. 

When coordinating this excursion, you may be able to have the NGA staff orient students to the artwork "Blue Poles, by Jackson Pollock) and discuss the audience and purpose of the piece. This links directly with the next sequence of teaching episodes focusing on Visual Arts. If this is the case, you may not need the previous activity (VA1: Splatter Patterns).

See the gallery website for more details: 

http://nga.gov.au/ 

Visual Arts 3: Responding to Artworks Retrieval Chart

For the Student

We are going to work on this Visual Arts Retrieval Chart to review and respond to a range of artworks. We will work together to complete the different sections of the chart.

Student Version- Print A3 Colour

 

For the Teacher

Retrieval Chart:

Students work through the retrieval chart with the teacher. Use a gradual release of responsibility model to guide and support students through this learning experience. Explain this to students:

-I do, you watch

-I do, you help

-You do, I help

-You do, I watch

For Artworks 1 and 2 on the retrieval chart, the teacher models each component of the activity:

-Artwork (view the work)

-When (when was this work created?)

-How (how was this artwork created?)

-Artist / Culture (who created the work? What cultural influences are present?)

-Audience (who is the audience for the work?)

-Purpose (what is the intended purpose of the work? Examples: to entertain, prompt thinking, to engage, to be controversial)

-Meaning (what is the meaning of the artwork?)

-Effect (what are the effects of the work?)

For Artworks 3 and 4, the teacher supports students to use a Think-Pair-Share structure to review and respond to the artworks.

For Artworks 5 and 6, students work in cooperative groups to review and respond to the artworks.

For Artworks 7 and 8, students can work in pairs or individually to review and respond to the artworks.

For Artworks 9 and 10, they are intended as extension activities for the more capable students to review and respond to. 

Visual Arts 4: Materials, techniques, composition

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand the effects of technique, colour, line, and texture in a painting.

Success Criteria

  • I can explain painting techniques used by Jackson Pollock
  • I can discuss the use of line, colour and texture in a painting
  • I can explain how a painting makes me feel
Media embedded February 23, 2017

Watch the video of Jackson Pollock painting. With a partner describe how Jackson Pollock created his painting. Think about:

  • What paint did he use?
  • How did he get the paint onto the canvas?
  • What does this technique make you feel? Why?

With your teacher complete the first part of this retrieval chart about painting technique.

Composition and technique
  What do you see? What is the effect?
Painting technique    
Use of line    
Use of colour    
Use of texture    
Fig. VA4: Blue Poles by Jackson Pollock

Examine the Blue Poles painting by Jackson Pollock. With a partner describe how Jackson Pollock created his art work. Think about:

  • The lines in the painting
  • The colours and how are they arranged
  • The texture of the painting

With your teacher complete the second part of the retrieval chart about the use of line.

Now think about how Jackson Pollock used colours and textures and finish the rest of the retrieval chart either with a partner or by yourself.

Jackson Pollock used repetition and direction to organise the lines, colours and textures in his painting. With a partner, take turns to describe how he did this and where you can see this in his painting.

For the Teacher

 

In this update students deepen their understanding of Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles through investigation of the materials, techniques, processes and visual conventions.

Teaching Tip

It is worth viewing the YouTube clip several times to focus on different things:

  • see Pollock's painting method
  • hear how Pollock talks about his painting 

Where necessary define and explain terminology such as texture. There are opportunities in this activity for teachers to further develop and broaden student vocabulary and to add new vocabulary and terminology to the word wall.

Use the gradual release of responsibility described in the previous activity to scaffold the retrieval chart component of this activity.

For background information about Abstract Expressionism:

https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/themes/abstract-expressionism

Visual Arts 5: Creating our own action painting

For the Student

Learning Intention: To create a painting that expresses my feelings.

Success Criteria:

  • I can use colour, line and texture to show feelings
  • I can organise my painting by using repetition and direction
  • I can explain how I organised my picture 
  • I can explain why I chose the colours and lines I used
Fig: VA5; Paintbrushes

Make a painting in the style of Jackson Pollock. Think about how you will use lines, colour and texture to express how you are feeling.

Share your painting with others and explain how you organised your painting.

For the Teacher

In this activity students use what they have learned about the materials, techniques  and composition of action painting to create their own works.

Teaching Tips

Prepare pots of diluted (runny) paint and provide alternatives to paintbrushes.

These works could be compiled into a single large array that emulates the scale of Pollock's works.

It may be valuable to revisit the YouTube clip of Jackson Pollock prior to students sharing and discussing their artwork, as this provides a model for describing their artwork.

Dance 1: Viewing ATSI Dance

For the Student

Learning Intention: To view and respond to some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dances.

Success Criteria

  • I can move like a brolga.
  • I can discuss the videoclips of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dances.
  • I can create dance movements based on these dances.
  • I can reflect/comment on what I learned.

Have you ever seen a brolga? It is a bird that lives in wetlands in Australia. It is a tall bird and has a small head, long beak, neck, and legs. It has grey feathers with black wing tips, and an orange-red band of colour on its head. It is well known for its courtship dance. Watch two video of brolgas dancing.

Media embedded March 20, 2017
Media embedded March 20, 2017

Think-Pair-Share: What was your favourite clip? What did the movements of the brolga make you think of?

Stand in the circle and let's try out some of the movements.

  • What do their necks do? Notice how they move at different levels (get lower and stretch higher).Try it!
  • What do their heads do? Try it!
  • What do their beaks do? Try it!
  • What do their wings do? Notice how their bodies make different shapes as they spread their wings or change levels.Try it!
  • What do their legs do? Notice how they jump. Notice how they change directions. Try it!
  • What sound do they make? Try it!

Now stand next to a partner and move with another person. Change position so that you move around, side-by-side and in front and behind each other as you try out some of the movements of the brolga dance.

The brolga is a type of bird called a crane. Now watch a dance that has been created to imitate the crane/brolga's courtship dance.

Media embedded March 20, 2017

 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island dances tell stories about animals, fishing, hunting and welcome ceremonies. 

Media embedded March 20, 2017

Think-Pair-Share:

  • What do you see?
  • What do you hear?
  • Where are they?
  • Who dances?
  • What movements do you see? What do they symbolise and represent?

Let's try out some new movements. Create three movements with your partner. They can be based on the movement of the brolga/crane, fishing, hunting or a welcome. Also you could use the foot stomp movement or the knee shaking that you can see in the videoclip. Practise your movements and then sit in a big circle and watch as each pair of students perform their movements.

Comment: What were some of the movements you saw performed by other students? Which ones were your favourites? Why? Why was sitting in a circle important?

For the Teacher

Purpose: This update engages students in the dance section of the learning module and introduces students to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dances and their common themes. 

Teaching Tips

  • Play the videoclips more than once if required. As you play them the second time, students can imitate the movements that they see.
  • Sitting in a circle is important when students perform as this is a cultural and supportive practice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
  • Use clapping sticks or play sound without visuals when students perform.

Links to Waratah Works

  • Emphasise the importance of being supportive and working collaboratively when students perform.
  • Acknowledge the richness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and the importance of showing respect.

Dance 2: Elements of Dance

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand the elements of dance.

Success Criteria:

  • I can listen to and discuss a story.
  • I can view a dance and discuss how the dance and the story are the same and different.
  • I can imitate the movements in the dance.
  • I can discuss the elements of dance.
  • I can include the elements of dance in my own dance and perform it for my peers.
  • I can reflect on what I have learned through a comment.

The courtship dance of the brolga is based on a Dreamtime story. Listen to the Aboriginal Dreamtime story about the brolga, Brolga, the most beautiful dancing bird.

Aboriginal Dreamtime stories are also called creation stories. They explain Aboriginal culture, how the world was created, and how laws for living, treating each other, the land and animals, and surviving, came to be. 

There were many different communities or tribes of Aboriginal people, with their own languages and cultures. They all believed in the Dreaming or the Dreamtime, but they had many different Dreamtime stories. Different communities and tribes still tell their own Dreamtime stories, including stories about how things came to be – the land, water, and stars in the sky, people, animals, trees and plants. We call these creation stories. Aboriginal people hand down their culture to future generations through their stories, music, dance, art and crafts.

After listening to the story, discuss:

  • What was your favourite part?
  • What happened to the brolga at the end?
  • Who was the villain?
  • What is the message of this story?

Now watch the Bangarra Dance company's dance about the brolga. 

Media embedded March 20, 2017

Think-Pair Share: What is this dance about? How is the same or different to the story that we read first?

Now let's try out some of the movements that you saw and learn about the elements of dance.

Watch the video again and as you watch it try to copy the movements.

Then discuss what you tried out, using the elements of dance.

Element of dance Example
Space: Level High (standing and stretching with hands like a beak) and medium (on knees pecking the ground and bobbing neck)
Space: Direction

Circles, Forward, backwards, sideways, bending

Space: Size

Stretching high

spreading wings - one wing and two wings

Space: Shape  

Stretching high with hands like a beak

spreading wings - one wing and two wings

curved body

Time: Rhythm Regular
Dynamics (steps)

Large steps with stomps

Shaking leg

Also watch the shaking leg movement in the Corroboree dance video of Aboriginal children in St Kilda, Melbourne.

Media embedded March 20, 2017

Imagine you are the brolga. Remember this part of the story:

 But Brolga didn't just do the old dances. She liked to make up new ones about the trees and the wind, dances about the Spirits and the animals. Soon brolga's dances became so good that other tribes would come from far away just to watch Brolga dance her beautiful dances.

With a partner, try out 3-5 dance movements, showing the elements of dance. You can make them about the trees or animals and nature. Rehearse them  and then perform them in a circle for other members of the class.

Comment: What did you learn about the elements of dance?

For the Teacher

Purpose: Students learn more about Dreamtime stories and their connections to culture, especially dance. They also look at movements in the brolga dance performed by Bangarra to identify elements of dance. This is the important conceptual learning of the dance section.

Teaching Tips

  • Using the gradual release of responsiblity as students explore the elements of dance. 

Links to Waratah Works

  • Link to respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander culture.
  • Show support and act responsibly as students perform in the circle.

Dance 3: Analysing the elements of dance

For the Student

Learning Intention: To understand the effects of space, time, dynamics and relationships in dance sequences.

Success Criteria 

  • I can identify examples of space (level, direction, size and shape), time (rhythm - fast slow, regular, irregular, choppy), and dynamics (energy - side steps or stomps).
  • I can discuss the effects of space, time and dynamics.
  • I can discuss why people like to dance.
  • I can discuss why dance is important in Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander culture.
  • I can reflect on what I have learned through a comment.
  • I can comment on other students' comments.

 As a class, let's complete part of the chart about the elements of dance. Think about the  dance movements in our last lesson as well as the dance videoclips you watched. Then with a partner, in a Think-Pair-Share, discuss an example of space that you used or you saw someone else use. We will record that in the "Example" column. Now think about "What happened when you varied the space element or repeated it or made it more abstract?  Record that in the "Effects" column.

Dance Element Examples Effects
Space (level, direction, size and shape)        
Space    
Space    
Time (rhythm - fast slow, regular, irregular, choppy)     
Time    
Time    
Dynamics (energy - side steps or stomps)    
Dynamics      
Dynamics      

After completing the chart, in an Inner-Outer Circle, discuss:

  • Why is it important to vary the use of space?
  • Why is it important to vary the time?
  • Why is it important to vary the dynamics?
  • Is it okay to repeat movements? Why/why not?
  • Why do we like to dance?
  • Why do people like to watch dance performances?
  • Do you like dances from other cultural traditions? Why/why not?
  • why dance is important in Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander culture.
  • What do we gain when we learn about other cultural traditions?

Comment: Share one important idea from your discussion in the Inner-Outer Circle activity. Explain why you think it is important. Read other students' comments and comment on 1-2 that you thought were interesting, explaining why. Start with @Name so they know that you are commenting on their comment.

Fig. Dance 3: Through dance, music and drama, Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people hand down their cultural traditions.

 

For the Teacher

Purpose:  In this update, students deepen their understanding of the elements of dance through analysing the effects of using the elements and reflecting on their own dance movements. The focus is on metacognition as students develop their understandings of the elements of dance so they can apply them when they create their own dance sequences. It also includes prompts about the relevance of their learning.

Teaching Tips

Use Think-Pair-Shares to ensure each student is involved in thinking about the dance elements and their effects. This is the "Analysing Functionally" activity. Show the chart on the whiteboard/SmartBoard/paper to model and scaffold for students as they complete their own charts. Students copy this onto the worksheet that they are given and then work in pairs to add 2 more examples from the videoclips and/or from their own movement sequences in the previous activity.  Follow this process for each of the elements. 

Effects might include: there was more variety or the dance became more interesting, entertaining, showed specific emotions, funnier, harder/easier and communicated a particular idea/theme etc.

The Inner-Outer Circle (see description below) is the "Analysing Critically" activity. You can add more questions.

In the Inner Outer Circle activity, students can move right or left upon the teacher's direction. Vary who goes first and allow 30 seconds for thinking and then 1 minute for each person to respond to the question. Keep it moving and make it fun. 

Links to Waratah Works

 Ask students to thank each person before moving to the next person. Give a little more time to the last 4 questions as they are essential to understanding the relevance of this learning to students' own lives and an appreciation of diversity and tolerance.

Inner/Outer Circles

Students form two circles – one circle within the other -  with students facing each other.

Pose a question to the students or make a statement and ask student what they think about it. Allow them some thinking time. One student shares his/her thinking and then the other student build on his/her ideas. Students in one of the circles then move one or more steps to the right or left. The teacher then poses the next question or statement, allowing time for thinking and sharing, before asking one of the circles to move again. Vary the activity by asking students to move and then share what they discussed in the previous rotation with their new partner.

Dance 4: Dreamtime Stories into Dance

For the Student

Learning Intention: To represent ideas of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Dreamtime stories using the elements of dance.

Success Criteria

  • I can identify movements in the animation and turn them into dance movements.
  • I can create movements to tell a story.
  • I can incorporate the elements of dance in my story.
  • I can reflect on what I have learned through a comment.

Watch the Dreamtime story about Mirram The Kangaroo and Warreen The Wombat. This animation was created by students from the Wiradjuri people in Griffith, NSW.

Media embedded March 20, 2017

Now let's make a list of some of the movements of Wareen and Mirram in the story.

Think about gestures and facial expressions to tell story too.

Let's create movements to tell the story.

Work in a group of three to find your own Dreamtime story in the library or on the internet. It could be about:

  • hunting and gathering food
  • animals
  • looking after the land
  • growing up
  • creation 

When you find your story, work out 3-5 movements that tell the story. Include the elements of dance.

Perform your movements in the class circle. You can use clapping sticks or didgeridoo music as you perform.

Comment: What was my favourite dance? What elements of dance did you see? Read through other students' comments and comment on 1-2 that you agree with.

For the Teacher

Purpose: Students have focused on one Dreamtime story and now apply what they have learnt to other stories.

Teaching Tips

  • Provide a range of texts of Dreamtime stories from the library and online. The animated versions online may provide a scaffold for determining movements for many students too.

Links to Waratah Works

  • Working collaboratively.
  • Showing appreciation and respect for performers.

 

Media 1: Mousetrap Ad

For the Student

We are going to watch an interesting advertisement. Whe watching this ad, know that the mouse is not going to die. 

View it a second time and consider the music and the affect it has on the ad. What if we watched it on mute? Is it the same? What changes?

Repeat this process looking at the humour perspective of the ad, empathy and colours. How has the author intentionally positioned the audience using these components? Share your thoughts with others. 

For the Teacher

 Students view the following advertisement on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcSBO8YAnTQ 

This activity links to the teaching of Persuasive Writing (see Persuasive Writing Planning Documents). 

Students view the advertisement from the following perspectives:'

-music

-humour and empathy

-colours

-actions of the mouse

Students post their understandings of the affect of these perspectives on the Waratah Works Community. 

Media 2: Audience

For the Student

Who do you think is the intended audience for this ad? What is the ad trying to convince you to do? Why? How do you know?

We are going to write our thoughts on a think board and share with the class. 

LI: I can identify the audience and purpose of an advertisement. 

For the Teacher

 Students examine the intended audience for the ad. What is the purpose of the ad? Students complete an "All Write Round Robin" to share their thoughts and opinions. 

All Write Round Robin: Students all write at the same time on an A3 piece of paper split into 4 quadrants, all answering the same question at the same time. 

Make links to the audience and purpose of other advertisements (as covered in the Persuasive Writing Planning Documents). 

Media 3:

For the Student

Using a device, find an approriate advertisement to analyse the following:

-who is the audience?

-what is the purpose?

-what techniques have publisher used to create the ad and make it successful (eg music, light, humour, empathy, colours, characters/actors etc).

Is the ad succcessful? Would you buy the product? Why? Why Not? What changes would you make if you were the publisher?

LI: I can analyse an advertisement, examining the features used to make it successful and explain this to someone else. 

For the Teacher

 Students will analyse another advertisement. Using the same structures, they need to find an appropriate ad (and check it with the teacher). 

Students will analyse the different components of the ad and the effect they have on the audience. Students share their work with their table group. 

Passion Project: A Play -culminating piece

For the Student

Learning Intention: To demonstrate what you have learned about the arts through a performance/presentation.

Success Criteria

  • I can create my arts passion project
  • I can rehearse/prepare and present my passion project.
  • I can write a reflection/comment.

Let's show what we have learned about the elements of drama, music, dance, visual arts and media through a passion project. It could be:

  • a drama role play
  • a dance
  • music
  • artwork
  • a media work

You could also combine one or more areas as a performance/presentation for an audience.

Reflect in a Think-Pair-Share:

  • What was your favourite part of your presentation/performance?
  • What did you think that you did well?
  • What did other students do well?
  • What elements of the arts did you show in your presentation/performance?

Comment: Write a self-evaluation of your performance. What elements did you do well? What elements could you improve? Read other students' self-evaluations and comment on one that you liked. 

What will you present/perform to your audience?

 

For the Teacher

This is the culminating project for the learning module.

Purpose: To demonstrate what students have learnt in one of more areas of the arts through an artwork/performance.

Teaching Tips

Allow students choice in the artworks at the same time as encouraging them to select an area where they can make positive contributions and experience success.

Students may work individually, in pairs or in small groups.

Students across the unit could combine so that teachers could focus one area..

Links to Waratah Works

Emphasise tolerance and respect in how students work collaboratively and in how they give feedback to each other.

 

Acknowledgements

The orignal version of this learning module was written by Marissa Owens, Lauren Hasler, and David Livingstone.

Title: (Source); Fig. 1: (Source); Fig. 2: (Source); Figs 3 and 4: (Source); Fig. 5: Stage (Source); Fig. 6: Red fist (Source); Fig. 7: Eggs (Source); Fig. VA2: National Gallery (Source); Fig. VA4: Blue Poles (Source); Fig. VA5: Paintbrushes (Source); Fig. Dance 3: (Source); Passion Project (Source);