Arts - 360

List of 34 frequently asked questions.

• 3D Printing

  In 3D Printing, students will learn how to make their imagination a reality! By developing 3D modeling techniques and learning the fundamentals of this emerging technology, students will gain the ability to produce virtually any object they can think of. Whether they are interested in tinkering, robotics, artistic expression, board game development or finding unique solutions to everyday problems, 3D Printing has it all! If you can dream it, you can make it. 

• Astronomy Imaging & Outreach

  

  In this 360 activity, students will take an active role in running the observatory and processing image data acquired by our telescopes. The observatory is frequently used for outreach purposes with student groups on campus. With larger groups, it takes a team of knowledgeable individuals to run these sessions.
  
  

  Our observatory can be run remotely and is often used to capture images of deep sky objects. Processing these images takes a lot of experience, time and patience. We use a software package called PixInsight; online tutorials and instructor support are available to get you going in this self-guided process.

• Baking

  We will focus on practical kitchen skills, baking and enjoying delicious treats prepared by oneself. We will have fun in the kitchen, work together and learn new skills. The hope is to also introduce meal planning, budgeting and preparation. Food is life!

• Boatbuilding

  This 360 activity gives students a hands-on approach to working with Shawnigan’s fleet of floating vessels. Students will be introduced to boat repair and maintenance, will take on small individual projects that revolve around nautical themes, and will work on a major group project. Moulds and designs for all projects will be student-driven.
  
  Students will also have the opportunity to acquire their pleasure craft license and practice small boat operation safety.

• Clayworks

  

  Students will have the opportunity to try all sorts of clayworks in this 360, including learning hand-building and sculpture techniques and some use of wheel throwing pottery techniques. More than just making pots and bowls, this 360 will also teach decorating and altering to make unique visual pieces. Students will learn the vocabulary of the medium and apply skills to make artfully finished pieces.
  
  

  Returning students are welcome to set their own direction while assigned projects will be generated for new students.
  Get dirty, play in the mud and experience the excitement of creating.
  

   

  
  
  

• Dance

  

  Students will study Jazz and Lyrical in the Dance 360. Traditionally, students in Dance have the opportunity to perform at the Shawnigan Night of Dance and the Fine Art Concert. Classes will include warm-ups, stretching & strengthening, and choreography.

• Digital Illustration

  This self-directed digital drawing and illustration 360 is a peaceful and creative space for students to develop their drawing skills. This is the perfect place for anyone who wants to create their own illustrations, comic books, greeting cards, or any other idea that involves digital drawing.
  
  Participants don’t have to be great drawers, they just need to be eager to develop their creative ideas!

• Digital Photography

  

  Do you see beauty in nice things? Do you see beauty in weird things? Do you see weird things in beauty? Do you want to be able to remember all of the above?
  
  These are the types of questions students in Digital Photography should be asking. We’ll teach students how to use their camera properly, what all the weird buttons do, how to take amazing photos of their friends and how to edit them properly using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop (because let’s face it, we can do better than Instagram filters). Students will get to go on some fun excursions to practice shooting in different conditions, and at the end of the year they’ll have a brilliant portfolio to show off their skills.
  
  Digital Photography participants get to work at their own level. Beginners are taught the basics; experienced students work at their own speed and interest level. All photography students can create their own projects in addition to class work.

• Dungeons & Dragons and Strategic Games

  • Epic adventures, magic, & treasure
  • Heroes, & monsters
  • Storytelling, using imagination & teamwork
  • Being creative, suspending disbelief & problem solving
  • Role playing & having fun

• Eco-Ninjas

  

  Students in this 360 can help shape the future of the School. Eco-Ninjas will be bio-fueled by student initiatives and supported by the instructors.
  
  Such initiatives may include: actions that help reduce the School’s carbon footprint; exploring alternative energy sources; improving hiking access on campus; improving local food security; Pacific salmon enhancement projects; and learning and developing ways to build sustainability on our campus.
  
  We want student ideas for creating a sustainable future for our campus, our community and our planet. This is a chance for students to be change-makers and to put their leadership skills into practice.

• Electronic Game and App Development (eGAD)

  In this course, students will learn the basics of app development and game design and create projects that contribute to a cause they are passionate about. Students will learn user experience and user interface design principles, prototyping, 3D design, and programming with Scratch. Students will have the opportunity to present their projects to peers as well as professionals in the design and tech field.

• Figure Skating

  

  Figure Skating offers opportunities for skaters to develop fundamental skating skills in the areas of ice dance, skating skills, free skate and interpretive skating. Interested skaters may also choose to pursue synchronized skating or pairs skating.

• Film Production

  

  For students who are interested in making movies – comedy, drama, music videos, vlogs, YouTubes… Whatever inspires them. Beginners will take Introduction to Film and the more experienced students will take Advanced Film Production.
  
  Introduction to Film: learn fundamental techniques of cinema through shooting exercises, producing short films and participating in various productions. Finished films will often be posted, broadcast or appear in school screenings.
  
  Advanced Film Production: A follow-up to Introduction to Film, Advanced Film Production is designed for students who are trained and want to go the next step, who can pitch an idea of their own, produce a movie, and, if eligible, enter it into competition.

• Fly Tying

  

  Fly Tying beginners will learn the different families of flies, how to tie them using all kinds of material, and, eventually, they will discover the basic casting techniques.
  
  Advanced students will tie more advanced patterns and will fill up their fly box with Western and local flies. There will be opportunities to fish in Shawnigan Lake and other local waterways in the first and third terms.

• Grassroots Rugby

  Building future educators and role models by serving youth in the Cowichan community.
   

  In this 360 activity, students will take an active role in coaching a local youth rugby program for children aged 5-12 years old. This program is designed to inspire youth participation in sports. Students will gain skills in how to engage, coach and referee children. 

• Homework Helpers

  

  The Homework Helpers are a team of energetic senior students who are passionate about working with local elementary students in an educational setting. Not only do the younger students develop skills while doing their homework or practicing music, they also look up to our tutors as role models. Tutoring is pursued in a one-to-to setting after school, focusing on basic math, reading/writing skills, social studies, science, and languages.
  
  Homework Helper hours also count towards volunteer hours for university.

• Jewelry Making

  Get inspired to create wearable art in The Jewelry Making 360 program. Use beads, wire, string and other materials to make a wide range of jewelry designs. Jewelry making is the perfect 360 program for someone who is interested in improving their creative skills in the realm of jewelry. With a relaxed atmosphere and full creative freedom, this program is the right choice for anyone!

• Improv

  Improv is a Theater technique that allows actors to learn to react and respond to unexpected situations while gaining confidence and creative abilities. We will use games, exercises and activities to explore character, setting, story, style  and themes  in a safe and fun environment. The future goal of this class will be to compete as a team in the Canadian Improv Games ( Covid dependent). All abilities and experience levels are welcome!

• Mixed Media Art

  

  Get creative and try your hand at mixed media art. While you do not have to be “good at art”, you have to be willing to try new things, engage with different materials and let loose! You will have the choice to experiment with the following: alcohol inks, watercolour, oil and acrylic paints, art journals, block printing on fabric, digital photography, collage and even Suminagashi, the Japanese art of paper marbling, dating back to the 12th Century! It’s extremely meditative. Use pencil crayons, markers, graphite pencils, inks or paint to explore subject matter of personal interest. Maybe you want to create your own graphic novel, or just doodle or begin an illustrated diary or journal? Or maybe you need to create a poster for a specific class or project, or you want to design your own unique pack of tarot or greeting cards? Tea towels with your own designs? We can do that, too! From still life drawing to portraiture, from zendoodling to collage, this is the place where you can explore it all. 

  All you need are ideas, focus and enthusiasm! Note: Meditative, background music will be part of this class to encourage relaxation.

• Model UN

  

  Model United Nations provides students with the opportunity to discover, debate and analyze global issues with other students. Apart from attending Model UN conferences internationally, nationally and locally, our student leaders work as committee chairs and overall organizers of the Grade 10 Global Goals Conference, SHOC and ShawMUN. At our ShawMUN Conference, hosted at the Victoria Conference Centre, we host over a dozen schools (300 students) with over seven different committees to choose from. Although most of the program is focused on preparing for Model UN conferences, some introductory activities to debating are integrated into the first term. Students must commit to at least two off-campus conferences throughout the year and also participate in ShawMUN.
  
  2020 update: due to the pandemic, trips will be limited and most likely replaced by virtual conferences and activities designed and delivered by experienced students in the program.
  
  Students that participate in this 360 walk away with many skills, including greater confidence in their public speaking and research skills, a greater ability to build consensus with others on complex issues, and an interest in world affairs.

• Musical Theatre

  

  Students involved in Musical Theatre will audition, rehearse and perform in a full Broadway musical.

• Recording Arts

  

  The Recording Arts 360 focuses on production and participation in recording sessions. Students are fully trained on Shawnigan’s new, state of the art, world class recording studio and take an in-depth look at the industry-standard “Pro-Tools” software.

• Robotics

  

  Robotics is a discipline that incorporates mechanics, electronics, and computer science. This course will have students involved with science, technology, engineering, math (STEM), and design skills in an interdisciplinary manner. Many creative approaches can be applied to the entire problem solving process.
  
  Initially, students will deconstruct a complex robotic system in order to better understand it, and move on to design, program and build a VEX-based robot to complete a specific task. Students will design and build increasingly more complex robotic systems, and have the opportunity to enter local and international competitions throughout the course of the year.
  
  In our first three years, our teams have qualified for both Provincial and World Championships! Normally our tournament season runs from November to April, and we host our own tournament at Shawnigan in November. Although students are encouraged to prepare for tournaments, all levels of participation and engagement are welcome.

• Rock Band & Modern Music

  

  In Rock Band, students will learn the essentials of performing with a group of musicians. This course will cover song structure, melody, rhythm and dynamics. Alongside these technical aspects, students will also practice their on-stage presence and communication. Finally, students will have an opportunity to write and/or record their own original music with their band.

• SCUBA Diving Club

  Learn how to SCUBA dive, become PADI certified and explore the mysteries that lie underwater. All students will receive professional training from a local dive shop. This includes 6 hours of classroom instruction, 4 introductory pool dives, and 4 introductory ocean dives. Once you become PADI certified, the newly formed SCUBA club will plan weekly local freshwater and ocean dives, explore underwater habitats, collaborate with scientists, learn navigation skills, practice photography and much much more. Possible future training courses include; BC Boating license, 1st Aid, Advanced Open Water Diver, Rescue Diver and Wreck Diver to name a few.

• Search, Rescue and Outdoor Skills

  

  The year will be broken into two halves, with different rescue focuses being prominent (but not exclusive) at different times throughout the year. All students will learn advanced rescue techniques involving rope rescues (rappelling and retrieving), swiftwater rescues, and wilderness first aid. Throughout each term, students will lead full rescue scenarios incorporating the learned skills. Students will also achieve internationally-recognized certification in the following areas:
  
  TERM 1
  

  1. Rope Rescue
  2. First Aid Skills
  3. Winter Skills
  4. Advanced Navigation
  5. Incident Management

  TERM 2
  

  1. Swiftwater Rescue
  2. Rope Rescue
  3. Search Principles
  4. Outdoor Skills

• Service

  

  Shawnigan Service provides various hands-on service opportunities. As the year begins, with all of the limitations imposed by the current situation, we will look forward to new ways to serve closer to home. Students will be encouraged to participate in creating a program that will provide service and leadership skill-building activities and events. What might seem like limitations actually create new and exciting opportunities. This is a program for anyone with a kind heart and the desire to connect with others by doing.

• SPUD - (Sustainable Produce Under Dome)

  The SPUD program is an opportunity to learn about sustainable agriculture in a geodesic growing dome. Topics such as soil sciences, pollination, integrated pest control, food system sustainability, and plant sciences will be explored. Students will work hands-on with planning crops, going from seed to harvest. In SPUD we will get our hands dirty and you will be able to see the outcomes of your work. 

  
  

  We will go beyond our Schools' own growing spaces to learn about opportunities in the industry: visiting local farms and exploring leaders in the sustainable agriculture movement. Every student will have the opportunity to lead their own project in the dome, be that a growing experiment, creating a mobile light control program, developing a crop plan that supports the schools needs, or anything that is relevant to SPUD. 

• Stage Crew

  

  This crew will run all of the tech (sound and lights) for the various presentations and performances in the year – including the Founder’s Day Cabaret and Musical Theatre production. They can also assist with set design and construction. Their largest responsibility will be in heading the stage management team for our musical.

• Stitch Lab

  

  Students in Stitch Lab will: understand sewing pattern symbols and instructions; gain skill in selecting patterns and appropriate fabric; learn how to operate a sewing machine and serger; learn how to use other sewing equipment and tools; and become familiar with basic sewing terms and techniques.
  
  Students who enjoy this activity the most (and have the most success) are patient and precise; have good manual dexterity; can follow oral and written instructions; and can persevere through a project until finished.
  
  No experience is necessary – both beginner and experienced sewers are welcome! Beginners start on an easy project. All projects will be group planned projects for an optimized learning experience. Each student will come away with three to four usable projects for their everyday life such as pencil cases, backpacks, hoodies, face masks, and more!

• Studio Art

  Studio Art is the self-directed creation of anything 2D using pencil, watercolour, acrylic, chalk, etc. The key word is self-directed: strong motivation is needed to be successful in this 360. Students don’t have to be a “good drawer,” but they need to be excited and motivated to learn and try.

  Focus will be put on idea generation and creativity – not just making a pretty picture, but creating work that is theirs.

• Watercolor & Sumi-e

  

  Watercolour and Sumi-e will provide students with a variety of activities to enjoy brush painting. It gives them opportunities to explore their creative capabilities in drawing with the use of colour, express themselves through brushstrokes, and gain confidence in displaying their work publicly. Students will hone their skills using different media and techniques, including:
  

  • Watercolour painting
  • Sumi-e painting/Chinese brush painting
  • Calligraphy
  • Name stamp making (your signature of your work)

• Woodwork

  

  Students will create projects of their own design in wood. They will learn safety protocols and how to use all shop tools to create their projects.

• Yoga and Meditation

  Over the course of the term we will try a variety of different yoga styles, practice our meditation skills and engage in other activities that will help students to be the best version of themselves. Yoga and meditation is open to students of all abilities and no experience is required.