Engaging Film Music Feedback

Lesson Details

• Grade Level: Year 10
• Subject: Music
• Curriculum Area: International Baccalaureate (IB) – MYP Arts (Music), Year 5
• Duration: 10 minutes
• Class Size: 23 students
• Lesson Focus: Final peer feedback on film music compositions

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Lesson Objectives

By the end of this session, students will:

1. Upload their film music compositions to Padlet for peer review.
2. Provide constructive, justified peer feedback using relevant musical terminology.
3. Ensure every student receives fair and balanced feedback by following a structured approach.

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Materials Needed

• Student compositions (ready for upload)
• Devices with Padlet access
• IB Criterion B & D prompts (for structured feedback)
• Timer

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Lesson Breakdown (10 minutes)

1. Lesson Introduction (1 minute)

• Hook: “Imagine you’re a professional film composer receiving a review from a director. Should they just say ‘it’s good’ or ‘it’s bad’? No! They need to justify their opinion. That’s what we’ll do today.”
• Goal Clarification: Explain that peer feedback is worth 10% and must be justified with musical language.
• Expectations: Feedback must go beyond simple praise or criticism and focus on specific elements such as:
  • Instrumentation (e.g., “The use of strings helps create suspense”)
  • Dynamics (e.g., “The crescendo builds anticipation effectively”)
  • Harmony & Melody (e.g., “The minor key choice makes the scene feel mysterious”)
  • Rhythm & Tempo (e.g., “The fast tempo adds energy to the chase scene”)

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2. Uploading Compositions (2 minutes)

• Students quickly upload their final soundtracks to Padlet under the assigned section.
• While they do this, display a completed example of feedback on the board.

💡 TIP: Have a student helper assist peers struggling with uploading to keep the session efficient.

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3. Structured Peer Feedback (6 minutes)

Fair Feedback Rotation System (to ensure equal comments):

1. Pairing – Students are grouped in triads (3 per group, 7-8 groups).
2. 2 Comments per Student –
   • Each student reviews two soundtracks from their group.
   • This ensures that each composition receives at least 2 comments evenly.
3. Guided Response Using IB Criteria – Display example sentence structures:
   • “The use of [instrument] enhances the emotion because…”
   • “The change in tempo at [timestamp] makes it feel more…”

Teacher actively monitors for depth of feedback.

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4. Quick Reflection (1 minute)

• Hands-up Poll: “Who received feedback that will help them improve in the future?”
• Exit Question: Each student writes one takeaway on a sticky note:
  • “One thing I learned from reviewing today was…”

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Assessment Criteria

✅ Did every student receive feedback? (Checklist)
✅ Was feedback justified with musical terms? (Spot check comments)
✅ Did students engage meaningfully? (Class observation)

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Teacher Reflection After Lesson

• Did the structured feedback system help keep students engaged?
• Was 10 minutes enough for fair review distribution?
• Were talkative students focused through interactive pairing?

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Final Thought: Why This Works

This approach keeps students hands-on and engaged with structured feedback roles so that even the most talkative students stay productive. It ensures fair distribution of comments while reinforcing IB-level musical analysis.

🎬 Now, let’s listen to your music in action!