A Knowledge Organiser that captures the essential knowledge and skills learnt throughout the unit Music, Year 5, Musical Theatre.
This resource supports pupils as they explore the world of musical theatre, understanding how music, songs, spoken dialogue, and dance combine to tell a story. It introduces key vocabulary and concepts such as composer, lyricist, librettist, script, score, director, choreographer, and performers, helping pupils grasp the various roles involved in creating a musical. The unit also covers different types of songs within musicals, including character songs that express a character’s feelings and action songs that describe events in the story. Additionally, pupils learn about transitions in music and the historical development of musical theatre, from opera and operetta to modern film musicals, book musicals, jukebox musicals, and rock and hip-hop musicals.
A Knowledge Organiser that captures the essential knowledge and skills learnt throughout the unit Music, Year 5, Composition Notation (Ancient Egypt).
This resource supports pupils as they explore musical composition inspired by Ancient Egypt. It introduces vocabulary and concepts such as melody, ensemble, call and response, structure, verse, unison, improvising, notation, major, minor, tempo, and motif. Pupils learn to create compositions using both traditional staff notation and letter notation, experimenting with rhythms and melodies that reflect the theme of Ancient Egypt. The unit encourages creativity and collaboration, enabling pupils to develop their musical understanding and compositional skills.
A Knowledge Organiser that captures the essential knowledge and skills learnt throughout the unit Music, Year 5, Looping and Remixing.
This unit introduces pupils to the genre of Electronic Dance Music (EDM), focusing on the use of loops and remixing techniques. Pupils learn key vocabulary such as loop, remix, backbeat, layers, and structure, and explore how repeating sections—known as loops in dance music, ostinatos in classical music, and riffs in jazz—are used to build musical pieces. Through composing and performing activities, pupils create their own remixes by layering rhythms and melodies, enhancing their understanding of musical texture and structure.
A Knowledge Organiser that captures the essential knowledge and skills learnt throughout the unit Archived Unit: Advanced rhythms.
This unit introduces pupils to the Kodály Method, emphasizing learning music through listening, singing, movement, and dancing before reading and writing. Pupils explore rhythmic patterns using Kodály rhythm syllables such as ‘TA’ (crotchet), ‘Ti-Ti’ (quavers), ‘SH’ (crotchet rest), and ‘TWO’ (minim). They engage with Steve Reich’s ‘Clapping Music’ (1972), experimenting with clapping rhythms and canons to develop their understanding of pulse and rhythm. Through these activities, pupils enhance their improvisation skills and deepen their appreciation of complex rhythmic structures.
A Knowledge Organiser that captures the essential knowledge and skills learnt throughout the unit Music, Year 6: Dynamics, pitch and texture (Theme: Coast – Fingal’s Cave by Mendelssohn).
This unit supports pupils as they explore how classical music can depict natural scenes, focusing on Felix Mendelssohn’s Fingal’s Cave. Pupils examine how composers use the inter-related dimensions of music—structure, texture, dynamics, timbre, pitch, tempo, and duration—to represent the sea’s movement and atmosphere. They learn key vocabulary such as graphic score, ensemble, conductor, and composition, and engage in activities like improvisation and creating their own musical compositions to convey imagery. Through this exploration, pupils deepen their understanding of how music can evoke emotions and tell stories.
A Knowledge Organiser that captures the essential knowledge and skills learnt throughout the unit Music, Year 6, Theme and Variations (Pop Art).
This resource supports pupils as they explore the musical form of theme and variations, drawing inspiration from the bold and vibrant Pop Art movement. It introduces key vocabulary and concepts such as melody, rhythm, pulse, phrase, and notation, helping pupils understand how composers develop and transform musical ideas. The unit also familiarizes pupils with orchestral families—strings, woodwind, brass, and percussion—and includes Kodály rhythm syllables to reinforce rhythmic understanding. Pupils enhance their compositional skills and deepen their appreciation of musical structure and creativity.
A Knowledge Organiser that captures the essential knowledge and skills learnt throughout the unit Music, Year 6, Film Music.
This resource supports pupils as they delve into the world of film music, examining how composers use musical elements to enhance storytelling and evoke emotions. It introduces key vocabulary and concepts such as composition, pitch, major and minor keys, modulation, tremolo, chromatics, and graphic scores, helping pupils understand the techniques used to create specific atmospheres in film scenes. The unit also explores how different musical styles are constructed to support various cinematic moments. By engaging with these elements, pupils develop their analytical listening skills and creative composition abilities.
A Knowledge Organiser that captures the essential knowledge and skills learnt throughout the unit Music, Year 6, Composing and Performing a Leavers’ Song.
This resource supports pupils as they reflect on their primary school experiences by creating a personalised leavers’ song. It introduces key vocabulary and concepts such as melody, harmony, chord progression, and notation, helping pupils understand the structure and elements of songwriting. The unit guides pupils through the process of writing lyrics, composing melodies using tuned percussion instruments, and performing their song with confidence. By engaging with these musical components, pupils develop their creative expression and collaborative skills.
A Knowledge Organiser that captures the essential knowledge and skills learnt throughout the unit Music, Year 6, Songs of World War 2.
This resource supports pupils as they explore the emotional and historical significance of wartime music. It introduces key vocabulary and concepts such as melody, dynamics, counter melody, and graphic score, helping pupils understand how music conveyed hope and unity during challenging times. The unit also encourages pupils to engage with singing techniques, including breath control using the diaphragm and understanding pitch through the solfa ladder. By examining the structure and expression of World War 2 songs, pupils develop their musical interpretation and performance skills.
