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Programming 1: Music
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ARCHIVED Year 5: Programming 1: Music: Sonic Pi

Applying programming skills to create sounds and melodies leading to a battle of the bands performance.

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  2. Computing > Upper key stage 2 > ARCHIVED Year 5: Programming 1: Music: Sonic Pi (laptop and desktop users)
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This unit has now been replaced by the Year 5 unit Programming 1: Music. Kapow no longer updates these lessons, and they may not reflect the national curriculum or current guidance. They remain a permanent part of your subscription and will continue to be available for reference and use. We recommend that you explore the new versions of the lessons.

Unit outcomes

Pupils who are secure will be able to:

  • Iterate ideas, testing and changing throughout the lesson.
  • Explain what the basic commands do: ‘play’, ‘slee’p, ‘2.times do’.
  • Explain how their program links to the theme. Include a loop in their work. Correct their own simple mistakes.
  • Explain their scene in the story. Link musical concepts to their scene.
  • Include a live loop and explain its function. Use samples effectively to enhance music.
  • Code a piece of music that combines a variety of structures. Use loops in their programming. Recognise that programming music is a way to apply their skills.

Suggested prior learning

Archived unit: Programming 1: Further coding with Scratch (ARCHIVED)

There is also a “Scratch” version of this unit available.

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Lessons

Lesson 1: Tinkering with Sonic Pi

  • To tinker with a new piece of software.
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Lesson 2: Sonic soundtracks

  • To create a program that plays themed music.
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Lesson 3: Musical storytelling

  • To plan a soundtrack program.
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Lesson 4: Live loops

  • To program a soundtrack.
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Lesson 5: Battle of the bands

  • To program music for a specific purpose.
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Key skills

  • Predicting how software will
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Key knowledge

  • To know that a
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Key vocabulary

beat

buffer

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Related content

    Resources

Unit resources

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Computing

Knowledge Organiser – Computing Y5: Sonic Pi

Aimed at pupils, a single page which gives key facts and definitions from the unit "Archived unit: Programming 1: Music:…

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Computing

Vocabulary display – Computing Y5: Programming music version 1

A display version of the vocabulary from the Programming music unit.

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Cross-curricular opportunities

Music.

English: Reading – comprehension.

Suggested next steps

Programming 2: BBC micro:bit

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