Extending and refining creative ideas
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can develop a musical idea and compose a piece of music which balances the use of repetition and new ideas.
Key learning points
- We can refine musical ideas by thinking about the melodic shape and choice of notes.
- ABA is a common structure. It starts and finishes with the same idea (A) and uses a contrasting idea (B) in the middle.
- This gives music a balance of unity and variety, making it interesting and memorable.
- We have composed a piece of music in an ABA structure, using the elements of music appropriately to depict an image.
Keywords
Motif - a short musical idea that recurs throughout a piece of music
Melodic shape - the outline of a melodic idea and the shape that’s created with the different pitches
ABA structure - a structure consisting of three sections of music where the first and last section are the same and the middle section is different
Common misconception
The A sections in a musical structure which has a repeated A section have to be the same.
Strong musical ideas usually have a balance of unity and variety, so even when a section is repeated, providing the main melodic idea is recognisable there can be some small changes which then helps to find this balance.
Teacher tip
The main point of the lesson is that pupils have a musical idea that they can develop. The lesson focusses on a motif but it could be an ostinato or developed into an ostinato. The lesson musical examples can also be analysed from a rhythm perspective to support with rhythmic development.
Equipment
Keyboard, or other suitable instrument such as tuned classroom percussion
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is a motif?
Q2.Which term refers to the different sections of a piece of music and how it is organised?
Q3.What is the musical term for a short repeated rhythmic pattern?
Q4.Why is repetition important in music?
Q5.Which of these features would a good musical idea include?
Q6.The layers of sounds and how they fit together in a piece of music is know as
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which musical structure is three sections of music where the first and last section are the same and the middle section is different?
Q2.What musical term is defined as a selection of long and short note durations in a pattern?
Q3.For a musical idea to be different it needs different or
Q4.The outline of a melodic idea and its different pitches is known as melodic
Q5.Using a recurring helps the music to sound memorable and recognisable and gives the piece structure.
Q6.What is the musical name given to music where everyone sings the same thing at the same time?
To help you plan your 7 music lesson on: Extending and refining creative ideas, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 7 music lesson on: Extending and refining creative ideas, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 music lessons from the Making music together unit, dive into the full secondary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.