Page 41 - Year 7 Spring 2026 Knowledge Organiser

Performing Arts: Music Focus: Melody that tells a Story: 3 of 3

Listen and respond
Folk music traditions are practised by almost every culture on the planet. Folk songs usually tell the
stories of people, places and events important to the community they come from. Sometimes, Folk Is this a new style of music for you?
music is performed to an audience. At other times, Folk musicians just play to each other. Before Does it have an unusual time signature?
the days of audio recording, Folk songs were often passed down from generation to generation, so
many have been adapted and changed over the years. Almost every style of music we know today What is the musical and social focus?
has its origins in Folk music from somewhere in the world!

Key vocabulary
Count In A few beats played before the music Musical Building Blocks
starts to help musicians begin
together. What is the time signature of your piece?
Introduction The opening section of a piece that sets What is the key of the music? How can I
the mood before the main song begins.
Verse A section of a song where the words tell this is Folk music?
change each time but the tune stays
the same.
Chorus The catchy, repeated section of a song
with the same words and music each
time. Explore and Create
Bridge A contrasting section that links each What is the journey of your song? How
part of a song and adds variety.
Outro The ending section of a piece of music will it start and end? How will your song
that brings it to a close. Songs to explore link to our drama focus of War Horse?
Folk Traditional music passed down through • The Water is Wide
generations, often telling stories about • This Land Is Your Land – Woody
people and places. Guthrie
Lyrics The words of a song. • Rodeo: No. 4 Hoe-Down by Aaron
Melody The main tine of a piece of music. Copland
Composition Creating your own piece of music. • Jaws: Main Theme by John Share and Perform
Rhythm The pattern of long and short sounds in Williams How can you reflect on your rehearsals
music. • Roll Alabama
Improvise To make up music on the spot while • The Planets Op.32 – I. Mars, The to refine your performance?
you play.
Bringer of War by Gustav Holst