Movie Music

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Approach:  One to one
Level: Year 4 and year 8
Focus: Understanding purpose and function of music  
Resources:
Audio tracks on laptop computer, 8 cards
FRAME 224Kb
Questions/instructions:  

This activity uses the computer. Click the Movie Music button.
In this activity, you are going to listen to two different pieces of music that might be used for a movie.

As you listen to each piece, think about:
- the kind of movie that it would be used in
- what is happening in the music to make you think that.

Spread out eight cards in front of student.

Use these ideas to help you think about and describe the music. Here is the first piece.
Click Clip 1 button. [“Magic Sleeping Spell” from “Waiata Reka”.]
1. What kind of movie might this music be used in?
Movie Music
2. What was happening in the music to make you think that?
3. Tell me about some of the interesting things you heard in the music.
 
% responses
2008 ('04)
y4
y8
Choice of type of movie and justification: strong discussion 7 (6) 19 (25)
moderate mention 61 (59) 67 (63)
weak 32 (35) 14 (12)
Discussion of instrumentation, pitch range: strong 0 (1) 2 (2)
moderate 10 (7) 18 (19)
weak 49 (37) 55 (46)
absent 41 (55) 25 (33)
Discussion of dynamics/ orchestration/texture: strong 0 (1) 1 (1)
moderate 4 (3) 10 (7)
weak 32 (39) 34 (42)
absent 64 (57) 55 (50)
Discussion of rhythmic/ tempo elements: strong 0 (0) 0 (0)
moderate 3 (6) 8 (9)
weak 34 (34) 40 (35)
absent 63 (60) 52 (56)
Indications of personal response/ engagement/mood/feeling: strong 1 (0) 2 (2)
moderate 10 (12) 20 (16)
weak 43 (27) 39 (33)
absent 46 (61) 39 (49)
Overall evidence of ability to discuss music: strong 0 (2) 1 (0)
quite strong 4 (4) 15 (18)
moderate 23 (22) 31 (30)
weak 73 (72) 53 (52)
Here is the second piece.
Click Clip 2 button.
[“Fully Functional” from “Star Trek First Contact”.] Repeat questions 1–3 above.
Choice of type of movie and justification: strong discussion 7 (8) 19 (20)
moderate mention 69 (58) 67 (65)
weak 24 (34) 14 (15)
Discussion of instrumentation, pitch range: strong 1 (1) 2 (1)
moderate 9 (9) 20 (22)
weak 44 (48) 44 (41)
absent 46 (42) 34 (36)
Discussion of dynamics/ orchestration/texture: strong 0 (0) 1 (3)
moderate 5 (5) 12 (7)
weak 33 (34) 38 (38)
absent 62 (61) 49 (52)
Discussion of rhythmic/ tempo elements: strong 1 (0) 1 (0)
moderate 6 (8) 15 (18)
weak 43 (47) 54 (51)
absent 50 (45) 30 (31)
Indications of personal response/ engagement/mood/feeling: strong 1 (1) 3 (2)
moderate 8 (12) 16 (14)
weak 39 (22) 39 (41)
absent 52 (65) 42 (43)
Overall evidence of ability to discuss music: strong 1 (1) 2 (2)
quite strong 3 (4) 16 (16)
moderate 26 (30) 36 (36)
weak 70 (65) 46 (46)

Total score:
16–34 4 (6) 18 (14)
12–15 7 (9) 14 (17)
8–11 25 (18) 25 (27)
4–7 39 (33) 32 (30)
0–3 25 (34)
11 (12)
Subgroup Analysis [Click on charts to enlarge] :
Year 4


Year 8


Commentary:
Few students at either year level showed strong ability to discuss music using musical language. Mäori and Pasifika students did this less well than Pakeha students at both year levels. There was little change in performance from 2004 to 2008.