The Arts at Gumdale encompasses several specialties - Music, Dance, Drama, Performing Arts and Visual Arts. Here's what students have been learning so far this term.

Prep

This term our Prep students have been focusing on drama skills. They have engaged in many different games that have allowed them the opportunity to explore using their voice, facial expressions and body language. The students have enjoyed listening to stories and using finger puppets to role play the characters and retell the story.

Prep Drama

Year 1

In The Arts, Year 1 students have been developing their skills on the xylophone. They have been learning correct playing technique while exploring musical elements such as high and low pitch, tempo, and rhythm. A highlight has been performing Hot Cross Buns in a variety of ways, experimenting with different tempos and styles.

Year 2

Year 2 students have been exploring performing arts from around the world, with a focus on the importance of cultural experiences in the arts. They have learned First Nations songs such as Inanay and Pitjantjatjara, while also exploring body percussion and rhythm patterns. They are now combining a four-beat rhythm ostinato with one of the songs to create exciting group performances.

Year 3

Our Year 3 students have had a wonderful time in Performing Arts with Mrs Maddigan. They’ve been exploring cultural dance, including the powerful Māori Haka and the expressive movements from Thomas E. S. Kelly’s Shake a Leg, which draws on First Nations storytelling and dance traditions. It’s been a fantastic opportunity for students to appreciate and celebrate diverse cultures through movement.

Year 3 Dance

Year 4

Year 4 students have been diving into the world of Dance and Drama. They’re exploring different styles of theatre, including the ancient traditions of Greek Theatre, the expressive art of Mime, and the creativity of Mask work. Students are learning how storytelling can come alive in many forms and styles.

Year 4 Dance and Drama

Year 6 

In Year 6, students have been examining how media can be used to communicate messages, particularly in advertising. After completing their assessment on the persuasive techniques used in commercials, they’ve been getting creative with GarageBand music, green screen technology, and drama scripts to produce their own fun and imaginative commercials.

Year 6 Media

Drama Club

The Drama Club has been buzzing with creativity! Students have been developing video content to promote the GROW Well program and are preparing a special performance for early Term 4. This "Kindness" themed presentation will be showcased at assembly and will feature the use of expressive masks. We can’t wait to see their hard work come to life on stage.

Drama Club

Visual Arts

Prep 

Preps read the wonderful book, Dot! Scribble! Go! by Herve Tullet which shows the endless creative possibilities of dots, lines and scribbles. Students learned about primary colours as they made their own dots, lines and scribbles which they carefully cut out and turned into gorgeous dragonflies.

Prep Art

Year 1 

This term we have welcomed Year 1 to the Art Room for the first time. Students have been focusing on the elements of line and shape to create some amazing artworks. First, they drew different lines and shapes to create their own unique robot before adding some wooden cogs and buttons and painting it silver. Next the students listened to the story, The Eagle Inside and were inspired by the beautiful illustrations to draw and paint a simple landscape that they decorated with colourful liquid watercolour and paint pens.

For our last project of the term, students looked at the artworks of contemporary Australian artist Kayla Henley. Her Silly Chooks paintings gave the students creative ideas for their own art works. After using templates to draw chickens in different positions the students painted their drawings and added patterns. They practised their scissor skills to cut their gorgeous chooks out and arranged them on their background paper. The joy and enthusiasm in our Visual Art lessons has been wonderful to see.

 Year 1 Art

Year 3

Year 3 students have begun working on their Jessica Wood inspired flower pots, which will be completed next term. These colourful and creative designs are already showing great promise.

Earlier this term, classes 3CR and 3Y completed vibrant painted paper birds, inspired by Australian artist Pete Cromer. As an extension, 3CR created beautiful watercolour paintings of their birds, while 3Y produced detailed drawing versions. The students have enjoyed exploring different techniques and expressing their creativity through a variety of materials.

Year 3 Bird Art

Year 5

Year 5 students have been exploring one-point perspective in Visual Arts. Using this technique, they are creating dynamic cityscape artworks that show depth and dimension.

Year 5 Cityscapes

Year 5 and Year 3 have both completed their clay work and are eagerly awaiting their return from being fired.

Year 3 and 5 Clay Work

Year 5-6 Visual Arts Signature Program

Our Signature Art students have spent the term working on their first project, Painting in the Negative. They learnt about positive and negative space in artworks and began painting their canvas with colours they like and used stencils to add patterns in contrasting colours. After choosing an image of an animal or character they used carbon paper to transfer their image onto their canvas and outlined their image with a black paint pen. Finally, students painted the negative space around their image with one colour and added extra details. There were many steps to the process, but our finished artworks look amazing and were worth all the effort. Keep a look out for them displayed in the library.

Y5-6 Art-Signature Program

WAMM Camp 

This week, our Intermediate and Senior Band students had a fantastic time at WAMM Camp, where they honed their musical skills and formed new friendships. The workshop offered valuable ensemble experience and expert instruction from guest conductors and tutors. The camp concluded on a high note with a special performance, showcasing the students' hard work and musical growth.

Y5-6 Band Students