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Purbrook Park School

Music Curriculum 2024/25

KS3 Year 7

Autumn

Animals and Music

This unit develops pupils’ understanding of the process of composing by creating and performing music in response to key animals. It provides an opportunity for pupils new to the school to develop and demonstrate musical skills, knowledge and understanding of music through both listening and performing.

During the unit pupils will explore how sounds can be used descriptively, rhythmically and melodically to create a composition. They will also develop keyboard skills to be able to play a piece by notation by the end of the unit.

 

  1. Lesson 1: Music carousel lesson – trying out different areas of the music block in groups. Karaoke area, band area, ukulele area, Imac area, keyboard area.
  2. Lesson 2: Music quiz
  3. Lesson 3 WALT: Develop keyboard skills and aural awareness.
  4. Lesson 4 WALT: To understand how to apply keyboard skills when learning how to play a piece of music
  5. Lesson 5 WALT: To understand how to develop rhythmic skills when learning March of the Royal Lion.
  6. Lesson 6 WALT: Understand how the ‘hash brown’ rhythm is played and include this in to March of the Royal Lion
  7. Lesson 7 WALT: To compose a short piece of music based on an animal.
  8. Lesson 8 WALT: To develop your ideas within your composition for animals

 

 

Christmas Keyboard Skills

This unit develops pupils’ understanding of the process of composing by creating and performing music in response to musical and non-musical stimuli. It provides an opportunity for pupils new to the school to develop and demonstrate musical skills, knowledge and understanding achieved in years 5 and 6.

During the unit pupils will explore how sounds can be used descriptively, rhythmically and melodically to create a composition.

Music theory workpack to be completed alongside the bridging unit

 

  1. ‘Firework’ lesson to correlate with Guy Fawkes night: pupils learn Katy Perry song as bands.
  2. Battle of the Bands lesson for performances of ‘Firework’.
  3. Music theory booklet pages 1,2,3. Start easy Xmas song on Keyboards (Jingle Bells easy sheet)
  4. Music theory booklet 4,5,6 Jingle Bells more difficult sheet with second part added on keyboards.  Finish Jingle Bells all in the RH.
  5. Music theory booklet 7,8,9. Add chords in LH for Jingle Bells on the harder sheet.
  6. Music theory booklet pages 10, 11. Continue chords with Jingle Bells in the LH. Finish first line with chords.
  7. Music theory booklet page 12. Finish Jingle Bells up to ‘fine’ with chords. Extension task to add second section with chords. Final performances at the end of the lesson.

 

Final lesson showcase lesson of Jingle Bells/karaoke.

Spring

Gospel Music

Learning that Gospel music originated from Spiritual/work songs and that these were songs of spiritual devotion and a yearning of freedom from bondage. Learning that Gospel music is composed and performed for many purposes, including aesthetic pleasure, religious or ceremonial purposes, and as an entertainment product for the marketplace.

All pupils will also be able to ornament a basic spiritual melody. 

Some pupils will be able to create more complex ornamented and syncopated rhythmic phrases

A few pupils will be able to freely embellish by ear an elaborate melody based on a spiritual melody.

  1. Introduce Gospel music. Show documentary up to 4 mins 40 secs. Complete initial worksheet and answer the questions. Show Oh Happy Day video from Sister Act and learn the song as a class using laminated red worksheets. Move in to smaller groups to learn this.
  2. Learn the whole of Oh Happy Day plus the other side (solo) section. Add movement/formation to performance. Groups perform this at the end of the lesson.
  3. Worksheet on vocal singing. Add ostinato to Oh Happy Day. Begin planning on sugar paper.
  4. Add harmony. Watch video clip on harmony. Teacher modelling of CEG chord and get class to sing each note in groups to demo harmony in action. Add to Oh Happy Day. (Perfs at end)
  5. Add challenge cards to performance. Give each group 2 or 3 challenge cards to work on for that lesson. Cash in at end of lesson with performances to prove they have achieved these. Write challenge cards in books.
  6. Assessment of Oh Happy Day video. Pupils fill out assessment sheets.
  7. Fun lesson of showcasing/karaoke

 

  1. Begin No Hiding Place learning the lyrics. Divide in to groups (decide based on behaviour of first half term). Then add vocal slides after teacher modelling. Add new formation/movement. Perfs at end of lesson.
  2. Write 3 new verses in books talking about rhyming, number of syllables, theme of the music (stick to it), following the original tune. Perform these in groups and have performances at end of the lesson.
  3. Adding harmony line to the chorus. Teacher demonstration by dividing class in half and giving one side original tune and the stronger side the harmony line. Then adding ostinato to the verses.
  4. Plan whole piece on sugar paper including all of the necessary features we have studied.

Video final performances with the peer assessment page in assessment booklets filled out for each other - plan up on the board behind them. 

 

Summer

Impressionism

In order to inform all their music making and thinking, the students need to learn about the following contextual influences for this music:

Geographical location: France, initially

Original point in time: Classical compared to Impressionist

Original occasion:

Original purpose: Often making small-scale pieces to reflect an idea

Typical performance venue: Small-scale venue (house drawing room?)

The role of creator is: to convey a story through impressions of sound

The role of performer is: to blend the ideas to create a ‘wash’ of sound

The role of audience is: to be transported by the overall effect / story

Wider culture of origin: Linked to Art of the same periods

  1. Lesson 1: Learning about the ukulele; history, parts of the ukulele and facts about it. Learning first 3 chords and playing these within 2 separate songs – ‘Next to Me’ and ‘Best Day of my Life’.
  2. Lesson 2:  To be able to develop your strumming patterns when playing chord progressions. To understand how a chord progression is made using cadences.
  3. Lesson 3: To develop your understanding of ukulele chords by challenging yourself to play more complex songs.
  4. Lesson 4: Understand the assessment task. To be able to sing the song lyrics in time with the chords as a small group.
  5. Lesson 5: To be able to rehearse your song choice in a group and add the lyrics. To understand the assessment criteria and how to achieve the higher grades.
  6. Lesson 6: To be able to perform your song choice in a group. To understand the assessment criteria and how to achieve the higher grades.

 

 

 

Students will look to develop their knowledge of The Blues and how it developed from Gospel Music and the Civil War. They will develop their understanding of the historical context of the Blues. Students will learn the main musical characteristics of Blues: 12 Bar blues, Walking bass line and Riffs and be able to develop their singing skills alongside playing the ukulele. Students will learn what a chord is and how to play it. They will learn to play 12 Bar blues and Walking bass both in C major. They will attempt to play the two together (either in pairs or individually (Left/Right hand). They will develop an understanding of Tonality (Major/Minor) The Elements of Music will be further developed within various Blues listening tasks.

 
  1. Lesson 1: Understand what 12-Bar Blues is. Understand the history of Blues music. To be able to play a 12 Bar Blues chord progression.
  2. Lesson 2:  Develop knowledge of the 12-Bar Blues structure. To understand what a key is and how to change the key of a 12 bar-blues.
  3. Lesson 3:  Understand how to build a chord. Be able to play a 12 Bar Blues chord progression in 2 different keys in small groups. To understand what a ‘walking bassline’ is and be able to add a walking bassline alongside other instruments in a group.
  4. Lesson 4:  To be able to complete a GCSE style listening question based on your knowledge of Blues music so far. To rehearse your 12-Bar blues song in larger ensembles to now include a bass guitar. To be able to perform this at the end of the lesson confidently.
  5. Lesson 5:  To understand how to compare and contrast musical elements in 2 Blues songs. To be able to compose your own Lyrics to a 12-Bar Blues song. To understand the assessment project.
  6. Lesson 6: To rehearse your 12-Bar blues song in small ensembles. To understand that you all need to play in time, fluently and accurately for the final assessment. To be able to fill out your performance log in your booklet.
  7. Lesson 7: Final performances/assessments of your 12-Bar blues compositions

 

 

KS3 Year 8

Autumn

Video Game Music

Pupils will show their understanding of Video Game Music by being able to create emotion, drama and tension through integrating a range of musical techniques within their compositions. They will make decisions about use of rhythm, instrumentation and harmony to evoke mood and excitement.

All pupils will be able to start this understanding, some will be secure and a few will be progressing from beyond. Pupils will also show their understanding of how leitmotifs reflect different characters within the games and how the music can reflect a change of emotion for these characters. All pupils will be able to start this understanding, some will be secure and a few will be progressing from beyond.

(assessed as developing, secure or strong)

  1. Video Game quiz and introduction lesson.
  2. Tetris theme on keyboards – explain notation and rhythms
  3. Tetris finish top line with correct rhythms
  4. Perform/video and assess
  5. Start learning Mario theme, more complex rhythmic challenges and note directions to challenge pupils. Perform first 2 bars of the piece accurately.
  6. Finish entire top line of the piece.
  7. All of the piece with final performances.

 

(assessed as developing, secure or strong)

  1. To watch the video game trailer and understand the importance of hit points and where these are in the trailer. Start first section of trailer.
  2. ‘Man fighting with dragon’ section completed
  3. Scenery of forest and town section completed in trailer with key hit points addressed.
  4. Return to fighting scene – how will you develop your ideas in the music here?
  5. Magical section of the trailer, looking at instrumentation and sound effects that would work here.
  6. End titles and dragon flying section of trailer finished with all of the trailer completed ready for assessment following lesson.

Assessments/performing back work to be graded according to criteria.

Spring

Music for Special Events

Pupils will show their understanding of composition by being able to write a piece of music for a particular event using specific compositional techniques such as intervals, , chords and tonality which reflect appropriate mood. Pupils will also show their understanding by writing suitable lyrics for their chosen event. All pupils will be able to start this understanding, some will be secure and a few will be progressing from beyond. Pupils will also show their understanding of how popular music is recorded by using a variety of music technology. All pupils will be able to start this understanding, some will be secure and a few will be progressing from beyond.

(assessed as emerging, developing, secure mastered).

 

9/11

  1. Powerpoint to introduce topic –watch first 15 mins of 9.11 documentary on Youtube. Choose notes from magic square for composing next lesson.
  2. Watch documentary from 15 minutes up to quote about ‘heroes’ – talk about interval of a 5th and begin composing ideas using the magic square notes on keyboard. Using keyboard help sheet draw the fifth that you are going to include – stick in books.
  3. Starter: name hero themes which use 5ths (1. Batman theme 1989, Iron man 3, Star wars, Superman, Xmen origins). Re-cap hero theme on keyboards with the 5th idea. Perfs of these so far. Now to add challenge cards to develop these further. Cash in praise points at end with performances of these challenges.  Hand out planning sheets to fill in the hero theme box.
  4. Watch reminder of 2nd documentary after Louis Lesce quote to 16 mins in to next documentary. Using planning sheets begin the other blue boxes for Anniversary piece based on character from doc, these sections must reflect something happening to character e.g. fireman running upstairs.
  5. Using planning sheet all blue boxes to be completed part 1 and 2 and begin rehearsing whole piece.

Assessment lesson of performances of compositions using sheets to refer to.

 

Pupils will show their understanding of popular song by being able to write a song for a particular event using a conventional song writing structure, chords and tonality which reflect appropriate mood. Pupils will also show their understanding by writing suitable lyrics for their chosen event. All students will be able to start this understanding, some will be secure and a few will be progressing from beyond. Pupils will also show their understanding of how popular music is recorded by using a variety of music technology. All pupils will be able to start this understanding, some will be secure and a few will be progressing from beyond.

(assessed as developing, secure or strong) 

  1. Start Music For Sport PPT up to the quiz on where music comes from.
  2. Give out instrument parts for learning Wavin’ Flag. Group pupils accordingly. Pupils begin to learn their part individually.
  3. Agony Aunt Starter: what have you found difficult about learning your part – use pupils to model help for others. Continue learning part based on this feedback. Perfs at end of lesson based on help given.
  4. Begin working in bands adding the parts together. Nominate band leader to count the band in.
  5. Continue band work rehearsal – all parts should be learned by now.

Battle of the Band performances (SLT to come and judge best band).

Summer

Reggae

Pupils will show their understanding of  Reggae by showing how Reggae music is used in society through composition, by using as well as identify the features of the style (4/4 time, slow tempo, use of riffs, emphasis on backbeats 2+4, use of off beats and syncopation, simply harmony based on three chords (I, IV, V), dominant bass line and lyrics based on Rastafarian beliefs, poverty and political issues.) and being able to explain how these features work together creating Reggae music. The pupils will produce effective Reggae ensemble performances, featuring most of the key characteristics.

  1. Start Reggae unit. Use PPT to help understanding of historical context. Give out instrument parts for Three Little Birds (decided by teacher) and start learning parts thinking about the skank pattern and how this fits within the music.
  2. Reggae Reggae worksheet starter. Continue learning Three Little Bird parts individually from sheets. Perfs at end of lesson so far.
  3. Reggae Listening Sheet (30 mins) move in to bands to start putting piece together – put on board the entry of instruments. Only on beats 2+4 keyboards, ukulele, bass guitar is on beat 1 starting.
  4. Bob Marley fill in the gaps worksheet starter. Continue rehearsal in bands of parts fitting together.

Battle of the Bands performances of final Three Little Birds band performances. 

 

  1. Research what song you would like to perform
  2. To be able to learn your own part to your chosen song individually
  3. To be able to learn your own part to your chosen song individually.
  4. To be able to fit your part together as a band/duet/along to a backing track minus your instrument/vocals.
  5. To be able to fit your part together as a band/duet/along to the backing track minus the vocals.
  6. Final Performances
  7. Final Performances

 

KS4 Year 9

Autumn

Students will show their understanding of Action Music by being able to create emotion, drama and tension through integrating a range of musical techniques within their compositions. They will make decisions about use of chromaticism, syncopation and harmony to evoke mood and excitement.

All students will be able to start this understanding, some will be secure and a few will be progressing from beyond. Students will also show their understanding of how leitmotifs reflect different characters and how the music can reflect a change of emotion for these characters. All students will be able to start this understanding, some will be secure and a few will be progressing from beyond.

 

My instrument workpack

Performance on instrument audit pack

Elements of Music Workbook

 

Lesson 1 - Intro to course/instrumental lessons. Theory lesson days explained. Fill out performance booklet and My Music Booklet. Start composition in Music Study Booklets. Give out Music vocab sheets.

Lesson 2. Vocab Test. Film Music Booklet start. Start learning Skyfall/ James Bond theme easier.

Lesson 3 – Vocab Test. Film Music booklet. Continue Skyfall on instruments.

Lesson 4 – Vocab Test. Film Music booklet. Continue Skyfall on instruments. Introduce Music journals.

Lesson 5 - Vocab Test. Film Music booklet. Continue Skyfall on instruments. Feedback in Music journals.

Lesson 6 - Vocab Test. Film Music booklet. Continue Skyfall on instruments. Feedback in Music journals.

Lesson 7 – Vocab Test. Recording final Solo Performances.

Lesson 8 – Vocab Test. Recording final Solo Performances.

 

 

Film Music Theory Workpack 1 – to be studied 1 lesson a week and completed by the end of the half term.

Film Music Theory Workpack 2 – to be studied 1 lesson a week and completed by the end of the half term

 

Lesson 1 – Vocab Test. Film Music booklet. Complete a listening worksheet on the James Bond boat chase scene and skyfall theme. Start planning Skyfall trailer using cue sheet with timings, explain assessment criteria,

Lesson 2 – Vocab Test. Film Music booklet. Upload trailers on to Imacs and Sound effects folders. Pupils to start composition to Skyfall trailer.

Lesson 3 – Vocab Test. Film Music booklet. Pupils to continue composition to Skyfall trailer.

Lesson 4 – Vocab Test. Film Music booklet. Pupils to continue composition to Skyfall trailer.

Lesson 5 – Vocab Test. Film Music booklet. Pupils to continue composition to Skyfall trailer.

Lesson 6 – Watch back trailers. Assessments.

Lesson 7 - Watch back trailers. Assessments.

Spring

 

Pupils learn to recognise and understand how composers structure songs and how instrumental arrangements can play an important part in the success of popular songs. They learn to create their own songs, working within fixed parameters. They also learn how music technology can be used to structure, shape, arrange and provide a backing to popular songs.

Pupils develop their ability to evaluate, explore, compose and perform different songs with understanding of musical devices, structures, processes and cultural influences.

 

Pop Music Theory workpack to be completed 1 lesson a week and finished by Easter holidays
 

Summer

Begin choosing 3 solo songs for GCSE and rehearsing these using the Music Journals for reference to teacher feedback and personal targets to improve.

Find the lyrics, chords, tab and print to create a portfolio for the solo song that you are learning.

All 3 songs to be recorded by the end of the summer term in order to have the best performance entered for the GCSE performance exam.

 
Music Theory workpacks
 
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