ARTS:LIVE ARTS:LIVE logo
All courses All collections In the Classroom At Home Early Learning In the Community Dance Music Drama Media Arts Visual Arts
About Us Getting started FAQ Journal
Sign in

Art Forms Literacy

Whether you're looking to bring a story to life or find fresh ways to engage reluctant readers and writers, these resources are a great place to start. No specialist arts background needed — just a willingness to try something a little different.

The literacy-focused courses and activities on ARTS:LIVE use the arts as a doorway into reading, writing, speaking and listening. You'll find activities that use drama to explore characters in a class novel, visual art to respond to picture books, music to inspire creative writing, and storytelling through dance and movement.

For children, this kind of learning builds confidence with language in ways that feel natural and enjoyable. It encourages them to find their own voice, experiment with ideas, and communicate with greater fluency and imagination — whether through words, images, or performance.

We've previewed all the courses and activities on ARTS:LIVE so you can take a look at what's on offer. Get exploring today and register for free to unlock the creative possibilities waiting in every story!

View Courses

Explore all courses
  • 8 x 45 minute lessons

    Make a Music Video

    Years 7-10, Secondary
    Making a music video is a collaboration, and one of the most famous of recent times is Somebody That I Used to Know. Go behind the scenes and find out how Gotye and filmmaker Natasha Pincus made it happen, and follow their advice to make your own great music video.
    Get Started
  • 5 x 45 minute lessons

    Shifting the Scale

    Years 7-10, Secondary
    The work of Aboriginal artist Daniel Boyd interrogates Australia's colonial narrative. Explore the theme of appropriation and use the conventions of social media to shape artworks that offer alternative perspectives. Acknowledge your own presence within a grand narrative.
    Get Started
  • 6 x 45 minute lessons

    From Page to Stage

    Years 1-6
    Turn a book into a performance and use Drama to support comprehension. This resource is based on the book Go Home, Cheeky Animals! but you can substitute with any narrative text you prefer.
    Get Started
  • 3 × 45 minute lessons

    Learn the Alphabet Dance

    Years 1-8, Secondary
    Alphabet Dance combines movement and chant, using your body in a percussive and rhythmic way. It can be performed in any style of dance and can include references to cultures, interests and experiences within the group. The dance requires you to create a series of movements that represents each letter of the alphabet, and then spell some simple words.
    Get Started
  • 5 × 45 minute lessons

    Create an Alphabet Dance

    Years 1-8, Secondary
    Create An Alphabet Dance is the second component to creating your own version of the dance. Inventing transition moves and forming simple choruses helps to combine all the elements of the dance. Remembering all the moves is a workout for both your memory and your body!
    Get Started
  • 6 × 45 minute lessons

    Rap It Up

    Years 7-10, Secondary
    Explore the language and musical conventions of rap, and create your own rap. Discover the historical, social and political context and influences of hip hop culture and rap music. Identify the musical and poetic elements used in a range of rap pieces, and undertake the process of developing and performing your own rap at an ‘open mic’.
    Get Started
  • 4 × 45 minute lessons

    Concrete Poetry

    Years 5-6
    How can the meaning of words be presented in a visual way? Examine the abstract nature of words and consider their concrete form. Reflect on several concrete poets' works and use the techniques you have learned to create your own concrete poem.
    Get Started
  • 10 × 45 minute lessons

    Poetry and Drama

    Years 3-6
    Get excited about the world of language and the possibilities of sound. Poetry And Drama introduces the process of breaking down a poem for performance, and offers suggestions as to how you can explore the rich language in contemporary and traditional poems.
    Get Started
  • 10 x 70 minute lessons

    Stories from Home

    Years 7-10, Secondary
    Ever wanted to learn more about the craft of theatre-making? Stories from Home will take you through a structured ten lesson project and by the end, you will have an original show. Students will draw on fictional diary entries from refugee characters to inform their devising, play building and assessment tasks.
    Get Started
  • 4 x 60 minute lessons

    The Listies Make a Scene

    Years 1-6
    The gross, gory, funny and silly children's theatre-makers The Listies demonstrate how to create a show using improvisation, collaboration and a few quick deaths.
    Get Started
  • 9 x 45 minute lessons

    Hive Mind: Exploring Community Art

    Years 3-10, Secondary
    What is community art and how can it be explored within a school context? Join contemporary artist Amelia Kalifa as she weaves together a community of diverse voices through the creation of Hive Mind - an interactive sculpture that combines visual arts, technology, storytelling and community practice.
    Get Started
  • 4 x 45 minute lessons

    Fairy Tale Dance

    Years 1-10, Secondary
    This resource introduces students to Queensland Ballet's Little Red Riding Hood production and invites them backstage to meet the production team. The lesson series combines literacy and movement, and supports students to create their own movement based interpretation of a fairy tale.
    Get Started