Music Year 7 Blocks 1&2 - World Music & Singing Music Home Page

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SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES

(listening, composing, performing, L2L or ICT – those highlighted must be assessed)

AN EXAMPLE LESSON-BY-LESSON PLAN

This is an extremely broad summary of the order in which tasks may be tackled. Lessons must feature some form of starter (which may be a discussion point to engage pupils for learning) and a plenary (which may be a summary of work covered and suggested future developments). Within extended performing/composing tasks, brief and informal interim peer-assessments should break up the work wherever possible.

In this example after lesson 1, even numbers are singing (room 100), odd are African drumming (room 66), Chinese work (also even numbers) can take place in either.

Lesson 1

Welcome – introduction to course

Simple rhythmic performances

Simple body sounds compositions

“We Will Rock You” listening task (could take place in a singing lesson instead)

Lesson 2

Singing warm-ups

*L2L: MY FEELINGS: Risk taking (Show it)

Vocal warm-ups include all pupils speaking, shouting and making other noises individually before singing in small groups then individually (if only a line each).

Learning and performance of first song

Lesson 3

Performing from rhythm grids (body sounds)

African music listening examples/video and discussion

Distribution and practice of given initial drumming parts

Lesson 4

Singing recap – complete first song

Teaching and performance of second song

Lesson 5

Further Djole drumming parts added

Addition of improvised passages and singing element

Lesson 6

Final singing preparation for concert

Any other valid singing activities to be included

Lesson 7

(Brief final drumming preparation for concert)

* L2L: MY RESEARCH: Find and process information (Using tables)

Assimilation of ICT-based information in table format.

Lesson 8

Further singing: Teacher’s own choice in preparation for recording session

Assessment of singing work

Lesson 9

Further drumming work introducing other techniques

Composition task given and explained

Lesson 10

Singing recording session

Lesson 11

Further composing work including more detailed elements

Interim assessment of work in progress

Lesson 12

Chinese listening examples

Learning of notes on the stave

Performance of given Chinese pentatonic melody

Lesson 13

Final practice time

Performance and assessment of African drumming compositions

Lesson 14

Continued performance of given Chinese pentatonic melody

Simple improvisations using pentatonic scale

Lesson 15

Continued performance and assessment of African drumming compositions

(those already completed can start discussing progress during others’ practise time)

Lesson 16

Recap of given Chinese pentatonic melody

Improvisations practice then assessment

Lesson 17

* L2L: MY LEARNING: Peer and self-assessment (The APPLE technique)

Pupils write a review of their composing task using the five headings.

This lesson can also be used as a chance to summarise learning achievements throughout this joint-block.

Note: If necessary, refer to previous Block 7-1/2 scheme for further detail on singing/drumming aspects.

ASSESSMENT

Whilst grades are A to D, as this system is preferred by the department, the numbers in brackets refer to the level that such grades will lead to in this block and assessment criteria is, as such, designed to match end of Key Stage 3 descriptors.

Lesson 1 – “We Will Rock You” listening

A numerical mark out of 10 is given then converted to an A-D grade:

A (4)    9 or 10           

            (“describe…music using an appropriate vocabulary”)

B (3)    7 or 8 

            (“recognise…how sounds can be combined”)

C (2)    5 or 6 

            (“recognise…how sounds can be organised”)

D (1)    4 or below       

            (“recognise…how sounds can be made”)

Lesson 8 – Initial performing assessment – Singing

A (4)    Projected extremely well and with perfect intonation/sense of ensemble

            (“they maintain their own part with awareness of how the different parts fit together”)

B (3)    Could perform the melody mostly in tune and projected reasonably well

            (“They sing in tune with expression”)

C (2)    Some concerns in pitch and/or projection were noticeable

            (“They sing with a sense of the shape of the melody”)

D (1)    Did not contribute sufficiently to the group

            (“use their voices in different ways such as singing”)

Lessons 13/15 –African drumming composing

A (4)    At least two imaginative cyclic pattern sections used within the piece and three other             techniques. Performance of the composition was slick and confident.

            (“compose by developing ideas within musical structures”)

B (3)    Two fairly strong cyclic pattern sections used and two other techniques.     Performance of the             composition was accurate on the whole.

            (“combine several layers of sound with awareness of the combined effect”)

C (2)    Less than two cyclic patterns or other techniques used. There were some concerns           regarding the group’s performance skills.

            (“explore how sounds can be organised”)

D (1)    Did not satisfactorily meet the demands of this task.

            (“explore how sounds can be made”)

(The teacher should grade the whole group piece then adjust for any outstanding/disappointing individuals).

Lesson 16 – Chinese improvisations

A (4)    Sustain an improvisation which shows an awareness of accompanying parts

            (“improvise melodic and rhythmic phrases as part of a group performance”)

B (3)    Generally successful if a little simple/repetitive

            (“improvise repeated patterns…with awareness of the combined effect”)

C (2)    Improvisation is very simple and/or has several errors

            (“perform simple patterns”)

D (1)    Completely disorganised and erroneous

            (unable to meet statements above)

Lesson 17 – African drumming reviews

A (4)    A more advanced musical vocabulary provides a detailed account

            (“describe...using an appropriate musical vocabulary...commenting on how intentions have been achieved”)

B (3)    A good amount of detail shown including specifics on improvements

            (“they...make improvements to their own work commenting on the intended effect”)

C (2)    A basic review included at least some evidence of progress

            (“they improve their own work”)

D (1)    Very little detail through extreme brevity

            (unable to meet statements above)