Ostinato/Musical Stuctures Idea – Harry Potter Puppet Pals

Part of my reason for setting up the blog was to try and help be part of the solution to the problems I raised in my first column. However it was also to use this blog as a reflective tool for me to become better and get feedback on the work I do. Therefore from time to time I will upload resources / lesson ideas / schemes that I use/have used. These are not definitively the best, they are merely where I’ve got to in my working. They have worked for me in the past, thought this is not to say I’m always going to use them in the future if someone comes along with a different/better idea.

I like to keep changing and evolving!

Anyways, I use this lesson idea to teach Ostinato and Musical Structures hiding a lot of the learning from the kids until after they’ve done it!

L/O Displayed on board – Have you performed your ostinato?

• After a starting activity I’ll ask the pupils to perform their Ostinato’s. They usually look at me completely blankly as I obviously haven’t taught them what that is yet and one or two will usually make some crack over how it’s my job to teach them it and I haven’t done that yet. (Perfect because they’re playing right into my hands)
• Pupils watch Harry Potter Puppet Pals stopping it at 1:15
• I will then inform the class to get into groups and based on designer labels, TV Shows, Movie Characters, Pizza Toppings, Football teams – whatever – to come up with their own version. I tell the kids to be as creative as possible (remembering to ensure it’s classroom appropriate)
• Class divide into groups of their choice and use a new theme to come up with their own version of an ‘ostinato piece’.
• I then ask each group to come up with a second ostinato piece using a different theme. Binary From
• I will then ask to structure their piece using their initial idea, their second idea and then return to the initial idea. Ternary form
• Extension – a third idea ABACA – Rondo form.
• I don’t tell the kids at the time the names of the structures they are using – I may have lesson objectives in envelopes saying to the kids as some sort of magic trick I have written down predictions for some things they will know by the end of the lesson that during the lesson they’ll have no idea they’re learning. Or I may ask them to perform their Ternary form pieces and get greeted by very confused facial expressions. The idea is they learn it by stealth – not aware they can do it. Learning this way round I have found makes things easier with a really positive vibe in the room.
• Performances recorded maybe even video’d and watched back in the lesson

Can also be adapted for a practical yet easily run cover lesson with a non-specialist.

FoxyMusicEd