Australia · ACARA Content Descriptions
Year 9 The Arts
Students explore the transformative power of the arts through practical making and critical responding. This course integrates visual arts, music, drama, and dance to investigate how artists communicate identity and challenge social perspectives.
Visual Arts: Contemporary Practice and Studio Habits
Exploration of modern art-making techniques and the development of a personal aesthetic through mixed media and digital experimentation.
Deconstructing reality into elements of art to convey complex emotional states without literal representation.
Investigating how public art influences community identity and the ethics of art in the public square.
Using digital tools to create hybrid portraits that explore the concept of the digital self.
Music: Composition, Culture, and Soundscapes
Students analyze musical structures and compose original works that reflect diverse cultural influences and modern genres.
Understanding how rhythm, melody, and harmony function as the building blocks of musical storytelling.
Examining how musicians use their craft to advocate for social justice and political reform.
Creating atmospheric soundscapes and scores that enhance visual narratives in film and media.
Drama: Performance and Political Theater
Focusing on the actor's craft and the use of theater as a vehicle for critique and social commentary.
Developing performances based on real-life interviews and testimonies to highlight community issues.
Exploring techniques that distance the audience to encourage critical thinking rather than emotional immersion.
Communicating complex narratives and emotions through body movement and gesture without reliance on dialogue.
Dance: Movement and Cultural Identity
Students explore dance as a form of cultural expression and develop choreography that blends traditional and contemporary styles.
Investigating the significance of storytelling and connection to country through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance forms.
Creating original choreography that blends elements of classical ballet, jazz, and street dance.
Exploring how cinematography and editing can be used to enhance and transform choreographed movement.
Media Arts: Narrative and Representation
Analyzing and creating media works that challenge stereotypes and explore the power of the frame.
Understanding how post-production techniques manipulate time, space, and audience emotion.
Critically analyzing how media represents different social groups and the impact of these portrayals.
Designing non-linear narratives for games and web-based platforms where the audience makes choices.
Art History: Revolutions and Reactions
A chronological and thematic study of pivotal moments in art history that changed the way we see the world.
Examining the shift toward humanism, perspective, and anatomical accuracy in European art.
Analyzing the rebellion against academic painting and the focus on fleeting moments and atmospheric effects.
Investigating how contemporary art questions the concepts of originality, authorship, and high art.