Jamie Wilson
Yetholm Primary School
@morebattle21
Jamie Wilson
Yetholm Primary School
@morebattle21
Games based Learning
Band Hero- What you will need.
To carry out the project the way I did you will need:
 PlayStation 2 (or
another console
depending on
the game
format)
 Band Hero
game
 Instrument kit (2
guitars, drum kit
and a
microphone)
 Television with
an older, round
style ariel
connection
 A supply of
batteries (I only
had to replace 4
but best to be prepared!)
 Space. I carried out the project in the classroom but I know that the
teacher I lent the kit to afterwards set it up in their music room.
Aims of my project:
 To provide pupils (particularly primary 7) with increased opportunities
to be independent.
 To explore a sense of place in Europe firstly and then the world.
 To draw together the majority of taught skills throughout the year.
 Have FUN in class.
4 Key Tips for implementing the project:
 Provide the pupils with time at the start to explore and use the
equipment. The more familiar they are the easier they will find it. There
will probably be pupils who have used it before and I used these to the
advantage of the others, they taught them and offered advice rather
than me.
 Use the game as inspiration in as many ways as possible, this
embedded the interdisciplinary learning.
 Consider doing some retrospective planning. I produced my long term
plans at the start of the project but found myself taking time at the end
to go back through and note all the additional experiences and
outcomes that the pupils had led our learning towards.
 Celebrate success. It was important for the pupils to realise how much
work they had done and be praised for it. We held an awards
ceremony which was a great chance to pull everything together.
Jamie Wilson
Yetholm Primary School
@morebattle21
Enjoyment was key to my success; when the pupils loved what they were
doing it showed in all their work. I think my genuine enjoyment made a big
difference too, when you as an educator can be on a level with the class they
feel happier to share. Sometimes I was not as good as some of the pupils in
the class and that made their sense of achievement even greater.
Some of the planned activities (in case you need any encouragement!)
 Language
o Character biographies (done as a magazine interview) allowed
links with drama performing) and technology (typing).
o Posters to advertise their concert
o Tickets
o Imagined recount of the concert/after-party
o Speech for the awards ceremony
o Instructions on how to play the game (assessed piece)

Maths
o Distance travelled between different concert locations (total)
o Exchange rates between countries
o Time zones- what time will it be when we land?
o Data handling- class survey on music taste.
o Cost of buying fuel for the tour bus- keeping a budget
o Averages- scores between teams competing on a certain song
within the game.

Art and Craft
o Make model guitars
o Design a microphone stand (link with problem solving)
o Eco-friendly costumes (link to citizenship too, can they find a
way to maintain a Scottish identity through this?)
o Design a CD cover
o Design a band logo
o (a friend also had her class do observational drawings of
instruments)
*I found it easier to set lessons as “challenges” for the bands to complete
which helped to bring them together and to work as a team. Bands were
awarded points based on performance in challenges and each week there
was a number one (making links to the weekly music Top 40 chart) which
pushed pupils to strive for their best.
I would stress that this is what worked for me in my setting. There are aspects
that I would change and adapt if being implemented again in the future but
there is a lot I would keep the same. You are the professional and you will
know what will work for you. Do not be scared to give things a go, if nothing
else you will know what to do (if you do it at all again) next time!
If I can be of any help please do not hesitate to contact me through twitter or
email [email protected]
Jamie Wilson
Thank you! Jamie 
Yetholm Primary School
@morebattle21