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Music planning process

Developing a 10 week plan

Jenny Boyack, contract director and facilitator for the Massey University, College of Education's arts professional development programme in schools, prepared this example of a music planning process. The planning process below is suitable for whole school planning, team planning, and could also be adapted for use by individual teachers.

To begin your planning, consider these questions:

  1. What would you like children to be able to do (skills), to know/understand, and to have experienced in their time at school?
    The answer to this question becomes the "Music wish list".
  2. What should/could children do at various levels of the school? If children are to develop particular skills or knowledge (e.g., playing the recorder, reading music) consider preparatory or sequential needs in order for them to learn these skills.
  3. Which focus areas should you choose for your music programme in each level of the school? Some examples of these are:
    • activity-based (singing, playing, listening, moving, representing, creating)
    • element-based (beat, rhythm, pitch, tone colour, tempo, dynamics)
    • theme/context-based (e.g., myths and legends, the planets, machines)
    • strand-based (DI, PK, CI, UC)
    • toi puoro, Māori music

A balance of approaches is desirable. When coming up with focus areas, it is vital to consult long-term plans and the overall school events timetable so that the classroom music programme supports other musical events happening throughout the school. Once the focus areas have been selected, allocate one focus area to each half term and place the focus areas on a grid (see example 10-week grid).

Example 10-week grid (PDF 14 KB)

Note: This is the point where the "Music wish list" needs to be consulted.

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Sample focus list for years 4 to 8

  1. Singing
  2. Toi puoro
  3. Beat versus rhythm
  4. Developing ideas in music
  5. End of year concert
  6. Water (linking to science unit)
  7. Stories and music (linking to language unit)
  8. Playing instruments

Example of a "Music wish list"

Children can

  • become musically confident
  • discuss music knowledgeably
  • manipulate music elements
  • sing in tune
  • sing inharmony (both accompanied and unaccompanied)
  • recognise and play tuned and untuned percussion instruments
    • create own music
    • simple melodies
    • rhythmic pieces
  • soundscapes
  • read basic notation
  • play melodic and harmonic instruments, for example,
    • recorder, koauau
    • guitar, ukelele
    • keyboard
    • tuned percussion
    • appreciate a wide variety of musical styles
  • attend music performances from outside the school community
  • be involved in a range of music performances
  • feel comfortable with the language of music

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For each focus area:

  • Tease out two or three "angles" on the topic (see the 10-week grid). Note the supporting strands (DI, PK, CI, UC) alongside each suggestion on this grid.

    Example 10-week grid (PDF 14 KB)

     
  • Identify assessment points. Choose three or four major assessment points per year and involve children in assessment/reflection activities consistently.
  • As most of you will not be starting with a blank slate, you will be able to "slot in" the activities the children can currently do in the classroom.
  • At this stage, you need to identify resources that will support the programme.
  • Write specific learning outcomes (SLOs) for each "angle" and in consultation with the "Music wish list".
  • Keep asking where these music experiences are taking children in the long-term.
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