Music, Drama, Photography & Visual Arts

In Years 7 and 8, students are given varied experiences in The Arts Learning Area.

Year 7s rotate through Music, Drama, Photography and Visual Art in semesters 1 and 2.

Music

Music at Bridgetown High School gives the opportunity for students to become independent musicians and develop the confidence to perform in public. Students perform in a range of events throughout the year such as end-of-term assemblies, Blues at Bridgetown, and other, smaller community events.

The focus for Music is to help students:

• increase their self-esteem;
• work as a team;
• persevere;
• explore creativity; and
• build confidence.

Our Music programme consists of a mix of theoretical and practical components, with students spending much of their time learning and perfecting songs for performance. To encourage engagement most of the songs are chosen by students themselves, with guidance from the teacher.

Our Music students are equipped with the skills to form bands and work together as a team. The aim is for our students to enjoy Music and develop lifelong skills.

In Year 7, students are introduced to the Elements of Drama, with a particular focus on space, movement and voice. They collaborate to create small skits and develop an original  whole class play for performance.

In Year 8, students delve into characterisation and role and further develop actor focus and an awareness of how to direct audience focus. They interpret scripted pieces for performance.

Photography

Photography in school can lead to various career paths, including professional photography roles like commercial, fashion, or photojournalism, as well as related fields like photo editing, graphic design, and even teaching. Photography skills are also valuable for careers in marketing, advertising, and social media, as well as specialized areas like scientific or medical photography.

CURRICULUM

Year 7 Photography 

In Year 7 Photography, students are introduced to photography as a visual art form, focusing on the exploration of different camera types and the foundational elements of composition. They learn to apply basic compositional techniques such as the rule of thirds and leading lines, culminating in two key assessments: the first involves capturing a series of well-composed images, and the second is the creation of a themed photographic calendar that showcases their developing skills. 

Year 8 Photography 

In Year 8, students refine the technical skills gained in Year 7, with a focus on using photography for personal expression and visual storytelling. They explore manual camera settings, more advanced composition techniques, and photo editing software to enhance their creative output. Their learning is demonstrated through two major projects: designing a concept-driven music album cover and producing a personal photographic portfolio that uses narrative sequencing and symbolism to communicate a cohesive visual story. 

Visual Art

Extra learning support is offered in Visual Arts classes through scaffolded instructions and visual support for all projects. Complex tasks (eg mixed media) are broken down into manageable stages and step-by-step instructions. The teacher uses video demonstrations to illustrate techniques. The teacher also uses targeted skill development like guided practice for difficult tasks (eg. Sketching portraits). Language and literacy support is provided through one-one-one pre-teaching of vocabulary and a glossary of terms.

Students have several opportunities to participate in art competitions and exhibitions. (eg Students' artwork is exhibited at the South-west schools Illuka Art exhibition, Luminos art competition. Other competitions include RUOK? and Youthcare WA). Students also exhibit at the school art exhibition. Students will have the opportunity for extra learning through excursions and incursions from visiting artists and studio visits (eg local Rabbit hole) and groups (eg. BYA and Silverchain visits).

Further Education Pathways – VET in Visual Arts, Design or Digital Media; ATAR or General in Visual Arts, Design, Media Production and University degrees in Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Animation, Architecture, Fashion.

Careers – Fine Arts, Graphic designer, Illustrator, Animator/Multimedia Artist, Art Teacher, Fashion Designer, Interior Designer, Curator/Gallery worker, Print maker/Photographer, Art Therapist.

CURRICULUM

Year 7

Focus: Introduction to Visual Arts concepts, materials, and techniques; development of basic skills in making and responding.

Activities/tasks: drawing tasks. Painting projects exploring colour mixing, brush techniques, print making to understand repetition and pattern, sculpture challenge using clay etc to construct 3D forms, collage and mixed media to express ideas, artwork analysis, research of an artist/art movement.

Year 8

Focus area: Building on foundational skills with more complex techniques and concepts; introduction to personal expression and critical analysis.

Activities/tasks: observational drawings, painting with more advanced colour theory (complementary colours, colour harmony), creating multi-layered prints or mixed media artworks, sculpture with emphasis on form and structure, designing artworks that communicate ideas or stories, written responses analysing artworks, including artist’s purpose and cultural significance.

Year 9

Focus area: Developing technical skills, conceptual ideas, cultural contexts, critical analysis.

Activities/tasks: Perspective drawing, lino printing, sculpture, digital media, thematic projects, research, critiques.

Year 10

Focus area: Advanced skills and conceptual depth, sustained artworks, critical reflection, preparation for senior studies

Activities/tasks: Extended portfolios, mixed media projects, advanced printmaking, installation, digital art, research, formal critiques.