9. John Logie Baird and mass communication
The series ends in the 20th century, celebrating TV and other mass communications.
The tutorial
We start in 1909 in Dover where Louis Bleriot has just made the first crossing of the English Channel by aeroplane.

Then we hear about morse code, gramophones, radio, photographs and television...and finally the development of computers, the internet and the dawning of the 21st century...and wonder, 'where next?'
Duration: 15' 47"
The song: 'Communicating, communicating' (vocal)
The song is an energetic exploration of 20th century mass communications.

Once you have learnt the song using the vocal version you could try singing to the backing track only.
Click here for the backing track version of the song or go to the Clips page.
Duration: 4' 11"
An early television

Listening music
The opening of 'Also sprach Zarathustra' by Richard Strauss - the music used by the BBC for the Apollo launches in the 1960/70s.

How would the children describe the music?
Can they say why this might be good music for showing a rocket taking off for space?
Duration: 1' 00"
Related links
Resources
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Teacher's Notes
Guidance on all the content (pdf)
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Pupil Pamphlet
All the lyric sheets together (pdf)
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Lyrics - Communicating, communicating
Download / print the song lyrics
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Music - Communicating, communicating
Download / print the song music