Performing Arts

TERM 1

Drama: Stimuli and drama techniques

Students explore World War 2 stimuli through a variety of non-naturalistic drama explorative techniques.

 

Topics include:

• Students will be taught how to use different drama techniques in their performances.
• Each lesson will consist of a different style of stimulus being explored.
• Stimuli from WW2 include, picture, song, word, newspaper article, video clips and costumes.
• Developing group skills, listening and communication.

 

Music: Vocal skills

Students learn how to use their voices whilst working in an ensemble including how to prepare the voice with vocal warm ups and breathing techniques.

 

Topics include:

• Learning the correct position and posture for singing
• Developing knowledge of how to prepare the voice using warm ups and appropriate breathing exercises
• Developing confidence as a performer when working in an ensemble
• Understand specific textures that are used including solo, harmony, and call and response.  

 

Music: Keyboard skills

Students develop keyboard skills and learn how to perform right hand melodies and major chords on the keyboard.

 

Topics include:

• Learning how to read music notation correctly- note lengths/pitches.
• Learning the layout of notes on a keyboard including sharps and flats.
• Learning to play a series of right hand melodies including sharps and flats.
• Learning how to play C, F and G major chords.

 

TERM 2

Drama: Elizabethan Theatre 

Students explore Elizabethan Theatre and the work of Macbeth.

 

Topics include:

• Tone of voice 
• Staging 
• Exploration of plot and narrative 
• Iambic Pentameter 
• Script reading

 

Music: Music Notation and Composing

Students learn how to read music notation in treble clef including note names and lengths, rests and common time signatures. Students will use these skills to compose their own melody.

 

Topics Include:

• Understanding the different note names, lengths and their corresponding rests
• Learning about common time signatures
• Understanding how to read notes in the treble clef up to 1 ledger line above and below the stave
• Understanding how to compose an effective and balanced melody in the treble clef using conjunct and disjunct movement

 

Music: Video Game Music

Students explore how soundtracks are created for video games and their purpose. Students will explore a range of composing techniques before creating their own soundtrack for a video game scenario using music technology.

 

Topics include:

• Learning about the origin and history of video games and their soundtracks
• Learning how to create a character motif using major and minor scales
• Composing an original soundtrack using a motif and soundbites to fit a cue sheet showing a video game scenario
• Developing music technology skills through the use of music software (BandLab) including using loops, creating sound effects and recording through MIDI

 

TERM 3 

Drama:  Physical Theatre

Students learn that physical theatre is anything that puts the human body at the centre of storytelling.

 

Topics include:

• Learning to tell a story through use of expressive body movements.
• Nonverbal communication and body language development. 
• Understanding a SEND need

 

Music: The Orchestra

Students learn about the Orchestra, its families and the instruments within each one. Students will develop their understanding of sonority through learning about how each family produces their sound whilst also developing their keyboard skills through a series of individual and class performances.

 

Topics include:

• Learning the names / families of instruments within the orchestra and their different sonorities.
• The history of the orchestra and its development.
• Developing both solo and class ensemble skills 
• Learning about programme music 
• Listening to orchestral music to develop understanding of musical features

TERM 1

Drama: Greek Theatre

Students explore Greek Theatre and the characters and plots from some Greek Theatre extracts.

 

Topics include:

• Developing a Greek Chorus
• Learning and designing Greek masks
• Exploring movement and voice of a Greek Chorus and applying to a script

 

Music: African Drumming

Students learn about the traditional music of Africa through the use of percussive instruments. Students work on ensemble skills to develop an understanding of musical textures and ensemble skills. Students will create group performances which show common features of this genre linked to specific styles such as the Hatsiatsia and Djole.

 

Topics include:

• Learning about how music is used as part of the African culture and everyday life
• Learning about different textures within the music specifically unison, call and response, polyrhythm and improvisation
• Improving listening skills and rhythmical awareness (internalising the beat)
• Developing ensemble skills to create a group performance

 

Music: Dance music

Students learn about the origin of electronic dance music from the 1980s with a focus on composing a piece of music using BandLab. Students will learn how to select sounds and build layered textures which follows a typical dance music structure.

 

Topics include:

• Learning about the different sub-genres of EDM and their features.
• Looking at the typical structures used in EDM and how to create these through texture
• Using MIDI to record in melodies/chord sequences
• How to mix down a finished track with a clear and balanced sound

 

TERM 2

Drama: Exploring Theatre Styles

Students explore Theatre in education and Verbatim theatre.

 

Topics include:

• Discovering new styles of theatre and understanding their rules
• Learning methods of performing which build on and develop new skills
• Script reading

 

Music: Pop Song Performance

Students learn about the typical formula for a pop song in terms of its structure and texture. Students also explore the common instruments used in pop music and specific features such as riffs, chord sequences and bass lines. Students will develop their keyboard skills to learn how to perform a well-known pop song including the chords and bass line.

 

Topics include:

• Learning about pop song structure and the sections within and common orders they are placed in. Students will learn how to identify these within a song.
• Learning about texture in pop music and how it is often adjusted within a song to emphasise key sections.
• Learning about chord types (major and minor) and how these are placed into sequences.
• Performing chords from a pop song and using inversions.
• Learning how to perform a bass line riff on the keyboard.

 

Music: Pop Song Composition

Students will compose ideas for a pop song using music technology software (BandLab). Students will explore how to compose a pop style drum beat, chord sequence and bass line. Students will also explore how to write lyrics.

 

Topics include:

• Composing a pop groove/beat and understanding the different parts of the drum kit- using the drum machine
• Creating a chord sequence in a pop song style applying different techniques such as held, rhythmic and broken chords
• Creating bassline riffs to fit the chord sequence using pentatonic scales
• Writing lyrics to a set theme and applying them to the structure

 

TERM 3

Drama: Drama and social media

Exploring the positive and negative elements of social media.

 

Topics include:

• Split staging
• Improvisation
• Devising
• Soundscapes

 

Music: Radio Advertisements

Students will learn about how music can be used in forms of media to emphasise and improve an advertisement. Students will learn about creating effective voiceovers, soundtracks, underscore and appropriate sound effects to fit with a given script. Students will develop their music technology skills through editing, recording and creating a radio ad using BandLab.

 

Topics include:

• Looking at existing adverts and analysing how effective they are at conveying a product
• Learning about target audience and how a music soundtrack can be tailored to the specific demographic of listeners
• Creating a suitable underscore using chord sequences/melodies and sound effects
• Mixing the final result using automation, panning and volume

TERM 1

Drama: Practitioners

Students will be exploring the work of Konstantin Stanislavsky and Bertolt Brecht.

 

Topics include:

• Students to become familiar with a mid-20th century practitioner. 
• Explore social, historical and cultural content within the play. 
• Using explorative strategies to examine the play. 
• Students use a reflective journal.

 

Music: Jazz and Blues

Students will explore the origin and history of the blues and how this developed into the genre of jazz. Students will focus on keyboard skills to learn how to play key elements of a jazz piece including a walking bass line, 12 bar blues chord sequence and a melodic improvisation using the blues scale.

 

Topics include:

• Learning about the historical and cultural aspects of the blues and its development into jazz through slavery and development of instruments and sounds
• Understanding how music was performed and memorised, rather than through the reliance of sheet music
• Learning about specific elements of jazz focusing on the 12 bar blues in C major and the addition of 7th chords
• Learning how to perform a walking bass line in C major and how this combines with the 12 bar blues

 

Music: The British Invasion/The Beatles

Students will learn about the music movement in the 1960s known as the British Invasion and the impact this had on music and culture at this time. Students will focus on the band who led this movement- The Beatles through a combination of understanding their back story and through practical explorations of key songs.

 

Topics include:

• Learning about the dominance of American Rock and Roll music of the 50s and how people accessed/listened to music during this time
• Learning about The Beatles first formed as a group and the changes they experienced. This also covers analysing their contribution to music through focus on specific songs and key albums.
• Learning how to read and perform a chord sequence from a Beatles song using chord inversions.
• Performing a song using both hands together to combine melody and chords.

 

 

TERM 2

Drama: Script Work and Design

Students explore Noughts and Crosses script and Blood Brothers script. Students explore design options and how to develop skills as a lighting, costume and stage designer.

 

Topics include:

• Students explore the original play conditions 
• Exploration of the technical aspects of the performance.
• Students use group skills, communication, English Literacy and Language to practically explore the themes, plot and characters within the play.

 

Music: Reggae

Students will explore the genre of Reggae music and key artists. Students will cover the key musical elements including drum grooves, one drops, off beat chord sequences and bass riffs. Students will develop music technology skills to compose an original Reggae style track using BandLab.

 

Topics include:

• Exploring the origin and history of Reggae music and key artists with a focus on Bob Marley
• Understanding what offbeat rhythms are and the different variations which can be used when applying this to a chord sequence
• Using MIDI to record in a chord sequence and then using editing tools such as sequencing and quantise to refine the recording
• Learning how to edit and mix the overall result.

 

Music: Grime

Students will explore the genre of Grime music and key artists. Students will cover the key musical elements including how music technology is used to predominantly create drum beats, layered textures, breakbeats, chord sequences, bass riffs and lyrics. Students will develop music technology skills to compose an original Grime style track using BandLab.

 

Topics include:

• Exploring the origin and history of Grime music and key artists with a focus on how this music struggled to develop into the mainstream and the other genres it took influence from
• Learning how to compose a Grime style breakbeat, understanding the correct placement of the kick, snare and hi hats.
• Using MIDI to record in a chord sequence and then using editing tools such as sequencing and quantise to refine the recording
• Learning how to edit and mix the overall result.

 

 

TERM 3

Drama: Devised Work

This unit of work is designed to allow students to combine all their knowledge from ks3 units of work and work towards a final performance.

 

Topics include:

• Reflection / recapping on a range of theatre styles
• Recapping on variety of theatres and styles of work
• Reflection on devised work

 

Music: Film Music

Students will learn about the importance and impact of music with the form of media that is Film. students will look at key composers within this field before looking into the key elements of film music composition including leitmotifs, foley and mickey-mousing. Students will cover a range of film genres and learn about the musical elements required for a soundtrack within each one. Students will use music technology and independent keyboard skills within this project.

 

Topics include:

• Learning about the purpose of music within film and the impact it can have on a viewers emotions and perspective
• Learning about different types of sound within film such as diegetic, non-diegetic and internal diegetic.
• Understanding what a leitmotif is and how these are important for representing a character. 
• Learning about specific film music techniques such as foley and mickey mousing.

 

TERM 1

Drama: Component 1

Students explore a text and explore the social context, historical attributes,design elements and practitioner influence. Students complete both written and practical work. This is 30% of the course.

 

Topics include:

• Explore practically the play, characters and plot 
• Write on participation of themselves and professional contributions to the text

 

Music: Tech Award in Music Practice

Grade 1 Theory Skills 

 

Topics include:

• Note values and rests including syncopation and their placement within common time signatures
• Treble and bass clef notation/Tones and semitones
• Major scales and key signatures/Intervals up to an octave
• Building chords from scales

 

Component 1: Learning Aim A (Exploring Music Styles and Genres)

Topics include:

• Rock and Roll (1950s) origin, development, artists and musical features such as 12 bar blues sequence, use of improvisation and stop rhythms, 7th chords and walking bass lines
• Disco (1970s), origin, development, key artists and musical features such as four on the floor, use of orchestral sound and more reliance on synthesizers/music technology
• Britpop (1990s) origin, development, artists and musical features such as pop song structure, use of extended chords, instrumental combinations and style of lyrics
• African Drumming (World Music), origin, cultural aspects and understanding of instruments and their sonority
• Film Music (Music for Media), focus on specific genre of film (Horror) and the techniques used including minor 2nds, diminished chords, pitch bends, major-minor alteration

 

 

TERM 2

Drama: Component 2

Students explore a text and explore the social context, historical attributes,design elements and practitioner influence. Students complete both written and practical work. This is 30% of the course. Students will need to either present a design presentation or be involved in a 5 - 10 minute performance.

Topics include:

• Explore practically the play, characters and plot 
• Develop a presentation or final performance

 

Music: Component 1

Component 1- Learning Aim B [Exploring Music Styles and Genres]

Topics include:

• Solo Performance- preparation of a solo performance on instrument or voice 
• Composition- create an original composition 
• Production- Remix a segment of an existing song into a new genre
• All of the above tasks are matched to a theme set by the exam board

 

TERM 3

Drama: Component 2

Students explore a text and explore the social context, historical attributes,design elements and practitioner influence. Students complete both written and practical work. This is 30% of the course. Students will need to either present a design presentation or be involved in a 5 - 10 minute performance.

 

Topics include:

• Explore practically the play, characters and plot 
• Develop a presentation or final performance

 

Music: Component 2

Component 2 - Learning Aim A [Developing Music Skills]

 

Topics include:

• Understanding the professional skills required to work within the industry focusing on time management, self discipline, working with others, finding resources and health and safety
• Auditing skills as a performer and composer
• Setting goals to be achieved with a performance and composition and review at regular milestone intervals
• Reflection on improvement
• Consideration of how professional skills are used in the rehearsal, composition and performance process

TERM 1

Drama: Component 3 Mock

Students are given a stimulus from the exam board and develop a performance based on it, linking it to a style of theatre/practitioner. This is 40% of the course.

 

Topics Include:

• Performing or designing in a group a performance based on a stimulus 
• Writing an ideas log 
• Writing a skills log 
• Reflecting in a written evaluation

 

Music: Component 2

Component 2- Learning Aim B [Developing Music Skills] continued from Year 10 Term 3

 

Topics include:

• Understanding the professional skills required to work within the industry focusing on time management, self discipline, working with others, finding resources and health and safety
• Auditing skills as a performer and composer
• Setting goals to be achieved with a performance and composition and review at regular milestone intervals
• Reflection on improvement
• Consideration of how professional skills are used in the rehearsal, composition and performance process

 

TERM 2

Drama: Component 3

Students are given a stimulus from the exam board and develop a performance based on it, linking it to a style of theatre/practitioner. This is 40% of the course.

 

Topics Include:

• Performing or designing in a group a performance based on a stimulus 
• Writing an ideas log 
• Writing a skills log

 

Music: Component 3

 

Topics Include:

• Exploration of the brief and its specific requirements
• Appropriate methods to research a genre and its features
• Applying production and editing techniques to an existing song
• How to mix and edit to a high standard

 

TERM 3

Drama: Component 3

Students are given a stimulus from the exam board and develop a performance based on it, linking it to a style of theatre/practitioner. This is 40% of the course.

 

Topics Include:

• Performing or designing in a group a performance based on a stimulus 
• Writing an ideas log 
• Writing a skills log

 

Music: Component 3

 

Topics Include:

• Exploration of the brief and its specific requirements
• Appropriate methods to research a genre and its features
• Applying production and editing techniques to an existing song
• How to mix and edit to a high standard