Year 8. Key Stage 3
Music
Unit 1. What are the
characteristics of the
Blues style?
Music Key Concepts and
processes
Expectations
At the end of this unit
1 Concepts
Cross Curricular Framework (CCF)
1 Cross Curricular Aspects
i.
PLTS
1 Integration of Practice, 2 Cultural
1 Independent enquirers, 2 Creative thinkers,
Most pupils will:
understanding, 3 Critical Understanding, 4
3 Reflective learners, 4 Team workers, 5 Self
Be able to play the main parts of the blues, such as the bass, chord structure. They will be
Creativity and 5 Communication.
managers, 6 Effective participators.
able to improvise reasonably well using some notes chosen from the blues scale. They will
understand the historical context of the style. Furthermore they will have developed the
2 Processes
ii.
ECM
personal learning and thinking skills of independent enquiry, creative thinkers, team workers
1 Performing, composing and listening,
and effective participators. They will have an appreciation of wider curriculum dimensions of 1 Safety, 2 Healthy, 3 Economic well being, 4
2 Reviewing and evaluating.
cultural diversity and creative and critical thinking.
Enjoy and 5 Participate.
Some pupils will not have made so much progress and will:
2 Wider Curriculum Dimensions
Be able to play either the blues chord structure or the bassline. They will be able to describe 1 Identity and cultural diversity, 2 Community
some of the history that influenced the style. Furthermore they will have developed aspects participation, 3 Healthy Lifestyles , 4
of the personal learning and thinking skills of independent enquiry, creative thinkers, team
Enterprise
5 Global dimension, 6
workers and effective participators. They will have a limited appreciation of wider curriculum Technology and media ,
dimensions of cultural diversity and creative and critical thinking.
7 Creativity and critical thinking.
Some pupils will have progressed further and will:
Be able to play all the parts of the blues with fluency. They will be able to improvise freely
and with flair using the blues scale. Furthermore they will have developed the personal
learning and thinking skills of independent enquiry, creative thinkers, team workers and
effective participators. They will have a more sophisticated appreciation of wider curriculum
dimensions of cultural diversity and creative and critical thinking.
Curriculum Opportunities and links
(COL)
Range and content and
Assessment opportunities
Resources
Year 8: What are the
characteristics of the
Blues style?
Enquiry questions, concepts and
processes
Teaching activities
What are the origins of the
Blues?
MC 2,3,&5
MP 1&2
●
What is the name of the chord
structure that is the basis for
most Blues music?
MC 1,2,3,4,&5
MP 1&2
Learning outcomes
CCF and
COL
Pupils will compare and contrast different PLTS
examples of Blues music.
1,2,&3
Pupils will describe the historical
ECM 4&5
influences on The Blues.
WCD
1,2,&7
COL
Pupils will play the 12 bar blues chord
PLTS
sequence.
1,2,5,&6
ECM 4&5
WCD 6,&7
COL
Pupils listen to examples of Blues and
comment on instruments used, lyrics etc.
Discussion about slave trade and how this
affected Blues music.
●
●
●
Discussion to remind pupils about chords.
Pupils to use keyboards to learn to play 12
bar blues chord sequence.
●
● How do we play the Blues
bassline?
MC 1,3,4&5
MP 1&2
●
●
Recap on 12 bar blues chord structure.
●
Pupils learn to play Blues bassline using sheet
and rehearse with partner.
Pupils will perform 12 bar blues and Blues PLTS
bassline in pairs at the same time
2,3,4,&6
How do we improvise over a given
chord structure?
MC 1,3,4&5
MP 1&2
●
Discussion about the importance of
improvisation in Jazz music, using musical
examples.
Pupils learn the Blues scale and rehearse in
pairs using chords.
●
Pupils will play be able to play an
improvised melody using the Blues scale
over the 12 bar blues chord sequence.
●
How can we refine our own work?
MC 1,3,4,&5
MP 1&2
●
.Pupils rehearse their Blues compositions in
threes. One person playing bassline, one
playing chords and one improvising using
Blues scale.
●
Pupils will rehearse their performances of PLTS
the Blues, making appropriate suggestions 2,3,4,5,&6
for improvement.
ECM 4&5
●
●
●
●
●
●
ECM 4&5
WCD
2,6,&7
COL
PLTS
1,2,3,4,&6
ECM 4&5
WCD 6&7
COL
WCD
How can we evaluate and assess
our work so far?
MC 3,&5
MP 1&2
●
●
Teacher will assess the students
performances of theme and variations on
Frere Jacques and they will self assess.
●
1,2,&7
COL
Students will understand what they have PLTS 1,&3
been working towards in terms of musical ECM 5,&6
elements, instrumentation and keywords. WCD 6&7
COL