Music History - Practical Resources for 11-14s

Subject: Music
Level: Secondary
Age Group: 11 - 14
Order Number: 11076

This original, fun material is designed to help students aged 11-14 learn about different eras of Western musical history through varied practical, visual and kinaesthetic exercises. Key elements of Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern music are explored through motivating and entertaining composing, listening, appraising and performing tasks. The resource was written in response to much of the existing material for teaching music history which concentrates on writing lists of facts and often serves to put students off the topic! In many schools it seems that music history has disappeared from music lessons completely. The aim of this new resource is not to require students to write lists of composers and dates in a way that they are unable to relate to, but to bring music from different historical eras to life through engaging practical tasks.

The resource comprises suggestions for starter activities and lots of worksheets with composing, performing and listening activities. There are alternative tasks so teachers can choose which they want students to do according to the facilities they have available. Worksheets are written in easily accessible language and there are lots of opportunities for students to perform their own compositions to their peers for appraisal. The emphasis is largely on practical engagement, though there are also a few written tasks, which are used to cement students' knowledge. Because students learn in different ways, the variety of tasks allows all students to find ways of engaging with the material.