Soundtracks & Emotion

Overview

Subject: Music
Year Level: Year 9
Duration: 75 minutes
Class Size: 24 students
Location: Australia
Curriculum Reference:
Australian Curriculum – The Arts (Music), Year 9–10 Band

• ACAMUM085: Evaluate a range of music and compositions to inform and refine their own compositions and performances, considering social, cultural and historical contexts.
• ACAMUM084: Experiment with texture, tone colour, dynamics and structure in music using listening, notation and technology.

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Learning Intentions

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Understand and apply the Elements of Music and related descriptive terms
• Explore the emotional impact of music in film through a case study on John Williams
• Identify and describe the role of ostinato and motif in film soundtracks
• Begin planning their own soundtrack-inspired creative assessment

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Success Criteria

Students will be successful when they can:
✅ Explain at least 4 Elements of Music using appropriate terminology
✅ Identify a motif or ostinato in a selected film score
✅ Describe how music enhances emotional storytelling in film
✅ Select a piece of music and platform for their upcoming assessment

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Materials & Preparation

• Access to classroom projector/speakers
• Devices with headphones (for individual listening)
• Printed worksheets (Dyslexia-friendly font: Lexend or OpenDyslexic)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Cue cards with Elements of Music
• Film clip extracts (cued and pre-loaded; e.g., Harry Potter, Star Wars)
• Assessment brief (printed & digital formats)

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Lesson Breakdown

Starter (0–10 mins) – Tuning In

Activity: Musical Mood Matching

• Play 3 short clips (30 seconds each) without visuals:
  1. Tense strings from Jaws
  2. Light, whimsical theme from E.T.
  3. Heroic brass from Star Wars

Ask students to stand near one of 3 signs in the room: Scary, Magical, Brave.
Quick discussion: What made you feel that way about the music?

Teacher Commentary: Introduce the concept that music can amplify emotion and set mood using dynamics, pitch, timbre, tempo, etc.

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Explicit Teaching (10–25 mins) – Elements of Music & Descriptions

Key focus:

• Recap and explore the 7 key Elements of Music: Pitch, Duration, Dynamics, Texture, Timbre, Structure, and Tempo.

Interactive Activity: "Descriptive Dominoes"

• Pair activity: Matching Element of Music to a description and a musical excerpt (QR codes linked to short audio).

Differentiation:

• Visual aids show icons representing each musical element
• Use plain English and audio support for students with literacy needs
• Dyslexia-friendly font used in handouts

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Guided Exploration (25–45 mins) – John Williams as Case Study

Watch: Short film clips with scores by John Williams:

1. Jurassic Park (theme)
2. Harry Potter (Hedwig’s Theme)
3. Star Wars (Imperial March)

Tasks: Students fill out a listening log:

• Identify motif/ostinato if present
• Describe at least 2 Elements of Music
• Write 1–2 sentences on the feeling evoked
  Use vocabulary like ‘foreboding’, ‘playful’, ‘triumphant’.

Discussion Prompt:
What patterns do you hear? How does John Williams use repetition for emotional impact?

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Mini-Lesson (45–60 mins) – Ostinato & Motif

Definitions:

• Motif: A short musical idea, recurring to represent a character or idea
• Ostinato: A repeated musical pattern (rhythmic or melodic)

Activity: Build-A-Motif

• Using classroom instruments (keyboards, percussion), students in small groups try to build a simple motif for one emotion (e.g., fear).

Extension Activity:

• Tech-savvy students may use GarageBand or BandLab to layer an ostinato digitally.

Differentiation:

• Allow students to work in mixed-ability pairs
• Simplify task by offering limited note choices for beginners
• Support students with ASD by offering headphones for focused work time

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Assessment Launch & Planning (60–70 mins)

Assessment Brief: Create a Soundtrack Scene

• Students will compose or curate a 1–2 minute soundtrack piece to match with a short animation or visual art series. Platform options: live performance, GarageBand composition, manually synced YouTube clip.

Task Today:

• Select their piece/visual from a given folder or propose their own
• Choose platform for final submission
• Begin sketching early ideas (in written, visual or audio form)

Teacher Checks In

• Approves ideas
• Supports students to find a manageable scope

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Wrap Up & Reflection (70–75 mins)

Exit Card (Verbal or Written):

• Name one new thing you learned about music in film
• Write one word describing how you want your music piece to feel

Optional: Class vote for today’s most recognisable soundtrack. Short celebration moment!

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Differentiation Strategies

For Diverse Learners:

• Audio and visual content to support varied cognitive processing
• Use of scaffolding tools (word banks, sentence starters)
• One-to-one help available during group work time

For EAL/D Learners:

• Visual aids and multimedia examples
• Pair with a peer buddy for learning tasks

For Students with Dyslexia:

• Dyslexia-friendly fonts (Lexend or OpenDyslexic)
• Minimal reliance on dense texts
• Use verbal response options and audio directions

Extension Activities:

• Analyse complex motifs like Inception soundtrack (Hans Zimmer)
• Challenge to identify motifs in non-Western film music
• Compose a short leitmotif for a classmate's chosen character or emotion

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Teacher Reflection Questions

• Did students engage with the concept of emotion in music?
• Were students able to identify musical elements independently?
• How did different learners respond to the motif composition task?
• What adaptations will help scaffold the assessment for Week 2?

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Looking Ahead – Week 2 Sneak Peek

• Developing individual soundtrack compositions based on emotions
• Further exploration of music technology tools
• Peer feedback rounds using musical vocabulary

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Prepared by:
Music Education Assistant (In collaboration with Masters of Teaching Student – Music Specialisation)

Alignment: Fully aligned with the Australian Curriculum: The Arts – Music, Years 9–10 band description and content descriptors.