Music at  MES

1. What are the learning objectives for music?
2. What does Year / Grade 7 music consist of?
3. What will I learn in Unit 1- Elements Of Music?
4. What will I learn in Unit 2- Banua, African Music?
5. What will I learn in Unit 3- Chinese Music?
6. What will I learn in Unit 4- Welsh Music?
7. How will I be assessed?
8. Performing
9. Composing
10. Appraising

What are the learning objectives for music?

As outlined by the DfES and National Curriculum the syllabus employed at MES 
aims to achieve the following outcomes:

�	develop pupils understanding and appreciation of a wide range of 
music, extend their own interests and increase their ability to make 
judgements about music quality; 
�	acquire the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to make 
music, eg in community music making, and, where appropriate, to follow a 
music-related career; 
�	develop the skills, attitudes and attributes that can support 
learning in other subject areas and are needed for employment and life, eg 
listening skills, concentration, creativity, intuition, aesthetic 
sensitivity, perseverance, self-confidence and sensitivity towards others. 
The schemes of work taught at MES:
�	develop each of the interrelated skills of performing, composing and 
appraising in all activities; 
�	extend these skills through applying listening skills and musical 
knowledge and understanding; 
�	enable pupils to make connections between all areas of knowledge and 
musical experiences. 
Pupils at MES also have the opportunity to learn:
�	how music is constructed, eg the use of musical elements and 
devices; 
�	how music is produced, eg the use of instruments, ICT, musical 
processes and procedures, including relevant symbols and notations; 
�	how music is influenced by time and place, eg the effect of the 
occasion, purpose or venue.

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What does Year / Grade 7 music consist of?

Four units enabling active involvement in composing, appraising and 
performing. Two exams testing general musical knowledge and unit specific 
information obtained throughout the course of the year.

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What will I learn in Unit 1- Elements Of Music?

Unit 1:  ELEMENTS OF MUSIC (6-8 weeks)

�	Make pupils aware of, understand and recognise the concepts of 
pitch, tempo, duration, dynamics, texture, timbre and structure.
�	Pupils explore and distinguish the difference between music and 
noise. By way of demonstration and listening quiz.
�	Pupils explore the different elements from demonstration by teacher 
and also individual pupils.
�	Compositional task to show 2 of the elements. Pair work.
�	Performance of compositions to class.
�	 Self reflection and evaluation of compositions and performances.
�	Poster of an element.
�	End of unit appraisal test- making pupils listen with perception and 
attention to detail to discriminate within the musical elements.

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What will I learn in Unit 2- Banua, African Music?

Unit 2:  BANUA-AFRICAN MUSIC (6-8 weeks)

�	Instrumental Part A and B as an ostinato pattern on tuned percussion 
instruments/ keyboards.
�	Learn the song. Clarity of diction is a critical factor in improving 
pupils� singing.
�	Class performance of Banua with pupils split into singing and 
instrumental parts. Built up in layers and repeated until all pupils are 
secure.
�	Assessment of pupils progress made to date.
�	Instrumental parts C and D learnt.
�	Group arrangements of Banua with pupils adding their own creative 
ideas and encompassing the musical elements.
�	Performance of arrangements- pupils receive a summative mark for 
their performance. Arrangements also recorded for appraisal activity and 
records.
�	  Appraisal and self evaluation of performance and group work.

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What will I learn in Unit 3- Chinese Music?

Unit 3:  CHINESE MUSIC  (10 weeks)

�	Listen to the sounds of Chinese instruments- making comparisons 
between these instruments and similar Western instruments in pair, group and 
class work.
�	Sing through the �Chinese Boat Song� as a class focusing on pupils� 
ability to sing the song convincingly (controlling pitch, rhythm and 
diction).
�	Performing of the melody of this song individually on keyboards.
�	Group arrangements of the �Chinese Boat Song� using instruments and 
singing.
�	Performance of these compositions to the whole class.
�	Compositions recorded and appraised by pupils.
�	Self reflection and evaluation of the performances, both individual 
and peer evaluations.
�	ICT project- pupils researching and finding out relevant information 
on the history, culture and instruments of China to give a presentation to 
the class.
�	Self evaluation and peer evaluation of the ICT project.

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What will I learn in Unit 4- Welsh Music?

Unit 4:  WELSH MUSIC  ( 6-8 weeks)

�	Listen to the sounds of Welsh instruments- looking at the history of 
these instruments and important composers of the country. Research and 
questioning in pair, group and whole class work.
�	Sing through �Sospan Fach� as a class learning how to pronounce the 
language and learn the meaning through line by line translation.
�	Performing of the melody of this song individually on keyboards.
�	Group arrangements of �Sospan Fach� using a mixture of instruments 
and singing.
�	Performance of these compositions to the whole class.
�	Compositions recorded and appraised by pupils.
�	Self reflection and evaluation of the performances, both individual 
and peer evaluations.
�	Appraisal of Welsh music so pupils can see if they can distinguish 
and recognize the main features in different examples.

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How will I be assessed?

Assessment

Each unit in the Year / Grade 7 music curriculum at MES allows for both types 
of assessment as detailed below.

Formative:  Questioning throughout each unit to determine what pupils have 
understood and how much they have retained. Also by the use of field notes 
(weekly record kept by the teacher making a few comments on how well each 
group has progressed in their composition and a list of names in each 
group). The quiz/test at the end of some units will also be an informal 
assessment to show pupils how well they have understood a particular unit.

Summative:   Each unit allows two chances of summative assessment, the first 
for an individual mark on how well the pupils play an assessed part. Pupils 
will be given a mark out of 5 (see below for set assessment criteria).The 
second summative mark is for each pupil�s performance within their group 
composition. Again each pupil will be given a mark out of 5 with regards to 
a number of factors. Ideally an overall group mark will also be given in 
case the teacher would like to show the recording to other classes as an 
example of good work or improvable work.

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Performing

5	Excellent The pupil plays fluently with correct rhythms, notes and 
excellent technique. The pupil has excellent attention to detail and no 
mistakes are made. Excellent ensemble skills.
4	Good	The pupil plays mostly fluently with majority of correct 
rhythms, notes and good technique. The pupil has good attention to detail 
and some mistakes are made. Good ensemble skills.
3	Satisfactory	The pupil plays a little fluently with half correct 
rhythms, notes and satisfactory technique. The pupil has satisfactory 
attention to detail and quite a few mistakes are made. Satisfactory ensemble 
skills.
2	Weak 	The pupil�s playing has very little fluency to it with very 
few correct rhythms, notes and technique. The pupil has weak attention to 
detail and a lot of mistakes are made. Weak ensemble skills.
1	Poor	The pupil does not play fluently at all and has more wrong 
rhythms, notes and technique than correct. The pupil has poor or no 
attention to detail and many mistakes are made. Poor ensemble skills.

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Composing

5	Excellent The pupil shows an excellent response to the composition 
stimulus and the unit of work. The piece is clearly structured and has 
excellent use of variation.
4	Good The pupil shows a good response to the composition stimulus and 
the unit of work. The piece is generally clearly structured and has good use 
of variation.
3	Satisfactory The pupil shows a satisfactory response to the 
composition stimulus and the unit of work. The piece has some structure and 
has a satisfactory use of variation. 
2	Weak The pupil shows a weak response to the composition stimulus and 
the unit of work. The piece has minimal structure and weak use of variation.
1	Poor The pupil shows a poor response to the composition stimulus and 
unit of work. The piece has very little or no structure and poor or no 
variation.

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Appraising

5	Excellent The pupil clearly identifies the good points and clear 
suggestions for improvement when evaluating their work through appraisal. 
The pupil clearly identifies key characteristics and features of the unit of 
work and can recognise its main instruments and purpose through appraisal of 
the music examples.
4	Good The pupil recognises and identifies most of the good points and 
offers general suggestions for improvement when evaluating their work 
through appraisal. The pupil can identify majority of the key 
characteristics and features of the unit of work and can recognise most of 
the main instruments and their purpose through appraisal of the music 
examples.
3	Satisfactory The pupil recognises and identifies some good points 
and offers some suggestions for improvement when evaluating their work 
through appraisal. The pupil can identify some of the key characteristics 
and features of the unit of work and can recognise some of the main 
instruments and their purpose through appraisal of the music examples.
2	Weak The pupil recognises and identifies a few good points and 
offers some suggestions for improvement when evaluating their work through 
appraisal. The pupil can identify a few of the key characteristics and 
features of the unit of work and can recognise a few of the main instruments 
and their purpose through appraisal of the music examples.
1	Poor The pupil recognises and identifies little or can state perhaps 
a good point and offers little or no suggestions for improvement when 
evaluating their work through appraisal. The pupil can identify little or 
none of the key characteristics and features of the unit of work and can 
recognise little or none of the main instruments and their purpose through 
appraisal of the music examples.

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