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Music and Media Scheme of Work

(ages 12-13)

Overview

This short unit explores how music and media shape dramatic meaning. Across six practical lessons pupils develop non-verbal communication, physicality and musical interpretation through class games, visualisation, mime and group devising. Video clips and musical pieces are used as stimuli and lessons build towards a performance assessment in which students devise an original scene set to music.

gesturestatusmusical interpretationdramatic tensiondevisingimprovisationfacial expressionphysicality

What Students Will Learn

Pupils will learn to read and respond to musical cues, to use exaggerated body language and tension to create character and atmosphere, and to devise short ensemble pieces timed to music. Activities include mirror and movement games, the seven levels of tension, visualisation tasks and applying music to mime and improvised scenes. The unit culminates in a performance task set to a cartoon or musical clip.

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  • 6 detailed lesson plansA complete, practical teaching sequence for the unit.
  • Lesson-by-lesson activity guidanceUse the unit structure, skills focus and classroom tasks without starting from scratch.
  • Linked classroom resourcesMusic, Resources, Video are included where they support the lesson sequence.
  1. Week 1: Exaggerating Body Language

    Focuses on non-verbal communication and exaggerated movement. Class activities include Mirror Exercise, The Orchestra Game and Mime to develop awareness of body language and ensemble reactions.

    Resources Include
    Music
    Netherworld Shanty
  2. Week 2: The 7 Levels of Tension

    Explores using music as a performance script and the concept of tension. Students learn the seven levels of tension, devise short scenes in groups and perform with 'Dragon and Toast' used as musical underscoring.

    Resources Include
    Music
    Dragon and Toast
    Resources
    7 Levels of Tension
  3. Week 3: Developing Awareness of Physical Movement

    Develops physical acting skills through focused movement games. Activities named include The Opposites Game and Invisible String, supported by additional group work to build physical awareness.

  4. Week 4: Interpreting Music

    Uses visualisation to deepen understanding of musical mood and atmosphere. Pupils visualise a piece of music and then perform mime pieces to different musical styles to explore tone and feeling.

    Resources Include
    Music
    FaceoffSunshineExciting TrailerDivertissement
  5. Week 5: Interpreting the Mood of Music

    Focuses on observing classic TV commercials to understand musical mood. Pupils use those observations to develop a new improvised piece intended for later assessment.

    Resources Include
    Video
    A Car Toon Portrait
  6. Week 6: Assessment

    Assessment lesson using a classic cartoon clip to analyse rhythm, pace, mood and comic character. Students watch and interpret the clip, then devise and perform an original scene set to music.

    Resources Include
    Music
    FaceoffExciting TrailerSunshineDivertissement
    Video
    Advert 1 - CornflakesAdvert 2 - BeerAdvert 3 - Shaving Foam

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