Osaka International School |
Middle/High School Course Descriptions |
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MS
Beginning Band Students can expect to learn
the basics of embouchure (lip and mouth setting), tone
production, posture and music reading. Percussion
students will learn basic technique for mallet
instruments, accessory instruments and battery
instruments. Students should expect to be able to perform
well enough to join a performance ensemble the following
year. This course is open to any middle school student
who wishes to learn how to play a wind or percussion
instrument. These instruments are flute, oboe, bassoon,
clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, French horn,
trombone, baritone, tuba and percussion instruments. Students can expect to learn
the basic fundamentals of string pedagogy with emphasis
on left-hand position, posture, bow technique, tone
production and music reading. Students should expect to
be able to perform well enough to join a performance
ensemble the following year. This course is open to any
middle school student who wishes to learn how to play a
string instrument. These instruments include violin,
viola, cello and bass. No previous experience or teacher
approval is needed to enroll. In this class, students learn
how good posture facilitates correct breathing and
relaxed singing. As the students learn proper breathing,
they become more aware of the parts of the body, which
are involved in vocal production and how to take care of
their voices. Students perform in unison, or in
two- and three-part music with different repertoire from
different periods of music history and different
cultures. Students can expect to do at least three
performances a year. This course is for 6th
through 8th graders who wish to learn the
fundamentals of singing in a group. The aim of this class is to
develop the basics of tone quality, technique, embouchure
and music reading. There will be performance
opportunities throughout the year. This course is
designed for 6th, 7th and 8th
grade wind and percussion middle school students with
intermediate level skills. This course is designed for
wind and percussion middle school students with
intermediate level skills. Students can expect continued
development and improvement of basic skills while
expanding their knowledge of quality string literature.
Ensemble and solo performance will be encouraged.
Although the focus will be on developing individual
technique, students can expect to perform several times
throughout the school year. This course is for middle
school students who can perform at an intermediate skill
level. Students who have had previous school ensemble or
private lesson experience are eligible. Director approval
is required for enrolling in this class. Students can expect to develop
and improve basic skills and expand their knowledge of
wind literature. Ensemble and solo performance will be
encouraged. Students can expect to participate in at
least three or more concert performances throughout the
year. This course is for 7th and 8th
grade students who have developed a relatively advanced
degree of skill for a middle school student. Director
approval is required for enrolling in this class. Students can expect to develop
and improve basic skills and expand their knowledge of
string literature. Ensemble and solo performance will be
encouraged. Students can expect to participate in at
least three or more concert performances throughout the
year. This course is for 7th and 8th
grade students who have developed a relatively advanced
degree of skill for a middle school student. Students who
have had at least one year of school ensemble or private
lesson experience are eligible. Director approval is
required for enrolling in this class.
This class emphasis will be to
develop advanced technical and tonal skill with wind
literature ranging from “pop” to the classics.
Students will participate in at least three or more
concert performances throughout the school year. This
course is open to grade 9-12 wind and percussion students
who have had at least one year of experience in one of
the performance ensembles offered at OIS/SIS or other
significant experience. Teacher approval is required. Students can expect to develop
and improve basic skills while expanding their knowledge
of quality string literature. Ensemble and solo
performances will be encouraged. Although the focus will
be on developing individual technique, students can
expect to perform at least three concerts throughout the
school year. This course is for 9th through 12th grade
students who can perform at an intermediate skill level.
Students who have had previous school ensemble or private
lesson experience are eligible. Director approval is
required for enrolling in this class. The emphasis of this class is
to continue to develop advanced technical and tonal
skills. The performance of high quality wind literature,
featuring a variety of music styles, will be the focus of
class. Students will participate in at least three or
more concert performances throughout the school year.
This course is designed for the advanced wind and
percussion students, in grades 9-12, who have attained a
high degree of proficiency. The Wind Ensemble is
considered the highest-level band class. Audition and
teacher approval are required. The emphasis of this class is
continued development of technical and tonal skills. The
performance of high quality literature featuring a
variety of music styles will be the focus of class.
Students will participate in at least three or more
concert performances throughout the school year. This
course is designed for the advanced violin, viola, cello
and bass students in grades 9 through 12, who have
attained a high degree of proficiency. The String
Ensemble is considered the highest-level string class and
has a performance focus. Audition and teacher approval
are required. In this class, students sing
more complex arrangements of music from different periods
of music history and different cultures. They learn to
perform varied repertoire with the appropriate vocal
technique and performance style. Choir members hope to
show more independence in music reading. Students can
expect to do at least three performances a year. This
course is for 9th through 12th grade students who wish to
experience singing different types of repertoire. The Art program for sixth grade
has the theme making connections. Students will be
introduced to the basic elements of design and examine
how various artists use these elements in their work. Six
elements and principles will be explored through active
participation in drawing, painting, design, sculpture and
construction. Students will compile their research into a
personally documented sketchbook. The basis of this program is
the exploration of art forms particular to different
cultures and regions of the world. Students are
introduced to two and three-dimensional processes such as
painting, printing, and sculpture with the aim of
encouraging experimentation and the fostering of
individual expression. Students will compile their
research into a personally documented sketchbook.
Assessment will be a combination of self-evaluation and
teacher critique. This program builds on
experience gained in the grade seven program. Art forms
from other regions of the world are explored; we revise
media used in grade seven, but from a different
perspective, and new media is introduced. Students are
encouraged to find connections between their art studies,
art making, and the world. The
major theme of the course is discovery of culture.
Through an in-depth study of African, South American and
Pacific cultures, students will develop an enriched
understanding of culture as a reflection of society.
Students then use this information to imagine, create and
develop a “culture.” Throughout
the year all research will be completed in a personal
journal and assessment will be through a combination of
self-evaluation and student/teacher critique. The following is a list of
all art courses available over the year in grades 9 &
10. Please note that not all courses are
available each trimester, and class sizes are
limited. In addition, some art courses are offered in
two-year cycles. Please check carefully on availability
of courses when making your choices. Working
in a studio environment the development of skills and
media exploration will be encouraged. Students will study
style and meaning in drawing throughout the ages and
apply these concepts in solving contemporary visual
problems. A variety of media will be explored such as pen
and ink, chalks and charcoal, graphite, pastels and
conte, water colour, pencils and coloured pencils.
Techniques covered will vary from the basics of drawing,
lineal drawing, form and modeling, tonal rendering and
perspective. Students will construct a folio to house
their art works and be encouraged to draw at home using a
miniature sketchbook. Living
Spaces This
course explores habitats within natural and human-made
environments. Students will develop two-dimensional and
three-dimensional solutions to problems that have been
devised to extend each student's ability to think with
creativity and originality. This
course will study the implication of visual imagery in
our century. Students will consider the psychological and
emotional impact of layout, advertising and illustration
through a study of the Elements and Principles of Design.
A creative approach to understanding these forms of
communication will be undertaken including illustrations,
stories without words and humour with the pen. Students
will learn to use paint to express and communicate ideas.
Students will study aspects of composition and historical
precedents and work in a range of media; watercolour,
poster color, acrylic, water soluble materials etc. Pottery Hand
Building: In this course students will study traditional
hand building techniques. Emphasis is placed on the
expressive potential and intrinsic beauty of the clay
medium. Both functional and non-functional studies will
be undertaken. Wheelwork will only be undertaken after
consolidation of hand-building skills. Photography A
study of: Photographic art forms from a variety of
cultures, photographers as artists, photographic
techniques and processes, composition, applied
photography - working with other media, e.g. Computer
manipulations, and photographic silkscreen. Printmaking The
history of printmaking and the wide variety of methods
and techniques available to printmakers; woodblock,
silkscreen, linoleum, etching, will be introduced.
Students will be prepared in order to execute their own
series of prints. Throughout
the ages sculpture as a three dimensional form of visual
expression has stimulated the senses, provoked reaction
and demanded interaction. From simple geometric form to
realism students will explore the endless potential of
form and space in different materials. Students
will study the characteristics of stage design from
different periods of history and from different cultures
with a view to formulating a design and construction for
the set of the 'All-School Production'. Miniature set
designs may be constructed if time allows. Students will
work as a collaborative team in consultation with the
Director and Producer of the show and will be encouraged
to become active members of the production crew. A
sketchbook is required. The class schedule may be
modified to meet the needs of the production, especially
towards performance time. Dedication and commitment to
after school time may be necessary as the 'All School
Production's first full dress rehearsal approaches.
Involvement in this course is exciting, demanding but
very rewarding. This
course breaks down the traditional divisions of media by
encouraging each student to extend their personal
boundaries in defining visual forms. Through a process of
research, appreciation and by devising solutions to
complex problems, the endless potential of mixed media
will provide a stimulus for new visual awareness and
appreciation.
[1] N.B. The class schedule for Stage Design may be modified to meet the needs of the production, especially towards performance time. |