Y8 Blues Sow

Unit: The 12 Bar Blues
Music
Year 8
Duration: approximately 6 lessons
About the unit: This unit will explore the musical characteristics of the 12 Bar Blues as well as the historical context that led to its development.
Exploration will take the form of performance, composition and listening skills.
Prior learning
Expectations
In order to complete this unit successfully,

pupils should be able to draw on their
experience of:
Most pupils will: understand the context musical features of blues music through listening and literacy based tasks.
Students will develop their understanding of improvisation within the genre and this will form part of the performance
element of this SOW. As part of performance, students will also develop keyboard skills by learning to play three
fingered chords using the 12 bar structure.
Performance skills from Year 7
Awareness of world music styles
The elements of music
Listening and responding to

different styles of music
Some pupils will not have progressed so far and will: know some features of the style but may not fully
understand how they link and where influenced by the context. In performances, students may require the chords to
be simplified and will work with fewer notes when improvising
Some pupils will have progressed further and will: draw on their own understanding of music and use their own
instruments in performances. They will take the lead in working as a group, use more complicated chords and
rhythms and be able to make contrasts between sections
Stages (split the unit into manageable chunks)

1. Listening and understanding the context of the style listening exercise, reading and discussing, exploring the cultural context
2. Developing an understanding of the building bricks chord structure, improvisation
3. Developing a blues performance by using the building bricks and then performing to an audience
Syllabus Requirements/Programme of Study:
Music
Year 8

Differentiated Learning
Objectives
Activities & resources (How the

students will achieve the
objectives) inc. VAK
Assessment for
Learning
Strategies
Differentiation for AEN and

G & T,
WALT: Understand the musical and

cultural characteristics of the Blues
Suggested Outcomes:
1. Sing Scoobie Doo song or Blues
Success criteria
shared
AEN: Differentiated listening

questions (may be even tick
boxes), Use of highlighters to
make keywords clear, Definitions
of keywords given on sheets,
mix of questions some
requiring a sentence
WILF (all), Be able to describe some

musical and cultural contexts of the
Blues
(Most), Describe using musical
terminology the musical and cultural
features of the blues
(Some) Explain how the musical
features developed as a result of the
cultural issues
WALT: Develop improvisation skills in
the context of the Blues
Suggested Outcomes:
WILF: (all), Be able to improvise
using an appropriate rhythm in time
with a suitable backing
(Most) Improvise using appropriate
pitch and rhythm, in two bar phrases
with a backing
(Some) Improvise using an extended
range of pitch with an awareness of
structure and phrasing
to a Bone or any other similar

blues style song discuss the
blues stylistic features
2. Read information sheets on the
Blues style
3. Watch blues video from Learning
Objects
4. Listening exercise (assessed and
marks recorded into
spreadsheet)
1. Sing another blues song with an

appropriate backing and identify
the length of phrases
2. Introduction to improvisation
discuss what is meant by
improvisation and what makes a
successful improvisation, follow
this up with teacher
demonstrations and/or watching
appropriate video from Learning
Objects
3. Give the students the Blues scale
and allow them time to practice
using the notes and achieving
the stylistic feel
4. Demonstrations could be done
as a whole class performance
Students are aware

of what they need to
do to improve from
their previous
listening assessment
Cross Curricular Skills

Development (Literacy,
including speaking and
listening; Numeracy;
ICT; Citizenship)
LITERACY: Using musical
keywords, discussion
encouraged, connectives
etc..
G+T: Some open questions

requiring use of full sentences,
questions designed to require
justification and use of musical
terminology
Success criteria used

to guide the lesson
Teacher modelling
followed by student
discussion using the
success criteria
Peer assessment and
teacher assessment
towards the end of
the lesson
AEN: For some students, they

may need just 3 notes which are
marked with highlighter also
try getting them to clap a swung
rhythm and then apply this to
just one note
LITERACY: Discussion
using keywords
G+T: Some students will be

using their own instruments and
can be pushed towards triplet
rhythms
Music
Year 8

where the teacher plays the
chord sequence and each
student improvises for 12 bars at
a time (take a level at this
point for their time keeping
and sense of rhythm)
WALT: Understand the chord

structure of the Blues
Suggested Outcomes:
(ALL) Know what is meant by a chord
and know how to work out the notes
of the chord of C, F and G.
(most) Be able to play the three
chords securely and generally in time
with a backing
(some) A secure understanding and
confidence in playing the chord
sequence.
1. Sing Blues to a bone and listen

to blues ask listening based
questions such as how many
bars does each section for or
how many different chords are
used?
2. Explain what a chord is and how
it is formed using C, F and G as
examples. Using
keyboards/Computers, students
are to learn to play the chords of
the blues and in the correct
order.
3. Perform the blues chord
sequence this could be done as
a Cubase sequencing task if
desired. Assess accuracy and
sense of rhythm
This may take two lessons

to guide the lesson
Teacher modelling
followed by student
success criteria
Peer assessment and
teacher assessment
towards the end of
the lesson
AEN: Students will struggle with

three fingered chords, so start
with two fingered chords and
build up. Students may require
dry wipe markers to indicate
where keys are
LITERACY: Ask students at

the end to describe to a
partner how a chord is
formed using a range of
keywords a good way to
assess understanding
G+T: Encourage to use swung

rhythms and some students may
wish to add 7ths to some chords
or experiment with the minor
equivilant
ICT: Using Cubase,

students can practice
playing their chords to a
backing beat a project
template will be in the N:
Drive/Music/Year 8
Music
Year 8

WALT: Be able to perform in the style
of the blues
WILF: (all), Take part in a group
performance contributing either the
chords or the melody
(most), Perform with an awareness
of the style swung rhythm and use
of correct chords/scale etc.
(some), Perform with a clear sense of
style and confidence
1. Launch performance task for

assessment. Working in twos,
one student will play a chord
sequence and the other will
improvise a melody using the
notes of the blues scale.
Assessed features should include
ability to stay in time, security of
pitch and a sense of style. (Allow
students no more than 1.5
lessons for the assessment)
2. The students will structure their
work in Ternary form this can
be altered for certain students
3. Perform and assess according to
the assessment criteria

to guide the lesson
Teacher modelling
followed by student
success criteria
Peer assessment and
teacher assessment
towards the end of
the lesson
AEN: Students will probably

have more success playing the
melody part again encourage
them to start with just 3 notes
and build up
G+T: added 7ths, minor equivs,
triplets, contrasts between
sections and use of own
instruments
LITERACY: Discussion and

assessment of
performances should be
made using keywords also
linking the performance
with the stylistic qualities.
Some form of written
evaluation can take place
as a result of these
performances
Depending on the class, this may

take two lessons, although it is
an improvisation task and so
they will not need as long as
usual.

Music
Year 8
Formative Assessment: The formative assessment for this unit will take place in lesson six or when the final performance takes place. Security in
rhythm, pitch and sense of style will be quickly picked up and these issues will be addressed in the following unit as opposed to the usual following
lesson which is the case in other units. The teacher will need to remember that when starting the next performance unit that the issues picked up
here via the to improve criteria are addressed.
Assessment Criteria:
Level 3
Level 4
Performing:
Will be able to improvise a repeated, simple pattern with a limited range of notes and to a very simple crotchet based
rhythm with little or no variation. Difficulties in staying in time with other performers
Listening:
Will recognise some features of the blues
Performing:
Will be able to improvise as part of a group and have an awareness of the other parts (e.g. stay in time). Will have
difficulties in playing the chord sequence, but may be able to do a simplified version.
Listening:
Students recognise features of Blues music and have an awareness of the culture some use of musical terminology
Level 5
Level 6
Performing:
Students will be able to play the chord sequence in time with other students. The improvisation may be more varied and
start to draw on more complicated features such as triplets
Listening:
Students will answer questions that establishes how the culture and background of slaves is reflected in the music
Performing:
Students may be able to perform a chord sequence and play an improvisation at the same time.
Listening:
Students will be able to describe the features of the blues in detail using the correct musical terminology

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Unit: The 12 Bar Blues

Duration: approximately 6 lessons

In order to complete this unit successfully,

Performance skills from Year 7

Awareness of world music styles

The elements of music

Listening and responding to

Stages (split the unit into manageable chunks)

Syllabus Requirements/Programme of Study:

Unit: The 12 Bar Blues

Duration: approximately 6 lessons

Activities & resources (How the

Differentiation for AEN and

WALT: Understand the musical and

1. Sing Scoobie Doo song or Blues

AEN: Differentiated listening

WILF (all), Be able to describe some

to a Bone or any other similar

1. Sing another blues song with an

Students are aware

Cross Curricular Skills

G+T: Some open questions

Success criteria used

AEN: For some students, they

G+T: Some students will be

Unit: The 12 Bar Blues

Duration: approximately 6 lessons

WALT: Understand the chord

1. Sing Blues to a bone and listen

Success criteria used

AEN: Students will struggle with

LITERACY: Ask students at

G+T: Encourage to use swung

ICT: Using Cubase,

Unit: The 12 Bar Blues

Duration: approximately 6 lessons

1. Launch performance task for

Success criteria used

AEN: Students will probably

LITERACY: Discussion and

Depending on the class, this may

Unit: The 12 Bar Blues

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