Unit Title (Topic/Theme): Pentatonic Scales Class / Yr Group: 3Length of unit:6Start Date:
So what do you want pupils to learn in this unit?
Objectives for the unit – what will you see and hear by the end?
Core Activities / Pupils’ Challenge
Overall Objectives unit:
· Play and sing a pentatonic scale.
· Learn of the different cultures that use pentatonic scales eg Chinese, Scottish.
· Compose and notate melodies using the pentatonic scale.
Key Words:
· Pentatonic
· Scales
· Melody
· Composition
· Octave
· Step
· Leap
· Interval
· Accompaniment
· Drone
· Ostinato
Skills:
· Developing aural skills
· Coordination in developing skills in playing a tuned instrument.
· Simple notation reading
· Play simple melodic patterns
· Compose simple melodic patterns
· Simple notation writing
· Play confidently
· Learn to work in small groups
Key Questions:
· What do the words penta and tonic mean?
· What is a scale?
· Which notes are used in a pentatonic scale?
· How many notes are in a pentatonic scale?
· What would happen if we added another layer to our performance?
· How could we make our performance even more interesting?
Resources for unit:
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Irii5pt2qE)
Recordings of music from a range of cultures featuring the pentatonic scale.
A range of songs/melodies in the pentatonic scale.
Tuned instruments
Outline of Core Lesson Activities:
In this unit children will develop the ability to recognise and use pentatonic scales to create short melodies and accompaniments. They should be able to recognise a pentatonic scale, sing it back and play it on an instrument. They will be able to compose their own melodies using these 5 notes, and write them down using notation. They will also be able to recognise these scales when played in a wider context e.g. Scottish or Chinese music.
By the end of the unit children will participate in a group performance demonstrating melodies created from the pentatonic scale.
What will they will achieve / present at the end of the unit?
All Children will: Be able to recognize a pentatonic scale; perform a simple given melody.
Most children will: Be able to sing this scale and play it on an instrument; compose and perform a simple pentatonic melody with confidence to a steady beat.
Some children will have progressed further and will: Be able to create a longer melody/simple accompaniment using the scale; lead a small group of players.
Lesson
Learning Outcomes
About pentatonic scales and how they are used in music
· Listen to excerpts of pentatonic music.
· Sing songs based on pentatonic scale.
· Understand what a pentatonic scale is.
How simple tunes can be based on a pentatonic scale
• Explore the pentatonic scale on a tuned instrument
• Play a pentatonic scale
· Play a short pentatonic melody
How to create different textures using the scale
• Explore adding a second melodic layer to given melody
· Add a simple drone accompaniment under given melody
Exploring composition
•Improvise on pentatonic scale
· Work in pairs/small groups to compose a short pentatonic melody based on an agreed theme (eg Chinese Dragons)
· Ideas notated
How to create a class performance
· Using knowledge from Lesson 3 create accompaniments
· Learning and revising own melodies/accompaniments
· Deciding an order for the composition
• Practicing together as a class or groups
Performing a class/group composition
•Gain performance based skills
•Applied classroom knowledge (tempo, dynamics etc) to a practical performance..