Seeing and Sharing

Stage of schooling

Middle Secondary

Learning focus

Dance or Drama or Media or Music or Visual Arts or a combination of these aspects

Elaborations

This unit can be used by specialist teachers from one of the following five areas or integrated across two or more Arts strands.

• Da7, Da8 Students experiment with diverse elements, skills and techniques to choreograph and perform dance works. They also research, examine and perform dance works about, or created within a country or culture of Asia.
• Dr7, Dr8 Students experiment with diverse elements, skills and techniques to create or interpret and enact drama/theatre works. They also research, examine and discuss drama works written and performed in their own and in other cultures.
• Me7, Me8 Students experiment with diverse media conventions, skills, techniques, materials and technologies to construct and present new media texts. They also research, examine and discuss media texts produced and presented in their own and in other cultures.
• Mu7, Mu8 Students experiment with diverse music elements, conventions, skills, techniques and technologies to compose and perform music works. They also research, examine and discuss music works composed and performed in their own and in other cultures.
• Va7, Va8 Students experiment with diverse conventions, skills, techniques, materials and equipment to create and exhibit new artworks. They also research, examine and discuss artworks created and presented in their own and in other cultures.

Focus questions

• How can the meanings and messages in the artworks we make be inspired and influenced by our understanding, perceptions and observations of other cultures?
• How might audiences from other cultures perceive our work?

Overview

Working in a single arts discipline or across a range of disciplines, students learn and use skills, techniques and forms associated with artworks from an Asian culture to create a work of art to share with a (student) audience from that culture. In this unit, the theme of 'Water' will be used as an example; however teachers should feel free to negotiate another theme with students after consideration of local curriculum, existing iEARN projects or specific local events.

The presentation of the artwork can be through real or 'virtual' means. Students discuss their work with the audience, exchange ideas and understandings and reflect on responses to the work. If possible, the 'audience' class should also undertake the same unit in reverse and present their work to the audience of Australian students.

This project could also be undertaken during a school visit when a group of students tours an Asian country. During this school visit, students present their work and spend time discussing the cultural influences that have inspired their work.

Otherwise, students at an Australian school connect with peers in an Asian school through an online community like iEARN. Each group agrees to create a work of art using the skills, techniques and forms usually associated with the other group's culture. As the works are developed, students discuss the ideas they are exploring and their experiences working with unfamiliar techniques. Virtual presentation of the completed works allows students to share responses and discuss the outcomes. For examples of existing iEARN arts-based projects, search the website for Music for Media, Dream School Theater or Visions of One: Self Portraits.

Note that the actual shape of this unit will be determined by:

• whether the unit is undertaken as preparation for a school tour or through a virtual community
• the art discipline/s selected by students.

Duration

This unit may be completed intensively over 4-5 weeks or over a longer period such as a term or semester. The duration will depend on the nature of the sharing experience between the two groups of students.