Music Year 8 — Horbury Academy's Curriculum

Half Term 1

Worksongs and The Blues

In this unit we look at worksong and how the music of enslaved people paved the way for The Blues and all popular music that followed.
We will complete a listening assessment and learn how to play the Blues in pairs in a keyboard task which will conclude in a performance.
The ideas pupils will understand and the words they will be able to use:
Worksong, field holler, enslaved, Africa, America, The Blues, drums, piano, banjo, rhythm, syncopation, melody, chords, walking bass, swung rhythms, block, broken and rhythm chords, style, improvisation, blues scale, blue notes, flattened sevenths.
Listen to some Blues music and help them to pick out and identify instruments and features of The Blues. Listen and discuss the lyrics and the story behind them. Listen to various music and try to pick out the basslines, this will help your child identify the walking bass in other Blues music, and this will support the listening assessment.

Half Term 2

In this term, each lesson is used to teach an instrument in a workshop style. Students will learn how to play the parts on the keyboard, ukulele, guitar, bass and drums.
Students then collaborate in small groups and develop their independent learning through the rehearsal of a popular piece of music in a band. They will perform this piece to the class in a final assessment.
The ideas pupils will understand and the words they will be able to use:
Melody, chords, riff, bass, back line, drums (all components), bass, ukulele, guitar, voice, rehearsal techniques, collaborations, performance, band.
Discuss issues with collaboration and ask them to find a solution.
Encourage them to try all aspects of the workshops so they can make an informed choice of the instrument before they go into small groups.

Half Term 3

In this unit, we research and explore the rich culture of percussion in the world, including Samba from Brazil, African Drumming and Taiko from Japan.
Students will learn a piece to perform as a class that allows for solo, duet and whole ensemble participation.
The ideas pupils will understand and the words they will be able to use:
Rhythm, Syncopation, melody, pitched / percussion, cross rhythms, metre, time signature
Samba, Brazil, surdo, Caixa, claves, agogo, ganza, tambourim, repinique, tambourine, apitos
Taiko, Japan
African Drumming, Djembe
Watch videos that show drumming from other cultures and then try to pick out these aspects in other songs or films. For example, Disney’s Encanto.

Half Term 4

In this unit, we develop our understanding of popular music starting from the 50s to the present day. This may include a selection of the following genres; Rock and Roll, Motown, Disco, Rock, Rap, Hip Hop, Pop and Grime.
The ideas pupils will understand and the words they will be able to use:
Rock and Roll, Motown, Disco, Rock, Rap, Hip Hop, Pop, Grime, stylistic features, analysis, culture, development, chords, progressions, influences, genres/style.
Listen to various music, talk about the style and ask your child questions about the music.
Can they name instruments? Can they talk about the music? Are there any interesting features in the music? Can use musical vocabulary to describe it?

Half Term 6

This unit will look at the development of rock music in the 60s and will allow the students to develop their band ensemble skills and will result in a performance of a song by The Beatles for their assessment.
The ideas pupils will understand and the words they will be able to use
Band instruments; drums, bass, keyboard, ukulele, voice, backing vocals, guitar, rhythm, timing, pulse, rehearsal strategies, strumming patterns, riffs, improvisation.
Listen to the music of The Beatles and ask your child to identify and explain what is happening in the songs.

Half Term 5

In this unit, students will develop their composition skills to create a piece of music of their own. They will arrange their ideas structurally.
The ideas pupils will understand and the words they will be able to use:
Ukulele, Hawaii, tuning pegs, nut, fretboard, sound hole, strings, neck, headstock, body, frets, chords, chord progressions, chord diagrams.