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This is my assemblage that represents the environment surrounding my home. The variety of bright colours represent the inviting environment surrounding my backyard but also the simple and calming effect that nature can provide in our fast-paced, hustle and busy lives.

In the classroom, I would integrate this activity into a variety of learning areas surrounding arts and science. This would involve exploring the use of the arts shape, colour and space through the science aspects of plants and environment. An example of using colour and shape can be seen in the assemblage above where I’ve used the bird of paradise leaves to represent the sun, shining over the colourful environment below. Students could do a similar assemblage using different plants/leaves collected from around the school grounds to represent their version of the world around them. This is where students are given the opportunity to freely show and represent their creativity and feelings surrounding the learning.

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What: This is my recycled art used to represent the importance of sustainability. I decided to use recycled materials from around the house to create the sunflower. This was done by using a recyclable plastic cup, a bottle cap, paper straw and a soft cardboard soft drink carton. During this activity, I wanted to make sure to use items and materials that would be easy to source and use as students needed to be able use similar materials, if we were to do this in a classroom setting.

So, what: Through the use of various items and materials, I was able to use authentic arts ideas to explore sustainability and creativity. This included the use of recyclable materials and their colours, shape, and texture to represent the idea of a flower. The idea of using a range of recyclable materials meant that I had to brainstorm and think “outside of the box” compared to other authentic arts situations.

Now What: In the case of the classroom setting, this activity will be vital in student learning when exploring cross-curriculum activities surrounding authentic arts and HaSS. I will be able to use this activity to further strengthen student knowledge and explore deeper the importance of sustainability. Further investigating of recyclable materials to use and what is sustainable will give students the ideas and understanding required to reach optimal learning surrounding this topic.

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What: This week’s activity focus was on creating a stop motion video surrounding the importance of sustainability. This will be further explored using the recyclable materials and flower that I made for last week’s activity. My goal of this stop motion video was to show how non-sustainable objects and rubbish can affect the world around us.

So What: In the stop motion video, I planned to show that the flower is relishing and surviving comfortably in the clean environment. This is until rubbish and non-sustainable/recyclable objects move in and disrupt the flowers environment. This proceeds to “kill” and hurt the flowers. By using the visual art and ICT media, I would be able to represent sustainability and the ramifications of overusing non-sustainable and non-recyclable products. Stop motion is a interesting and clear way to teach and explore sustainability with students in an engaging and hands on experience.

Now what: Now after completing one of my first ever stop motion videos, I believe that I have the confidence and ability to use this tool in my future teaching. This again could be used in cross-curricular learning including visual arts and HaSS learning. Students will have the ability to have the “hands on” experience when learning about suitability and achieve that deeper more optimal understanding of the learning.

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What: This week’s activity was focused on visual art and connecting with musical elements. This was done by listening to ‘The Carnival of the Animals’ and using visual arts elements such as line, colour and shape to represent what sounds and feeling each musical element represented.

So What: The element of ‘The Carnival of the Animals’ that I chose to explore was surrounding ‘The Elephants.’ In order to represent the sounds/music in art form, I decided to use the arts element including line and colour. The red line represented the louder drums and what I pictured as the elephants stomping. The blue line was the base undertone of the song and more subtle sounding elements of the song. In order to create this visual art, I shut my eyes and proceeded to draw with the sound more then visually. This created an authentic and deeper connection between the music and art.

Now What: Exploring the connection between music and arts in a classroom setting could be vital in exploring sound and how we can use different visual arts elements such as line and colour in various ways to represent what we see, hear and feel. Combine both visual art and music in this activity will be a vital tool in exploring deeper understanding of the musical elements such as pitch, rhythm, dynamics and expression.

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What: This week’s activity was centred around making connections between a stimulus artwork and creating a music composition. This was to be achieved through creating a soundtrap that reflects our feeling and perception of the chosen artwork. My chosen artwork was ‘Desert Storm’ by Sidney Nolan.

So What: When unpacking and analysing the chosen artwork, I had focused on unpacking the art elements including lines and colour and how this created a landscape and mood effectively. I found that the colours and lines used created that somewhat eerie feeling you get before a storm and realised that this is the feeling that my soundscape should provide as well. In order to create this same feeling, I used music elements including rhythm, pitch and volume. To create that slow eerie feeling I used a slow rhythm and deep pitch. I also layered the volumes to create that thundery effect. This was achieved by using organs and electric bass, giving the soundtrap a deep undertone.

Now what: This was a fun activity to mess around with and could easily be integrated into the classroom. I would argue that the soundscape website is challenging to wrap your head around so the teacher may be better off using this tool as a collaborative teacher lead activity with the students. The same concept of using an artwork and then music/sound to explore the underlying meaning is a vital activity that can develop student learning sounding arts and music.

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What: This week’s activity involved developing a short movement sequence to best depict and reflect the behaviours and physical features of a native Australian bird. The native bird I chose for this activity was the Emu. An emus physical features include long necks and legs; this will be important to represent in the sequence. They also have wings that they flap, again relevant for the sequence. Emus also like to run in packs and over long distances. These elements together will be enough information to create a short dance sequence.

So What: In order to make this dance sequence, I will use my whole body to copy and reflect movements that an emu makes when running and looking for food. This will begin by moving my body into a posture that replicates an emu. I also use my legs to trot side-to-side. In this case, I use my right arm, above my head to replicate the long neck of the emu, my hand closed like a beak.  I move my arm side to side like an emu looking for food. Trotting around in circle, I stop and search for food, bending my body down so I appears I’m eating food. I use my left arm as a wing and flap it about, happy that my stomach is now full. I then finish the movement by running out of the room.

Now What: In the classroom, this is an activity that will be a great teaching tool when looking to integrate science and dance elements together for learning. Students will be able to be creative and curious as they develop understanding of native birds. They will then gain a deeper understanding of the physical features and characteristics that need to be reflected in a fun, creative dance activity.

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What: This week’s activity was centred around Drama and HaSS, in particular the First Fleet through the arts. In this activity, I would design a number of situations members of the first fleet may find themselves in. This would include, scrubbing the decks or searching for land. The activity would include groups of two, role-playing the situation given to them on a flashcard.

So What: The activity itself would require elements of drama including role-play, dialogue, improvisation and props/costumes to best reflect the situation at hand. The activity would allow for students to further strengthen their knowledge surrounding the histories and events that we cover in detail when exploring the first fleet in a classroom setting.

Now What: Students will be able to use elements of drama and HaSS to develop understanding of the first fleet and situations that the crew and members involved would have found themselves in. This will engage students in practical a practical activity that will only strengthen and provide deeper understanding of the First Fleet.

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What: This is my recycled art used to represent the importance of sustainability. I decided to use recycled materials from around the house to create the sunflower. This was done by using a recyclable plastic cup, a bottle cap, paper straw and a soft cardboard soft drink carton. During this activity, I wanted to make sure to use items and materials that would be easy to source and use as students needed to be able use similar materials, if we were to do this in a classroom setting.

So, what: Through the use of various items and materials, I was able to use authentic arts ideas to explore sustainability and creativity. This included the use of recyclable materials and their colours, shape, and texture to represent the idea of a flower. The idea of using a range of recyclable materials meant that I had to brainstorm and think “outside of the box” compared to other authentic arts situations.

Now What: In the case of the classroom setting, this activity will be vital in student learning when exploring cross-curriculum activities surrounding authentic arts and HaSS. I will be able to use this activity to further strengthen student knowledge and explore deeper the importance of sustainability. Further investigating of recyclable materials to use and what is sustainable will give students the ideas and understanding required to reach optimal learning surrounding this topic.