Years 3 to 4
The Arts
ASARTY34
Years 3 to 4 Arts (all subjects) Achievement Standard
4 statements aligned to content descriptors and elaborations
Achievement standard (as ACARA publishes it)
Achievement standard
Click any sentence to jump to its statement and linked content descriptors.
By the end of Year 4, students describe use of elements, concepts and/or conventions in arts works they create and/or experience. They describe where, why and/or how arts works are created and presented across cultures, times, places, and/or other contexts.
Students use arts knowledge and skills to create arts works in a range of forms that communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning. They present and/or perform their work in informal settings.
The 4 achievement standard statements
Open a statement to see the content descriptors ACARA links to it, then open a descriptor's elaborations.
By the end of Year 4, students describe use of elements, concepts and/or conventions in arts works they create and/or experience.
Content descriptorAC9ADA4C01 Creating and making
use the elements of dance to choreograph dance that communicates ideas, perspectives and/or meaning
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration improvising using movements (locomotor and non-locomotor) from a dance they have learnt or experienced and using the elements of dance, such as space, time, dynamics and relationships, to develop sequences based on the original movements and then combining the sequences to create a longer dance
- Elaboration using Viewpoints to frame questions about dances they are choreographing; for example, “How will the dance begin?”, “When does the middle part begin?”, “What shapes will we make?”, “How will the dance end?”
- Elaboration creating dance sequences by combining fundamental locomotor and non-locomotor movements, such as running and sliding, bending and stretching, running, swinging and walking, and using a variety of levels and directions
- Elaboration using Viewpoints to ask questions when making choices about ideas and intentions for a dance; for example, “How can we connect these 2 parts of our dance?” or “What level should we choose for the start of the dance?”
- Elaboration using learning from explorations of dances that communicate First Nations Australians’ connection to and responsibility for Country/Place to devise dance that communicates their own connection to and responsibility for Country/Place; for example, devising a dance that communicates their feelings about a “favourite” place or shows how they care for a place in their community, taking care to follow protocols for respecting Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property rights
Content descriptorAC9ADA4D01 Developing practices and skills
experiment with and practise skills for moving safely and expressively using fundamental movement skills and the elements of dance
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration exploring known movements to find alternative ways of performing them; for example, waving hello or shaking hands and then doing the same action/s at different levels, in different directions, bigger/smaller or using a different body part, zone or base
- Elaboration using contrast and repetition (choreographic devices) to explore and generate new movement in response to stimuli such as stories, memories or the environment
- Elaboration exploring how the elements of dance can be used to communicate ideas, such as exploring how cultural stories can be shared through dance; for example, using the elements of dance to develop locomotor and non-locomotor movements to represent different aspects of a story (how a character walks, their emotions or the mood of a place in the story)
- Elaboration developing the habit of always using safe dance practice; for example, warming up their bodies before executing more complex movement patterns in dance sequences and cooling/calming down afterwards, removing socks if the floor surface is slippery
- Elaboration developing body awareness and refining technical skills of body control, accuracy, alignment, strength, balance and coordination in fundamental movements; for example, in response to teacher feedback
Content descriptorAC9ADA4E01 Exploring and responding
explore where, why and how dance is choreographed and/or performed across cultures, times, places and/or other contexts
Elaborations (3)
- Elaboration identifying meaning and describing purposes that dance can be created for; for example, exploring dances from a range of cultures from their local community and/or neighbouring countries, such as countries in Asia, that are performed for celebrations or narrative dances that share stories
- Elaboration learning dances created for different purposes such as entertainment; for example, dances from a range of cultures, times or places that are/have been a dance craze or are a dance that “everyone” knows
- Elaboration using Viewpoints to ask questions about dance they are experiencing, such as “Are the movements in this dance similar to movements in dances that you know?”, “Where are these dances performed?”
Content descriptorAC9ADR4C01 Creating and making
improvise and/or devise and shape drama using the elements of drama to communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning
Elaborations (7)
- Elaboration using learning from explorations of drama that communicate First Nations Australians’ connection to and responsibility for Country/Place to devise drama that communicates their own connection to and responsibility for place; for example, devising drama that communicates their feelings about a “favourite” place or shows how they care for a place in their community
- Elaboration creating drama by exploring and experiencing a range of roles and situations that they initiate and develop; for example, exploring roles and situations in a “miniature world”
- Elaboration improvising drama to explore issues and ideas, considering how empathy can assist them to take on roles, accept situations and “stand in the shoes” of another; for example, comparing their own and their peers’ responses to “everyday” interactions or imagining themselves as participants in an event that is happening or happened in another time or place
- Elaboration devising dialogue for a previously “wordless story” or devising dramatic action/movement for a story they know only through spoken (audio) sources
- Elaboration using the elements of drama and the principles of story to shape improvisations to communicate their intentions as drama makers; for example, establishing time and place, and the roles and characters in the drama
- Elaboration working in groups to devise sections of a drama (for example, using process drama strategies) and then, working as a class, using a guided play-building process to combine the sections
- Elaboration communicating with an audience their connection to and responsibility for Country/Place by Acknowledging Country before a performance or presentation, taking care to observe protocols and using resources created or co-created by First Nations Australians, and/or by participating with Elders in a Welcome to Country (as appropriate)
Content descriptorAC9ADR4D01 Developing practices and skills
use the elements of drama to explore and develop ideas for dramatic action in improvisations and/or devised drama
Elaborations (4)
- Elaboration experimenting with the loudness/softness, pace and pitch of their voices/vocalisations to create roles and situations, time and place; for example, when initiating and developing roles and situations in process drama
- Elaboration exploring roles and situations; for example, by using language (choice of words, expressions and tone) or experimenting with ways to heighten tension in the dramatic action
- Elaboration improvising ways to connect short scenes, such as clapping a rhythmic pattern, saying words or phrases and/or through movement
- Elaboration developing spatial awareness when creating dramatic action; for example, considering how close/far apart they should stand to others in the performance space or how they can use movement to manipulate tension
Content descriptorAC9ADR4E01 Exploring and responding
explore where, why and how drama is created and/or performed across cultures, times, places and/or other contexts
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration listening to actors in a drama created for purposes such as entertainment or infotainment talk about how they developed their character and what they found interesting or surprising about the imaginary world they created; then considering and discussing the actors’ responses
- Elaboration comparing the expectations and requirements of performers and audience in a range of cultural settings, such as cultural settings in Australia and Asia, and applying this learning in their own performances; for example, identifying how the audience and performers interact and what knowledge the audience needs to have about the drama
- Elaboration reflecting on live or recorded drama performances and asking questions such as “What is the purpose of this drama?”, “What features and ideas in the drama come from other cultures, times and places?”, “How could we use these ideas in our drama?”, “Why do you think people from diverse cultures create drama for similar purposes?”
- Elaboration examining drama in their community and comparing it to other drama of different people, times and cultures; for example, exploring examples of puppetry and/or physical (movement-based) theatre in their communities and comparing this with examples of those forms from other cultures, times or places
- Elaboration reflecting on and sharing ideas with others about the meaning and intended purposes of their own drama; for example, sharing embodied responses using movement, gesture or language
Content descriptorAC9AMA4C01 Creating and making
use media languages, media technologies and production processes to construct representations that communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning
Elaborations (6)
- Elaboration taking a series of photographs that show themselves and their friends as comic superheroes and villains through setting, costume and body language, and using questions based on Viewpoints relating to forms and elements; for example, “What images will I use and in what order?”
- Elaboration creating a soundscape to accompany a moving image that includes Foley sounds and recorded sounds on a variety of devices to explore volume, layering and the use of voice to create a sense of environment
- Elaboration using learning from explorations of media arts works that communicate First Nations Australians’ connection to and responsibility for Country/Place to devise media arts works that communicate their own connection to and responsibility for place; for example, creating a short film that communicates their feelings about a “favourite” place or shows how they care for a place in their community
- Elaboration experimenting with the camera and framing the subject, using shot types, angles and lighting, and experimenting to apply text to still or moving images, such as credits in a title sequence
- Elaboration filming a short sequence that focuses on conflict by selecting camera angles, lighting and/or costume to convey meaning without dialogue
- Elaboration collaborating with others to make a small publication to explore ideas that are significant in their lives; for example, a zine or new website, using collaged images and texts and drawings
Content descriptorAC9AMA4D01 Developing practices and skills
develop media production skills by exploring ways of shaping ideas using media technologies, images, sounds, text and/or interactive elements
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration experimenting with suspense to create meaning and sustain representations; for example, exploring the way colour, shot type and editing techniques are used to communicate film genre
- Elaboration investigating how the conventions of a news story or video game communicate meaning; for example, examining the different ways speech bubble text can be written and how it can reflect the way a character is speaking
- Elaboration exploring different ways of creating sounds when making a soundscape; for example, creating Foley sounds with available resources, such as rustling plastic for the sound of fire or using different types of shoes and surfaces to create a variety of footstep sounds
- Elaboration exploring media technologies and languages when creating sound effects or images to convey a mood or main idea of a story; for example, reviewing captured images, storyboarding, zooming in and out, deleting unwanted images, adding sound/text to images to create or support a story, considering how different options might be perceived by the intended audience
- Elaboration using Viewpoints to develop questions to respond to their experiences as they work, such as, “In what ways does the meaning of the image change when I manipulate the sound effects?”, “Where is the suspense happening in this work, and how do I know?”, “Which images will best represent the story I am trying to tell?”
Content descriptorAC9AMA4E01 Exploring and responding
explore where, why and how media arts is created and/or distributed across cultures, times, places and/or other contexts
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration sequencing images, sounds and/or text to clearly establish the beginning, middle and end of a story or event; for example, taking a series of photographs or a short film sequence that represents comic superheroes and villains through setting, costume and body language
- Elaboration identifying meaning and describing representations in media arts works from different social, cultural or historical contexts; for example, examining the different ways traditional stories are retold using media technologies or the use of stereotypes in advertising
- Elaboration comparing media arts works made for different purposes using appropriate language, and identifying features such as use of conventions in a variety of media types
- Elaboration using appropriate language to discuss the meaning of their own media arts works; for example, in writing or through an oral, visual or multimedia presentation
- Elaboration investigating digital or analog storyboarding as a planning tool; for example, preparing a storyboard for a short film, stop motion or comic strip, to create a sequence of actions, changes or events; rearranging the sequence of boards, or adding and removing boards, to change the meaning or add new meaning to the narrative, and testing how a group of people responds
Content descriptorAC9AMU4C01 Creating and making
manipulate elements of music to communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning when composing and practising for performance
Elaborations (8)
- Elaboration writing lyrics and/or melodies for songs, raps or chants and using formats such as graphic or staff notation or a lead-sheet or an audio recording to notate/document/record their work
- Elaboration using available technologies to create accompaniments; for example, improvising patterns (body percussion, classroom instruments) and recording as a loop or using digital tools to notate/document music; for example, using a template to create a lead-sheet or a story-boarding app to record information about where music will be used in a claymation they are creating in Media Arts
- Elaboration improvising phrases of music on an instrument to practise known notes and rhythm patterns or to extend the range of notes they can play on an instrument
- Elaboration learning songs and/or instrumental music associated with specific cultures, such as cultural groups in the local community or cultures from Asia, or cultures where a language they are learning is spoken
- Elaboration listening to live or recorded performances of music and gathering ideas they can use in their performance, such as the feel or mood of the song/music, how to interpret characteristic rhythmic patterns or how they might use body percussion or other movements in their performance
- Elaboration manipulating the elements of music, such as dynamics and tempo, to express different characters or dramatic action and emotions when composing music for a screen-based work or to accompany drama, such as a re-telling of a familiar children’s story
- Elaboration combining composed and improvised sections to create a complete work; for example, composing a melody and accompaniment to create a theme song and combining with improvised/soundscape sections to accompany a reading/narration of a story they have written
- Elaboration working in pairs or groups to create ostinatos or accompaniments; for example, using ukuleles or bucket drums and composing ostinatos or accompaniments for songs they are learning
Content descriptorAC9AMU4D01 Developing practices and skills
develop listening skills and skills for manipulating elements of music when singing and playing instruments
Elaborations (7)
- Elaboration using speaking, singing, voice/vocalisation and movement to develop skills for singing/vocalisation; for example, breathing, awareness of pitch, beat and rhythm, ensuring that the audience can hear/follow the lyrics when singers are singing softly, learning how to sing louder without shouting
- Elaboration manipulating elements of music to create and control intended effects, using sounds from a range of sources, such as voice/vocalisation, classroom instruments, found objects or digital instruments; for example, varying dynamics in repeated sections to create interest or using different instruments/combinations of instruments to create a particular mood or feeling, using combinations of steps and jumps (close/wide intervals) in a melody to suit different sections of the lyrics
- Elaboration singing and playing learnt pitch and rhythm patterns and varying elements of music within them to create different effects; for example, singing softer or louder, faster or slower, repeating phrases, extending or shortening rhythmic values
- Elaboration listening to the effects they create by manipulating elements of music in different ways and discussing how easy/difficult different choices are to perform accurately; asking questions such as “What works and why” (noting that there may be a range of responses across the class)
- Elaboration listening to diverse examples of music to explore how rhythm and pitch patterns, structures or timbres are used; for example, listening to identify whether a rhythmic or melodic pattern is repeated in every bar/measure or used only in a specific section, such as the verse or chorus
- Elaboration practising reading staff, graphic and/or invented notation as they rehearse and perform
- Elaboration exploring options for representing sounds in a score; for example, inventing a graphic score to represent sounds of the environment or using a combination of staff notation and invented symbols; then using the score when rehearsing and making changes to ensure that it is accurate and useful/easy to follow in performance
Content descriptorAC9AMU4E01 Exploring and responding
explore where, why and how music is composed and/or performed across cultures, times, places and/or other contexts
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration exploring examples of music created for similar purposes across different times and/or places, such as music for dancing, songs that communicate messages (health/wellbeing/identity messages), feelings or emotions (how the songwriter feels about a person or place) or knowledge (narrative songs/songs that tell stories) and asking questions about how elements of music are used; for example, “Can I identify and clap the main rhythmic pattern or sing the melody in this song?”, “Which instruments are being used in the performance and are they the ‘original’ instruments the composer intended would be used?”
- Elaboration examining the purpose for which music is used in their lives and community; for example, identifying and listening to music performed by a local choir or cultural group and responding to it (by sharing what they like, find interesting or would like to know more about in the music; describing how the music makes them feel)
- Elaboration comparing the expectations and requirements of performers and audiences in different performance settings; for example, discussing when it is acceptable to talk, dance or clap during a performance
- Elaboration exploring ways of notating or documenting forms of music, such as graphic notation, lead-sheets (lyrics, melody and/or harmony/chords), using visual images or staff notation and/or using music terminology, identifying and explaining how each type of notation/documentation conveys information to performers
- Elaboration exploring ways to make instruments from a range of materials; for example, using recycled/repurposed materials to construct instruments that produce sounds across a range of pitches and/or tone colours and effects; for example, cardboard tubes filled with cotton and rice, or food wrappers scrunched up loosely in recycled plastic bags; then using these instruments to create Foley sounds for a soundscape to accompany an exhibition of sculpture made from recycled/repurposed materials
Content descriptorAC9AVA4C01 Creating and making
use visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials to create artworks that communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning
Elaborations (6)
- Elaboration drawing on a selection of topics they may be exploring in other subjects, mind-mapping some ideas that link to these topics, using Viewpoints to explore multiple possibilities such as, “What are my questions about this topic?”, “What visual conventions could communicate ideas about this topic?”, “What do I already know about this?”, extending the ideas to arrive at 3 compositional ideas, selecting one idea, documenting their reasons for the selection and making the artwork
- Elaboration exploring tools and awareness of measured and freeform perspectives; for example, using digital and/or analog tools to reference a special place near their school, and dividing the scene, surface or paper into foreground, middle ground and background sections to consider how to create depth in their artwork
- Elaboration creating a visual artwork inspired by a performance that can become a part of the performance or the setting for a situation; for example, creating an abstract painting that documents the lines, movement and gestures in a dance, or illustrating a scene from a devised drama
- Elaboration considering how as artists they can communicate perspectives to viewers through the use of visual conventions and visual arts processes in the way that an illustrator represents ideas in a text to communicate aspects of the story, and applying this to their own work; for example, by re-reading a section of a familiar text as a class, discussing multiple ideas for illustrating the scene and perspectives in the text, creating their own work and comparing their approach to others’ approaches
- Elaboration using Viewpoints to develop questions as they experiment with composition to arrange visual conventions, subject matter and materials based on a designated area and deliberately changing the meaning of a visual story; for example, “What happens if I make the subject fill the frame?”, “Can I change the meaning of my work by using darker or lighter tones?”
- Elaboration combining their understanding of visual conventions and visual arts processes to create different meaning in an artwork; for example, using a range of 2D media such as charcoal and coloured pastels to create gradation of tone in their artwork and using Viewpoints to develop questions as they work, such as “In what ways can I use colour to change the feeling of this artwork?”, “How does using darker tones contrasting with lighter ones create an illusion of depth?”
Content descriptorAC9AVA4D01 Developing practices and skills
experiment with a range of ways to use visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration exploring the ways that artists use composition by observing space and balance within an artwork; for example, using transparent material or digital tools layered over a diverse selection of artworks to outline the dominant forms and divisions of space, such as foreground and background, positive and negative space or areas of emphasis, and using this outline as the basis for the composition of a new artwork
- Elaboration exploring materials based on visual conventions; for example, creating a tactile (texture) board from a collection of materials and objects, brainstorming adjectives to describe the textures and/or collecting samples of colours they connect with and inventing new names for those colours that are meaningful to them; then using Viewpoints to develop questions that explore the diversity of responses
- Elaboration working within limits to explore and experiment with the properties of materials; for example, playing a game to find different ways of creating lines with a wide range of materials in a timed period, and then comparing their results; or finding different ways of using a limited set of materials, such as cardboard and chenille sticks, to create a sculpture
- Elaboration learning to use visual arts language when describing and documenting their thinking and learning; for example, developing questions based on Viewpoints, and using arrows and short statements to annotate their visual experiments (“What media did I use?”, “What worked well?”, “What went wrong, and how could I explore other options next time?”) or creating a sound file of their learning and thinking to accompany their experimentations when they present “work-in-progress”
- Elaboration manipulating and experimenting with combinations of various materials and technologies to create visual effects; for example, using crosshatching to create tone, or using design elements to focus the viewer’s attention on a composition and using Viewpoints to reflect on the effectiveness of their experimentation ("What was I trying to achieve?", "What did I learn from pushing the boundaries of the materials and processes?")
Content descriptorAC9AVA4E01 Exploring and responding
explore where, why and how visual arts are created and/or presented across cultures, times, places and/or other contexts
Elaborations (7)
- Elaboration exploring a diverse range of artworks created by artists working collaboratively and brainstorming the reasons why artists might choose to work as a team, and then comparing their ideas with information the artists have shared about their collaborative practice
- Elaboration exploring artists’ practice by sourcing information created or co-created by the artist and using Viewpoints to develop questions to develop understanding of the practices, such as “What does the artists’ studio or space look like?”, “How do they develop their ideas?”, “What are they doing when they are developing and trialling their techniques and working with materials?”, “How do they engage with galleries (physical or virtual) to exhibit their work?”
- Elaboration observing and exploring details such as use of materials, patterns, proportions or familiar features in artworks and using Viewpoints to co-create questions such as, “What is the artwork made of?”, “How can I look more closely at this work to see something I did not notice the first time?”, “What do I see when I look at the work through half-shut eyes?”, “How does the work look like it feels, and how does it actually feel?”
- Elaboration making connections and comparisons between artists working across cultures, times and/or places; for example, finding similarities and differences between the ways that an artist’s context impacts their approach to a theme such as sustainability or community celebrations, or finding similarities and differences between the ways that different artists approach the same material and techniques, such as different approaches to creating sustainable sculpture using found objects, natural and human-made materials
- Elaboration exploring ways to represent the world as they see it; for example, using ideas and experience about a recent event (such as a sports or cultural event or celebration) and making an artwork that communicates their perspective of the event; and then identifying how their work is different from the works created by other students in the class, how the teacher’s work differs from the students’ work or how their works compare to works by other artists that feature similar subject matter
- Elaboration identifying ways that artworks by different artists can present multiple perspectives of the same event and discussing how these works can develop social awareness; for example, accessing and comparing artists and artworks that explore sustainability, such as land art, artworks using recycled materials that represent the effects of climate on the environment
- Elaboration describing and categorising visual features and cultural works around the school, such as artworks, craft works, design or architectural features, memorials, murals or displays according to their purpose; for example, social, decorative, architectural, functional, cultural
They describe where, why and/or how arts works are created and presented across cultures, times, places, and/or other contexts.
Content descriptorAC9ADA4E01 Exploring and responding
explore where, why and how dance is choreographed and/or performed across cultures, times, places and/or other contexts
Elaborations (3)
- Elaboration identifying meaning and describing purposes that dance can be created for; for example, exploring dances from a range of cultures from their local community and/or neighbouring countries, such as countries in Asia, that are performed for celebrations or narrative dances that share stories
- Elaboration learning dances created for different purposes such as entertainment; for example, dances from a range of cultures, times or places that are/have been a dance craze or are a dance that “everyone” knows
- Elaboration using Viewpoints to ask questions about dance they are experiencing, such as “Are the movements in this dance similar to movements in dances that you know?”, “Where are these dances performed?”
Content descriptorAC9ADA4E02 Exploring and responding
explore how First Nations Australians use dance to communicate their connection to and responsibility for Country/Place
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration collecting and sharing information about dances choreographed and/or performed by First Nations Australians for occasions such as festivals or ceremonies; reflecting on how these dances can communicate important information or knowledge about Country/Place
- Elaboration exploring how First Nations Australians use dance to express connection to and responsibility for Country/Place, culture and people, such as communicating knowledge about the local seasons
- Elaboration exploring First Nations Australians’ use of dance to express connection to and responsibility for Country/Place such as communicating knowledge about the local season, or screen-based storytelling to maintain unique ways of life
- Elaboration observing how the elements of dance are used in dances choreographed and performed by First Nations Australians to communicate connection to and responsibility for Country/Place; for example, in dance about wind, water or fire
- Elaboration exploring the movements in dances with representatives of a First Nations Australian community or through resources created or co-created by First Nations Australians; for example, dances that share cultural accounts of Country/Place
Content descriptorAC9ADR4E01 Exploring and responding
explore where, why and how drama is created and/or performed across cultures, times, places and/or other contexts
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration listening to actors in a drama created for purposes such as entertainment or infotainment talk about how they developed their character and what they found interesting or surprising about the imaginary world they created; then considering and discussing the actors’ responses
- Elaboration comparing the expectations and requirements of performers and audience in a range of cultural settings, such as cultural settings in Australia and Asia, and applying this learning in their own performances; for example, identifying how the audience and performers interact and what knowledge the audience needs to have about the drama
- Elaboration reflecting on live or recorded drama performances and asking questions such as “What is the purpose of this drama?”, “What features and ideas in the drama come from other cultures, times and places?”, “How could we use these ideas in our drama?”, “Why do you think people from diverse cultures create drama for similar purposes?”
- Elaboration examining drama in their community and comparing it to other drama of different people, times and cultures; for example, exploring examples of puppetry and/or physical (movement-based) theatre in their communities and comparing this with examples of those forms from other cultures, times or places
- Elaboration reflecting on and sharing ideas with others about the meaning and intended purposes of their own drama; for example, sharing embodied responses using movement, gesture or language
Content descriptorAC9ADR4E02 Exploring and responding
explore how First Nations Australians use drama to communicate their connection to, and responsibility for, Country/Place
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration collecting and sharing information about drama created and performed by First Nations Australians for occasions such as festivals or ceremonies, reflecting on how these performances can communicate important information or knowledge about Country/Place
- Elaboration exploring how First Nations Australians use drama to express connection to and responsibility for Country/Place, such as communicating knowledge or maintaining unique ways of life; for example, exploring how drama is used to communicate knowledge about the local environment
- Elaboration observing how the elements of drama are used in drama created and/or performed by First Nations Australians to communicate connection to and responsibility for Country/Place; for example, in drama that shares cultural narratives
- Elaboration accessing drama created and/or performed by First Nations Australians and exploring how drama communicates knowledge, such as ways to live sustainably, and to respect and care for the land, sea, sky or waterways
- Elaboration looking at performances that represent the importance of Country/Place and Story for First Nations Australians as a starting point for talking about different ways of seeing the same place and telling stories
Content descriptorAC9AMA4E01 Exploring and responding
explore where, why and how media arts is created and/or distributed across cultures, times, places and/or other contexts
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration sequencing images, sounds and/or text to clearly establish the beginning, middle and end of a story or event; for example, taking a series of photographs or a short film sequence that represents comic superheroes and villains through setting, costume and body language
- Elaboration identifying meaning and describing representations in media arts works from different social, cultural or historical contexts; for example, examining the different ways traditional stories are retold using media technologies or the use of stereotypes in advertising
- Elaboration comparing media arts works made for different purposes using appropriate language, and identifying features such as use of conventions in a variety of media types
- Elaboration using appropriate language to discuss the meaning of their own media arts works; for example, in writing or through an oral, visual or multimedia presentation
- Elaboration investigating digital or analog storyboarding as a planning tool; for example, preparing a storyboard for a short film, stop motion or comic strip, to create a sequence of actions, changes or events; rearranging the sequence of boards, or adding and removing boards, to change the meaning or add new meaning to the narrative, and testing how a group of people responds
Content descriptorAC9AMA4E02 Exploring and responding
explore how First Nations Australians use media arts to communicate their connection to and responsibility for Country/Place
Elaborations (7)
- Elaboration identifying meaning and describing representations in media arts works created and/or co-created by First Nations Australians, such as how traditional stories of First Nations Australians are being retold using media technologies and media arts concepts; for example, through animation, stop motion or green screen
- Elaboration recognising, through media arts, how First Nations Australians’ cultural expressions often contain and communicate connection to and responsibility for Country/Place, such as naming the Country and Traditional Owners, showing respect to the Traditional Owners and acknowledging their Ancestors, and the land, sea, sky and waterways, singing and/or speaking in language
- Elaboration exploring First Nations Australians’ use of media arts to express connection to and responsibility for Country/Place, such as communicating knowledge about the local seasons or using screen-based storytelling to maintain language and unique ways of life
- Elaboration exploring how First Nations Australians use media arts concepts to communicate their connection to and responsibility for Country/Place, such as use of media languages, media technologies or relationships; for example, learning about the diverse use of languages, symbols and icons
- Elaboration collecting and sharing information about media arts works created and produced by First Nations Australians for occasions such as festivals or ceremonies, and reflecting on how these media arts works can communicate important information or knowledge about Country/Place
- Elaboration exploring how stories and ideas can communicate connection to and responsibility for Country/Place; for example, cultural stories of cyclic phenomena, knowledge of land, sea, sky and waterways, how First Nations Australians perceive themselves and their environment
- Elaboration exploring a media arts work that includes images, sound and/or text and communicates the diversity of First Nations Australians’ cultures, such as an interactive map of First Nations Australian languages, considering, for example, how media technologies and languages are used to communicate and create a relationship with the viewer
Content descriptorAC9AMU4E01 Exploring and responding
explore where, why and how music is composed and/or performed across cultures, times, places and/or other contexts
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration exploring examples of music created for similar purposes across different times and/or places, such as music for dancing, songs that communicate messages (health/wellbeing/identity messages), feelings or emotions (how the songwriter feels about a person or place) or knowledge (narrative songs/songs that tell stories) and asking questions about how elements of music are used; for example, “Can I identify and clap the main rhythmic pattern or sing the melody in this song?”, “Which instruments are being used in the performance and are they the ‘original’ instruments the composer intended would be used?”
- Elaboration examining the purpose for which music is used in their lives and community; for example, identifying and listening to music performed by a local choir or cultural group and responding to it (by sharing what they like, find interesting or would like to know more about in the music; describing how the music makes them feel)
- Elaboration comparing the expectations and requirements of performers and audiences in different performance settings; for example, discussing when it is acceptable to talk, dance or clap during a performance
- Elaboration exploring ways of notating or documenting forms of music, such as graphic notation, lead-sheets (lyrics, melody and/or harmony/chords), using visual images or staff notation and/or using music terminology, identifying and explaining how each type of notation/documentation conveys information to performers
- Elaboration exploring ways to make instruments from a range of materials; for example, using recycled/repurposed materials to construct instruments that produce sounds across a range of pitches and/or tone colours and effects; for example, cardboard tubes filled with cotton and rice, or food wrappers scrunched up loosely in recycled plastic bags; then using these instruments to create Foley sounds for a soundscape to accompany an exhibition of sculpture made from recycled/repurposed materials
Content descriptorAC9AMU4E02 Exploring and responding
explore how First Nations Australians use music to communicate their connection to and responsibility for Country/Place
Elaborations (4)
- Elaboration examining a diverse range of music composed and/or performed by First Nations Australians to communicate connection to, and responsibility for Country/Place; for example, listening to music such as songs with lyrics about Country/Place or music used to accompany dances that communicate knowledge about Country/Place
- Elaboration listening to and exploring music that shares feelings and ideas about the importance of Country/Place and Story for First Nations Australians as a starting point for talking about different ways of seeing the same place and telling stories through music
- Elaboration learning from First Nations Australians about how they use music to communicate their connection to, and responsibility for Country/Place, culture and people; for example, resources created or co-created by First Nations Australians, such as interviews/podcasts that feature First Nations Australians talking about their music and/or performances
- Elaboration learning from First Nations Australians about the expectations and requirements of performers and audiences who are performing/experiencing music that communicates connection to, and responsibility for Country/Place, such as music used during a Welcome to Country
Content descriptorAC9AVA4E01 Exploring and responding
explore where, why and how visual arts are created and/or presented across cultures, times, places and/or other contexts
Elaborations (7)
- Elaboration exploring a diverse range of artworks created by artists working collaboratively and brainstorming the reasons why artists might choose to work as a team, and then comparing their ideas with information the artists have shared about their collaborative practice
- Elaboration exploring artists’ practice by sourcing information created or co-created by the artist and using Viewpoints to develop questions to develop understanding of the practices, such as “What does the artists’ studio or space look like?”, “How do they develop their ideas?”, “What are they doing when they are developing and trialling their techniques and working with materials?”, “How do they engage with galleries (physical or virtual) to exhibit their work?”
- Elaboration observing and exploring details such as use of materials, patterns, proportions or familiar features in artworks and using Viewpoints to co-create questions such as, “What is the artwork made of?”, “How can I look more closely at this work to see something I did not notice the first time?”, “What do I see when I look at the work through half-shut eyes?”, “How does the work look like it feels, and how does it actually feel?”
- Elaboration making connections and comparisons between artists working across cultures, times and/or places; for example, finding similarities and differences between the ways that an artist’s context impacts their approach to a theme such as sustainability or community celebrations, or finding similarities and differences between the ways that different artists approach the same material and techniques, such as different approaches to creating sustainable sculpture using found objects, natural and human-made materials
- Elaboration exploring ways to represent the world as they see it; for example, using ideas and experience about a recent event (such as a sports or cultural event or celebration) and making an artwork that communicates their perspective of the event; and then identifying how their work is different from the works created by other students in the class, how the teacher’s work differs from the students’ work or how their works compare to works by other artists that feature similar subject matter
- Elaboration identifying ways that artworks by different artists can present multiple perspectives of the same event and discussing how these works can develop social awareness; for example, accessing and comparing artists and artworks that explore sustainability, such as land art, artworks using recycled materials that represent the effects of climate on the environment
- Elaboration describing and categorising visual features and cultural works around the school, such as artworks, craft works, design or architectural features, memorials, murals or displays according to their purpose; for example, social, decorative, architectural, functional, cultural
Content descriptorAC9AVA4E02 Exploring and responding
explore how First Nations Australians use visual arts to communicate their connection to and responsibility for Country/Place
Elaborations (6)
- Elaboration looking at visual artworks that represent the importance of Country/Place and Story for First Nations Australians as a starting point for talking about different ways of seeing the same place and telling stories
- Elaboration accessing examples of contemporary First Nations Australian artists’ ideas about Country/Place through cultural expressions; for example, works that express spiritual and intellectual connections to the land, sea, sky and waterways, and using Viewpoints to develop questions about the work, such as, “Who are the artists and on what Country was the work created?”, “What can I learn from the artists about this work?”, “What does this work make me think about my own connections to significant places?”
- Elaboration examining a diverse range of symbols and emblems and learning from people with cultural authority about their importance to First Nations Australians’ identity and culture
- Elaboration exploring topics in other learning areas, such as the diversity of Nations, by examining a diverse range of cultural expressions or artworks of and by First Nations Australian artists in order to learn from the artists what the works teach us about the subject matter; for example, using Viewpoints to develop questions that explore what is important to them, their identity, stories and their communities, such as, “How does this work represent identity?”, “Are there place-based narratives in this artwork?”, “What do we see?” or ‘What have we learnt that makes us think this?”
- Elaboration considering what their own cultural connections are as individuals; for example, considering place, language, family customs, values and beliefs and how, as an artist, they can use Viewpoints questions to map ways to use visual arts processes, subject matter and visual conventions to create artworks that communicate their personal connection to place. A typical question is, “Where do I feel most connected to my family, and what symbols, colours, shapes and subject matter could I create to represent this connection?”
- Elaboration exploring visual conventions, symbols or patterns with representatives of a First Nations Australian community, or resources that are created or co-created by First Nations Australians; for example, exploring artworks that share cultural accounts of Country/Place
Students use arts knowledge and skills to create arts works in a range of forms that communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning.
Content descriptorAC9ADA4C01 Creating and making
use the elements of dance to choreograph dance that communicates ideas, perspectives and/or meaning
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration improvising using movements (locomotor and non-locomotor) from a dance they have learnt or experienced and using the elements of dance, such as space, time, dynamics and relationships, to develop sequences based on the original movements and then combining the sequences to create a longer dance
- Elaboration using Viewpoints to frame questions about dances they are choreographing; for example, “How will the dance begin?”, “When does the middle part begin?”, “What shapes will we make?”, “How will the dance end?”
- Elaboration creating dance sequences by combining fundamental locomotor and non-locomotor movements, such as running and sliding, bending and stretching, running, swinging and walking, and using a variety of levels and directions
- Elaboration using Viewpoints to ask questions when making choices about ideas and intentions for a dance; for example, “How can we connect these 2 parts of our dance?” or “What level should we choose for the start of the dance?”
- Elaboration using learning from explorations of dances that communicate First Nations Australians’ connection to and responsibility for Country/Place to devise dance that communicates their own connection to and responsibility for Country/Place; for example, devising a dance that communicates their feelings about a “favourite” place or shows how they care for a place in their community, taking care to follow protocols for respecting Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property rights
Content descriptorAC9ADA4D01 Developing practices and skills
experiment with and practise skills for moving safely and expressively using fundamental movement skills and the elements of dance
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration exploring known movements to find alternative ways of performing them; for example, waving hello or shaking hands and then doing the same action/s at different levels, in different directions, bigger/smaller or using a different body part, zone or base
- Elaboration using contrast and repetition (choreographic devices) to explore and generate new movement in response to stimuli such as stories, memories or the environment
- Elaboration exploring how the elements of dance can be used to communicate ideas, such as exploring how cultural stories can be shared through dance; for example, using the elements of dance to develop locomotor and non-locomotor movements to represent different aspects of a story (how a character walks, their emotions or the mood of a place in the story)
- Elaboration developing the habit of always using safe dance practice; for example, warming up their bodies before executing more complex movement patterns in dance sequences and cooling/calming down afterwards, removing socks if the floor surface is slippery
- Elaboration developing body awareness and refining technical skills of body control, accuracy, alignment, strength, balance and coordination in fundamental movements; for example, in response to teacher feedback
Content descriptorAC9ADA4P01 Presenting and performing
practise and perform dances in informal settings
Elaborations (4)
- Elaboration using expressive skills such as projection and focus to communicate dance ideas to an audience; for example, looking out and up to the ceiling and extending movements outwards to express a feeling of joy
- Elaboration presenting their dance using screen-based technologies or through an online platform such as a school learning management system
- Elaboration being an attentive audience member during class performances and providing constructive feedback to peers
- Elaboration sharing with others the meaning and intended purposes of their own dance; for example, in a class debrief discussion after a performance; using their own words, images and some learnt dance terminology or responding through movement or by drawing (visual)
Content descriptorAC9ADR4C01 Creating and making
improvise and/or devise and shape drama using the elements of drama to communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning
Elaborations (7)
- Elaboration using learning from explorations of drama that communicate First Nations Australians’ connection to and responsibility for Country/Place to devise drama that communicates their own connection to and responsibility for place; for example, devising drama that communicates their feelings about a “favourite” place or shows how they care for a place in their community
- Elaboration creating drama by exploring and experiencing a range of roles and situations that they initiate and develop; for example, exploring roles and situations in a “miniature world”
- Elaboration improvising drama to explore issues and ideas, considering how empathy can assist them to take on roles, accept situations and “stand in the shoes” of another; for example, comparing their own and their peers’ responses to “everyday” interactions or imagining themselves as participants in an event that is happening or happened in another time or place
- Elaboration devising dialogue for a previously “wordless story” or devising dramatic action/movement for a story they know only through spoken (audio) sources
- Elaboration using the elements of drama and the principles of story to shape improvisations to communicate their intentions as drama makers; for example, establishing time and place, and the roles and characters in the drama
- Elaboration working in groups to devise sections of a drama (for example, using process drama strategies) and then, working as a class, using a guided play-building process to combine the sections
- Elaboration communicating with an audience their connection to and responsibility for Country/Place by Acknowledging Country before a performance or presentation, taking care to observe protocols and using resources created or co-created by First Nations Australians, and/or by participating with Elders in a Welcome to Country (as appropriate)
Content descriptorAC9ADR4D01 Developing practices and skills
use the elements of drama to explore and develop ideas for dramatic action in improvisations and/or devised drama
Elaborations (4)
- Elaboration experimenting with the loudness/softness, pace and pitch of their voices/vocalisations to create roles and situations, time and place; for example, when initiating and developing roles and situations in process drama
- Elaboration exploring roles and situations; for example, by using language (choice of words, expressions and tone) or experimenting with ways to heighten tension in the dramatic action
- Elaboration improvising ways to connect short scenes, such as clapping a rhythmic pattern, saying words or phrases and/or through movement
- Elaboration developing spatial awareness when creating dramatic action; for example, considering how close/far apart they should stand to others in the performance space or how they can use movement to manipulate tension
Content descriptorAC9ADR4P01 Presenting and performing
perform improvised and/or devised drama in informal settings
Elaborations (3)
- Elaboration using voice, movement and language to sustain role and relationships when performing drama; for example, varying facial expressions and movements to create roles and situations
- Elaboration demonstrating commitment to the reality/world of the drama; for example, staying “in-role” throughout the performance (even when not actively participating in the dramatic action)
- Elaboration manipulating focus, tension, space and time to shape dramatic action when performing their drama
Content descriptorAC9AMA4C01 Creating and making
use media languages, media technologies and production processes to construct representations that communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning
Elaborations (6)
- Elaboration taking a series of photographs that show themselves and their friends as comic superheroes and villains through setting, costume and body language, and using questions based on Viewpoints relating to forms and elements; for example, “What images will I use and in what order?”
- Elaboration creating a soundscape to accompany a moving image that includes Foley sounds and recorded sounds on a variety of devices to explore volume, layering and the use of voice to create a sense of environment
- Elaboration using learning from explorations of media arts works that communicate First Nations Australians’ connection to and responsibility for Country/Place to devise media arts works that communicate their own connection to and responsibility for place; for example, creating a short film that communicates their feelings about a “favourite” place or shows how they care for a place in their community
- Elaboration experimenting with the camera and framing the subject, using shot types, angles and lighting, and experimenting to apply text to still or moving images, such as credits in a title sequence
- Elaboration filming a short sequence that focuses on conflict by selecting camera angles, lighting and/or costume to convey meaning without dialogue
- Elaboration collaborating with others to make a small publication to explore ideas that are significant in their lives; for example, a zine or new website, using collaged images and texts and drawings
Content descriptorAC9AMA4D01 Developing practices and skills
develop media production skills by exploring ways of shaping ideas using media technologies, images, sounds, text and/or interactive elements
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration experimenting with suspense to create meaning and sustain representations; for example, exploring the way colour, shot type and editing techniques are used to communicate film genre
- Elaboration investigating how the conventions of a news story or video game communicate meaning; for example, examining the different ways speech bubble text can be written and how it can reflect the way a character is speaking
- Elaboration exploring different ways of creating sounds when making a soundscape; for example, creating Foley sounds with available resources, such as rustling plastic for the sound of fire or using different types of shoes and surfaces to create a variety of footstep sounds
- Elaboration exploring media technologies and languages when creating sound effects or images to convey a mood or main idea of a story; for example, reviewing captured images, storyboarding, zooming in and out, deleting unwanted images, adding sound/text to images to create or support a story, considering how different options might be perceived by the intended audience
- Elaboration using Viewpoints to develop questions to respond to their experiences as they work, such as, “In what ways does the meaning of the image change when I manipulate the sound effects?”, “Where is the suspense happening in this work, and how do I know?”, “Which images will best represent the story I am trying to tell?”
Content descriptorAC9AMU4C01 Creating and making
manipulate elements of music to communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning when composing and practising for performance
Elaborations (8)
- Elaboration writing lyrics and/or melodies for songs, raps or chants and using formats such as graphic or staff notation or a lead-sheet or an audio recording to notate/document/record their work
- Elaboration using available technologies to create accompaniments; for example, improvising patterns (body percussion, classroom instruments) and recording as a loop or using digital tools to notate/document music; for example, using a template to create a lead-sheet or a story-boarding app to record information about where music will be used in a claymation they are creating in Media Arts
- Elaboration improvising phrases of music on an instrument to practise known notes and rhythm patterns or to extend the range of notes they can play on an instrument
- Elaboration learning songs and/or instrumental music associated with specific cultures, such as cultural groups in the local community or cultures from Asia, or cultures where a language they are learning is spoken
- Elaboration listening to live or recorded performances of music and gathering ideas they can use in their performance, such as the feel or mood of the song/music, how to interpret characteristic rhythmic patterns or how they might use body percussion or other movements in their performance
- Elaboration manipulating the elements of music, such as dynamics and tempo, to express different characters or dramatic action and emotions when composing music for a screen-based work or to accompany drama, such as a re-telling of a familiar children’s story
- Elaboration combining composed and improvised sections to create a complete work; for example, composing a melody and accompaniment to create a theme song and combining with improvised/soundscape sections to accompany a reading/narration of a story they have written
- Elaboration working in pairs or groups to create ostinatos or accompaniments; for example, using ukuleles or bucket drums and composing ostinatos or accompaniments for songs they are learning
Content descriptorAC9AMU4D01 Developing practices and skills
develop listening skills and skills for manipulating elements of music when singing and playing instruments
Elaborations (7)
- Elaboration using speaking, singing, voice/vocalisation and movement to develop skills for singing/vocalisation; for example, breathing, awareness of pitch, beat and rhythm, ensuring that the audience can hear/follow the lyrics when singers are singing softly, learning how to sing louder without shouting
- Elaboration manipulating elements of music to create and control intended effects, using sounds from a range of sources, such as voice/vocalisation, classroom instruments, found objects or digital instruments; for example, varying dynamics in repeated sections to create interest or using different instruments/combinations of instruments to create a particular mood or feeling, using combinations of steps and jumps (close/wide intervals) in a melody to suit different sections of the lyrics
- Elaboration singing and playing learnt pitch and rhythm patterns and varying elements of music within them to create different effects; for example, singing softer or louder, faster or slower, repeating phrases, extending or shortening rhythmic values
- Elaboration listening to the effects they create by manipulating elements of music in different ways and discussing how easy/difficult different choices are to perform accurately; asking questions such as “What works and why” (noting that there may be a range of responses across the class)
- Elaboration listening to diverse examples of music to explore how rhythm and pitch patterns, structures or timbres are used; for example, listening to identify whether a rhythmic or melodic pattern is repeated in every bar/measure or used only in a specific section, such as the verse or chorus
- Elaboration practising reading staff, graphic and/or invented notation as they rehearse and perform
- Elaboration exploring options for representing sounds in a score; for example, inventing a graphic score to represent sounds of the environment or using a combination of staff notation and invented symbols; then using the score when rehearsing and making changes to ensure that it is accurate and useful/easy to follow in performance
Content descriptorAC9AMU4P01 Presenting and performing
sing and play music they have learnt and/or composed in informal settings
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration performing music such as unison songs, rounds and instrumental music arranged for small ensembles that feature melody and accompaniment parts, such as ostinato or drones
- Elaboration introducing performances by sharing information such as the intended purposes of their compositions with others, and documenting how they used the elements of music when composing and/or performing
- Elaboration rehearsing and performing music using a range of technologies; for example, learning and (with assistance) applying techniques for using sound reinforcement equipment such as PA, microphones and speakers efficiently to ensure that the audience can hear their performance and they can hear other performers (foldback) or making recordings of rehearsals, listening and evaluating how well they are achieving their aims and making adjustments (as required)
- Elaboration planning how they will stage a performance and introduce their performances to audiences using spoken, written or audio-visual formats
- Elaboration reading from notation and/or documentation such as a lead-sheet (lyrics and chords), staff or graphic notation that includes invented or learnt symbols when practising and performing music
Content descriptorAC9AVA4C01 Creating and making
use visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials to create artworks that communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning
Elaborations (6)
- Elaboration drawing on a selection of topics they may be exploring in other subjects, mind-mapping some ideas that link to these topics, using Viewpoints to explore multiple possibilities such as, “What are my questions about this topic?”, “What visual conventions could communicate ideas about this topic?”, “What do I already know about this?”, extending the ideas to arrive at 3 compositional ideas, selecting one idea, documenting their reasons for the selection and making the artwork
- Elaboration exploring tools and awareness of measured and freeform perspectives; for example, using digital and/or analog tools to reference a special place near their school, and dividing the scene, surface or paper into foreground, middle ground and background sections to consider how to create depth in their artwork
- Elaboration creating a visual artwork inspired by a performance that can become a part of the performance or the setting for a situation; for example, creating an abstract painting that documents the lines, movement and gestures in a dance, or illustrating a scene from a devised drama
- Elaboration considering how as artists they can communicate perspectives to viewers through the use of visual conventions and visual arts processes in the way that an illustrator represents ideas in a text to communicate aspects of the story, and applying this to their own work; for example, by re-reading a section of a familiar text as a class, discussing multiple ideas for illustrating the scene and perspectives in the text, creating their own work and comparing their approach to others’ approaches
- Elaboration using Viewpoints to develop questions as they experiment with composition to arrange visual conventions, subject matter and materials based on a designated area and deliberately changing the meaning of a visual story; for example, “What happens if I make the subject fill the frame?”, “Can I change the meaning of my work by using darker or lighter tones?”
- Elaboration combining their understanding of visual conventions and visual arts processes to create different meaning in an artwork; for example, using a range of 2D media such as charcoal and coloured pastels to create gradation of tone in their artwork and using Viewpoints to develop questions as they work, such as “In what ways can I use colour to change the feeling of this artwork?”, “How does using darker tones contrasting with lighter ones create an illusion of depth?”
Content descriptorAC9AVA4D01 Developing practices and skills
experiment with a range of ways to use visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration exploring the ways that artists use composition by observing space and balance within an artwork; for example, using transparent material or digital tools layered over a diverse selection of artworks to outline the dominant forms and divisions of space, such as foreground and background, positive and negative space or areas of emphasis, and using this outline as the basis for the composition of a new artwork
- Elaboration exploring materials based on visual conventions; for example, creating a tactile (texture) board from a collection of materials and objects, brainstorming adjectives to describe the textures and/or collecting samples of colours they connect with and inventing new names for those colours that are meaningful to them; then using Viewpoints to develop questions that explore the diversity of responses
- Elaboration working within limits to explore and experiment with the properties of materials; for example, playing a game to find different ways of creating lines with a wide range of materials in a timed period, and then comparing their results; or finding different ways of using a limited set of materials, such as cardboard and chenille sticks, to create a sculpture
- Elaboration learning to use visual arts language when describing and documenting their thinking and learning; for example, developing questions based on Viewpoints, and using arrows and short statements to annotate their visual experiments (“What media did I use?”, “What worked well?”, “What went wrong, and how could I explore other options next time?”) or creating a sound file of their learning and thinking to accompany their experimentations when they present “work-in-progress”
- Elaboration manipulating and experimenting with combinations of various materials and technologies to create visual effects; for example, using crosshatching to create tone, or using design elements to focus the viewer’s attention on a composition and using Viewpoints to reflect on the effectiveness of their experimentation ("What was I trying to achieve?", "What did I learn from pushing the boundaries of the materials and processes?")
They present and/or perform their work in informal settings.
Content descriptorAC9ADA4P01 Presenting and performing
practise and perform dances in informal settings
Elaborations (4)
- Elaboration using expressive skills such as projection and focus to communicate dance ideas to an audience; for example, looking out and up to the ceiling and extending movements outwards to express a feeling of joy
- Elaboration presenting their dance using screen-based technologies or through an online platform such as a school learning management system
- Elaboration being an attentive audience member during class performances and providing constructive feedback to peers
- Elaboration sharing with others the meaning and intended purposes of their own dance; for example, in a class debrief discussion after a performance; using their own words, images and some learnt dance terminology or responding through movement or by drawing (visual)
Content descriptorAC9ADR4P01 Presenting and performing
perform improvised and/or devised drama in informal settings
Elaborations (3)
- Elaboration using voice, movement and language to sustain role and relationships when performing drama; for example, varying facial expressions and movements to create roles and situations
- Elaboration demonstrating commitment to the reality/world of the drama; for example, staying “in-role” throughout the performance (even when not actively participating in the dramatic action)
- Elaboration manipulating focus, tension, space and time to shape dramatic action when performing their drama
Content descriptorAC9AMA4P01 Presenting and performing
share media arts works in informal settings considering responsible media practice
Elaborations (3)
- Elaboration creating credits in a title sequence and selecting appropriate fonts, colour and length of display time to accompany screening of a series of moving images that the class has created
- Elaboration seeking permission to take photos of class members; for example, documenting a school excursion for publication on the school intranet and acknowledging that this permission has been obtained when sharing the work
- Elaboration considering media concepts, such as audience and relationships, when formatting and laying out a story, using available software and appropriate text conventions for a front-page news story or print advertisement
Content descriptorAC9AMU4P01 Presenting and performing
sing and play music they have learnt and/or composed in informal settings
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration performing music such as unison songs, rounds and instrumental music arranged for small ensembles that feature melody and accompaniment parts, such as ostinato or drones
- Elaboration introducing performances by sharing information such as the intended purposes of their compositions with others, and documenting how they used the elements of music when composing and/or performing
- Elaboration rehearsing and performing music using a range of technologies; for example, learning and (with assistance) applying techniques for using sound reinforcement equipment such as PA, microphones and speakers efficiently to ensure that the audience can hear their performance and they can hear other performers (foldback) or making recordings of rehearsals, listening and evaluating how well they are achieving their aims and making adjustments (as required)
- Elaboration planning how they will stage a performance and introduce their performances to audiences using spoken, written or audio-visual formats
- Elaboration reading from notation and/or documentation such as a lead-sheet (lyrics and chords), staff or graphic notation that includes invented or learnt symbols when practising and performing music
Content descriptorAC9AVA4P01 Presenting and performing
share and/or display artworks and/or visual arts practice in informal settings
Elaborations (5)
- Elaboration selecting examples from their visual arts practice (for example, experimentation with materials and processes or different compositional approaches for a final artwork) and arranging these in a visual display to share the development of their ideas
- Elaboration deciding on appropriate ways to share their artworks and their learning; for example, including experiments and self-reflections in folios or visual diaries for assessment, demonstrating progress being made via peer circle shares in class; and deciding on appropriate audiences, such as decorative or communicative exhibitions/displays for the school community, social media posts for the broader community
- Elaboration trialling different ways of presenting artworks in different locations; for example, presenting a school wall display of artworks, considering what might need to change so that it can be shared on a digital platform such as the school learning management system
- Elaboration discussing and documenting the ideas, themes and meaning/s of their artwork; for example, taking the form of a written or spoken artist statement, and exploring different ways of presenting their artwork and artist statement (possibly via multimedia)
- Elaboration identifying and explaining their own and other artists' choices in art-making, including visual arts processes, visual conventions and materials
This achievement standard describes the expected learning for Years 3 to 4 Arts (all subjects). Use it to plan teaching and assessment with the Australian Curriculum v9.
Subject standards for Years 3 to 4
This standard covers the whole learning area. Each subject also has its own standard:
ASARTDANY34 Years 3 to 4 Dance Achievement Standard ASARTDRAY34 Years 3 to 4 Drama Achievement Standard ASARTMEDY34 Years 3 to 4 Media Arts Achievement Standard ASARTMUSY34 Years 3 to 4 Music Achievement Standard ASARTVISY34 Years 3 to 4 Visual Arts Achievement StandardAt a Glance
| Strand | Substrand | CDs | Elaborations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creating and making | Dance | 1 | 5 |
| Developing practices and skills | Dance | 1 | 5 |
| Exploring and responding | Dance | 2 | 8 |
| Presenting and performing | Dance | 1 | 4 |
| Creating and making | Drama | 1 | 7 |
| Developing practices and skills | Drama | 1 | 4 |
| Exploring and responding | Drama | 2 | 10 |
| Presenting and performing | Drama | 1 | 3 |
| Creating and making | Media Arts | 1 | 6 |
| Developing practices and skills | Media Arts | 1 | 5 |
| Exploring and responding | Media Arts | 2 | 12 |
| Presenting and performing | Media Arts | 1 | 3 |
| Creating and making | Music | 1 | 8 |
| Developing practices and skills | Music | 1 | 7 |
| Exploring and responding | Music | 2 | 9 |
| Presenting and performing | Music | 1 | 5 |
| Creating and making | Visual Arts | 1 | 6 |
| Developing practices and skills | Visual Arts | 1 | 5 |
| Exploring and responding | Visual Arts | 2 | 13 |
| Presenting and performing | Visual Arts | 1 | 5 |
| Total | 25 | 130 | |
Frequently Asked Questions
What should students know by the end of Years 3 to 4 Arts (all subjects)?
By the end of Year 4, students describe use of elements, concepts and/or conventions in arts works they create and/or experience. They describe where, why and/or how arts works are created and presented across cultures, times, places, and/or other contexts. Read the full standard
How many Content Descriptors support this standard?
25 Content Descriptors support this Achievement Standard (Creating and making: 5, Developing practices and skills: 5, Exploring and responding: 10, Presenting and performing: 5).
How does this compare to Years 1 to 2?
The Years 1 to 2 Arts (all subjects) standard (ASARTY12) covers the preceding curriculum level. Standards build progressively, with Years 3 to 4 expectations extending what was introduced in Years 1 to 2.
Is this from the latest Australian Curriculum?
Yes, this Achievement Standard is from the Australian Curriculum version 9.0 (AC v9), the most current version published by ACARA.