RUTHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HIGH

Class 8T Stage Stage 4

Curriculum Area Music Period Period 4

Topic Soft Rock Date 12/08/2016

Teacher Miss C. Davis

Desired Results

Syllabus Outcomes:

4.4 Demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through exploring, experimenting, improvising, organising,

arranging and composing

4.7 Demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through listening, observing, responding, discriminating,

analysing, discussing and recording musical ideas

4.8 Demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through aural identification and discussion of the features of a

range of repertoire

4.9 Demonstrates musical literacy through the use of notation, terminology, and the reading and interpreting of scores

used in the music selected for study

Understandings:

Students will understand that…

Soft Rock is a mixture of many styles of the

overall Rock genre

The features of Soft Rock are understated

The connections between Soft Rock artists are

very similar in their styles

Soft Rock uses very lyrical and expressive

melodies in their songs – focusing heavily on

Candle in the Wind by Elton John

Essential Questions:

What aspects of Soft Rock are different to the rock

genre in general?

Who is the song Candle in the Wind about?

Why do you think Elton John chose to write about

this person?

How does the music aid in portraying the

composers view of this person? Think about the

concepts of music

Students will know…

The history of Soft Rock – what is specific about

it and how it came to be

o Started around the 1970’s

o Mixture of many styles

o Aimed at those who didn’t like a

The features of Soft Rock

o Melodic

o Gentle tempo

o Often no drums, or soft drums

o Acoustic instruments

Students will be able to…

Identify the features of Soft Rock within a related

song – Candle in the Wind

Answer questions specific to the song analysis and

using the information discussed on Soft Rock in

the lesson

Assessment Evidence

Performance Task(s):

PowerPoint – students to copy points down

Identifying nouns, verbs, adjectives within the

song lyrics

Other Evidence:

Class discussion

Learning Plan

Learning Activities:

1. Open the lesson with the reflective question: “What do you think Soft Rock music is?” this should identify

the students who can recall previous learning and also help to refresh those students who may have missed out or

need bringing up to speed. This also prepares students for new information, and helps to connect previous

learning and new learning. (5mins)

2. Outline what the lesson will involve, and what will be expected of students Explain the activities they will be

engaging with and what level of involvement is needed (5mins)

3. Introduce Soft Rock as a subtopic to Rock Music. Do any students know what Soft Rock is? Can they name any

bands? (10mins)

4. Students to explain what they understand about the points on the PowerPoint. Students are to write down in their

workbooks these points. What aspects do they predict they will hear of Soft Rock in the song? (5mins)

5. Listening Activity – students are given an overall listening to Candle in the Wind. Ask them to really listen to

the lyrics and the style of each section. Go through each question as a class. (25mins)

6. Quick recap of lesson and then students are allowed to leave

Soft rock

History of Soft Rock

• Became popular in the 1970’s

• Mixture of many styles:• Ballad

• Folk Rock

• Country Music

• Teen Pop

• Music was light and aimed at people who did not like the extremes of heavy rock and art rock

Features of Soft Rock

• Emphasis on the melody à songs were catch and easy to sing

• Gentle, relaxed speed à easy listening

• Gentle drum beat, sometimes no drums at all

• Acoustic instruments à piano, guitar

Soft Rock Artists

• Elton John

• ABBA

• Neil Young

• The Carpenters

• Fleetwood Mac

Elton John

• Born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in 1947

• At age 15, became a weekend pianist at a local pub

• Has won multiple prestigious awards• BRIT award• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame• Lifelong Achievement Award

• Grammy Award (5 in total)

Candle in the Wind

• Very good example of the Ballad style

• Song is about a very famous actress à see if you can guess who!

• Personal perspective of her life

Candle in the Wind

Listening Questions

Who is Norma Jean?

Marilyn Monroe

Why is this person famous?

They were an actress

What is the drum beat like? Is it fast or slow, simple or complex?

It is a simple rhythm at a moderate tempo

Is the beat important in this song?

Yes it is, it keeps the music moving and gives it a sense of time

Which other instruments can you hear accompanying the song?

Guitars – electric/acoustic/bass, Vocals – background

What happens to the melody in the chorus? How many voices can you hear?

The melody rises in pitch, reaching it’s peak at the line “And I would have liked to have known you but I was just a kid.” Main vocal line with three backing vocals enter at the chorus.

Is this a dancing or listening song?

This is a listening song. The ballad style with a slower beat and simple piano accompaniment make it easy to listen to.

Billy Joel

• Born William Martin ’Billy’ Joel in 1949

• Most famous for:• Piano Man

• Uptown Girl

Piano Man

• What instruments can you hear?

• Is it a fast or slow tempo?

• What story do the lyrics portray?

Keyboard

Practical Activity

1. Using the music provided and the keyboards, have a go at playing Piano Man

2. Make sure you are starting on the right note – ask for help if you need it!

3. How is the Left Hand moving? Is it moving in steps, skips or leaps? Which direction is it moving? Ascending or descending (Up or down)?

"Candle In The Wind" Verse 1 Goodbye, Norma Jean, though I never knew you at all You had the grace to hold yourself while those around you crawled They crawled out of the woodwork and they whispered into your brain They set you on the treadmill and they made you change your name Chorus And it seems to me you lived your life like a candle in the wind Never knowing who to cling to when the rain set in And I would have liked to have known you but I was just a kid Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did Verse 2 Loneliness was tough, the toughest role you ever played Hollywood created a superstar and pain was the price you paid Even when you died. Oh the press still hounded you All the papers had to say was that Marilyn was found in the nude Chorus And it seems to me you lived your life like a candle in the wind Never knowing who to cling to when the rain set in And I would have liked to have known you but I was just a kid Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did Verse 3 Goodbye, Norma Jean, though I never knew you at all You had the grace to hold yourself while those around you crawled Goodbye Norma Jean from the young man in the 22nd row Who sees you as something as more than sexual, more than just our Marilyn Monroe Chorus And it seems to me you lived your life like a candle in the wind Never knowing who to cling to when the rain set in And I would have liked to have known you but I was just a kid Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did

Listening Questions

1. Who is Norma Jean?

2. Why is this person famous?

3. What is the drum beat like? Is it fast or slow, simple or

complex?

4. Is the beat important in this song?

5. Which other instruments can you hear accompanying the

song?

6. What happens to the melody in the chorus? How many voices

can you hear?

7. Is this a dancing or listening song?