Music (Version 8.4)

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Rationale

This rationale complements and extends the rationale for The Arts learning area.
Music is uniquely an aural art form. The essential nature of music is abstract. Music encompasses existing sounds that are selected and shaped, new sounds created by composers and performers, and the placement of sounds in time and space.

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Aims

In addition to the overarching aims of the Australian Curriculum: The Arts, music knowledge, understanding and skills ensure that, individually and collaboratively, students develop:

the confidence to be creative, innovative, thoughtful, skilful and informed musicians

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Structure

Learning in Music
Students learning Music listen, perform and compose. They learn about the elements of music comprising rhythm, pitch, dynamics and expression, form and structure, timbre and texture.

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Example of knowledge and skills

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Years 5 and 6

Years 5 and 6 Band Description

In Years 5 and 6, students draw on artworks from a range of cultures, times and locations. They explore the arts of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and of the Asia region and learn that they are used for different purposes. While the arts in the local community should be the initial focus for learning, students are also aware of and interested in the arts from more distant locations and the curriculum provides opportunities to build on this curiosity. 

As they make and respond to the arts, students explore meaning and interpretation, and social and cultural contexts of the arts. They evaluate the use of forms and elements in artworks they make and observe.

Students extend their understanding of safety in the arts. In Years 5 and 6, their understanding of the roles of artists and audiences builds on previous bands. They develop their understanding and use of performance or technical skills to communicate intention for different audiences. They identify a variety of audiences for different arts experiences as they engage with more diverse artworks as artists and audiences.

In Music, students:

  • further their understanding of rhythm, pitch, dynamics and expression, form and structure, timbre and texture in music
  • extend their understanding and use of aural skills as they sing and play independent parts against contrasting parts and recognise instrumental, vocal and digitally generated sounds
  • explore and use rhythm, pitch, dynamics and expression, form and structure, timbre and texture in music they perform and compose
  • explore meaning and interpretation, forms and elements of music as they make and respond to music.

Years 5 and 6 Content Descriptions

Explore dynamics and expression, using aural skills to identify and perform rhythm and pitch patterns (ACAMUM088 - Scootle )
Critical and Creative Thinking

Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
  • Consider alternatives
  • Seek solutions and put ideas into action

Reflecting on thinking and processes
  • Transfer knowledge into new contexts

Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
  • Identify and clarify information and ideas
  • Organise and process information

Numeracy

Recognising and using patterns and relationships
  • Recognise and use patterns and relationships

Estimating and calculating with whole numbers
  • Understand and use numbers in context

  • experimenting with elements of music by improvising patterns, phrases and melodies
    Personal and Social Capability

    Self-awareness
    • Develop reflective practice
    • Understand themselves as learners

    Self-management
    • Become confident, resilient and adaptable

    Numeracy

    Estimating and calculating with whole numbers
    • Understand and use numbers in context

    Recognising and using patterns and relationships
    • Recognise and use patterns and relationships

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Reflecting on thinking and processes
    • Transfer knowledge into new contexts
    • Reflect on processes

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures
    • Apply logic and reasoning

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives

    Literacy

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts
    • Listen and respond to learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

  • identifying and describing features of rhythm, melody and structure that create effects in their improvisations
    Literacy

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Deliver presentations
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Listen and respond to learning area texts
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Personal and Social Capability

    Self-awareness
    • Understand themselves as learners
    • Develop reflective practice

    Social awareness
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives

    Self-management
    • Become confident, resilient and adaptable

  • manipulating the timbre of a range of instruments and voices to create and vary mood or atmosphere
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives

    Reflecting on thinking and processes
    • Reflect on processes
    • Think about thinking (metacognition)

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures
    • Draw conclusions and design a course of action

    Personal and Social Capability

    Self-awareness
    • Develop reflective practice

    Self-management
    • Express emotions appropriately

  • interpreting dynamics and expression in a range of notated music by singing, playing and improvising
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures
    • Apply logic and reasoning

    Reflecting on thinking and processes
    • Reflect on processes
    • Think about thinking (metacognition)

  • Considering viewpoints – meanings and interpretations: For example – How does the composer indicate dynamics in this piece? How does the performer show emotion in this piece?
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

Develop technical and expressive skills in singing and playing instruments with understanding of rhythm, pitch and form in a range of pieces, including in music from the community (ACAMUM089 - Scootle )
Numeracy

Estimating and calculating with whole numbers
  • Understand and use numbers in context

Recognising and using patterns and relationships
  • Recognise and use patterns and relationships

  • rehearsing a range of unison and part music individually and in ensemble to develop contrast in music they sing and play
    Personal and Social Capability

    Social management
    • Work collaboratively

    Self-awareness
    • Develop reflective practice
    • Understand themselves as learners

    Self-management
    • Work independently and show initiative

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action

  • practising their singing and playing to explore and develop technical skills in solo and ensemble music, for example, practising to accurately interpret rhythm and pitch
    Personal and Social Capability

    Self-awareness
    • Understand themselves as learners
    • Develop reflective practice

    Self-management
    • Become confident, resilient and adaptable
    • Work independently and show initiative
    • Develop self-discipline and set goals

    Social management
    • Work collaboratively

  • rehearsing and refining performances in an expressive manner to communicate meaning, for example, songs from the community
    Personal and Social Capability

    Self-awareness
    • Understand themselves as learners
    • Develop reflective practice

    Social management
    • Work collaboratively

    Self-management
    • Express emotions appropriately
    • Work independently and show initiative

    Social awareness
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Reflecting on thinking and processes
    • Reflect on processes
    • Transfer knowledge into new contexts

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action

  • composing, rehearsing and performing songs and instrumental pieces using scores in a range of forms
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Imagine possibilities and connect ideas
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action
    • Consider alternatives

    Reflecting on thinking and processes
    • Transfer knowledge into new contexts

    Personal and Social Capability

    Self-management
    • Express emotions appropriately
    • Work independently and show initiative

    Social management
    • Work collaboratively

    Self-awareness
    • Develop reflective practice
    • Understand themselves as learners

    Social awareness
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives

  • improvising, rehearsing and performing using technologies
    Personal and Social Capability

    Self-management
    • Develop self-discipline and set goals
    • Become confident, resilient and adaptable

    Self-awareness
    • Understand themselves as learners
    • Develop reflective practice

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action
    • Imagine possibilities and connect ideas

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability

    Creating with ICT
    • Generate solutions to challenges and learning area tasks

    Managing and operating ICT
    • Select and use hardware and software

Rehearse and perform music including music they have composed by improvising, sourcing and arranging ideas and making decisions to engage an audience (ACAMUM090 - Scootle )
Personal and Social Capability

Self-management
  • Become confident, resilient and adaptable
  • Develop self-discipline and set goals

Social management
  • Make decisions
  • Communicate effectively

Self-awareness
  • Develop reflective practice
  • Understand themselves as learners

Social awareness
  • Appreciate diverse perspectives

Critical and Creative Thinking

Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
  • Organise and process information
  • Identify and clarify information and ideas

Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
  • Consider alternatives
  • Seek solutions and put ideas into action
  • Imagine possibilities and connect ideas

  • improvising and experimenting with combinations of sounds and technologies to create moods and atmospheres
    Personal and Social Capability

    Self-awareness
    • Understand themselves as learners
    • Develop reflective practice

    Self-management
    • Develop self-discipline and set goals
    • Become confident, resilient and adaptable

    Social management
    • Make decisions

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Reflecting on thinking and processes
    • Reflect on processes

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action
    • Imagine possibilities and connect ideas

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures
    • Apply logic and reasoning

    Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability

    Creating with ICT
    • Generate solutions to challenges and learning area tasks

    Managing and operating ICT
    • Select and use hardware and software

  • organising, developing and refining ideas by experimenting with structure
    Personal and Social Capability

    Self-awareness
    • Develop reflective practice
    • Understand themselves as learners

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action
    • Consider alternatives

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Reflecting on thinking and processes
    • Transfer knowledge into new contexts
    • Reflect on processes

  • exploring rhythm, pitch and dynamics and expression to create contrast, repetition and balance to develop compositions for performance
    Personal and Social Capability

    Self-awareness
    • Develop reflective practice
    • Understand themselves as learners

    Self-management
    • Develop self-discipline and set goals
    • Become confident, resilient and adaptable

    Numeracy

    Recognising and using patterns and relationships
    • Recognise and use patterns and relationships

    Estimating and calculating with whole numbers
    • Understand and use numbers in context

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability

    Creating with ICT
    • Generate solutions to challenges and learning area tasks

  • Considering viewpoints – forms and elements: For example – Which style of music is this? What musical clues helped you to decide?
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

  • presenting performances using internet-based technologies, including social media
    Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability

    Communicating with ICT
    • Collaborate, share and exchange
    • Understand computer mediated communications

    Managing and operating ICT
    • Select and use hardware and software

    Creating with ICT
    • Generate solutions to challenges and learning area tasks

Explain how the elements of music communicate meaning by comparing music from different social, cultural and historical contexts, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music (ACAMUR091 - Scootle )
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
Critical and Creative Thinking

Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
  • Identify and clarify information and ideas
  • Organise and process information

Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
  • Consider alternatives
  • Seek solutions and put ideas into action

Intercultural Understanding

Recognising culture and developing respect
  • Explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices
  • Develop respect for cultural diversity

Interacting and empathising with others
  • Consider and develop multiple perspectives

Reflecting on intercultural experiences and taking responsibility
  • Reflect on intercultural experiences

Literacy

Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
  • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts
  • Use language to interact with others
  • Compose texts

Word Knowledge
  • Understand learning area vocabulary

Text knowledge
  • Use knowledge of text structures

Personal and Social Capability

Social awareness
  • Appreciate diverse perspectives

  • discussing personal preferences for music from a range of contexts and cultures, using music terminology
    Personal and Social Capability

    Social management
    • Communicate effectively

    Social awareness
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives

    Self-management
    • Express emotions appropriately

    Self-awareness
    • Understand themselves as learners
    • Develop reflective practice

    Literacy

    Grammar knowledge
    • Express opinion and point of view

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Use language to interact with others

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action
    • Consider alternatives

  • participating in and responding to music from a variety of contexts and cultures as both audience members and performers
    Literacy

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
    • Listen and respond to learning area texts
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Intercultural Understanding

    Interacting and empathising with others
    • Consider and develop multiple perspectives

    Recognising culture and developing respect
    • Develop respect for cultural diversity
    • Explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices

    Personal and Social Capability

    Social awareness
    • Appreciate diverse perspectives

    Self-awareness
    • Understand themselves as learners
    • Develop reflective practice

    Self-management
    • Express emotions appropriately

    Social management
    • Communicate effectively

  • providing and responding to feedback to refine performances and compositions
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Organise and process information
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas

    Literacy

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
    • Listen and respond to learning area texts
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Use language to interact with others
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Personal and Social Capability

    Self-awareness
    • Develop reflective practice
    • Recognise personal qualities and achievements
    • Understand themselves as learners

    Self-management
    • Develop self-discipline and set goals
    • Become confident, resilient and adaptable

  • Considering viewpoints – evaluations: For example – What do you like about this music and why?
  • identifying and comparing how the elements of music are used and combined in different music styles from different cultures
    Critical and Creative Thinking

    Generating ideas, possibilities and actions
    • Consider alternatives
    • Seek solutions and put ideas into action

    Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas
    • Identify and clarify information and ideas
    • Organise and process information

    Literacy

    Comprehending texts through listening, reading and viewing
    • Interpret and analyse learning area texts
    • Navigate, read and view learning area texts
    • Listen and respond to learning area texts

    Composing texts through speaking, writing and creating
    • Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts

    Word Knowledge
    • Understand learning area vocabulary

    Intercultural Understanding

    Recognising culture and developing respect
    • Develop respect for cultural diversity
    • Explore and compare cultural knowledge, beliefs and practices

    Reflecting on intercultural experiences and taking responsibility
    • Reflect on intercultural experiences

    Interacting and empathising with others
    • Consider and develop multiple perspectives

  • Considering viewpoints – societies and cultures: For example – How do different cultures use music? Why is this piece of music important in this culture?

Years 5 and 6 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 6, students explain how ideas are communicated in artworks they make and to which they respond. They describe characteristics of artworks from different social, historical and cultural contexts that influence their art making.

Students structure elements and processes of arts subjects to make artworks that communicate meaning. They work collaboratively to share artworks for audiences, demonstrating skills and techniques.

By the end of Year 6, students explain how the elements of music are used to communicate meaning in the music they listen to, compose and perform. They describe how their music making is influenced by music and performances from different cultures, times and places.

Students use rhythm, pitch and form symbols and terminology to compose and perform music. They sing and play music in different styles, demonstrating aural, technical and expressive skills by singing and playing instruments with accurate pitch, rhythm and expression in performances for audiences.


Years 5 and 6 Work Sample Portfolios