Year 7 Electives

In Semester 1, students study and experiment with a range of materials through a series of skill-building exercises both individually and collaboratively. Students create artworks using a variety of mediums, materials, techniques and processes. These include drawings from observation and a range of printmaking processes that are structured around the elements and principles of art. Students participate in activities that develop their knowledge of different artists and artistic practices, from a range of historical and cultural contexts. 

In Semester 2, students study the Impressionist movement and a range of contemporary 3D artists. Students create artworks using various techniques including painting, drawing and sculpture. Both individually and collaboratively, students focus on exploring and experimenting with compositions, media and painting techniques, drawing heavily on the elements and principles of art as a basis for learning and creating. Through a range of activities, students explore their own work and the work of artists from different social, historical and cultural contexts.

In Semester 1, students develop a range of physical and expressive skills through learning and choreographing routines in Jazz and Contemporary Dance. They learn about safe dance practice and the body as it relates to Dance, demonstrating their knowledge through a range of practical and theoretical tasks. Students explore various ways to create a dance and work in groups to structure and develop original dance works that communicate stories and ideas. 

In Semester 2, students further develop a range of physical and expressive skills through the study of different genres. They reflect on and evaluate these skills and use their reflections to communicate intended aims. Students work collaboratively to manipulate the elements of dance to communicate emotion and character in group compositions. Students are introduced to the skills required to analyse Dance through Musical Theatre studies. In this unit, students learn to identify, describe and evaluate the physical and production aspects used to communicate meaning in a range of works.

In Semester 1, students develop a range of skills, completing activities in digital drawing Apps. Students create digital drawings using different brushes and tools in response to the inspiration of professional artists’ works. Students create meaning and style in their works and explore the processes of creating their own abstract animations.

In Semester 2, students create, import and export digital media using various Apps, experimenting to create innovative and unique digital art products. Students will study digital photography and develop a range of photographic skills with a focus on composition and editing techniques. Students will then explore the theme 'metamorphosis' through a range of mediums including photography, animation and digital illustration.

In Semester 1, students create duologues and explore improvisation, mime, character and scene creation. In groups and pairs, students construct original scenes and characters, based on the presentation of status and manipulation of dramatic conflict. As individuals, they maintain a reflective journal and complete self-evaluations. In Term 2, students study the performance style of Melodrama through the exploration of traditional storylines and stock characters. Students then challenge the conventions, roles and stereotypes presented through the creation of a skit in response to the prompt ‘Heroes in Distress’. Following this, students examine the modern-day presentation of Melodramas through soap operas and identify their defining conventions and purpose in today’s society.

In Semester 2, students study 'Fractured Fairy Tales' and 'Horror and Suspense' units. Students explore and practise using stagecraft, improvisation, mime, narration and scene creation through tableaux and disjointed time sequences. In groups, students construct original scenes based on a well-known fairy tale and reimagine them for a contemporary context. In the 'Horror and Suspense' unit, students work collaboratively to devise and perform a ghost story with the application of stagecraft and elements of tension and climax. As individuals, students develop their expressive skills through character development and performances and complete self-evaluation tasks in a journal.

In Semester 1, students explore food issues facing consumers and farmers, as well as the future of food. Students will investigate issues such as fair trade, sustainable fishing, genetically modified food, food miles and animal welfare. Students will participate in a range of practical cooking activities designed to build their skills and understanding of a broad range of culinary work. Over the semester, students will maintain a digital workbook on their iPads and complete a promotional strategy where they explore an ethical topic with depth and detail. 

In Semester 2, students will explore Australian food. Students will undertake a range of exercises aimed to develop skills in the kitchen and improve their knowledge of ingredients. They will analyse and reflect on their learning by evaluating their performance and final food products. Students will study Melbourne's cafe culture in order to design and develop a product in response to a design brief. Additionally, students will produce a video showcasing acquired skills and a digital workbook to document their learnings.

Makerspace brings together art, design, and technology. In this subject, students follow the design process and use a range of digital and manual tools, including 3D printers, game-making apps, laser cutters, and traditional prototyping techniques to create objects and design solutions. Makerspace provides students with the time and space to explore, design, and build collaboratively. Creative risk-taking is central to the course, as students design and manufacture products in response to a range of creative challenges, using emerging technologies to develop and test their ideas.

In Year 7, students will collaboratively design and construct a scaled cardboard city, featuring unique architecture, infrastructure, and transport systems. They will also develop an original board game concept inspired by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, designing and producing all game components using digital technologies. Throughout these projects, students will apply project management skills to plan, document, and execute their work. In Semester 2, students will work with paper to construct 3D geometric masks and design and produce functional products such as lampshades and jewellery, continuing to integrate creative and technological skills.

In Semester 1, students develop ideas through their Contemporary Music Folio and their Music for Stage and Screen Folio. This requires them to develop improvisation, composition and performance skills by combining and manipulating the elements of music. They use instruments to develop their performance skills and compose using techniques and expression appropriate to style. 

In Semester 2, students explore Music Through the Decades and Video Game Music. Students complete a variety of composition tasks and take part in a number of small and whole class performances. Students also use various music technologies to create their own compositions. They have hands-on experience learning a range of instruments, both individually and in groups. 

In Philosophy, students explore a range of topics introducing the skills of philosophical thinking, touching on historical ideas and applying them in creative ways. 

Students will explore the study of semiotics, exploring the deeper meanings of signs and symbols in wider culture; creating a modern myth of their own. They will also engage in aesthetics, using historical frameworks of beauty and art to present their own case that something is 'art'. Students explore the idea of humanism, and our fascination with 'almost' human creatures.

 More generally, students will refine the art of robust philosophical dialogue and taking a critical stance on the world around them.

In Public Speaking and Debating, students study how to research, write and present speeches in a variety of contexts. Students analyse how different audiences influence the delivery of their speech and their language choices. Students will use ethos, logos and pathos to strengthen their persuasive arguments. They examine oral storytelling traditions and present their own stories. Students research and present a persuasive speech on the topic of their choice. Students extend their understanding of public speaking as they engage in class debates. They study the elements of a debating speech, speaker roles and the general rules of debating. Students evaluate their own debates using a formal adjudication criteria.

In Semester 1, students explore working in a three dimensional form to construct a range of sculptural works. Initially, they investigate the works of Australian illustrator and author Shaun Tan. They focus on the art element of form to construct unique creatures that visually belong in the world of Utopia, inside the short story of The Lost Thing. Students follow the design process to explore hand-building techniques to create a functional form using clay.

In Semester 2, students apply the design process to explore and design multiple styles of puppets. Students combine plaster bandage manipulation with cardboard construction techniques, culminating in the design and creation of a puppet. Students continue following the design process to create a customized monogram using a range of 3-Dimensional construction practices. 

In Semester 1, students will follow the design process to develop a range of textile-based products and solutions. They experiment with practical design drawing, hand and machine sewing techniques. During Term 1, students will learn about the art of embroidery and hand sewing techniques and apply them to an original embroidered artwork. During Term 2, students will learn about screen printing and machine sewing, in order to produce a fabric backpack with an original screen printed design. Throughout the semester students will evaluate their work by reflecting on their work and the quality of skills and techniques demonstrated. They will document their production processes in a digital portfolio. 

In Semester 2, students learn a range of practical skills that include both machine and hand sewing techniques. During Term 3, students combine hand and machine sewing skills to create their own fabric critters. Their bugs and beetles will incorporate detailed embellishment and armature, and be displayed collaboratively. During Term 4, students build on their hand and machine sewing skills further, to create their own fabric lolly sculptures. They will research and develop ideas based on studied artists and work to produce detailed soft sculptures. During the semester, students evaluate their work by reflecting on their work and the quality of skills and techniques demonstrated in a production portfolio.

In STEM, students are introduced to the engineering design process through different themes. Designing and building is essential to engineering. Engineers follow the steps of the design process to help them create the best possible solutions to solve real-world problems. 

In Semester 1, students will learn about simple and compound machines and use this knowledge to create their own catapult and spaghetti bridges. Students will learn how to use computer-aided design software and manufacturing techniques with 3D printing to design and create a miniature Formula 1 racing car. They will also develop project management skills in developing an enterprise around their Formula 1 project. 

In Semester 2, students will begin to explore how circuits work and use this knowledge to help design and create a solar-powered boat. They will develop their 3D manufacturing skills in the production process of their boat. Students will further explore an introduction to coding using Microbits, using the technology to create simple programs and games. They will also design their own sustainable invention, applying their building design skills to solve a real-world problem. Through these processes, students will learn the basics of electronics, microcontrollers and computer programming. Students will also learn the engineering, 3D modelling, robotics, and programming skills to bring their visions to reality. 

In Semester 1, students explore the construction of magazines, exploring opinion writing, cover design, advertising and interview skills. Students are introduced to poetry, crafting a range of different styles to develop a poetry folio. Finally, students will explore concepts of bravery, kindness and belonging through personal essay writing. 

In Semester 2, students study gothic fiction, completing close reading of the literary works of Edgar Allan Poe and Amelia B. Edwards. Students examine the language and structural elements of texts, with particular focus on figurative language and characterisation in order to develop a deeper understanding of how authors develop meaning and messaging through their writing. Additionally, students undertake a unit on reviews, developing skills in persuasive writing and enhancing their ability to critically annotate different mediums of reviews. 

In this course, students will also develop their review writing skills, looking at food and entertainment as a guide to explore sensory language and opinion writing. Students who are particularly keen to contribute to the Writing Anthology are further encouraged to take this course as a way to develop their skills in writing for leisure.