Adele's Song Performance

Overview

In this 60-minute lesson, Year 9 students will explore the structure, harmony, and melody of pop ballads by working with the song Someone Like You by Adele. The lesson supports practical musicianship, composition skills, and listening appraisal, fully aligned with the National Curriculum for Music in England (Key Stage 3). This lesson is designed for a class of 17 students, working in pairs for collaborative performance and creative engagement.

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National Curriculum Links

Key Stage 3 – Music Programme of Study (England) states students should:

• Perform, listen to, review and evaluate music across a range of historical periods, genres, styles and traditions. (KS3 PoS 1c)
• Improvise and compose, extending and developing musical ideas by drawing on a range of musical structures, styles, genres and traditions. (KS3 PoS 2a, 2b)
• Use staff and other relevant notations appropriately and accurately in a range of musical styles, genres and traditions. (KS3 PoS 2d)
• Develop an understanding of the history of music. (KS3 PoS 3)

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify and perform chord accompaniment and melody line for a contemporary pop ballad.
2. Collaborate effectively in pairs, demonstrating listening skills and ensemble awareness.
3. Understand and apply basic chord structures (I, IV, V) in a practical context.
4. Discuss the emotional impact of music and the use of texture in a ballad.
5. Read and interpret simplified chord charts and melodic notation from a worksheet.

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Resources Needed

• Printed worksheet with chord chart and melodic line for Someone Like You (one per pair)
• Acoustic or keyboard instruments (guitars, keyboards, ukuleles as available)
• Audio playback system to play Someone Like You original recording (instrumental if possible)
• Whiteboard and markers
• Metronome (physical or app-based)

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter (10 minutes): Introduction & Listening

• Write on the board: “What makes a pop ballad emotionally powerful?”
• Play an excerpt of Someone Like You (verse and chorus).
• Facilitate brief paired discussion: focus on how melody and chords contribute to emotion.
• Ask a few students to share observations; record key ideas on the board (e.g. slow tempo, minor key feel, simple chords, vocal melody).

National Curriculum Link: Perform and listen to music with understanding and expression (KS3 PoS 1c).

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2. Main Activity (40 minutes): Paired Performance of Melody and Chords

Step 1 (5 minutes):

• Hand out the worksheet. Explain roles: Student A plays chords, Student B plays the melody line. Emphasise teamwork and listening.
• Walk through the chord chart: explain chord names, finger positions (using standard UK chord notation), and rhythm pattern.
• Demonstrate melody line on whiteboard or keyboard.

Step 2 (15 minutes):

• Students practise separately first:
  • Student A focuses on chord progression (I–V–vi–IV or simplified version).
  • Student B rehearses the melody line notation.
• Teacher circulates, giving targeted feedback on technique and timing.

Step 3 (15 minutes):

• Students perform together in pairs, focusing on synchronisation and blending.
• Teacher plays metronome or backing track to support timing.
• Invite pairs to perform for the class, with peer feedback on ensemble quality and musical interpretation.

Step 4 (5 minutes):

• Group reflection: What challenges did you face? How did paired working affect your musicality and confidence?

National Curriculum Link: Applying improvisation, composition and performance skills (KS3 PoS 2a, 2b). Use notation accurately and perform collaboratively (KS3 PoS 2d).

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3. Plenary (10 minutes): Discussion & Extension

• Recap learning objectives.
• Briefly discuss how melody and harmony work together to reinforce mood in Someone Like You.
• Explore possibilities for students to create their own variations on the chord progression or melody as homework or future lesson.
• Collect worksheets for informal assessment of reading and understanding.

National Curriculum Link: Review and evaluate performances using musical vocabulary (KS3 PoS 1c).

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Assessment & Feedback

• Formative assessment through observation during paired practice and performance.
• Peer feedback after each paired performance focusing on timing, pitch accuracy, and teamwork.
• Teacher notes from circulating during play and from worksheet submission to assess notation understanding and application.

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Worksheet: Someone Like You – Pair Performance

Role	Task
Student A – Chords	Play chords in time, using the provided chord chart: Am – C – F – G (simplified from original) with a steady rhythmic strum or arpeggio pattern.
Student B – Melody	Read and perform the simplified melodic line notated on the worksheet (standard notation plus tablature or simplified treble clef). Concentrate on pitch accuracy and rhythm.

Worksheet details:

• Chord chart with finger positioning diagrams.
• Melody line written out in standard notation and/or a graphic notation style friendly for keyboard/guitar players.
• Lyrics aligned underneath melody to support phrasing and breath control.

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Extension Ideas for Differentiation

• More confident students can experiment with adding embellishments or variations in their melodic line or chord rhythm.
• Less confident students can use chord charts only or simplified melody snippets.
• Challenge students to switch roles mid-way to experience both melody and harmony roles.

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This lesson engages students practically with an accessible yet sophisticated modern pop ballad, encouraging ensemble skills and musical literacy, all within the framework and expectations of the National Curriculum for Music (England).