Year 9

Start programming games like a professional with this course. Using the popular desktop and mobile gaming framework, PhaserJS, students will learn how to create a platformer game, a side-scroller game and mini-games.

Engaging their creativity and design thinking skills, they will create, customize and enhance their games by adding their own set of characters, environments, gravity and world physics.

Using Design Thinking methodology, students will gather feedback from classmates and iterate to improve their games. 

From forests to Mars, students will bring their imaginations to life by coding their own virtual reality world.

Developed with HTML, JavaScript, and A-Frame, they will code and add their own customized textures, elements and interactions to complete their realistic simulated 3D environments.

Students will also be able to easily share their work with friends and families, as well as immerse themselves into their creations.

*If the student has taken this course previously, please be informed that the course content will be the same. 

Have you ever wanted to see your name on the cover of a literary magazine? These publications feature pieces that can be devoured in one short sitting. Join Elephant Community Press' creative writing and zine publishing workshop during Horizons Week to learn how to ideate, plan and write on a given theme. 

The challenge will be to craft a short fiction or creative nonfiction piece in just 2000 words and then revise and edit the pieces to produce their own literary zine, which will be published in early 2024. 

During this art activity you will take inspiration from local nature by visiting a local beach and taking photographs and collecting shells and rocks to use in the week. 

You will then create your designs and print them using a variety of techniques. 

This week is an opportunity to really improve your technique as well as develop your patience, resilience and focus; attributes which are key to a successful life beyond West Island. Hong Kong is blessed with the climate and the courses which will make for a fantastic week. 

Ever wondered what the Wilson or Hong Kong trails are? Ever seen the view of Hong Kong from one of its highest peaks? Ever walked the Dragon’s Back? Find out more about your own backyard and how green it really is.

Get outdoors and experience the real gems of Hong Kong. Each day will be a different hike along the many trails this wonderful land has to offer. The hikes will begin gently and become progressively more challenging as you get accustomed to the walks. We will be meeting at different starting points each day, ready to hit the trails.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Packed lunches are needed as well as a charged up Octopus Card to use the public transport as students need to travel independently to and from hike meeting and finishing locations.

Students travel independently to start and finish locations therefore need to have money/octopus for ferries and buses. Please note that the timings for each day will vary depending on the hike.

“What is Hong Kong and what does it mean to be a Hong Konger? Fall back in love with Hong Kong by joining us to explore what makes Asia's World City so special. We will travel to the beating heart and far corners of Hong Kong, explore the most iconic places and discover how they continue to define our great city.” 

Students will move around Hong Kong on a study of Heritage buildings, iconic food, transport methods old and new, redevelopment and a visit  to some of Hong Kong's finest buildings to hear from experts. Please note that some activities involve students working in groups where they will be unaccompanied by staff. Staff will be located at checkpoints and have a mobile phone for emergencies

Students will end with an impressive physical and virtual exhibition, that they will present to viewers, emotionally and technically.

The week will consist of understanding where influences come from, how idea form and how to get to the end image. The students will start to create their own stories and bodies of work through the lens, eventually working toward a final piece to display and discuss.

You will see the students research and experiment with photography, creativity and find  influences, unfolding through a sketch book of ideas.

The course will have support booklets to refer to throughout and at later dates when the student wants to strengthen their new found skill.

Technical knowledge of the cameras working will cover shutter speed, iso, aperture, light metering, lenses and how shape, colour, mood, story and relevance of subjects create images.

The workshop will cover the main elements of photography needed to gain the knowledge of a photographers working world, from ideas and influences to technical knowledge, to discussions of each other’s work, through to framing their own piece and presenting it at an exhibition. 

During this activity, you will visit the artist's studio and learn how to use the wheel. You will learn how to work with clay and then start to mould  your creations.

Every day you will take the ferry to beautiful Peng Chau and work alongside others in a beautiful rural setting. At the end of the week you will fire your creations to be able to keep them forever. 

Over the period of 5 days students learn how to craft an initial idea into a full song, arrange it for their band, record it in a professional recording studio and perform it live on stage in front of an audience! 

At the end of the course each band receives:

- A professionally recorded, mixed and mastered copy of their original song.

- A music video compiled using highlights from their week’s progress and performances. 

Don't know your bechamel from your ragu? This could be the activity for you. Come and learn some new recipes and develop the skills to cook competently for your friends and family. 

Working with different people throughout the week, learn some classic recipes and how to put your own spin on them. An exciting opportunity to build your skills and your cookery repertoire.