KS3 Alternative Course

Year 7 - Summer Term

The topics, activities, content and assessments in this guide scheme of work should be freely reordered and adapted to reflect the needs of each class, the resources of each teaching space and the duration of each term.

Week 1: The Elements of Music - Dynamics and Timbre

Pupils recognise, through listening, singing and/or playing, how the musical elements of dynamics and timbre are used in music, learning and using musical vocabulary to describe them.

Week 2: The Elements of Music - Tempo, Pitch and Melody

Pupils recognise, through listening, singing and/or playing, how the musical elements of tempo, pitch and melody are used in music, learning and using musical vocabulary to describe them.

Week 3: The Elements of Music - Rhythm and Harmony

Pupils recognise, through listening, singing and/or playing, how the musical elements of rhythm and harmony are used in music, learning and using musical vocabulary to describe them.

Week 4: The Elements of Music - Tonality and Texture

Pupils recognise, through listening, singing and/or playing, how the musical elements of tonality and texture are used in music, learning and using musical vocabulary to describe them.

Week 5: Reading, Performing and Notating Rhythms Revision

Pupils revise reading, performing and notating rhythms by clapping rhythms from notation, listening and completing missing notation from rhythmic patterns they hear, and composing four bar question and answer rhythms.

Weeks 5-6: Reading, Performing and Notating Melodies Revision

Pupils revise reading, performing and notating melodies by sight-singing melodies from notation, listening and completing missing notation from melodies patterns they hear, and composing four bar question and answer melodies.

Week 6: Instruments of the Orchestra Revision

Pupils revise identifying the sounds of orchestral instruments by their instrument name and family. Pupils watch and listen to orchestral instruments being played then practice identifying each instrument by sound alone.

HALF TERM

Week 7: End of Year Music Exam

Pupils complete an end of year music listening exam during their first music lesson following the half term holiday.

Week 8: Years' 7, 8 and 9 Exam Week

Lessons are suspended during Years' 7, 8 and 9 Exam Week.

Week 9: Introduction to Battle of the Bands

Pupils are invited to participate in the Battle of the Bands Competition (optional for Year 7). Pupils learn how easy it is to perform a 'four chord song' using four elements: a sung melody, a 4-note keyboard bass line, a 4-chord keyboard progression, and an alternating 'bass-snare' cajon rhythmic pattern (optional). Pupils learn to sing and play elements together as a class and individually at keyboards before performing together and in volunteer groups to other class members. Suggested songs include 'Three Lions' and 'Where is The Love'.

Week 10: Programme Music Listening

Pupils listen to examples of programme music and define the term. They identify possible programmes and use the elements of music and associated vocabulary to describe how the programme is represented through music.

Week 11: Programme Music Composing

Pupils compose programme music to the title 'A Creepy Composition' or other brief, using given motifs in ostinatos and sequences. Pupils use notation or other software to create their composition.

Week 12: Programme Music Composing

Pupils continue to compose programme music to the title 'A Creepy Composition' or other brief, using given motifs in ostinatos and sequences. Pupils use Noteflight or other software to create their composition. The compositions of volunteer pupils are presented to the class and peer reviewed.

Year 8 - Summer Term

The topics, activities, content and assessments in this guide scheme of work should be freely reordered and adapted to reflect the needs of each class, the resources of each teaching space and the duration of each term.

Week 1: Theme and Variations Introduction

Pupils watch Mozart create variations on Salieri's 'Welcome March' in Shaffer's 'Amadeus'. Pupils sing or play music with a simple theme at its centre to which more complex decorations can be added to create variations. Pupils improvise their own decorations to a simple theme creating variations.

Week 2: Theme and Variations Listening

Pupils listen to Mozart's Variations on 'Ah Vous Dirai-je Maman'. Pupils define/revise related musical vocabulary and use it to describe and compare different variations of Mozart's piece.

Week 3: Theme and Variations Composing

Pupils study the melody, bass line and underlying chords of Mozart's 'Ah Vous Dirai-je Maman' theme, using notation software to create a theme and template on which they will compose variations. Pupils compose variations on the theme 'Ah Vous Dirai-je Maman' including, 1. Varying the melody using a note from the theme on beats 1 and 3 of each bar, adding stepwise passing notes in distinctive rhythms to create a variation, 2. Varing the accompaniment using broken chords, 3. Varying the rhythm with a variety of notelengths and rests, 4. Combining these techniques to create other variations.

Week 4: Theme and Variations Composing

Pupils compose variations on the theme 'Ah Vous Dirai-je Maman' including, 1. Varying the melody using a note from the theme on beats 1 and 3 of each bar, adding stepwise passing notes in distinctive rhythms to create a variation, 2. Varing the accompaniment using broken chords, 3. Varying the rhythm with a variety of notelengths and rests, 4. Combining these techniques to create other variations.

Week 5: Theme and Variations Composing

Pupils' Theme and Variations compositions are played and reviewed. Pupils write and receive peer feedback through peer assessment sheets: What Went Well? Even Better If?

Week 6: Performing and Notating Rhythms and Melodies Revision

Pupils revise reading, performing and notating rhythms and melodies by clapping and singing from notation, listening and completing missing notation from rhythmic and melodic patterns they hear, and composing four bar question and answer rhythms and melodies.

HALF TERM

Week 7: End of Year Music Exam

Pupils complete an end of year music listening exam during their first music lesson following the half term holiday.

Week 8: Years' 7, 8 and 9 Exam Week

Lessons are suspended during Years' 7, 8 and 9 Exam Week.

Week 9: Introduction to Battle of the Bands

Pupils are invited to participate in the Battle of the Bands Competition (optional for Year 8). Pupils learn how easy it is to perform a 'four chord song' using four elements: a sung melody, a 4-note keyboard bass line, a 4-chord keyboard progression, and an alternating 'bass-snare' cajon rhythmic pattern (optional). Pupils learn to sing and play elements together as a class and individually at keyboards before performing together and in volunteer groups to other class members. Suggested songs include 'Three Lions' and 'Where is The Love'.

Week 10: Film Music Listening and Composing

Pupils watch the 'escape scene' from Jurassic Park and describe the use of music and silence during each sequence: 'the chase', 'the confrontation', 'the escape'. Pupils select one of four silent film sequences for which to compose film music using notation or sequencing software. Pupils and teachers use the video countdown to coordinate playing the start of the audio track with the start of the film scene.

Week 11: Film Music Composing

Having selected one of four silent film sequences for which to compose film music using notation or sequencing software, pupils continue their film music composition. Pupils and teachers use the video countdown to coordinate playing the start of the audio track with the start of the film scene.

Week 12: Film Music Composing

Having selected one of four silent film sequences for which to compose film music using notation or sequencing software, pupils continue their film music composition. Pupils and teachers use the video countdown to coordinate playing the start of the audio track with the start of the film scene. The compositions of volunteer pupils are presented to the class and peer reviewed.

Year 9 - Summer Term

The topics, activities, content and assessments in this guide scheme of work should be freely reordered and adapted to reflect the needs of each class, the resources of each teaching space and the duration of each term.

Week 1: Solo Performance Preparation

All pupils revise blues keyboard improvisation and revise/learn to play/sing elements of St. Louis Blues. Pupils invited to perform this or any other music (with clean lyrics) in a solo performance.

Week 2: Solo Performance

Pupils perform a solo of their choice which might include . Pupils invited to perform this or any other music (with clean lyrics) in a solo performance.

Week 3: Introduction to Battle of the Bands

Pupils are invited to participate in the Battle of the Bands Competition (compulsory for Year 9 Music Set 1, optional for Year 9 Music Set 2). Pupils learn how easy it is to perform a 'four chord song' using four elements: a sung melody, a 4-note keyboard bass line, a 4-chord keyboard progression, and an alternating 'bass-snare' cajon rhythmic pattern (optional). Pupils learn to sing and play elements together as a class and individually at keyboards before performing together and in volunteer groups to other class members. Suggested songs include 'Three Lions' and 'Where is The Love'.

Weeks 4-5 Set 1: Battle of the Bands Preparation

Pupils revise creating a 'four chord song' using four elements: a sung melody, a 4-note keyboard bass line, a 4-chord keyboard progression, and an alternating 'bass-snare' cajon rhythmic pattern (optional). Pupils select/are divided into 5 groups of equal size and choose (or compose) a song for the Battle of the Bands Competition. When breakout space allows, pupils rehearse with their band members, restricting ther performance to the instruments provided or their own instruments. When breakout space does not allow, pupils complete the Loops, Samples and Remix project below.

Weeks 4-5 Set 2: Loops, Samples and Remix

Using a DAW such as Bandlab, pupils compose or remix a music track, or create backing track for their favourite 4 chord song, using one or more of the following elements: 1. Loops from the loop library, 2. MIDI instrument sounds, 3. Imported samples/songs for remixing, 4. Imported MIDI from Noteflight.

Week 6: Keys, Chords and Key Signatures Revision

Pupils revise identifying keys, chords and key signatures.

HALF TERM

Week 7: End of Year Music Exam

Pupils complete an end of year music listening exam during their first music lesson following the half term holiday.

Week 8: Years' 7, 8 and 9 Exam Week

Lessons are suspended during Years' 7, 8 and 9 Exam Week.

Weeks 9-10 Set 1: Battle of the Bands Preparation

Pupils revise creating a 'four chord song' using four elements: a sung melody, a 4-note keyboard bass line, a 4-chord keyboard progression, and an alternating 'bass-snare' cajon rhythmic pattern (optional). Pupils select/are divided into 5 groups of equal size and choose (or compose) a song for the Battle of the Bands Competition. When breakout space allows, pupils rehearse with their band members, restricting ther performance to the instruments provided or their own instruments. When breakout space does not allow, pupils complete the Loops, Samples and Remix project below.

Week 9 Set 2: Revision of Battle of the Bands Introduction / Invitation

Pupils are reminded of invitation to participate in the Battle of the Bands Competition (compulsory for Year 9 Music Set 1, optional for Year 9 Music Set 2). Pupils revise how easy it is to perform a 'four chord song' using four elements: a sung melody, a 4-note keyboard bass line, a 4-chord keyboard progression, and an alternating 'bass-snare' cajon rhythmic pattern (optional). Pupils learn to sing and play elements together as a class and individually at keyboards before performing together and in volunteer groups to other class members. Suggested songs include 'Three Lions' and 'Where is The Love'.

Week 10-12: Most Influential Musicians Of All Time Project

Pupils create a powerpoint presentation entitled ‘The Most Influential Musicians of All Time’, choosing an influential musician or groups of musicians. Using words and images they create a presentation explaining how and why this musician or group of musicians and their music became so influential. They select one piece of music which best represents the musician's work. This piece of music will be played whilst the presentation is shown to the class.