Specialists
Yearly Overview

VISUAL ARTS

In the Art room we are always very busy being creative!

Students enjoy our unit on ceramics working on joining skills and building pots with clay and becoming increasingly exploratory. We work on our drawing skills, investigating perspective and creating depth in our art works. When drawing we also learn about shapes, composition and the use of line to create images that include surrealism and abstract art.

Our painting skills include exploring colour mixing and tone, various techniques and inspiration form many artists’ studies. These include the works of Picasso and Van Gogh. The Year 6 students create and design a Skate Deck. Each student receives a full size wooden deck to apply stencilling and spraying techniques. Each student also creates a design for a superb glass platter. These wonderful real life experiences engages the students to utilise their drawing and design skills.

In Art we also gain inspiration from many Australian Artists such as Jasper Knight, Margret Preston and Jeffery Smart. During art time we work on printing skills, from scratching in to blocks for repetitive mono prints to designing lino print blocks. The Art room is a hub of activity from weaving to construction to making props for the school production. 

We start looking at and talking about art using arts language from Foundation to Year 6 where students are making critiques about their own and other artworks. Each class visits the Art room every week for an hour session, to be immersed in colour, design, exploration and self expression.

JAPANESE

It is always very ‘Nigiyaka にぎやか’ (lively) in our Japanese room! Japanese has been a is a highly-valued program at our school for over 25 years and all students from Prep to Year 6 visit our beautiful Japanese room each week.

Being active, joining in songs, games and puzzles is a great way for our young students to start learning a new language – every year we are amazed at quickly our Preps start to learn when they are happily and actively engaged in a range of fun activities. Throughout their years at Chatham, our students learn to use the Hiragana alphabet and simple grammar while doing a range of engaging learning units and activities such as Tokyo Fashion, making Travel TV shows, building Japanese model houses, writing scripts, filming and performing in TV Cooking shows and creating  Japanese Convenience Stores, just to name a few!

Learning another language is a powerful way to develop empathy and understanding of other cultures in our ever-increasingly globalised world and developing real connections with Japan is an integral part of Chatham's Japanese program. Senior students have the opportunity to communicate with our Pen Pal School, which is based in the Japanese prefecture of Shiga. Some of our senior students even get to participate in our Japan Study Tour, which has occurred every 2nd year since its inception in 2012. During the 10-day Study Tour, students travel to Kyoto, Hiroshima, Miyajima Island and Osaka, visit famous sites, practice their Japanese while participating in an assortment of cooking and craft workshops, spend time at our Pen Pal school and much more.

MUSIC

We have a vibrant Music program that includes, classroom music across the whole school, choirs, instrumental lessons and small ensembles.

The Classroom Music is delivered to all year levels on a weekly basis. Using the Kodály teaching method, students are able to experience and gain knowledge of the fundamental concepts of music through aural, kinaesthetic and visual styles of learning. Students learn a repertoire of music, they use familiar songs to build their knowledge of musical concepts and terminology in a sequential and developmentally appropriate level.

The expansive Instrumental Music Program provides students with the opportunity to have individual or group lessons on a range of instruments; violin, saxophone, flute, piano, keyboard, guitar, drums, ukulele and others. Students attend weekly lessons on a user-pays system, lessons are organised by our outside providers, Creative Music and Uke for Kids. When students have reached some level of proficiency they are encouraged to perform at weekly assemblies. We run small ensembles throughout the year for the senior students to extend their skills on their individual instruments.

Six year level choirs are timetabled into the school week. All students in Prep to Year 4 to attend. In Year 5 & 6 students may choose to join. During choir rehearsals students engage in warm-up activities, listening activities, ensemble activities as well as learn repertoire to perform. Choir students prepare for performances at weekly assemblies, for State Schools Spectacular, the NEVR Youth Concert, inter-school concerts and a range of other events.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Run, jump, skip, hop, throw and catch!

There is lots of movement, fun and diversity within the Physical Education Program. Students are taught the Fundamental Motor Skills and learn to play together in team games. We offer a variety of internal and external programs – P.M.P., Intensive Swimming, Dance and Hooptime Basketball.

Our school is part of the Interschool Sport Program for the Kooyong District, where our Year 6 students participate in both summer and winter sports. We host our own House Swimming, Cross-Country and Athletic Carnivals for Year 3 – 6 students with students progressing to District and Regional level.

A fantastic highlight are the three camps held throughout the year for our students in Years 4, 5 and 6.

As part of our extensive Leadership Program, we have eight House Captains who promote, assist and guide younger students to the benefits of a healthy approach to fair play and being active.