The lesson plan discusses the Second British Invasion of the 1980s. It occurred as a transition away from punk, funk, and disco. Reggae became popular through few specialist bands. New bands used synthesizers and drum machines in their melodic, dance-inspired music with catchy riffs. Artists like Dire Straits, Wham, Culture Club, and The Police rose to fame through MTV and helped popularize the new romantic style of dressed effeminately. The lesson includes a listening activity on Culture Club and a practical activity playing the melody from "The Princess Bride" with chord accompaniment choices.

1. Rutherford Technology High School
09/09/16
THE SECOND BRITISH INVASION
Lesson Plan 8R

2. RUTHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HIGH
Class 8R Stage Stage 4
Curriculum Area Music Period Period 3
Topic The Brit Invasion x2 Date 09/09/2016
Teacher Miss C. Davis
Desired Results
Syllabus Outcomes:
4.4 Demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through exploring, experimenting, improvising, organising,
arranging and composing
4.7 Demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through listening, observing, responding, discriminating,
analysing, discussing and recording musical ideas
4.8 Demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through aural identification and discussion of the features
of a range of repertoire
Understandings:
Students will understand that…
 The ‘Second British Invasion’ was a rebellion
against the uncertainty of the early 1980’s
 The bands that made this movement popular
were a reaction against the extreme styles of
punk and disco
 The melody was made the prominent part of the
music again
 A new style of instrumentation was being used
that hadn’t been seen before
Essential Questions:
 What was different about this British Invasion
compared to the first one which included bands
like the Beatles?
 Explain how the features in this movement are
the same or different to previous rock genres
 What are the characteristics of The Second
British Invasion?
Students will know…
 The history of the Second British Invasion
o Transition in music
o Reggae
o Synth and drum machines
 Musical characteristics
o Strong melodies
o Synthesised backings
o Dance beat
o Catchy riffs
Students will be able to…
 Identify the features of The Second British
Invasion music
 Understand how other aspects of rock music
cross over into this new movement of music
 Complete a practical activity that reflects the
features of this musical influence
Assessment Evidence
Performance Task(s):
 Writing down the information on the slide
 Artist/song identification
 Practical activity
Other Evidence:
 Class discussion
Learning Plan
Learning Activities:
1. Open the lesson with a quick recap of the previous lesson on The British Invasion  what do the students
remember? Can they identify any bands or features common to this particular musical movement?
2. Introduce the core content of the lesson  discussing the features of the new British Invasion that occurred
during the 1980’s. What bands made this popular and how it differed from the previous movement
3. Using the PowerPoint and the accompanying worksheet, students are to write down the key features from
each slide
4. Practical activity – playing the melody line from the Princess Bride with two options for the
accompaniment

3. Rutherford Technology High School
09/09/16
THE SECOND BRITISH INVASION
Lesson Plan 8T

4. RUTHERFORD TECHNOLOGY HIGH
Class 8T Stage Stage 4
Curriculum Area Music Period Period 3
Topic The Brit Invasion x2 Date 09/09/2016
Teacher Miss C. Davis
Desired Results
Syllabus Outcomes:
4.4 Demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through exploring, experimenting, improvising, organising,
arranging and composing
4.7 Demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through listening, observing, responding, discriminating,
analysing, discussing and recording musical ideas
4.8 Demonstrates an understanding of musical concepts through aural identification and discussion of the features
of a range of repertoire
Understandings:
Students will understand that…
 The ‘Second British Invasion’ was a rebellion
against the uncertainty of the early 1980’s
 The bands that made this movement popular
were a reaction against the extreme styles of
punk and disco
 The melody was made the prominent part of the
music again
 A new style of instrumentation was being used
that hadn’t been seen before
Essential Questions:
 What was different about this British Invasion
compared to the first one which included bands
like the Beatles?
 Explain how the features in this movement are
the same or different to previous rock genres
 What are the characteristics of The Second
British Invasion?
Students will know…
 The history of the Second British Invasion
o Transition in music
o Reggae
o Synth and drum machines
 Musical characteristics
o Strong melodies
o Synthesised backings
o Dance beat
o Catchy riffs
Students will be able to…
 Identify the features of The Second British
Invasion music
 Understand how other aspects of rock music
cross over into this new movement of music
 Complete a practical activity that reflects the
features of this musical influence
Assessment Evidence
Performance Task(s):
 Writing down the information on the slide
 Artist/song identification
 Practical activity
Other Evidence:
 Class discussion
Learning Plan
Learning Activities:
1. Open the lesson with a quick recap of the previous lesson on The British Invasion  what do the students
remember? Can they identify any bands or features common to this particular musical movement?
2. Introduce the core content of the lesson  discussing the features of the new British Invasion that occurred
during the 1980’s. What bands made this popular and how it differed from the previous movement
3. Using the PowerPoint and the accompanying worksheet, students are to write down the key features from
each slide with the blue, bolded/underlined words (differentiated)
4. Practical activity – playing the melody line from the Princess Bride with two options for the
accompaniment

5. THE SECOND BRITISH
INVASION

6. BACKGROUND AND HISTORY
• 1980’s marked a transition in music à left behind punk, funk and
disco
• Reggae become popular but few bands specialised in this genre
• It was a reaction against punk and disco which had limited
mainstream appeal
• New technology allowed for synthesisers and drum machines

7. MUSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
• Strong melodies in major keys
• Heavily synthesised backings
• A light disco, reggae or dance-based beat
• Catchy riffs
• Clear, direct vocal style

8. THE RISE OF MTV
• Bands were promoted through MTV and video clips à made
increasingly popular by Queen whose video for Bohemian Rhapsody
started a new movement
• Known as the “new romantics”
• Artists dressed in effeminate clothing and wore make-up
• Reaction to the scruffiness of punk

9. ARTISTS
DIRE STRAITS
• Mark Knopfler founded the band
• Simple rock style similar to Art
Rock
WHAM
CULTURE CLUB
• Boy George dressed quite
effeminately.
• Reggae style
THE
EURYTHMICS
THE POLICE

10. LISTENING ACTIVITY – CULTURE CLUB
Instrumentation Beat Vocals/Lyrics/Purpose

11. PRAC
• Using the melody from the movie ’The Princess Bride’ written by Mark
Knopfler, add an accompaniment of your choosing.
• It can use FULL CHORDS: or BROKEN CHORDS:

12. Practical
Mark Knopfler from Dire Straits wrote some music for a movie called
Princes Bride.
The melody is written below. Try and play the melody first, only when
you think you can do it, have a go at the LH.
You have FULL CHORDS or BROKEN CHORDS to choose from J