Music in My School was already unique – and it just got so much better!
The program caters for teachers with any level of music teaching experience and supports them to develop their skills and deliver well structured music learning activities.
music in my school
The Music in My School program began as an inquiry-based, live performance experience, developed by Dr Anita Collins and presented by Ginninderry and Icon Water, with curriculum aligned teaching notes written by Dr Eloise Fisher and Nicola Bartasek.
These extended Music in My School – Time Traveller lesson packs were developed with additional support from Ginninderry and in consultation with Dr Collins and Elizabeth Phingst.
Our aim in Music in My School is to share the joy of music with children and teachers, knowing that quality musical education is associated with a myriad of benefits for academic, social, and personal development.
Using these lesson plans
The Music in My School – Time Traveller program is focused on one piece of music: Paganini’s Caprice No. 24, opus 1. Written for solo violin in 1817, this famous tune has inspired performers and composers for generations. The piece consists of a main theme followed by 11 variations and a concluding section.
The program explores this piece through different variations, exploring the central element of rhythm along with other musical concepts. For each variation, we ‘time travel’ to a period in musical history – Medieval, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Twentieth Century.
These teaching materials are designed to be used by both specialist music teachers and generalist primary school teachers.
Each focus element includes:
- A summary of the musical activities: a quick reminder or inspiration.
- Detailed, step-by-step lesson plans for each musical activity to support teaching.
The activities can be completed in any order, although it would be beneficial to listen to the main theme first and to complete some activities from each period of music history.
LESSON PLANS: YEARs 3 / 4
Focus element – rhythm
Focus piece – Main theme from Paganini’s Caprice No. 24
Unit #1: Feeling the rhythm [PDF 338KB]
Lesson 1.1 [PDF 248KB] 10 minutes
Explore the use of beat in the main theme from Paganini’s Caprice No. 24
Lesson 1.2 [PDF 235KB] 25 minutes
Explore the use of rhythm in the main theme from Paganini’s Caprice No. 24 and create and perform movements to the rhythmic patterns
Lesson 1.3 [PDF 231KB] 15 minutes
Perform a rhythmic and melodic ostinato to accompany the main theme from Paganini’s Caprice No. 24
Lesson 1.4 [PDF 188KB] 10 minutes
Explore different types of orchestral string instruments and the ways they can be played
Focus elements – pitch, texture
Focus piece – “Dies Irae” (Gregorian chant)
Unit #2: Medieval madness: monks and monasteries [PDF 273KB]
Lesson 2.1 [PDF 195KB] 8-12 minutes
Become familiar with a Gregorian chant and its features
Lesson 2.2 [PDF 231KB] 20-30 minutes
Create and perform contemporary chants, delivering an important message or information
Lesson 2.3 [PDF 229KB] 15-20 minutes
Become familiar with monophonic texture
Focus element – texture
Focus piece – Bach’s Fugue in G minor
Unit #3: Baroque glitz and glamour [PDF 383KB]
Mr Bach: poem [MP3 597KB]
Mr Bach: vocal + piano [MP3 702KB]
Lesson 3.1 [PDF 225KB] 5-8 minutes
Become familiar with Bach’s Fugue in G minor, focusing on rhythm
Lesson 3.2 [PDF 230KB] 8-15 minutes
Become familiar with stylistic features from the Baroque period
Lesson 3.3 [PDF 295KB] 15-25 minutes
Discuss, rehearse and perform arrangements of Bach’s Fugue in G minor
Lesson 3.4 [PDF 196KB] 15-20 minutes
Create a short dance that represents a staggered melody (canon)
Focus element – structure
Focus piece – Mozart’s “A Little Night Music”
Unit #4: Classical clarity and balance [PDF 285KB]
Lesson 4.1 [PDF 189KB] 5-8 minutes
Identify the sections in the beginning of the Minuet and Trio from Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusik
Lesson 4.2 [PDF 227KB] 5-8 minutes
Identify and conduct the beat in the Minuet and Trio from Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusik
Lesson 4.3 [PDF 198KB] 20 minutes
Demonstrate an awareness of 3/4 metre by creating a dance
Lesson 4.4 [PDF 197KB] 20 minutes
Build singing capacity and demonstrate an understanding of structure
Focus elements – dynamics and expressive techniques
Focus piece – Schumann’s “Scenes from Childhood”
Unit #5: Romantic expression and emotion [PDF 288KB]
Lesson 5.1 [PDF 228KB] 5-8 minutes
Listen to and compare Schumann’s “Scenes from Childhood” with known pieces
Lesson 5.2 [PDF 232KB] 15-20 minutes
Use tempo and dynamics to change the mood and style of a known piece
Lesson 5.3 [PDF 230KB] 20-40 minutes
Investigate the use of and change in instruments in the Romantic period
Lesson 5.4 [PDF 235KB] 5-8 minutes
Make connections between music and emotions
Lesson 5.5 [PDF 225KB] 10 minutes
Make connections between poetry and music
Focus element – timbre
Focus piece – Sculthorpe’s Kakadu
Unit #6: Twentieth Century rule breaking [PDF 306KB]
Lesson 6.1 [PDF 230KB] 5-10 minutes
Use imagination in responding to Sculthorpe’s Kakadu
Lesson 6.2 [PDF 208KB] 5-10 minutes
Describe the timbre (tone colour) of an excerpt from Sculthorpe’s Kakadu
Lesson 6.3 [PDF 247KB] 5-10 minutes
Explore ways of using voice to create different timbres
Lesson 6.4 [PDF 212KB] 20-25 minutes
Experiment with timbre to create a soundscape of the Australian bush
Lesson 6.5 [PDF 207KB] 5-10 minutes
Identify and describe the use of the didgeridoo in Kakadu
LESSON PLANS: YEARs 5 / 6
Focus element – rhythm
Focus piece – Main theme from Paganini’s Caprice No. 24
Unit #1: Feeling the rhythm [PDF 403KB]
Lesson 1.1 [PDF 256KB] 10 minutes
Explore the use of beat and phrasing in the main theme from Paganini’s Caprice No. 24
Lesson 1.2 [PDF 299KB] 30-40 minutes
Explore the use of rhythm in the main theme from Paganini’s Caprice No. 24 and create and perform movements to the rhythmic patterns
Lesson 1.3 [PDF 232KB] 15 minutes
Perform a rhythmic and melodic ostinato to accompany the main theme from Paganini’s Caprice No. 24
Focus elements – pitch, texture
Focus piece – “Dies Irae” (Gregorian chant)
Unit #2: Medieval madness: monks and monasteries [PDF 279KB]
Lesson 2.1 [PDF 197KB] 8-12 minutes
Become familiar with a Gregorian chant and its features
Lesson 2.2 [PDF 232KB] 20-30 minutes
Create and perform contemporary chants, delivering an important message or information
Lesson 2.3 [PDF 231KB] 15-20 minutes
Become familiar with monophonic texture
Focus element – texture
Focus piece – Bach’s Fugue in G minor
Unit #3: Baroque glitz and glamour [PDF 357KB]
Mr Bach: poem [MP3 597KB]
Mr Bach: vocal + piano [MP3 702KB]
Mr Bach: two-part round [MP3 876KB]
Lesson 3.1 [PDF 226KB] 5-8 minutes
Become familiar with Bach’s Fugue in G minor, focusing on rhythm
Lesson 3.2 [PDF 234KB] 8-15 minutes
Become familiar with stylistic features from the Baroque period
Lesson 3.3 [PDF 299KB] 15-25 minutes
Discuss, rehearse and perform arrangements of Bach’s Fugue in G minor
Lesson 3.4 [PDF 197KB] 15-20 minutes
Create a short dance that represents polyphonic texture
Focus element – structure
Focus piece – Mozart’s “A Little Night Music”
Unit #4: Classical clarity and balance [PDF 287KB]
Lesson 4.1 [PDF 189KB] 5-8 minutes
Identify the sections in the beginning of the Minuet and Trio from Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusik
Lesson 4.2 [PDF 228KB] 5-8 minutes
Identify and conduct the beat in the Minuet and Trio from Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusik
Lesson 4.3 [PDF 199KB] 20 minutes
Demonstrate an awareness of 3 / 4 metre by creating a dance
Lesson 4.4 [PDF 197KB] 20 minutes
Build singing capacity and demonstrate an understanding of structure
Focus elements – dynamics and expressive techniques
Focus piece – Schumann’s “Scenes from Childhood”
Unit #5: Romantic expression and emotion [PDF 295KB]
Lesson 5.1 [PDF 288KB] 5-8 minutes
Listen to and compare Schumann’s “Scenes from Childhood” with known pieces
Lesson 5.2 [PDF 233KB] 15-20 minutes
Use tempo and dynamics to change the mood and style of a known piece
Lesson 5.3 [PDF 231KB] 20-40 minutes
Investigate the use of and change in instruments in the Romantic period
Lesson 5.4 [PDF 228KB] 5-8 minutes
Make connections between music and emotions
Lesson 5.5 [PDF 231KB] 20-30 minutes
Investigate the connection between poetry and music
Focus element – timbre
Focus piece – Sculthorpe’s Kakadu
Unit #6: Twentieth Century rule breaking [PDF 314KB]
Lesson 6.1 [PDF 231KB] 5-10 minutes
Use imagination in responding to Sculthorpe’s Kakadu
Lesson 6.2 [PDF 207KB] 5-10 minutes
Describe the melody in Sculthorpe’s Djilile
Lesson 6.3 [PDF 208KB] 5-10 minutes
Describe the timbre (tone colour) of an excerpt from Kakadu
Lesson 6.4 [PDF 247KB] 5-10 minutes
Explore ways of using voice to create different timbres
Lesson 6.5 [PDF 210KB] 20-25 minutes
Experiment with timbre to create a soundscape of the Australian bush
Lesson 6.6 [PDF 206KB] 5-10 minutes
Identify and describe the use of the didgeridoo in Kakadu
MUSIC IN MY SCHOOL LESSON PACKS SUPPORTED BY
