Grade 8 • Study Guide
Creative Arts
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Reg. No.: 2011/011959/07
Creative Arts
Study guide
Grade 8
CAPS aligned
LM van der Walt
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LESSON ELEMENTS
LEARNING AIMS
What learners should know at the end of the lesson. Taken from CAPS.
IMPORTANT TERMINOLOGY
New terminology to extend understanding of the subject as part of this lesson.
SAMPLE
DEFINE
Definitions of concepts to understand the content.
IMPORTANT
Explain misunderstandings; possible confusion regarding existing knowledge.
TIPS
Any information other than the content, to guide learners through the learning process.
FOR THE CURIOUS
Encouragement to do in-depth research about the content. Expand the activity and exercise to such an extent that learners are encouraged to explore. For gifted learners: expanded exercises. For Learners with Special Educational Needs (LSEN): explain the need to complete the basic questions to achieve a passing mark.
ACTIVITY
Questions throughout the lesson that must be done in order to test the knowledge of the lesson completed.
EXERCISE
SAMPLE
In conclusion of the specific Unit. Formative assessment.
CORE CONTENT
Emphasise the core of content; in-depth explanation of a specific section of the lesson; needs to be understood.
STUDY / REVISION
Time spent to study the content in conclusion of the Unit and in preparation for the test or examination.
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
Creative Arts gives exposure to a series of art forms and the study thereof. The main objective is the development of learners into creative and imaginative individuals.
Two hours per week is spent on Creative Arts in Grade 7, 8 and 9. You will only study two art forms. Impaq gives you the opportunity to take Drama and Visual Arts as subjects in Gr 10 – 12. We are only going to study these two art forms in Grade 7 – 9. This is in accordance with the provisions established by CAPS. You have to spend 10 lessons per term on each art form.
The lessons are explained in such a way in the study guide that every lesson gets a certain time duration. You can organise it in your own way. It is your decision how you want to do the work. You only have to cover all the topics at the end of the term.
Note: There are no term tests but there is a June examination as well as a November examination.
Dramatic Arts is divided into a number of topics:
Topic 1 – Dramatic development
It involves voice development and physical development. CAPS require that learners spend 15 minutes at the start of each drama lesson during each week. It has to fill 2,5 hours per term.
Topic 2 – Drama elements in scene creation
It involves the forming and development of the scene and the exploration of relevant themes. Required time is 6,5 hours per term for this theme.
Topic 3 – Interpretation and performance of chosen dramatic forms
SAMPLE
The interpretation and performance techniques in folklore. Reflection over own performance. Proposed contact: 6,5 hours per term.
Topic 4 – Appreciation and Reflection
Do a review on at least ONE show or film. Contact: 1 hour
Topic 5 – Media and careers
Explore different careers in drama. Contact is 1 hour per term.
The topics are divided between the terms and will be clearly indicated at each lesson. You can plan your lessons every week and it depends on you how fast or how slow you want to get through the work.
The breakdown for drama for each term is as follows:
Term 1 –
Topic 1 (2.5 hours)
Topic 2 5.5 hours)
Topic 4 (1 hour )
Topic 5 (1 hour) = TOTAL OF 10 HOURS FOR TERM 1
Term 2 –
Topic 1 (2.5 hours )
Topic 3 (5.5 hours )
Topic 5 (2 hours) = TOTAL OF 10 HOURS FOR TERM 2
Term 3 –
Topic 1 (2.5 hours)
Topic 2 (7 hours)
Topic 4 (30 minutes) = TOTAL OF 10 HOURS FOR TERM 3
Term 4 –
Topic 1 (2.5 hours)
Topic 3 (7 hours)
Topic 4 (0,5 hour) = TOTAL OF 10 HOURS FOR TERM 4
Visual Arts work in the same way as Drama. The topics are as follows:
Topic 1: Create in 2D
Observation and interpretation of own and wider world. Use of art elements.
Topic 2: Create in
3D
Three-dimensional art works and projects based on own world. Themes to explore interest. Construction and modelling techniques. Manipulation of different materials. Concern about the environment.
Topic 3: Visual literacy
SAMPLE
Communication through art.
Interpret, analyse and recognize symbolic language. The role of the artist in the community. Develop research skills.
The contact time per topic differ from term to term and will be clearly indicated at each term.
Visual Arts is divided as follows:
Term 1 –
Topic 3 (6 hours)
Topic 1 (4 hours ) = TOTAL OF 10 HOURS FOR TERM 1
Term 2 – Topic 2 (4 hours)
Topic 1 (6 hours) = TOTAL OF 10 HOURS FOR TERM 2
Term 3 – Topic 1 (8 hours)
Topic 3 (2 hours) = TOTAL OF 10 HOURS FOR TERM 3
Term 4 –
Topic 3 (1 hour)
Topic 1 (5 hours)
Topic 2 (4 hours) = TOTAL OF 10 HOURS FOR TERM 4
The contact time per term for each topic should be taken into account and should be divided in such a way that you can get through all the work.
SAMPLE
UNIT 1: Social issues in drama and the role of the artist in popular culture
LEARNING AIMS:
After completing this unit, you should be able to do the following:
Develop and perform a play that is about social issues.
Think critically about the creation and performance of a play.
Recognise the role of the artist in the community and discuss it.
Identify art elements and design principles in creative typography like graffiti.
Create your own typographical work or graffiti.
Identify the importance of functional containers from mythology.
INTRODUCTION
The first part of this unit includes warming up exercises for drama. These correspond to the warming up routines done in Grade 7. It is therefore a revision of the previous year’s work. Additional exercises are added. CAPS require that learners spend 15 minutes per week on the warming up routine.
In the foreword it was mentioned that Creative Arts have been divided into different topics. The topics have been divided lessons, so that you will not get confused.
At each lesson a time allocation is given, and this makes it easier for you to draw up a timetable, so that all the lessons are covered in the term.
The drama in the unit focuses on the social issues occurring in our country. Any social issue may be addressed. Information about some of these issues will be provided.
You will then create a play, which addresses one of these issues. We will also look critically at a film that is relevant to issues of today, and will analyse it.
In Visual Arts the focus in this unit is mainly on two themes. The first theme is the role that artists play in the community and how lettering and graffiti are used to express their message.
The second theme deals with the use of different functional containers, and especially containers from mythology. You will also learn how to decorate your own container with mythological figures.
DRAMA
Topic 1: Dramatic skills development (2,5 hours)
Lesson 1: Warm-up exercises for drama
A warm-up routine is important for various reasons:
• It prevents injuries. You use both your voice and body in drama. Thus it is important that both are warmed up before you start with your routine.
• By warming up you increase the volume of oxygen that is taken up by your body. It promotes your endurance and helps you not to be out of breath.
• Warming up helps you to focus on what you have to do.
• It helps you to practise and develop your technical skills.
• It relieves the stress and anxiety that you feel before the execution of the assignment.
You have to warm-up your whole body for drama and not only your voice and face.
The parts you have to warm-up are:
BODY
Feet
Knees
Legs
Hips
Torso
Arms
Neck
Head
FACE
Lips
Tongue
Cheeks
VOICE
SAMPLE
Articulation
Diaphragm
The following relaxation exercises can be done for the lips, tongue and cheeks.
Lips
Pout the lips and blow out the air with force.
Give a huge smile and then directly afterwards a serious frown. Repeat the action a few times.
Tongue
Stand up straight and look in front of you. Now lick in the following directions: your nose, left ear, right ear and chin.
Now try the following actions with your tongue: lick towards the ceiling (upwards), the left wall, the right wall and the floor. Do the actions while you are standing quite still, and holding your head still.
Now put out your tongue straight forward, and try to lick the object in front of you, for instance, the wall.
Cheeks
Imagine you have a giant lollipop or hard sweet in your mouth. Now pretend to suck it with strong sucking movements. Remember, the sweet can scarcely fit into your mouth!
Now you have to start chewing it! It is too large for your mouth, so you have to stretch your mouth wide open and start chewing the sweet with slow movements. Continue these movements for about one minute. Then imagine that the sweet is getting smaller and now you can chew it more easily. Now chew faster and faster, until your cheeks begin to feel warm and loose.
The following are a few breathing exercises that you can do:
1) Stand up straight in the neutral position. Place your hands below your rib cage. Hold your neck and shoulders relaxed. Now take a deep breath and breathe out for 10 seconds. Repeat the exercise and extend the count each time, for example breathe out in 15 seconds, and then try to breathe out in 20 seconds. You will feel how your entire body relaxes!
2) Breathe in over three seconds. Hold your breath for three seconds. Now breathe out, while counting out loud up to ten. Use your upper abdominal muscles to control your breath. It helps if you push out your rib cage. Your upper abdominal muscles control your diaphragm.
3) Lie in a comfortable position on your back. Place an object, such as a book, on your pelvis. While breathing, look at the book moving up and down. Repeat this a few times.
Articulation exercise:
Place your fist in your diaphragm (between your ribs and abdomen).
Say the following as fast as you can (you have to almost spit out the words): Pah-pah-pah-pah-pah-pah-pah-pah-pah
Say the following as fast as possible: Mani mani mani mani mani
Now articulate clearly while saying the following: Babble babble bobble bubble
Repeat the above exercise, but replace the beginning letter of the words by other letters, e.g. d, s, k, l, etc.
The following are examples of exercises that contribute to your physical development.
Physical warm-up exercises help to relax and “wake up” the body.
1) Exercise 1:
Stand up straight and relax your shoulders. Drop your head to your chest. Bend your back forward now, in a relaxed way, until your upper body is hanging down and forward in a relaxed way. Your hands must almost touch the floor. Bend your legs slightly. Do the action now in reverse, back to your original position.
SAMPLE
2) Kneel on the floor. Make your body as small as possible. Now jump upwards in an “explosion”, while trying to jump as high as possible. Repeat this three times.
3) Choose a partner to do the following exercise. Stand behind one another. The person in front does a number of actions and the person behind has to imitate them. In this way you can take turns and create your own movements!
4) You can also use images to help you with the warm-up. For instance, you can use the image of a clown. Pretend you are a clown – develop an “act” that the clown has to perform, and use that for warm-up. You can warm up your voice too in such an act, by changing your tone of voice.
DEFINE:
Articulation: The way in which the speech organs are used together to form sound during speech.
Rhythm: The way in which sound flows and moves. It is determined by tempo, speed, pause and climax.
Projection: It is the volume through which sounds are conveyed to the audience.
CONTENT:
The voice and body of an actor is his or her instrument. That is why it is very important to warm-up.
It is very important to warm-up your voice and body, even in drama. It is also important to create a safe environment in which you can warm-up and work.
You have to practise your imagination physically, visually and emotionally in drama. Warming-up takes place bit by bit and it is a good idea to create a routine that you can do every time before you start with drama.
Your body then adapts faster to the warm-up routine and it prepares you for the work that follows!
ACTIVITY 1:
SAMPLE
Develop a movement game that you will show to your friends and facilitator.
The assignment is not for assessment, it is only for fun.
Use the following picture as your first step in the development of a game. You will have to be very creative.
(www.wikispaces.com)