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Year 7 Music

Unit	Content
Unit 1 Blues	In this unit, students explore the blues style. They learn about the origins of this musical genre, and use the twelve-bar blues chord sequence as a framework for building their knowledge of primary triads, developing their performance skills and learning how to improvise. Listening activities in this unit focus on blues music, and songs in other styles that employ the twelve-bar blues format. Key knowledge developed: Understanding the cultural and historical background to the blues genres Knowing the sequence of primary triads used in a twelve-bar blues Key skills developed: How to perform accurately and fluently in an ensemble How to realise a twelve-bar blues sequence in G major How to improvise a simple melody Assessment: Students receive formative assessment on their work throughout the unit. Their blues performances are assessed formally at the end of the unit and they complete an in-class listening activity that tests their understanding of the twelve-bar blues structure.
Unit 2 Indonesian Gamelan	In this project, students explore the sound world and techniques of gamelan music. They perform music from Indonesia and listen to a range of gamelan styles, including music in the western repertoire influenced by gamelan. The project focuses on pulse, cyclic melodies, interlocking patterns, ensemble playing, composing in layers and recognition of gamelan techniques. Key knowledge developed: Understanding elements of Indonesian gamelan culture Understanding the ways in which musical cycles and layers are combined to create gamelan music Key skills developed: How to layer melodic ostinati on barred instruments How to build a heterophonic texture around a core melody How to identify characteristic features of Indonesian gamelan music Assessment: Students receive formative assessment on their work throughout the unit. Their group performances of Lancaran Cobowo are assessed formally at the end of the unit and they complete an in-class listening activity that tests their understanding of the context and techniques of Indonesian gamelan music.
Unit 3 Bolívar to Buena Vista	In this project, students encounter the ideas and sounds of the music of Central and South America through listening and performing. They learn to perform a chord sequence using an auto-accompaniment feature and to fit this sequence to given melodies and counter-melodies. The project focuses on Latin music, ensemble playing and use of music technologies. Key knowledge developed: Understanding the main features of Latin music Understanding how primary and secondary triads can be employed in sequence to create a piece of music Key skills developed: How to use an auto-accompaniment feature on a keyboard How to perform a tango melody accurate and fluently How to identify characteristic features of Latin music Assessment: Students receive formative assessment on their work throughout the unit. Their tango performances, using the auto-accompaniment feature, are assessed formally at the end of the unit and students complete an in-class listening activity that tests their understanding of the unit's key concepts.
Unit 4 Step and leap	In this unit, students study and explore the art of song-writing. Students study the characteristics of successful songs and compose their own songs using a given structure, learning how to draw down notes from a chord sequence. They add their own lyrics and perform their work. The project focuses on chords, melodies, ensemble playing and composing to a given brief. Key knowledge developed: Understanding how melodies and chords relate to each other Understanding the elements that combine to create a strong melody Key skills developed: How to draw down notes from a chord to create a melodic line How to set notes syllabically to a simple text How to perform a simple song and its accompaniment Assessment: Students receive formative assessment on their work throughout the unit. Their song-writing is assessed formally at the end of the unit and they complete an in-class listening activity that tests their understanding of the theoretical concepts that underpin successful melodies and chord sequences.

Unit

Content

Unit 1

Blues

In this unit, students explore the blues style. They learn about the origins of this musical genre, and use the twelve-bar blues chord sequence as a framework for building their knowledge of primary triads, developing their performance skills and learning how to improvise. Listening activities in this unit focus on blues music, and songs in other styles that employ the twelve-bar blues format.

Key knowledge developed:

Understanding the cultural and historical background to the blues genres
Knowing the sequence of primary triads used in a twelve-bar blues

Key skills developed:

How to perform accurately and fluently in an ensemble
How to realise a twelve-bar blues sequence in G major
How to improvise a simple melody

Assessment: Students receive formative assessment on their work throughout the unit. Their blues performances are assessed formally at the end of the unit and they complete an in-class listening activity that tests their understanding of the twelve-bar blues structure.

Unit 2

Indonesian Gamelan

In this project, students explore the sound world and techniques of gamelan music. They perform music from Indonesia and listen to a range of gamelan styles, including music in the western repertoire influenced by gamelan. The project focuses on pulse, cyclic melodies, interlocking patterns, ensemble playing, composing in layers and recognition of gamelan techniques.

Key knowledge developed:

Understanding elements of Indonesian gamelan culture
Understanding the ways in which musical cycles and layers are combined to create gamelan music

Key skills developed:

How to layer melodic ostinati on barred instruments
How to build a heterophonic texture around a core melody
How to identify characteristic features of Indonesian gamelan music

Assessment: Students receive formative assessment on their work throughout the unit. Their group performances of Lancaran Cobowo are assessed formally at the end of the unit and they complete an in-class listening activity that tests their understanding of the context and techniques of Indonesian gamelan music.

Unit 3

Bolívar to Buena Vista

In this project, students encounter the ideas and sounds of the music of Central and South America through listening and performing. They learn to perform a chord sequence using an auto-accompaniment feature and to fit this sequence to given melodies and counter-melodies. The project focuses on Latin music, ensemble playing and use of music technologies.

Key knowledge developed:

Understanding the main features of Latin music
Understanding how primary and secondary triads can be employed in sequence to create a piece of music

Key skills developed:

How to use an auto-accompaniment feature on a keyboard
How to perform a tango melody accurate and fluently
How to identify characteristic features of Latin music

Assessment: Students receive formative assessment on their work throughout the unit. Their tango performances, using the auto-accompaniment feature, are assessed formally at the end of the unit and students complete an in-class listening activity that tests their understanding of the unit's key concepts.

Unit 4

Step and leap

In this unit, students study and explore the art of song-writing. Students study the characteristics of successful songs and compose their own songs using a given structure, learning how to draw down notes from a chord sequence. They add their own lyrics and perform their work. The project focuses on chords, melodies, ensemble playing and composing to a given brief.

Key knowledge developed:

Understanding how melodies and chords relate to each other
Understanding the elements that combine to create a strong melody

Key skills developed:

How to draw down notes from a chord to create a melodic line
How to set notes syllabically to a simple text
How to perform a simple song and its accompaniment

Assessment: Students receive formative assessment on their work throughout the unit. Their song-writing is assessed formally at the end of the unit and they complete an in-class listening activity that tests their understanding of the theoretical concepts that underpin successful melodies and chord sequences.

Year 7 Music

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