The Arts Curriculum aims to develop students’:
- creativity, critical thinking, aesthetic knowledge and understanding about arts practices, through making and responding to artworks with increasing self-confidence
- arts knowledge and skills to communicate ideas; they value and share their arts and life experiences by representing, expressing and communicating ideas, imagination and observations about their individual and collective worlds to others in meaningful ways
- use of innovative arts practices with available and emerging technologies, to express and represent ideas, while displaying empathy for multiple viewpoints
- understanding of Australia’s histories and traditions through the Arts, engaging with the artworks and practices, both traditional and contemporary, of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
- understanding of local, regional and global cultures, and their Arts histories and traditions, through engaging with the worlds of artists, artworks, audiences and arts professions.
At Kalamunda Senior High School we have a vibrant Arts Learning Area. Students can choose from six different art disciplines.
We promote excellence across the arts and provide ongoing pathways through the Middle and Senior School for students who want to enrich their learning through the development of arts ideas, skills and processes and creative and critical thinking.
Kalamunda SHS has an integrated Gifted and Talented Education Visual Arts Program. This is a selective program and students can only enter through competitive application. See specialist programs section for more information.
Dance
Dance is for students who have an enthusiasm for dance. It provides a unique opportunity to develop physically, creatively, emotionally and intellectually through both “practical” and “theory” components. A variety of genres are explored such as jazz, contemporary and cultural dance. During the course the students will have opportunity to explore the components of dance through movement exploration and investigation. Students will also develop their understanding of dance as entertainment, and its place within society.
Students will be required to view a live performance and to perform for an audience in the dance styles studied.
Media
In Media Studies students explore media in the contexts of music videos, computer games and documentaries.
An understanding of media language considering media forms, narrative, codes and conventions, representations and skills and processes is gained. They will also consider how audiences are complex groups of people with unique histories, experiences, attitudes and values that they bring to their understanding of media texts. Through production of media texts students will gain conceptual and process skills and an understanding of the many factors that shape media texts.
Music
This music course caters for all students including entry level, intermediate and advanced students. The Music course is designed around the four key Arts outcomes, with the learning experiences deriving directly from these outcomes. Outcomes include Performing, Composing and Arranging, Listening and Responding and Culture and Society.
Music students also have access to instrumental/vocal lessons through the Instumental Music School Services (IMSS).
Theatre Arts
An exciting and rewarding journey into the world of the theatre and its allied art forms exploring the stage and its technologies. Students will research, workshop, interpret, perform and produce texts of realistic and non- realistic drama. Students will develop acting techniques and consider how to interpret, design and stage play texts to reach a modern audience.
Photography
Photography introduces students to the design process and how to solve visual problems in relation to the world around them. Students will learn how to ‘read’ and interpret other artists’ photographic images and symbols and use this insight to create their own visual messages.
Visual Arts
Visual Arts is an exciting and enjoyable course. It is suited to anyone who really likes Art. The course is almost entirely practical in middle school. Producing quality work and meeting deadlines is important. Students work in an active and creative environment, producing work in a variety of skills areas like painting, drawing, screen printing, fashion, interior design, graphics, textiles and community art.