Year 8

	Topic(s)	Key content to be learned	Assessment
Autumn Term	Practical Topic Reggae	Band Skills Common themes in Reggae music Developing stage presence further Exploring Jamaica and the Caribbean Exploring genres related to reggae music Independent instrument practice Instrument free choice Performance, self-evaluation and feedback Practical skills development Political song writing Understanding the context of Reggae Understanding the meaning of lyrics Working with others in ensembles	An ensemble (minimum 4 members) performance of Bob Marley - Three Little Birds.
Autumn Term	Tech Topic Working with MIDI and Audio	Adjusting note pitch and duration Automating volume and panning Creating a fade out Editing virtual instruments History of recorded sound and MIDI ICT skill development Music before electricity Music sequencing revisited Physical and digital audio formats Recording audio Working with imported audio files	An arrangement of Three Little Birds created using a DAW.
Spring Term	Practical Topic African Drumming	African drumming techniques Developing band leadership skills Exploring West African culture Recognising and playing different note values Performance, self-evaluation and feedback Performing in multiple parts Rhythm and timing Understanding rhythm grids Working with others in ensembles	An ensemble (minimum 4 members) performance of an original piece using Djembe drums.
Spring Term	Tech Topic Drum Sequencing and Basslines	Constructing basic drum beats Creating bass lines using a virtual instrument ICT skill development Playing notes using qwerty keyboards Quantising your notes Using virtual drum machines What is bass?	An original composition with a focus on drum and bass instrument tracks created using a DAW.
Summer Term	Practical Topic Musicals	Characterisation through singing Character song / action song Cross curricular opportunities with Drama Developing vocal skills Each class to learn a song from a musical Genre in musical theatre Improving stage presence Researching different types of musicals Singing in harmony Singing in parts, solo/duet Understanding how music facilitates plot lines Using your full vocal range - Head and Chest voice What are the roles in a musical?	A class performance of Seasons of Love from Rent AND a song from Sweeny Todd
Summer Term	Tech Topic Drum Sequencing and Basslines	Brief history of remixing BPM revisited Controllerism Editing audio Equalisation Famous remixers Looping revisited Texture revisited Turntablism Sound frequency / sine wave What does a DJ actually do? Working with Samples	A remix including sequenced drum beat, stems/loops and given samples.

Hellesdon High School

& Sixth Form Centre

Year 8