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LESSON-BY-LESSON DETAIL
(assessment
points
underlined, differentiated material in italics, literacy activities in bold)
Lesson
1
At some
point in the
lesson the following should occur:
Explanation
of the course
Pupils are given
a brief basic outline of what will
be expected of them throughout this year both in terms of intended
outcomes (in
and out of the classroom) and the department’s expectations regarding
behaviour
and treatment of equipment.
suggested
starter:
Rondo
illustration
A
body sounds rhythmic performance can get pupils engaged immediately and
illustrate the concept of rondo. A whole class rhythm could be
interspersed
with other whole class rhythms, or small group ones, or individual
improvisations. Powerpoint could support this explanation through
visual
examples.
main
body of lesson:
Pupils can gain a further understanding of Rondo form
via the listening task from Music Matters. They should answer the given
questions in their books.
Pupils should be given time to look at the parts to
Carillon as they will be assessed on this next time. They need to
tackle as many
sections as is appropriate for their ability level. Pupils can attempt
both
hands if necessary. At this point pupils will not perform along to
a
backing track as the task is demanding of them in terms of melody more
than an
absolutely continuous pulse.
plenary
(if different from summary of learning and future plans):
Pupils could discuss ways to approach rondo as a
whole class (what instruments? what groupings? etc.).
HOMEWORK – Pupils to look
at Carillon parts even just
clapping the rhythms if necessary.
Lesson 2
suggested
starter:
The Rondo from
Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik can be
used as a listening example. Pupils would be expected to raise their
hands when
the rondo theme returns and also make distinctions about how the rondo
theme
has changed on each occurrence.
main
body of lesson:
Continued
Carillon preparation
It
is anticipated that assessments could take place in this lesson so
pupils who
have been unable to gain access to a keyboard in the time since last
lesson
should particularly be using this time to perfect their performance.
Final
performance of Carillon
Pupils should play the main rondo theme as a whole
class but one of the first two episodes could be tackled by
individuals, even
if a structure such as A B A B A C A results. The teacher may decide to
end
with section D (with pupils joining in on the last three notes). This
should
be performed as many times as is necessary for the teacher to mark how
well
pupils performed individually.
plenary
(if different from summary of learning and future plans):
The class could discuss
how their performances went well overall and how, as a class, the
performances
could have been improved.
HOMEWORK – Pupils to make a
note of how well they
performed in this task and how improvements could have been made.
Lesson 3
suggested
starter:
Several rhythms
could be displayed including the one
which will be crucial to the next performance piece. Pupils can spend
the start
of the lesson trying to read the rhythms for class clapping.
main
body of lesson:
Before
tackling this new piece, the class should clap through it’s rhythm, 2
bars at a
time.
Learn and perform “Pedal Piece”
A copy of the
score of this piece is to be handed
out. Each pupil has one of three parts,
each highlighted in a different colour, to perform.
Each part should be performed in separate groups before the
whole
piece is performed with a Cubase backing track. Pupils
experiencing difficulties can be given the bass line to
play, which only uses three notes. More
able pupils can tackle two or even three parts together. The class should aim for a complete
performance by the end of the lesson.
plenary
(if different from summary of learning and future plans):
The concept of
pedal bass should be briefly discussed
in relation to the piece performed this lesson and as a precursor to
the work
to be tackled next lesson.
HOMEWORK – Pupils to
attempt to find, by listening or
research, examples of pedal bass.
Lesson 4
suggested
starter:
Pupils could get
straight onto the keyboards for this
lesson and in pairs have one pupil repeat a pedal on one of a choice of
notes
whilst the other improvises using a given set of notes over the top.
The more
confident pupils could present this to the class.
main
body of lesson:
The concept of
pedal bass could be illustrated further
through recorded examples. Stylistic
elements of the pieces used should be discussed as well as harmonic
implications, and any breaks from the pedal. This would be discussed
only.
Pupils would
work in groups of four, paired up on
each keyboard, and each group told which bass note to use. One member
of each
group is to create at least a two-bar, 4-beat rhythm at the same tempo
as Pedal
Piece. Everyone in the group is then to create and record a short motif
that
fits with the rest of the piece melodically whilst providing rhythmic
variety. Differentiation
is allowed for in this task as there is scope for more simple or more
complex
parts, depending on the ability of the pupil, within each part of the
piece.
Ideally,
one group at a time should then come to the teacher’s computer and
record in
their ideas. They should select their own timbre and add their section
after
the others that have been played in so far, each group’s work being
separated
by a copy of Pedal Piece. The concept of quantise should be explained
and
employed.
At
this point, notation of ideas could be just letter names.
plenary
(if different from summary of learning and future plans):
The work created
so far on the computer should be
played and discussed to aid future groups.
HOMEWORK – Pupils to make a
note of their composition
progress and a target for next time.
Lessons
5/6
suggested
starter:
Pupils will be
expected to write out their rhythms
today so some simple class dictation exercises will prepare them for
this
(selected pupils could write a rhythm on the board with rest of the
class
checking it, or the exercise could be a multiple choice one).
main
body of lesson:
Groups
should continue to work on their compositions and come to the computer
to
record them in one at a time.
Extension
work for any groups who have completed their sections could include:
WRITING
OUT OF THEIR PARTS
DEVELOPMENT
OF THEIR IDEAS (adding notes in between those recorded or playing the
part in
parallel intervals)
RE-LEARNING
OF “PEDAL PIECE” READY FOR THE FINAL PERFORMANCE
plenary
(if different from summary of learning and future plans):
As above.
HOMEWORK – Pupils to make a
note of their composition
progress and a target for next time.
Lesson 7
suggested
starter:
Pupils should
get straight onto the keyboards for this
lesson and prepare for the whole class performance of their work.
main
body of lesson:
Each
group should be given time to hear their recorded parts to ensure they
have
learnt their part correctly. Any developments they have made could be discussed
and explained at this point. After several practice attempts the
entire
rondo piece should be performed with the whole class playing along with
the
computer track they have generated. They should join in with Pedal
Piece
wherever possible but maybe dropping out shortly before their group’s
section.
plenary
(if different from summary of learning and future plans):
The class should
discuss what they have
achieved and learnt in this block.
HOMEWORK – Pupils to write
a review of how the class
performance went.
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.
A (5) As well as the
rondo theme, episode C is performed.
B (4) As well as the
rondo theme, episode B is performed.
C (3) Only the rondo
theme is performed.
D (2) The
pupils
was unable to play ant part to the required degree of accuracy.
For all of the above, the pupil should be able to maintain the part with a sense of pulse and only occasional minor slips. The teacher may use minuses to pull marks slightly below these grades.
A (5) The individual
pupil’s contribution was musically complex in terms of length (e.g.
4 bars)
and/or rhythmic innovation (e.g. triplets) and/or tonal complexity
(e.g. use of
chords).
B (4) The individual
pupil’s contribution was musically accurate and appropriate but
lacked some
of the imaginative features mentioned above.
C (3) The individual
pupil’s contribution was wither very simple (only using a small
range of
notes and very simple rhythms) or contained doubtful moments
rhythmically or
melodically.
D (2) The
individual
pupil’s contribution was either so short or so incoherent as to be
an
almost worthless contribution.
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