Shortn'n Bread
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Approach:  One to one
ACCESS
Level: Year 4 and year 8
Focus: Maintaining and creating melodic patterns  
Resources:
Video on laptop computer; chime bars: C,D,E,G,A, High C; beater
FRAME 232Kb
Questions/instructions:  


This activity uses the computer. Click the Shortn’n Bread button.
Hand out C, D and E chime bars.
This activity is explained to you in the video. You will be using some of the chime bars. Before we start, you can practise playing the chime bars so that you know what they sound like. You can do that now.
Allow the student time to become familiar with playing the chime bars. Check that the beater is held appropriately.
Now watch the video and listen to what you have to do.
Click the Intro button.

Now I want you to make up your own pattern to go with the music. Make an interesting repeating pattern. You can use some or all of the chime bars, and in any order. I will play the music again for you to practise with.
Hand out G, A and high C chime bars as well. Allow the student time to make up their pattern. Click the Music button. Allow a second practice, if requested.

Now you can do a special performance. Remember to keep playing until the music stops.
When the student is ready, Click the Music button for the final performance to be recorded on the video.
[No video for Music button ; voiceover counts gives four counts in, accompanied by the C chime bar, followed by singing lyrics only, no accompaniment.]
Intro voiceover: We’re going to listen to the song, Shortn’n Bread. The singer is accompanied by a repeating pattern played on the C, D and E chime bars like this (demonstrates pattern three times – C, D, E, D). Listen to the song and join in with the C, D, E, D pattern (sings lyrics through twice while playing pattern).

[Click on graphic to enlarge.]
 
% responses
2008 ('04)
y4
y8
Playing standard pattern, in time:
maintained the pattern throughout
22 (28)
48 (47)
maintained the pattern for most of piece
20 (17)
21 (18)
settled into the pattern, well after start
14 (14)
12 (17)
played the pattern at some stage, but it was not maintained
27 (27)
12 (14)
pattern not achieved
17 (14)
7 (4)
Inventing and playing own pattern:
(final performance)
complex pattern, using at least four chime bars, maintained generally
3 (2)
8 (9)
simple pattern, using at least four chime bars, maintained generally
15 (15)
28 (26)
complex or simple pattern, using two or three chime bars, maintained generally
7 (9)
17 (18)
standard pattern from previous stage, (three bars) maintained generally
5 (2)
3 (3)
identifiable pattern, but not generally maintained with the beat
19 (23)
20 (19)
no identifiable pattern achieved
51 (49)
24 (25)

Total score:
7–8
6 (7)
22 (24)
5–6
15 (17)
33 (28)
4
20 (19)
19 (19)
2–3
29 (25)
18 (18)
0–1
30 (32)
8 (11)
Subgroup Analysis [Click on charts to enlarge] :
Year 4
Year 8
Commentary:
About 20% of year 4 students and 50% of year 8 students managed this task quite well. On average, girls performed better than boys, with only minor differences among the ethnic subgroups. There was little change in performance from 2004 to 2008.