Exploring Reggae and Syncopation

Offbeat Knowledge Organiser

This unit begins by exploring the origins of Reggae music from Mento, Ska and Rock Steady and looks at the famous Reggae musician, Bob Marley, and his influence on a worldwide audience.

The unit uses two Reggae songs as case studies to explore the musical features of the genre: “Yellow Bird”: a Caribbean song, and “Three Little Birds”.

Pupils learn about the different textural elements that make up a Reggae song: bass line riffs, melodic hooks, offbeat chords, syncopated rhythms and the vocal melody line.

Pupils harmonic language is extended and developed constructing chords I, II, IV and V in F Major (“Yellow Bird”) and chords I, IV and V in A Major (“Three Little Birds), performing these in the traditional offbeat Reggae style.

The unit ends with the option of an extended Reggae arrangement of “Yellow Bird” and a brief exploration into the themes of Reggae lyrics with pupils creating their own short set of lyrics using Jamaican speech-style on a specific subject e.g. Black Lives Matter, School etc. or by taking a well-known melody or song (of their choice) and researching the lyrics, chords etc. and creating a Reggae arrangement of it using the different textural layers explored during the unit.

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Offbeat - Scheme of Work and Lesson Pathways

Offbeat - Scheme of Work and Lesson Pathways

Includes Scheme of Work Overview, Unit Learning Objectives, Learning Outcomes and Lesson Pathways.

Offbeat - 5 Minutes Silent Reading

For teachers who prefer to begin their lessons with quiet, focused openers.  All contain “Questions to Think About” which can also be used as Cover or Homework tasks.

1. How Reggae Developed

2. What is Reggae?

3. All About Bob Marley

4. History of Reggae

5. Reggae and Rock Steady 1

6. Reggae and Rock Steady 2

Offbeat - Plenary Review Activities

A series of lesson reviews where pupils review their learning and understanding.

Offbeat - DOITNOW (Starters) and Plenary Activities

Offbeat - “DOITNOW” Presentation

Cutting down on printables, file storage and media files, the “new look” Musical Contexts “DOITNOW” Offbeat lesson openers Presentation contains  a wealth (only two samples shown here), of effective “DOITNOW’s” when delivering the Offbeat unit in just one place - all audio and video files are embedded and there’s accompanying Teacher’s Notes in the “slide comments” section. 

Offbeat - General Reggae Resources

Offbeat - Case Study Reggae Song Resources

Offbeat - Cover and Homework Activities

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