During Year 7, students at Kiama High School are provided with a broad range of mandated subjects to study and enhance their learning experiences. In Year 8, as well as those subjects that students are required to study, Kiama High School offers students the opportunity to select a course in which they would like to focus more attention and further their skills and knowledge. Students and parents are encouraged to read the following course information carefully, consult with the teachers specialising in the courses and select THREE courses from those provided.
The course comprises 80% practical activities and 20% theoretical study, giving students the opportunity to extend the work covered in the core Physical Education lessons. The double lessons also provide the time and opportunity to use facilities outside the school; that is, Kiama Leisure Centre, rock-pools, cycle-ways, tennis courts and beaches.
The course is aimed at the development of skills in the major areas of:-
- Aquatics - to develop swimming and lifesaving skills and attain appropriate awards offered by the Royal Life Saving Society;
- Recreational activities - to develop skills in a range of recreational games and activities, so that constructive and enjoyable use may be made of leisure time.
Course Fees: $30.00, covering resources (eg, Aquatics Booklets).
The oceans, inland waterways and other bodies of water cover more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface and influence all forms of life on this planet. Australia controls an enormous area of the oceans (up to 1.3 times the size of its landmass) and is responsible for its stewardship. Marine Studies provides an opportunity for the future custodians of the marine environment to study and appreciate its value.
It gives students the opportunity to develop the necessary knowledge and skills to safely use and protect its unique ecosystems and, at the same time, develop an appreciation and respect for the marine environment.
Students will achieve this through obtaining knowledge and skills in the following areas:-
- Water safety & ocean skills
- Recreational fishing skills
- Shipwrecks and salvage operations
- Water bird ecology
- Marine biology
- Antarctica
Course Fees: $20.00 to cover the cost of materials used.
Students will use a variety of technology to design and develop projects using new and traditional technology. This course will be IT-based and have a focus on areas such as STEM projects, 3D printing, web page design, computer-aided drawing and Photoshop. This course will help students gain confidence in the use of basic computer skills, such as the use of word processing, spreadsheets, databased and presentation software.
Students will be required to complete a portfolio of work for each unit of work studied.
Course Fees: $20.00, to cover cost of consumables (paper, rendering media, etc.)
In Year 8 Drama, students learn and practise a variety of performance skills.
- Comedy,
- Serious acting,
- Mask work,
- Clowning and exaggerated characters, and
- Physical theatre
Students study the history of theatre; however, the majority of the course work is of a practical nature.
Through group-devised and individual projects, the students develop their personal, interpersonal and general work-related skills. These include problem solving, enhancement of confidence, the understanding and consideration of others, self-discipline, resourcefulness, memory training, organisation, spontaneity, creativity, empathy, sympathy, compromise and tact.
Fees cover the expense of necessary equipment and the use of the classroom theatre space.
Course Fees: $10.00
Food is an essential part of our everyday life. We use it for energy, to celebrate and to spend time with family and friends. When studying Food Technology in Year 8, students will learn basic cooking and knife skills, Nutrition, Food Product Development and Food Art.
This course will be rich in practical experiences where students will learn to prepare healthy meals, how to develop a food product from concept to product and the tricks of the trade in cake decoration, food presentation and other food styling trends.
Course Fees: $70.00, to cover all ingredients and other consumables used in classwork.
Minerals and metal products are essential for modern living. Most of us don’t give much thought to the metal products we engage with every day. When studying Industrial Technology – Metal, students will learn the basic skills required to produce items in metals.
They will then move on to develop their own project using the design specifications developed by their teachers. Students will have the independence to design and build a metal project to suit the needs of a design brief.
Course Fees: $40.00, covering cost of materials.
Timber products come from a living, growing, self-sustaining resource which human beings have been using for hunting and living for thousands of years.
When studying Industrial Technology – Timber, students will learn the basic skills required to produce product items in timber. They will then move on to develop their own project using the design specifications developed by their teachers.
Students will have the independence to design and build a timber project to suit the needs of a design brief.
Course Fees: $55.00, covering cost of materials.
The Music course is for the full year, with the option of continuing into Years 9 and 10. This course caters for beginners as well as more advanced musicians.
Students will invest time into learning to play a musical instrument, as well as listening to music and learning to write their own music.
Students who are already able to play their instrument are given the opportunity to develop their skills by playing more advanced music, both individually and as part of a group. Singers are also encouraged to do this course to develop their talents in vocal performance.
The course also includes topic areas of study, including:-
- Exploring varieties of music notation
- Pop music
- Technology and its influence on music.
The Music Department may be able to loan instruments, dependent upon availability. These include:
- Flutes, clarinets, saxophones,
- Trombones, trumpets, other brass instruments;
- Keyboards;
- Acoustic, bass and lead guitars;
- Drums
Course Fees: $30.00 for all Elective Music students, covering cost of Music, equipment to maintain instruments and repairs to instruments.
Textile Art is the use of fibre, threads and fabric for the creation of a textiles artwork or item. Students will use various techniques to create artworks from thread, fibre, dye, paint, embellishment items and other decorative equipment. Projects can include a wall hanging, homewares and apparel.
Students will develop their design skills and learn how to use these skills to produce original artworks and textiles items. The first project will be teacher-driven; however, students will take the techniques learnt in their first project to create their own textiles items.
Course Fees: $45.00, covering the costs of expendable items, such as bobbin, thread, sample fabrics, class patterns, some haberdashery items.
Learn of the dynamic links between the scientific, cultural and natural worlds and contemporary and traditional forms of artmaking!
This elective offers students the opportunity to create artworks with deep linkages to our known world. Students engage with the scientific world through the study of automatism, microscopic imagery and mixed media techniques. Our natural world is uncovered through hyper-realistic, graphite animal drawings. Traditional Alebrije mask making is explored, using paper pulp and wire armatures.
Students will also engage in a community project with a local golf course, creating ceramics markers inspired by traditional Japanese Netsuke designs, that will be a permanent part of the green! Students are encouraged to enter their creations into a range of local and national art events. Students will learn and engage in collaboration teamwork, critical reflection, audience interaction and studio artmaking skills.
Students also get the opportunity to engage in the learning process of Claymation, a day long, stop frame animation process that results in student making their own short animated films!
Information Booklet - Click Here!
Course Fees: $40.00 - to cover material costs, plus $8.00 mandatory Visual Arts Process Diary
Visual Design is a new offering for the Creative and Performing Arts faculty at KHS and we are really excited to offer this to Year 8 students. Visual Design differs from Visual Arts in that students design objects to work in our world, these objects may have functional and decorative purposes. This is a one year course, with students able to continue into year 9 and 10 if they wish. However, completion of the year 8 course is not a mandatory requirement for year 9 and 10 course selection.
Students will study the Four Frames and principles of design and how they relate to a range of design forms. Student will explore physical and digital design by creating a variety of projects with an assortment of materials.
Examples of these include: Jewellery Design, Fashion Design, Interior Design, Animation, Functional Ceramics, Game Design, Film Set Design, Prop Design
This course is exciting in that it can lead into a range of future careers, whilst still building students creative skills!
The course programs will be designed around the skills and desired learning outcomes of the students. We can tailor the designs projects to suit projected career goals! We can explore functional ceramics, jewellery pieces using the school 3D printer and laser cutter, games and animation design!
- How to make a functional mug, platter and ceramic planter
- Animation: from Thaumatropes to Digital Stop Frame Animation
- Product Design: from fashion item such as sneakers to clothing
Information Booklet - Click Here!
Course Fees: $40.00 – to cover material costs, plus $8.00 mandatory Visual Design Journal
