Introduction

This guide is designed to help IB Music educators and students leverage the power of Generative AI to enrich their teaching and learning experiences. The prompts are tailored to the specific requirements of the IB DP Music course (first assessment 2022) for both Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL).

How to Use This Guide:

The effectiveness of these prompts depends on the context you provide. For best results, replace bracketed placeholders like [musical piece], [composer], [culture], or [concept] with specific examples relevant to your studies. The more detailed your input, the more nuanced and useful the AI’s output will be.

• Educators: Use these prompts to streamline planning, create dynamic classroom resources, design assessments, and differentiate instruction.
• Students: Use these prompts to deepen your understanding, practice analytical and creative skills, and prepare thoroughly for all assessment components.

Section 1 – Educator Prompts (50)

These prompts are designed to assist teachers with course construction, resource creation, and assessment design.

Group 1: Curriculum & Lesson Planning

1. Course Outline: “Generate a year-long course outline for IB Music [SL/HL], integrating the four Areas of Inquiry (AoIs) and balancing the three musical processes: exploring, experimenting, and presenting.”
2. Unit Plan: “Design a 6-week unit plan for the AoI ‘Music for sociocultural and political expression.’ The plan should include weekly topics, suggested listening examples from two distinct cultures, and activities linking analysis with creative experimentation.”
3. AoI Integration: “Create a table that links the AoI ‘Music technology and innovation’ with the other three AoIs. For each link, provide a specific example of a musical work and a potential student activity.”
4. HL Collaborative Project: “Outline a project plan for the HL contemporary music-maker project. The plan should include a timeline, key milestones, and strategies for fostering effective collaboration between students with different musical backgrounds.”
5. Learner Portfolio Structure: “Act as an IB workshop leader. Propose a structure for the student Learner Portfolio, detailing what evidence of the three musical processes (exploring, experimenting, presenting) students should document for each AoI.”
6. Connecting Musical Processes: “Develop a lesson idea that seamlessly connects ‘exploring’ a prescribed work by [composer] with ‘experimenting’ through a short compositional exercise inspired by its harmonic language.”
7. Diverse Repertoire List: “Generate a list of 10 diverse musical pieces suitable for the AoI ‘Music for listening and performance.’ The list should span at least three different time periods and three distinct global cultures, with a brief justification for each choice.”
8. Scaffolding Composition: “Create a scaffolded series of four lessons designed to guide students from initial brainstorming to a completed draft for the composition portfolio. The lessons should focus on developing a motif, structuring a piece, and effective notation.”
9. Theory Integration: “Design a mini-lesson explaining the concept of [e.g., sonata form, 12-bar blues, polyrhythm] using examples from [Western Art Music] and [a non-Western genre].”
10. Resource Curation: “Identify and provide links to 5 high-quality online resources (e.g., digital archives, analysis websites, documentaries) for studying the music of [specific culture or genre].”
11. SL vs. HL Differentiation: “Create a lesson plan on analyzing film music for the AoI ‘Music for dramatic impact.’ Clearly differentiate the learning objectives, activities, and expected outcomes for SL and HL students.”
12. Interdisciplinary Links (TOK): “Generate three TOK knowledge questions that naturally arise from the AoI ‘Music for sociocultural and political expression.’ For each, suggest a musical example to anchor the discussion.”
13. Introducing Assessment: “Create a student-friendly presentation outline that introduces the requirements for the ‘Presenting music’ (multimedia presentation) component, breaking down the assessment criteria into simple terms.”
14. Long-Term Project Management: “Design a tracking sheet for students to manage their progress on the ‘Experimenting with music’ (composition) portfolio, with sections for initial ideas, developmental feedback, and final reflection.”
15. Guest Speaker Briefing: “Write a briefing document for a potential guest musician who will speak to the class. The brief should explain the IB Music course philosophy and suggest topics that align with the AoI ‘[specify AoI]’.”

Group 2: Instruction & Delivery

1. Worksheet Creation: “Generate a worksheet for analyzing the melodic and rhythmic features of [song title] by [artist]. Include sections for identifying key motifs, describing melodic contour, and transcribing a short rhythmic pattern.”
2. Listening Guide: “Create a guided listening journal template for the AoI ‘Music for listening and performance.’ The template should prompt students to comment on instrumentation, structure, texture, and context.”
3. Concept Explanation: “Explain the concept of ‘material’ in the context of the IB Music guide. Provide three distinct examples of what constitutes ‘material’ in a composition, performance, and analytical context.”
4. Role-Play Scenario: “Design a role-play activity where students act as ethnomusicologists studying music from [culture]. The task is to create field notes on a provided musical example, focusing on its function and cultural significance.”
5. Tech-Based Activity: “Propose an activity using [DAW software like GarageBand or BandLab] for students to experiment with music technology. The task is to recreate the texture of [musical piece] using virtual instruments.”
6. Debate Topic: “Formulate a debate topic related to the AoI ‘Music technology and innovation,’ such as: ‘Has autotune had a net positive or negative impact on the music industry?’ Provide opening arguments for both sides.”
7. Analysis Framework: “Create a step-by-step framework for students to analyze an unfamiliar piece of music, covering context, melody, harmony, rhythm, instrumentation, and form.”
8. Performance Workshop: “Design a 60-minute performance workshop focused on ‘developing interpretation.’ Include warm-ups, activities for exploring expressive possibilities, and peer feedback prompts.”
9. Compositional Starter: “Generate three different compositional prompts based on a single image [describe image]. Each prompt should suggest a different mood, instrumentation, and structure.”
10. Glossary Builder: “Create a glossary of 15 key terms related to [e.g., Jazz harmony, Indian classical music, Electronic music production], with concise, student-friendly definitions.”
11. Video Analysis Task: “Create a set of 5 critical thinking questions for students to answer while watching a video of a live performance of [musical work]. The questions should focus on the interaction between performers and the visual aspects of the performance.”
12. Peer-Teaching Assignment: “Design a peer-teaching assignment where students, in small groups, research and present on a specific musical tradition from the AoI ‘Music for sociocultural and political expression’.”
13. Exit Ticket Questions: “Generate 5 ‘exit ticket’ questions to quickly assess student understanding at the end of a lesson on [musical concept, e.g., leitmotif in Wagner’s operas].”
14. Musical Links Activity: “Create a Venn diagram template for students to compare and contrast two stylistically different pieces, such as [a Baroque fugue] and [a funk track], identifying unexpected musical links.”
15. Creative Response Task: “Develop a creative task where students respond to [musical piece] through another medium, such as a short poem, a visual storyboard, or a choreographed movement, and then justify their artistic choices.”

Group 3: Assessment & Feedback

1. Mock Exam Question (Exploring): “Act as an IB examiner. Create a mock exam question for the ‘Exploring music in context’ component. Provide two unfamiliar musical extracts (describe them) and ask students to compare their use of [e.g., texture and timbre].”
2. Rubric Generator: “Generate a simplified, student-friendly rubric for the ‘Presenting music’ component, based on the official IB assessment criteria. Use ‘I can…’ statements for each achievement level.”
3. Feedback Comments: “Provide 3 examples of constructive feedback comments for a student’s draft composition. One comment should praise a strength, one should identify an area for development, and one should ask a guiding question.”
4. Practice Analysis Paragraph: “Write a model analysis paragraph (approx. 150 words) comparing the use of melody in [Piece A] and [Piece B], suitable for an HL student. Highlight the use of specific musical vocabulary.”
5. Self-Assessment Checklist: “Create a self-assessment checklist for students preparing their performance portfolio. The checklist should be based on the assessment criteria and include questions like ‘Have I chosen a balanced and varied program?'”
6. Multimedia Presentation Script Review: “Act as a critical friend. Review the following script for a multimedia presentation on [topic] and suggest three ways to better integrate the musical examples with the spoken analysis.”
7. Composition Portfolio Rationale: “Write a model rationale for a composition, explaining the composer’s intentions and how they realized them, as if written by a student.”
8. Identifying Musical Links Test: “Create a short quiz with 5 pairs of musical works. For each pair, ask students to identify one significant musical link, citing specific evidence.”
9. HL Project Proposal Feedback: “Generate feedback on a fictional HL project proposal. The proposal aims to [describe a fictional project]. The feedback should address the project’s scope, real-world context, and potential for collaboration.”
10. Marking Practice: “Act as an IB examiner. Read the following fictional student response to an analysis question [provide a short, flawed response]. Provide a mark out of 7 for Criterion A and a justification for the mark.”

Group 4: Enrichment & Differentiation

1. HL Extension Task: “Design an extension task for HL students after studying [topic]. The task should require independent research into a related, more complex area, culminating in a short, informal presentation.”
2. Supporting Struggling Students: “A student is struggling to understand harmonic analysis. Suggest three different pedagogical approaches to help them, including one visual, one aural, and one kinesthetic method.”
3. CAS Connection: “Propose three CAS project ideas that directly link to the IB Music curriculum, such as organizing a benefit concert, teaching music to younger students, or creating a musical piece for a local community group.”
4. Challenging Advanced Performers: “Suggest three ways to challenge a technically advanced student performer beyond simply learning difficult repertoire. Focus on developing their interpretive depth, stage presence, and historical awareness.”
5. Adapting for EAL Students: “Provide a list of strategies for adapting a listening analysis lesson for English as an Additional Language (EAL) students, focusing on scaffolding vocabulary and using visual aids.”
6. Connecting to Other Arts: “Design a mini-project that requires students to explore the relationship between the music of [composer, e.g., Debussy] and the visual art of [artist, e.g., Monet].”
7. Real-World Application: “Create a project where students act as music supervisors for a film scene. They must choose a piece of music, justify their choice in relation to the AoI ‘Music for dramatic impact,’ and edit it to the scene.”
8. Local Music Scene: “Design a research project that requires students to investigate the local music scene in their city/town, connecting their findings to the AoI ‘Music for sociocultural and political expression’.”
9. Historical Context Deep Dive: “Generate a ‘deep dive’ research guide for a student wanting to explore the historical context of [musical work or genre]. The guide should include key historical events, influential figures, and primary source materials to investigate.”
10. Preparing for University Auditions: “Create a checklist of 5 tips for HL students preparing for university music program auditions, linking the advice back to the skills developed in the IB Music course.”

Section 2 – Student Prompts (50)

These prompts are designed to help students deepen their understanding, practice their skills, and prepare for assessments.

Group 1: Understanding Concepts

1. Explain Simply: “Explain [musical concept, e.g., atonality] in simple terms, using an analogy to help me understand.”
2. Concept Comparison: “Compare and contrast ‘homophony’ and ‘polyphony.’ Give me a clear musical example of each that I can listen to.”
3. Context Summary: “Summarize the key social and cultural factors that influenced the development of [genre, e.g., Bebop Jazz] in 5 bullet points.”
4. AoI Definition: “In the context of IB Music, what does ‘Music for dramatic impact, movement and entertainment’ mean? Give me three different examples of music that would fit this AoI.”
5. Terminology Flashcards: “Generate a set of 10 digital flashcards for key terms related to [topic, e.g., sonata form]. Each card should have the term on one side and a concise definition and a simple example on the other.”
6. Theorist’s View: “Explain the main ideas of the theorist [e.g., Arnold Schoenberg] regarding [topic, e.g., the emancipation of the dissonance].”
7. “Why Does This Matter?”: “Why is it important to understand the context of a piece of music? Explain using the example of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5.”
8. Role of Technology: “Describe the role of the synthesizer in the development of 1980s Pop music. Name two specific songs and how they used the technology.”
9. Musical Processes Explained: “Explain the difference between the three musical processes: ‘exploring,’ ‘experimenting,’ and ‘presenting’ in the IB Music course. How do they connect in my Learner Portfolio?”
10. Deconstruct a Genre: “Break down the main musical characteristics of [genre, e.g., Reggae] into a table with columns for Rhythm, Harmony, Instrumentation, and Typical Song Structure.”
11. Find the Links: “I am studying [Piece A] and [Piece B]. Can you suggest three potential ‘musical links’ I could investigate between them?”
12. HL vs. SL Differences: “What are the main differences in the assessment requirements for IB Music SL and HL? Present the information in a clear table.”
13. Understanding Criteria: “Explain what the IB means by ‘breadth and depth’ in the context of the ‘Exploring music in context’ assessment.”
14. Instrument Deep Dive: “Tell me about the [instrument, e.g., the Sitar]. Explain its construction, playing technique, and its role in Indian classical music.”
15. Analyze an Analysis: “Here is a paragraph I wrote analyzing a piece. Act as my tutor and tell me how I could improve it by using more specific musical vocabulary.”

Group 2: Developing Skills & Practicing

1. Analysis Practice: “Here is a link to [musical piece on YouTube]. Guide me through an analysis of the first minute, asking me questions about the melody, harmony, and texture.”
2. Compositional Idea Generator: “I want to compose a piece inspired by ‘conflict.’ Give me three starting ideas: one based on a rhythmic motif, one on a dissonant harmonic progression, and one on contrasting timbres.”
3. Transcription Practice: “Transcribe the 4-bar bassline from the beginning of [song title]. Provide the notation and a MIDI audio file.”
4. Improvisation Exercise: “Give me a 12-bar blues backing track in C. Then, suggest a 5-note scale I can use to practice improvising over it.”
5. Performance Interpretation: “I am performing [piece of music]. Suggest three different ways I could interpret the opening section. For each, describe the specific changes in dynamics, articulation, and tempo I could make.”
6. Developing a Motif: “Here is a simple 2-bar melodic motif I’ve written [describe or provide notation]. Show me three ways I could develop this motif using techniques like inversion, augmentation, and sequencing.”
7. Writing a Rationale: “Help me brainstorm the rationale for my composition. Ask me questions about my intentions, influences, and how I used musical elements to achieve my goals.”
8. Multimedia Scripting: “I need to make a 10-minute multimedia presentation comparing [Work A] and [Work B]. Help me structure a script, suggesting where to place musical excerpts for maximum impact.”
9. Aural Skills Trainer: “Act as an aural skills trainer. Describe a 4-chord progression using technical terms (e.g., I-V-vi-IV in G Major) and then play it for me so I can practice identifying it by ear.”
10. Sight-Reading Practice: “Generate a simple 8-bar melody in the key of [key] in [time signature] for me to practice sight-reading on my [instrument].”
11. Arrangement Task: “Take the main melody from ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ and suggest how I could arrange it in the style of [composer, e.g., Philip Glass], focusing on instrumentation and rhythmic patterns.”
12. Feedback on My Playing: “[Requires audio upload if possible, otherwise describe] I recorded myself playing [piece]. Based on my description of the performance, what are two things I’m doing well and two things I could focus on improving?”
13. Building a Loop: “I’m using a DAW. Give me a step-by-step guide to create a 4-track loop inspired by [genre, e.g., Lo-fi Hip Hop], detailing the drum pattern, bassline, chord progression, and a simple melody.”
14. Connecting Theory to Practice: “I’ve learned about Dorian mode. Suggest a simple chord progression I can use on my [instrument] to get a feel for its sound and practice improvising with it.”
15. Musical Dialogue (HL): “For my HL project, my partner is a vocalist and I am a guitarist. Suggest three ways we could create a ‘musical dialogue’ in our collaborative piece.”

Group 3: Revision & Consolidation

1. Revision Guide: “Create a one-page revision guide for the AoI ‘Music in context.’ The guide should summarize the key ideas and include a checklist of essential terminology.”
2. Mind Map: “Generate a mind map for the topic of [e.g., The Elements of Music]. The central idea should branch out into melody, harmony, rhythm, etc., with further sub-branches for key concepts.”
3. Key Works Summary: “Create a summary table of 5 musical works we have studied. The columns should be: Title/Composer, Date/Period, Genre, Key Features, and Relevance to AoI.”
4. Self-Quizzing: “Quiz me on [topic, e.g., Western Art Music periods]. Ask me 10 questions, from easy to hard, and provide feedback on my answers.”
5. “Explain it Back”: “I’m going to try and explain [concept] to you. Please correct any mistakes I make and fill in any gaps in my understanding. [Student provides their explanation].”
6. Acronym Creator: “Help me create a memorable acronym to remember the key features of [e.g., sonata form: Exposition, Development, Recapitulation].”
7. Top 5 Mistakes: “What are the top 5 common mistakes students make in the ‘Exploring music in context’ exam? For each, explain how to avoid it.”
8. Audio-Based Revision: “Create a 5-minute audio script that I can listen to, revising the key characteristics of the music of [composer, e.g., Steve Reich].”
9. Connecting the Dots: “Draw a diagram that shows the connections between [Genre A], [Genre B], and [Genre C], highlighting shared influences and characteristics.”
10. Essay Plan: “Create a bullet-point essay plan for the question: ‘Discuss how music has been used as a form of political protest, using two examples from different cultural contexts.'”

Group 4: Preparing for Assessment

1. Deconstruct a Prompt: “Let’s break down this mock exam question: [insert question]. What are the key command terms? What specific musical knowledge is it asking for? How should I structure my response?”
2. Time Management Plan: “Help me create a time management plan for the 2.5-hour ‘Exploring music in context’ HL exam. How much time should I allocate to reading, planning, and writing for each section?”
3. Refining a Rationale: “Read my draft composition rationale below. Suggest 3 ways I can make it stronger by linking my intentions more clearly to specific musical evidence in my piece. [Paste draft rationale].”
4. Presentation Run-Through: “Act as my audience. I’m going to type out my presentation script as I ‘perform’ it. Stop me if a point is unclear or if I should insert a musical example.”
5. Performance Program Notes: “Help me write the program notes for my performance of [piece]. The notes should be concise (around 100 words) and provide relevant contextual information and a brief comment on my interpretation.”
6. Predicting Questions: “Based on the prescribed work [title of work], what are three potential exam questions an examiner might ask about it?”
7. Check Against Criteria: “Here is my plan for my multimedia presentation. Can you check it against the IB assessment criteria and tell me if I’m missing anything important?”
8. Vocabulary for Comparison: “Give me a list of 10 sophisticated connecting words and phrases (e.g., ‘In contrast,’ ‘Similarly,’ ‘A more subtle link can be found in…’) to use when comparing and contrasting musical works.”
9. Final Checklist: “Create a final checklist for my composition portfolio submission. What are all the components I need to include to make sure it’s complete?”
10. Confidence Booster: “I’m nervous about my performance exam. Can you give me 5 practical tips for managing performance anxiety on the day?”

Section 3 – Bonus Universal Prompt (1)

1. The Synesthetic Project: “Act as a creative director. Design a project where a student must create a new piece of music that serves as the ‘soundtrack’ for a non-musical stimulus. The stimulus could be:
   * A painting by [artist, e.g., Wassily Kandinsky].
   * A chapter from a book [e.g., a battle scene from ‘The Lord of the Rings’].
   * A scientific process [e.g., photosynthesis].
   * A TOK concept [e.g., the nature of evidence].
   The final submission must be the musical piece itself, accompanied by a 400-word rationale explaining how specific musical choices (harmony, rhythm, timbre, structure) were used to represent specific elements of the chosen stimulus. This project connects all AoIs and fosters deep interdisciplinary thinking.”