Film & Media Music Knowledge Organiser
A KS2 music knowledge organiser on how music is used in film, TV, and games — leitmotifs, how composers set mood, key film composers, and how to listen analytically to screen music.
Preview
Page count: 3. Print-ready PDF — letter / A4 friendly. Click image to see all pages.
Learning objective
Explain how music is used in film and media to create emotion; define leitmotif, diegetic/non-diegetic sound; and identify techniques used by film composers.
About this resource
- Subject: Music
- Type: Knowledge Organiser
- Grade levels: Grade 3 (ages 8-9, ≈ Year 4), Grade 4 (ages 9-10, ≈ Year 5), Grade 5 (ages 10-11, ≈ Year 6), Grade 6 (ages 11-12, ≈ Year 7)
- Pages: 3
- Date added: 2026-05-23
- Credit: Qualified primary teacher
Books on film music and media
Convenience links if you'd like to look any of these up. We've recommended these books in the resource above.
For children
- D DK Eyewitness: Music — DK
- B BBC Ten Pieces (free resources at bbc.co.uk/tenpieces) — BBC Ten Pieces
For teachers
- R RPO Creative Learning programme (rpo.co.uk) — Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
- A A History of Film Music — Mervyn Cooke
Disclosure: Links above go to Amazon. LessonKind may earn a small commission if you buy via these links — at no extra cost to you. We only link to books and items we already recommend in our resources. We are not paid by Amazon to recommend specific titles.
You might also like
Selected based on subject, grade, and type — with a free option always included.
Notation & Rhythm — Knowledge Organiser (KS2)
Single-page reference for KS2 music notation and rhythm. Covers note values, the staff, time signatures, rests, dynamics, and rhythm patterns. Aligns with KS2 NC music.
Instruments of the Orchestra — Knowledge Organiser (KS2)
Single-page reference for KS2 instrument families and the orchestra. Covers strings, woodwind, brass, percussion, and how instruments produce sound. Aligns with KS2 NC music.
Key Composers — Knowledge Organiser (KS2)
Single-page reference for KS2 key composers across periods. Covers Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Holst, Florence Price, John Williams, Hans Zimmer, and others. Useful for any KS2 listening unit.
World Music Knowledge Organiser
A KS2 knowledge organiser exploring musical traditions from around the world — African drumming, Indian classical, South American, East Asian, and folk traditions. Instruments, rhythms, and cultural context.
Melody & Harmony Knowledge Organiser
A KS2 music theory knowledge organiser on melody and harmony — scales, intervals, chords, keys, and how melody and accompaniment work together in music.
Musical History Timeline Knowledge Organiser
A KS2 timeline of Western musical history — medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and 20th-century periods. Key composers, instruments, and style characteristics for each era.