Musical Futures Musical Futures and Newly Qualified Teachers: A Case Study 1
Applying Musical
Futures to an Existing
Scheme of Work
Anna Gower
ISBN: 978-1-905500-06-2
Musical Futures Applying Musical Futures to an Existing Scheme of Work 2
Applying Musical
Futures to an Existing
Scheme of Work
Anna Gower
This article by Champion School teacher Anna Gower demonstrates how one school used
the Musical Futures (MF) ethos and approaches to overhaul a traditional Year 8 Scheme
of Work (SoW) that wasn’t engaging all students.
The content of this SoW is the Blues, but as this is an exercise that fundamentally explores pedagogy, this
process could be applied to a SoW covering any musical content.
Aims of reviewing this scheme were:
q To write MF approaches into schemes of work at KS3
q To make experience of all musics authentic and meaningful
q To integrate performing, listening and improvising into practical work every week
q To build upon skills covered in previous SoW (Year 7)
q To develop relevant resources pitched appropriately for Year 8 to challenge and support all learners
q To reduce the amount of teacher-led learning within the SoW and to use informal learning to encourage
independent and personalised learning experiences for the students
The Musical Futures website contains details of the teaching and learning strategies for the band
carousel approach (www.musicalfutures.org.uk/resource/27355) and the informal learning model
(www.musicalfutures.org.uk/resource/27362).
The colour coding of the tables below are as follows:
Activities which are teacher-led
Use worksheets as the basis for learning
Student-led using resources other than worksheets
Musical Futures Applying Musical Futures to an Existing Scheme of Work 3
BLUES SCHEME OF WORK: BEFORE
Activities which are teacher-led | Use worksheets as the basis for learning | Student-led using resources other than worksheets
LEARNING OBJECTIVES ACTIVITIES HOMEWORK RESOURCES
1 q Introduction to Blues music q Starter: show video of Blues artist q Five facts about q Lyrics on powerpoint
q Understand the terms ‘chord’ and ‘triad’ q Learn to sing ‘Woke Up This Morning’ Blues artist q Videos of Blues artists
q Learn to play chords on keyboard (Voluntary G&T q Easy guitar chords worksheet
and guitar extension HW
q Piano cards
= guitar project)
q Plenary: revise key terms; q Keyboards / guitars
mini-performances
2 q Revise terms ‘chords and ‘triad’ q Starter: review homework facts q Set two personal q Project plan on powerpoint
q Understand how to assess peers’ work q Revise chords on guitar and piano targets for the q Piano cards
unit using Levels
q Listen and assess peers’ work using q Easy guitar chords worksheet
in Music grid
Listening back chart q Audio recordings
q Plan project q Keyboards / guitars
q Plenary: as appropriate, e.g. sing q Listening back chart
through ‘Woke Up This Morning’
q Levels in Music worksheet
or other song
q Examples of music targets
3 q Understand how to work effectively q Starter: review targets set as homework q Fill out project diary q Rules for practical work in
in groups in music lessons q Go through rules and expectations of music on powerpoint
q Learn how to create a bass line practical work in music q Piano cards
q Understand the term ‘root note’ q Demonstrate adding a bass line q Easy guitar chords worksheet
q Start working in their groups q Keyboards / guitars / basses
q Tidy away q Project diary
q Plenary: review keywords to date q Bass guitar worksheet
q Blues project worksheet
Activities which are teacher-led | Use worksheets as the basis for learning | Student-led using resources other than worksheets Musical Futures Applying Musical Futures to an Existing Scheme of Work 4
LEARNING OBJECTIVES ACTIVITIES HOMEWORK RESOURCES
4 q Understand the mood behind q Starter: as appropriate q Fill out project diary q History of Blues on powerpoint
Blues lyrics q Discuss lyrics – format and mood q Lyrics from previous students’ work
q Understand how structure in music is q Continue group work – some groups to q Piano cards
labelled with letters (AAB lyric format) start writing own lyrics q Easy guitar chords worksheet
q Continue to work effectively in a group q Tidy away q Keyboards / guitars / basses
q Plenary: as appropriate q Project diary
q Bass guitar worksheet
q Blues project worksheet
5 q Continue to work effectively in a group q Starter: as appropriate q Fill out q Blues videos
in preparation for performance q Demonstrate the Blues scale and show project diary q Piano cards
q Learn how to incorporate how to fit it into the Blues format q Easy guitar chords worksheet
improvisation into the Blues q Continue practical task. Every student q Keyboards / guitars / basses
q Understand the terms ‘improvisation’ to learn to play the Blues scale on piano
q Project diary
and ‘scat singing’ q Tidy away
q Bass guitar worksheet
q Plenary: as appropriate
q Blues project worksheet
q Blues scale worksheet
6 Prepare for recording
q Starter: as appropriate
q Complete You
q You have Finished Recording sheet
q
Record final performances
q Groups rehearse and then record
q Have Finished Piano cards
q
Recording sheet
Groups that finish first to start You Have
q Easy guitar chords worksheet
q
Finished Recording sheet. Keyboards / guitars / basses
q
Tidy away
q Project diary
q
Plenary: as appropriate
q Bass guitar worksheet
q
Blues project worksheet
q
Blues scale worksheet
q
7 Assess final recordings of Blues
q Starter: as appropriate
q None set
q Listening back chart
q
Listen back to each piece – complete
q Audio recordings
q
the Listening Back Chart Teacher assessment feedback sheets
q
Fill in targets and levels from teacher
q
in planners
Plenary: as appropriate
q
Musical Futures Applying Musical Futures to an Existing Scheme of Work 5
BLUES SCHEME OF WORK: AFTER
Activities which are teacher-led | Use worksheets as the basis for learning | Student-led using resources other than worksheets
LESSON OBJECTIVES LEARNING STRATEGIES HOMEWORK
1 q To become familiar with the sound of Blues music through listening 1. Whole class warm up q Research an allocated Blues
q To express a preference for a piece of music giving musical reasons 2. Group work – informal artist – minimum of five facts
q To recognise commonly-used musical instruments and Blues conventions listening tasks
3. Plenary: feedback from
listening tasks
2-4 CAROUSEL: 1. Relevant starter (whole class q Complete extended Blues
q Keywords: ‘chord’ and ‘triad’ warm up or singing) listening question (2 weeks)
2. Either carousel model or in (LEVELLED) then complete a
q Play at least C triad or one note in time to a backing track using keyboards,
small groups working through diary entry for subsequent
or move between chords C, F and G in time, using 1, 2 or 3 note chords.
the same objectives weeks using NUMU
KEYWORDS: PENTATONIC, IMPROVISE: (www.numu.org.uk)
3. Plenary: revise key terms;
q Understand how a pentatonic and Blues scale can be used to create a melody, mini-performances
through either:
– Playing pulse notes of the pentatonic/Blues scale
– Improvising using the pentatonic Blues scales and appropriate rhythms in
time to the backing track
KEYWORDS: AAB STRUCTURE:
q Learn to sing/perform to a Blues backing track
q Compose appropriate lyrics to suggest a ‘mood’ in keeping with Blues style
q Demonstrate an understanding of the structure of Blues lyrics
OPTIONAL:
q Add a bass line/drums
5-6 q Perform and record as a whole class and workshop the components of the q Video and record to assess q Evaluate the project
Blues studied applying keywords and exploring how a piece can be structured together at the next lesson
q Understand structure in music (AAB lyric format), include ‘head’ and q Informal assessment and
‘improvisation’ in the final piece reflection upon performance
7 q Assess final recordings/performances/video q Peer assessment
q Class discussion and feedback q Self assessment
Musical Futures Applying Musical Futures to an Existing Scheme of Work 6
WHAT HAS CHANGED?
Integrating performing, listening and improvising
SCHEME 1: BEFORE
This new scheme uses a range of audio, video and
The majority of learning in lesson time is teacher led, written resources so that students can select the
or taught through a variety of worksheets which best method of learning for themselves. A backing
would appeal mostly to aural and visual learners with track, based on a 1950s Blues genre, is provided for
good literacy and some basic notation reading skills. groups to perform along to. Individual audio tracks
Homework tasks allow students more opportunity to for each part in the carousel are broken down into
direct their own learning under headings provided tracks, including bass line, improvising on pentatonic
in the project diary. NB as with any SoW teachers are and Blues scales, swing rhythms and lyrics with video
encouraged to deliver content through a range of tutorials, in addition to worksheets using notation
appropriate strategies. and chord symbols.
Listening activities within this SoW are limited and Written tasks and assessment
there is no evidence of students experiencing any
To fit with the requirements of the school assessment
authentic Blues music beyond what they see on the
policy, one opportunity for a piece of written work
video in the very first lesson. Other listening tasks
that can be levelled using National Curriculum
include the teacher demonstrating the elements
level criteria was included. In this scheme it was an
of the Blues that the students will be learning and
extended listening question based on the students’
listening back to completed student work at the end.
own selection of Blues music. As this was the first
opportunity for students to complete this kind of
SCHEME 2: AFTER assignment, no guidance was given beyond the initial
setting up of the task, in keeping with the informal
Authenticity nature of the project. In subsequent schemes,
Groups and practice spaces are named after Blues feedback, exemplar work and guidance were given
artists and each space contains an information poster once the areas in need of development had been
about the relevant artist. Students research their identified. Improvements in attainment have been
artist’s background as a homework task and share this tracked through the project. NUMU blogs are used
information with others (see also informal learning to keep an ongoing record of progress made in
and listening tasks below). the project and to encourage self evaluation,
reflection and describing the activities using relevant
Informal learning and listening tasks musical language.
At the beginning of the project, students are given
a selection of recordings on a CD (of the artists the To incorporate formative self and peer assessment
groups are named after) and in their friendship into each lesson, levelled tick charts, based on
groups are asked to complete a series of tasks. National Curriculum level descriptors, have been
These include: placing each piece into a timeline to developed to be completed by students at the
emphasise the development of Blues music; multiple- end of each lesson. Often used to prompt group
choice tick charts; and comparison questions along discussion and the opportunity for students to assess
the lines of a simplified GCSE question. They are also each other, these are combined with formative
challenged to choose one extract and complete an teacher assessments to come to an agreed level for
extended listening task to identify which elements of the practical work at the end of the unit. This also
the music are typical of the style and why they prefer ensures that the processes of learning, as well as the
one above another. outcomes, are assessed.
Informal learning
Students spend a lesson exploring a different
component of the Blues using a carousel model with
the aim of getting the class together to workshop a
Blues piece at the end. They work together to devise
their own objectives in each lesson and support
learning through peer teaching and sharing of skills.
