Introduction to Composing for GCSE Music – Lesson Two

Teaching Ideas

Learning Objective: To provide a framework for creating effective melodies through analysis and understanding exercises.
(Targeting Assessment Objective 2)
Success Criteria: • To start creating a plan for your free composition.
• To develop your understanding of rhythm, melody and sequences.
• To create and perform an effective 4 bar melody.
Context This is the second of a series of lessons aimed at helping pupils prepare for their free composition
for GCSE Music. Each lesson has a different focus and after the 6 lessons, pupils should have a much
greater understanding of how to approach their composition.

In this lesson, pupils will need access to a melodic instrument such as a keyboard/piano or they could
use their own instrument.

Starter
Rhythm (Slide Four)
Show the anagram on rhythm on the board. Ask pupils to guess what it is – give a clue if required! Then ask them to see if they
can explain what it is.

Main Activities
Style Research
Check that pupils have completed their style research home learning work. Collect in their research. Memory Challenge - Select
a few pupils at random and ask if they can explain any of the features of their style from memory. This can be useful as you may
find some pupils copy and paste their research without really reading and understanding it!

Planning Your Composition

Explain to pupils that it is very important to produce a composing plan, as it gives them a sense of direction. Pupils to note their
initial ideas on the Composition Plan Activity Sheet. They’ll be adding to this plan over the next few lessons so they needn’t
worry if they are unsure of some aspects at this point.

Rhythms
Pupils to have a go at clapping the rhythms on the screen. These are quite repetitive and are from well-known songs. Pupils need
to try and name the song. This will hopefully make them realise just how repetitive the rhythm in songs can be.

Melodies
Ask pupils if they can explain what a melody is and what can help to produce an effective melody.

Creating a Melody
Hand out to each pair of pupils a pack of Melody Cards (you’ll need to get these laminated and cut in advance). Pupils to use
a keyboard/piano or their own instrument and experiment with different combinations in order to find what they feel is the
most effective.
Creating a Melody – Pupil Examples
Choose some pupils’ melodies and ask them to stick the large cards onto the screen in the yellow box. Play their melody to the
class (or ask the pupils to do so). Followed by discussion about why it is or isn’t effective.

Sequences and Answers

Remind pupils what a sequence is. Play an example to the class. Students can then use the keyboards, play the pieces on the
Sequences Activity Sheet and circle where the sequences are. This could also be completed by having the teacher play the pieces
for the class. Bring the class back to their seats after 5 minutes and have the students peer-assess or self-assess.

Plenary
Sticky Note Challenge
Hand out sticky notes to pupils. Give pupils 2 minutes to write down what helps to make a melody effective.