Years 5 and 6 standard elaborations — Australian Curriculum: Music
DRAFT
The Australian Curriculum achievement standards are an expectation of the depth of understanding, the extent of knowledge and the sophistication of
skills that students should typically demonstrate at the end of a teaching and learning band. In Queensland, the Years 5 and 6 Australian Curriculum
achievement standard represents a C standard — a sound level of knowledge and understanding of the content, and application of skills.
Years 5 and 6 Australian Curriculum: Music achievement standard
By the end of Year 6, students explain how the elements of music are used to communicate meaning in the music they listen to, compose and perform. They
describe how their music making is influenced by music and performances from different cultures, times and places.
Students use rhythm, pitch and form symbols and terminology to compose and perform music. They sing and play music in different styles, demonstrating aural,
technical and expressive skills by singing and playing instruments with accurate pitch, rhythm and expression in performances for audiences.
Source:
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), Australian Curriculum The Arts — Music for Foundation–10,
www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/the-arts/music/curriculum/f-10?layout=1#level5-6
The standard elaborations (SEs) should be used in conjunction with the Australian Curriculum achievement standard and content descriptions for the
relevant band. They provide additional clarity about using the Australian Curriculum achievement standard to make judgments on a five-point scale.
The SEs for Music have been developed using the Australian Curriculum content descriptions and the achievement standard. They promote and support:
 aligning curriculum, assessment and reporting, connecting curriculum and evidence in assessment, so that what is assessed relates directly to what
students have had the opportunity to learn
 continuing skill development from one band of schooling to another
 making judgments on a five-point scale based on evidence of learning in a folio of student work
 planning an assessment program and individual assessments
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 developing task-specific standards and grading guides.
Years 5 and 6 Music standard elaborations
A
B
DRAFT
C
D
E
 informed explanation of
how the elements of
music are used to
communicate meaning in
the music listened to,
composed and
performed
 explanation of how the
elements of music are
used to communicate
meaning in the music
listened to, composed
and performed
 description of how
aspects of the
elements of music are
used to communicate
meaning in the music
listened to, composed
and performed
 statements about
aspects of the
elements of music in
music
 thorough description of
how their music making is
influenced by music and
performances from
different cultures, times
and places
 informed description of
how their music making
is influenced by music
and performances from
different cultures, times
and places
 description of how their
music making is
influenced by music and
performances from
different cultures, times
and places
 identification of
influences on their
music making from
different cultures, times
and places
 statements about their
music making
composition of music that
communicates meaning
with effective use of:
composition of music with
use of:
Composing
composition of music that is
cohesive and clearly
communicates meaning, with
skilful and effective use of:
 rhythm
 pitch
 form
 symbols and terminology
partial composition of
music with uneven use of
aspects of:
production of music with
sporadic use of
aspects of:
















performance of music that is
cohesive and clearly
communicates meaning to
audiences, with skilful,
effective and sustained
use of:
 aural skills, including
accurate pitch and rhythm
 technical skills
 expressive skills.
performance of music that
communicates meaning to
audiences, with effective
use of:
performance of music to
audiences, with use of:
performance of music to
audiences, with uneven
use of aspects of:
performance of music to
audiences, with sporadic
use of aspects of:
 aural skills, including
accurate pitch and rhythm
 technical skills
 expressive skills.
 aural skills, including
accurate pitch and rhythm
 technical skills
 expressive skills.
 aural skills
 aural skills
 technical skills
 expressive skills.
 technical skills
 expressive skills.
Key
Making
Knowledge, understanding and skills
Responding
 thorough explanation of
how the elements of
music are used to
communicate meaning in
the music listened to,
composed and performed
Performing
The folio of student work has the following characteristics:
rhythm
pitch
form
symbols and terminology
rhythm
pitch
form
symbols and terminology
rhythm
pitch
form
symbols and terminology
rhythm
pitch
form
symbols and terminology
Shading emphasises the key aspects of the achievement standard and qualities that discriminate between the A–E descriptors. Key terms are described overleaf.
Years 5 and 6 standard elaborations — Australian Curriculum: Music
DRAFT
Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
February 2015
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Notes
Examples of knowledge and skills in Years 5 and 6 Music
ACARA provides examples of knowledge and skills in Music across each band, and they are
provided here for your reference.
Years 5 and 6
In this band students develop their knowledge of how ideas and intentions are communicated in and
through music. They build on and refine their knowledge, understanding and skills through music practices
focusing on:

elements of music
- rhythm
 simple metres and time signatures, bars and barlines
 semibreve, minim, crotchet, crotchet rest, quaver and associated rests, semiquaver
 compound metre, dotted crotchet, crotchet, quaver, quavers in groups of three
 semiquaver, dotted crotchet rest
- pitch
 pentatonic and major scales
 recognising pitch sequences such as an arpeggio or riff; treble and bass clef
- dynamics and expression
smoothly (legato), detached (staccato), accent
- form
theme/motif, phrase, rondo (ABACA), riff, ostinato
- timbre
acoustic, electronic sounds; voice and instrument types
- texture
contrast within layers of sound

skills (including aural skills)
- identifying and notating metre and rhythmic groupings
- singing and playing independent parts against contrasting parts
- recognising instrumental and vocal timbres and digitally generated sounds
- using available technology and digital media as a tool for music learning
- holding and playing instruments and using their voices safely and correctly
- listening to others controlling volume and tone in ensemble activities.
(ACARA, Examples of knowledge and skills in Music, www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/the-arts/music/Examples#5-6)
Years 5 and 6 standard elaborations — Australian Curriculum: Music
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Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
February 2015
Australian Curriculum valued features
The SEs describe the qualities of achievement in the two valued features for Australian
Curriculum Arts achievement standards — responding and making.
Valued features
Description
responding
includes exploring, responding to, analysing and interpreting artworks
making
includes learning about and using knowledge, skills, techniques, processes,
materials and technologies to explore arts practices and make artworks that
communicate ideas and intentions
Terms used in Years 5 and 6 Music SEs
The following terms are used in the Year 5 and 6 Music SEs. They help to clarify the descriptors,
and should be read in conjunction with the ACARA Music glossary:
www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/the-arts/music/glossary.
Term
Description
aspects
particular parts or features
aural skills
in Music, particular listening skills students develop to identify and discriminate
between sounds; also referred to as ear training which involves focused listening
activities through with students identify sounds such as rhythm, pitch and timbre;
in Years 5 and 6 Music, includes accurate pitch and rhythm
see ACARA’s Examples of knowledge and skills in Years 5 and 6 Music
clearly
easy to perceive, understand, or interpret
cohesive
characterised by being united, bound together or having integrated meaning
description;
describe
give an account of characteristics or features
dynamics and
expression
in Music, refers to how the sound is performed, including sound qualities (e.g. the
relative volume and intensity of sound);
see ACARA’s Examples of knowledge and skills in Years 5 and 6 Music
effective
meeting the assigned purpose in a way that produces a desired or intended result;
in Music, meeting the purpose by producing a strong impression
elements of
music
in Music, the elements of music are:
 rhythm: (including tempo and metre): the organisation of sound and silence using
beat, rhythm and tempo (time)
 pitch: the relative highness or lowness of sound; pitch occurs horizontally (as in a
melody) and vertically (as in harmony)
 dynamics and expression: the relative volume (loudness) and intensity of sound
and the way that sound is articulated and interpreted
 form and structure: the plan or design of a piece of music described by identifying
what is the same and what is different and the ordering of ideas in the piece
 timbre: the particular tone, colour or quality that distinguishes a sound or
combinations of sounds
 texture: the layers of sound in a musical work and the relationship between them;
see ACARA’s Examples of knowledge and skills in Years 5 and 6 Music
explanation;
explain
provide additional information that demonstrates understanding of reasoning and/or
application
Years 5 and 6 standard elaborations — Australian Curriculum: Music
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Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
February 2015
Term
Description
expressive skills
in Music, the use of elements such as dynamics combined with technical skills to
enhance performance;
see ACARA’s Examples of knowledge and skills in Years 5 and 6 Music
form
in Music, form is the sections within a piece of music, e.g.
 binary form (AB) contains section A, then section B
 ternary form (ABA) contains section A, section B, then return to section A
 rondo form (ABACA) contains section A, section B, section C, then return to
section A;
see ACARA’s Examples of knowledge and skills in Years 5 and 6 Music
identification;
identify
establish or indicate who or what someone or something is
informed
having relevant knowledge; being conversant with the topic;
in Music, this includes how the knowledge and skills (elements of music,
conventions of form, instrumental techniques, ensemble skills, aural skills) work
together to communicate meaning or intent in and through music
partial
attempted; incomplete evidence provided
performing music
in Years 5 and 6 Music, singing and playing music in different styles
pitch
in Music, the highness or lowness of a sound;
see ACARA’s Examples of knowledge and skills in Years 5 and 6 Music
rhythm
in Music, combinations of long and short sounds that convey a sense of movement
subdivision of sound within a beat;
see ACARA’s Examples of knowledge and skills in Years 5 and 6 Music
skilful
in Music, in the context of:
 creating artworks, this includes considered selection, management and
application of the elements of music
 sharing artworks, this includes a high degree of proficiency and polish
sporadic
appearing, happening now and again or at intervals; (irregular) or occasional
statement;
state
a sentence or assertion
sustained
continuing for an extended period or without interruption
technical skills
combination of proficiencies in control, accuracy, alignment, strength, balance and
coordination in an art form that develop with practice;
in Music, proficiencies developed with practice in order to sing or play instruments;
see ACARA’s Examples of knowledge and skills in Years 5 and 6 Music
thorough
demonstrating depth and breadth of music knowledge and skills
timbre
the particular tone, colour or quality that distinguishes sound or combinations of
sounds;
see ACARA’s Examples of knowledge and skills in Years 5 and 6 Music
uneven
not properly corresponding or agreeing; not in keeping with
Years 5 and 6 standard elaborations — Australian Curriculum: Music
DRAFT
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Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
February 2015