Performing Arts Reports

Tracking Reports for S1, S2 and S3

What are we reporting on? 

In Performing Arts, the tracking reports provide a holistic overview of the Curriculum for Excellence level the young person is working at. The young people are working between level 2 and level 4. In each level there are benchmarks for composing, performing and understanding music. In drama there are benchmarks for Character, Creating and Presenting and Reflecting in each level.

What are the young people learning in class? 

S1 Music

Understanding Music: Listening and Literacy (this incorporates identifying instruments, tempos, time signatures and tonality), The Magic Wheel (which incorporates interactive activities), Christmas Music, The Music of Scotland, Styles and Genres from the 20th and 21st Century and Music from Around the World.

Through active learning the young people use problem-solving skills and communication skills to identify concepts (musical words e.g. major, minor, names of instruments, Italian terms for tempo and beats in the bar) through listening to and discussing music excerpts and videos.

Performing: Young people spend term 1 experimenting with the classroom instruments (keyboard, tuned percussion, guitar, ukulele, drum kit and bass guitar). In term 2 they choose 2 instruments to specialise in and they develop skills on these throughout S2 and S3 should they choose music as a subject. Some young people choose to play instruments they are taught outside of the classroom. Young people have the opportunity to perform as soloists and as part of a small group.

Composing: Composing skills are developed through leadership, teamwork, communication and problem solving skills over the course of a variety of activities including; Developing knowledge of rhythm and pitch, developing improvisation skills, composing a piece of Scottish music, composing in a variety of popular music styles, and creating music using instruments from around the world.

S2 Music

Understanding Music: Topic Studied: Music in The Media, Music for Christmas, Showtime, Careers in the Performing Arts, Top of the Pops. 

Through active learning the young people use problem-solving skills and communication skills to identify concepts (musical words e.g. major, minor, names of instruments, Italian terms for tempo and beats in the bar) through listening to and discussing music excerpts and videos.

Performing: Young people continue to develop performing, leadership, and teamwork skills on the two instruments chosen in S1. Some young people choose to play instruments they are taught outside of the classroom. Young people have the opportunity to perform as soloists and as part of a small group.

Composing: Composing skills are developed through leadership, teamwork, communication and problem solving by composing music for Halloween and music for Chinese New Year.

S2 Drama

Through active learning the young people build on the core skill of Working Together developing their teamwork, leadership, communication and problem solving by group working that prepares them for the wider world.

They learn how to work collaboratively in Creating drama for different purposes and develop their confidence in Presenting to an audience of their peers.

They work on Character by developing their Voice and Movement Skills and learn the key concepts of both.

They develop their capacity to Reflect on their drama by offering Opinions on their own work and on others as an active audience. By Evaluating they learn how to make judgements about their skills and how to improve them.

Across S2, the young people learn different elements and forms of drama such as Pantomime, Role Play and Improvisation, Conventions, Mime and Voice work. They also learn about Theatre Arts: Costume, Props, Sound and Lighting and how to create mood and atmosphere because drama is not just about acting.

S3 Music

Understanding Music: Topic Studied: The Instruments of the Orchestra, The Voice, The Music of Scotland and Music from Around the World. Through active learning, the young people use problem-solving skills and communication skills to identify concepts (musical words e.g. major, minor, names of instruments, Italian terms for tempo and beats in the bar) through listening to and discussing music excerpts and videos.

Composing: Young people develop problem-solving, leadership and teamwork skills through exploring a range of composition opportunities. Young people work to compose a piece of programme music (music to represent an image), an Orchestral Remix, Scottish Waltz, Music for a TV programme.

Performing: Young people continue to develop performing, leadership, and teamwork skills on the two instruments chosen in S1. Some young people choose to play instruments they are taught outside of the classroom. 

S3 Music Technology

Understanding Music: Topic Studied: Early 20th Century Technological Developments and Early 20th Century Music, Disco Music, Rock Music, Intellectual Property: Through active learning, the young people use problem-solving and communication skills to identify genres, technological developments, and concepts (musical words e.g. major, minor, names of instruments, Italian terms for tempo and beats in the bar) through listening to and discussing music excerpts and videos.

Music Technology Skills: Young people use problem-solving and teamwork skills to develop their knowledge of the hardware and software used in the music technology classroom.

Music Technology in Context: Projects: Dream Destinations, Audiobook, Halloween Soundscape, Sound Design and Foley for Christmas, Creating Dance Music for Exercise (PBL), Creating Music for a Video Game and Voice Over. Using skills developed in Music Technology Skills, young people use the hardware and software to create mini projects. 

S3 Drama

Through active learning the young people strengthen their core skill of Working Together with greater opportunities for teamwork, leadership, communication and problem solving in a greater variety of drama forms and challenges.

They further develop their skills in Creating drama for different purposes with a greater level of personalisation and choice. They further develop their confidence in Presenting by sustaining roles for longer periods of time and for different audiences.

They further develop their Character through Voice and Movement Skills and rehearsal techniques both to create their own characters as well as acting parts from dramatic texts.

They strengthen their capacity to Reflect on their drama by expressing their Opinions on their own work and on others as an active audience in more detail with reference to a growing understanding of the process of drama. In their Evaluating they learn how to make more in-depth judgements about their skills and how to improve them in more formal written forms as well including technical elements.

Across S3, the young people learn work on projects such as The Trial to develop their Role Play and Improvisation. The Café to develop their Character and Theatre Arts Skills. Devised Drama to develop their Creating and Presenting Skills and Theatre Production to develop their Presenting and Character Skills. They will Evaluate all projects to develop their Reflecting Skills.

In S3, the young people have greater opportunities for developing their skills in areas such as live theatre with in-depth learning about design and technology of: Lighting, Sound, Costume, Props, Make Up and Set. There are opportunities in the Creative Industries in these key production areas in Scotland and the course lets our young people start to explore this.