Arts (Y09)

Subject Overview

Semester A
Dance - TBC (This rotation will be new in 2025)

In Year 9 Dance, our focus is taha tinana (the physical).

Semester B
In Year 9 Drama, our focus is taha whānau (our social connections and interactions). Through improvisation and lots of fun drama games, we build confidence and learn to work together as a group. Students will work in groups to devise their own plays around traditional stories (such as a pūrakau, myths and fairy tales) and then perform a short scene from a play. Through these activities, we can develop the skills of understanding perspectives and valuing diversity.

Semester C
In Year 9 Music, our focus is taha hinengaro (mental and emotional wellbeing). Creating and performing music can be an outlet for what is going on in our minds. A certain lyric or phrase can make us feel like we are not alone in how we feel and in our struggles. What underpins the Year 9 Music rotation is student's ability to self-manage to learn your part, and communicate effectively and problem solve with others to create a group performance. In this rotation, students will learn the basics of the 5 Rock Band Instruments - voice, piano, guitar or ukulele, bass guitar and drums. Then students will form a band, choose an instrument to specialise in, and perform a song as a group.

Semester D
In Year 9 Visual Art, our key theme is whenua (land, roots). Through the thinking of our connection to the land we are from or a place that is important to us, we explore our own history and identity to produce an artwork. We will follow the design process by looking at artist models and creating our own artwork. We will also use kōkōwai (made by our Year 9 Science students) in our artworks.