Background to the VELS – The Arts domain

Level 3

At Level 3, both the Arts VELS and the CSF II, require students to select and combine an expanding range of means offered by individual arts disciplines. Both documents require students to present, identify, describe and discuss the communication of ideas and feelings in their own and others’ arts works. The Level 3 standard for Creating and making emphasises communication of ideas and feelings but in the CSF II at Level 3 the word ‘communicate’ is only used in curriculum focus statements, not in the Arts practice outcome or indicators. The standard for Exploring and responding builds on engagement with the processes and practices of exploring and responding developed as part of the Level 1 and 2 Creating and making standards. Both documents focus on learning about arts works from students’ own and other cultures.

As with Levels 1 and 2, the standards reflect the essence of the scope of learning in the individual arts disciplines described in the CSF II. The standards also include the process of using feedback and self-evaluation to refine arts works which the CSF II does not require of students at Level 3.

The Level 3 standards involve students:

In Art, selecting and combining a range of art elements and using a range of art forms, materials, techniques and processes to communicate ideas, observations and feelings and to develop ideas based on their own and other’ cultures. Students develop their understanding of the art elements of line, shape, tone, space, texture, color and form by exploring them with a range of art principles, such as contrast, repetition, symmetry and balance and also experiment with art concepts such as movement and proportion. They use this knowledge when planning art works for different purposes and audiences. They use appropriate art terminology to identify and describe key features of art works when discussing work from their own and other cultures and when communicating their intentions, choices and use of techniques as part of the presentation process. Students learn about features and functions of art in their own community and in other cultures.

In Dance, selecting and combining the dance elements of time, space and energy to develop dance ideas. They learn about and use knowledge of devices such as repetition, unison and canon to plan, create and present movement sequences and short dances for particular audiences or purposes. Students perform and discuss dances from their own and others’ cultures. They evaluate their dance experiences. They use dance terminology to identify and describe features of their work. They identify the purpose and describe key features of a dance and the ways in which the elements of dance and presentation add interest and expression to movement in their own and others’ works.

In Drama, selecting and combining drama elements such as voice, movement and gesture and dramatic forms. Students use the dramatic element of focus to assist in shaping their drama and develop knowledge and skill about ways of making and using stagecraft elements such as sound effects and props and incorporate them into their own improvisations. Students identify and describe key features of the drama of different cultures. They distinguish between acting space and audience space as they work in groups to plan, rehearse and present their work to particular audiences for particular purposes. They use appropriate drama terminology to identify and describe key dramatic features when discussing the making and shaping of their work or performances they have seen from their own and others’ cultures. They discuss the function of drama in the community.

In Media, selecting and combining media elements such as words, sounds and images in different combinations and using media structures to order ideas and information about characters and sequences of events to create stories and present their media in the school. They work together to plan and make media productions, taking different production roles that draw on experience of media productions and knowledge of basic conventions as well as develop ideas based on their own and other cultures. Students consider the interests of particular audiences and how their media productions will communicate to an audience. They use appropriate terminology to identify and describe key features of media texts from their own and other cultures when discussing how these texts communicate ideas and are used for entertainment.

In Music, selecting and combining the elements of music individually and in combination to communicate ideas and feelings and to plan, improvise and compose short works for particular purposes and audiences. Students use and interpret conventional and unconventional notation representing sounds of different pitch, duration, loudness and tone colour. They imitate and create rhythmic, harmonic and melodic patterns and use typical compositional devices from various cultures to compose/improvise/arrange, rehearse and perform short vocal and instrumental works from their own and other cultures. Students use appropriate music terminology to identify and describe key features and expressive qualities of music when discussing musical characteristics of their own work and works from their own and others’ cultures. They discuss the function of music in their community.

Victorian Essential Learning Standards	CSF II learning outcomes
Creating and making At Level 3, students create and present works in a range of arts forms that communicate experiences, ideas, concepts, observations and feelings. They select and combine a range of arts elements, principles and/or conventions, and use a range of skills, techniques and processes, media, materials, equipment and technologies. They show evidence of arts knowledge when planning arts works for different purposes and audiences and identify techniques and features of other people’s works that inform their own arts making. They refine their work in response to feedback and self-evaluation. Exploring and responding At Level 3, students comment on the exploration, development and presentation of their arts works, including the use of specific arts elements, principles and/or conventions, skills, techniques and processes. They identify and describe key features of arts works from their own and other cultures, and use arts language to describe and discuss the communication of ideas, feelings and purpose in their own and other people’s arts works.	In Arts practice – ideas, skills, techniques and processes students: 3.1 Make and present performing/visual arts works, using a range of performing arts elements, skills, techniques and processes. In Responding to the arts – criticism, aesthetics and contexts students: 3.2 Identify and describe key features of performing/visual arts works from own and other cultures.

Victorian Essential Learning Standards

CSF II learning outcomes

Creating and making

At Level 3, students create and present works in a range of arts forms that communicate experiences, ideas, concepts, observations and feelings. They select and combine a range of arts elements, principles and/or conventions, and use a range of skills, techniques and processes, media, materials, equipment and technologies. They show evidence of arts knowledge when planning arts works for different purposes and audiences and identify techniques and features of other people’s works that inform their own arts making. They refine their work in response to feedback and self-evaluation.

Exploring and responding

At Level 3, students comment on the exploration, development and presentation of their arts works, including the use of specific arts elements, principles and/or conventions, skills, techniques and processes. They identify and describe key features of arts works from their own and other cultures, and use arts language to describe and discuss the communication of ideas, feelings and purpose in their own and other people’s arts works.

In Arts practice – ideas, skills, techniques and processes students:

3.1 Make and present performing/visual arts works, using a range of performing arts elements, skills, techniques and processes.

In Responding to the arts – criticism, aesthetics and contexts students:

3.2 Identify and describe key features of performing/visual arts works from own and other cultures.

The Arts: Level 1 2 3 4 5 6

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