Hi all,!

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I am teaching two year seven MPA classes next semester. I already have a program based around
film/tv for one semester that is working well but I need a completely different program as some
students will cross over into both classes over the year. I am thinking about running a specific
animation and/or gaming program for a semester and was wandering what some people may have
found useful for their lower school students.!
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Kind regards,!
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Andrew Blaikie!
Media Teacher!
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Swan View Senior High School!
Gladstone Avenue, Swan View WA 6056!
E: andrew.blaikie@education.wa.edu.au!
P: (08) 9294 0100 F: (08) 9294 4122!
W: www.svshs.wa.edu.au!
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Hi Andrew, !
For numerous years, I have been running a graphic novel task. I have been running it as part of
photography, but it could also fit into a regular media class. Some of my Manga loving kids get a
kick out of this task. :) !
We use comic life which (used to be) is a free app. Suitable for grades 7-9. !
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I've also discovered stikbots, check them out on YouTube. :) my 7s and 8s love them and we are
going to make our Stikbot-a-thon an annual event. :) !
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Just some ideas. !
Good luck! !
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Name !
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Name Surname!
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Hi Andrew,!
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My year 7's do a similar project using ComicLife too, they love it. I go to the $2 shops and get
cheap costumes/props for them as well. They love fake moustache's, beards, hats, glasses, wigs
and masks in particular. We have a few boxes of costumes we've been building up too from op
shops, old drama outfits etc. They love wearing the suits, gloves and ties. We then do a chase
scene and film poster, some students this year have extended their comic idea to film. Canva has
been useful for the posters, the 8's use it for their digital ad too. !
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Year 8's have done basic photography skills, selected a genre, reviewed a photographer and
attempted it themselves applying previously learnt skills. Photo manipulation based on an
environmental or sustainability issue - we looked at Surrealism, the power of Photoshop. Product
advertising analysis then creating their own TV and social media ad for a new product. We looked
at the Japanese art of Chindogu for inspiration. This year they have come up with watch fidget
spinners, corkscrew chopsticks, clothes with straws and refillable pouches so they can drink in
class, phone umbrellas, chopstick pens, TV remote finders, portable pockets, phone makeup kits,
food headbands etc.!
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Year 9's have produced a community advertising campaign for a teen issue - print, tv and radio.
We looked at representation of teenagers in the media. Now working on stop motion animation
(most have selected lego, whiteboard or action figures). Suspense scene (one of my year 11's
does theatre makeup, she's going to run a workshop) and suspense scene analysis, subcultural
magazine in semester two.!
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I don't take the 10's but this semester they did film trailers and photography. I think possibly gaming
next semester...!
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Hope this helps.!
Name!
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Hi Andrew,!
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I teach all boys, therefore my activities and projects are aimed to suit them.!
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Year 7s I have done a stop motion animation and then an animation using Pivot.!
Year 8s I have done a film trailer in a particular genre of their choice.!
Year 9s I do green screen and news reporting.!
Year 10s is music videos and advertising.!
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Let me know if you need any more information.!
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Kind regards,!
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Name Surname | Media and English Teacher!
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Hi Andrew,!
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I run a video game focussed course for an 8/9 split class, that focuses on analytical, preproduction
and editing skills. Happy to pass along the tasks if you like.!
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I introduce the history of video games as a media work, then explore the conventions of different
game genres and the ethics and values associated with todays gamer culture. Then they work on
two tasks over the course of a term:!
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A written game review, where the kids research and create a response styled written review
of a game they choose, finished by a practical task where they record themselves reading their
review response and collect footage of their game and background SFX/music in order to turn it
into a video review, like you would find on IGN or Gamespot.!
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A group preproduction task, where the kids work in groups of three to produce a
preproduction proposal/presentation for a new game that they design. They write a very detailed
speech that is backed up with a multimedia presentation that illustrates what they are talking about,
usually a Prezi or PowerPoint with about 16 slides addressing important info like hand drawn art
design, synopsis, technical specs, gameplay features and marketing strategies. They then pitch it
to a board of execs (me and the class) and we vote on who would get funding for their proposal.!
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The great thing is it ticks all the boxes for nat curric, and can be tailored to include any new
concepts that need to be addressed. (ie, stuff like independent awareness of safe production
practices when using technologies and resources, etc).!
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More importantly it is crazy popular and engages the kids more than any other class I teach. We
have an average class sizes of 26 every term, which is about 12 kids more than any other elective.
Kids also consistently come away with analytical skills I would associate with year 10 level study,
simply because they are super engaged with the content and dont see it as work.!
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Disclaimer; this works amazingly with our kids, simply because it is something boys that age tend
to be into. Im currently looking at ways to make it engaging for next year, as we move into a coed
context, but the nature of my delivery gives a lot of choice to kids in terms of what they focus on, so
hopefully its still successful.!
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I guess the point is to assess your kids interests in the context of the school, and shape the content
to their interests as a group. If your school has specific things the kids are into as large groups (eg
games, mountain/dirt biking, sport, specific genres etc) aim to make tasks centred around these.!
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In a pinch ours go like this:!
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7s: fantasy/sci fi and short silent films (kids want to be practical, physically making things,
using special effects etc. fantasy and scifi are good ones to pair)!
8s: video games (kids love these, constantly talk about them and waste time on them, so
focus them on analysing how they are made to be affective/addictive. Gives them insight)!
9s: video games and music (our 8/9s combined, so we focus on former for above reasons,
but 14 year olds also tend to be developing their own taste in music, and like to define themselves
by their tastes. Music tasks are a hit.. plus they give you great awkward vids to play them when
they are in year 12!)!
10s: horror films (they are reaching the age where they are allowed to see these, they have
been taboo and draw their attention) and Advertising (they like to learn the rules that marketers use
to fool them into buying things, makes them feel smarter than the average consumer (ie their
parents) and 15 year olds tend to like nothing more than this! haha). We also tailer every
assessment to match either a Gen or ATAR task type. Gives them insight about what to expect
from the different pathways and helps selection in 11-12!
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Hope that helps! Like I said, happy to pass along tasks!
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Name Surname!
Director of Media | Arts Faculty