Prior Learning:
The children may have already have been listening to songs/music mentioning the world around us – the sea, mountains, space, weather, as well as responding with their feelings, which instruments/voices they hear.
Experiences and Outcomes
I have listened to a range of music and can respond by discussing my thoughts and feelings. EXA 2-19a
Skills from CREATE Music Tracker
- Listen and respond to musical pieces of increasing length and listen appropriately to the views of others.
- Listen to a range of live and/or recorded music and respond by expressing personal views.
- Listen to and watch musicians perform a range of musical genres.
- Recognise different ensembles and name the instruments within them.
- Listen to and identify the different sections of the orchestra (strings, woodwind, brass, percussion) and gain a deeper understanding of how the timbre of different instruments can convey different moods/atmospheres.
Activities
Discuss different styles of music and how you recognise them, i.e.
Scottish – you may hear instruments from Scotland like bagpipes, accordion.
Classical – usually played by an orchestra
Pop – played by a band etc.
Play each excerpt in turn, pausing for discussion after each piece, asking the questions:
Can you recognise if it’s a male/female voice? (If there’s only one voice it’s a solo) Or is it a group of voices? How does the song make you feel? Are there any instruments you recognise in the background? Is it loud/quiet? Fast/slow? Are there lots of instruments or a few? What kind of style is it?
NB Do play each one more than once – you could play a couple of times, then discuss, then play again to listen out for the things you’ve drawn their attention to.
- Scottish Airs (Highland Pipes and Drums)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7oac68zqdw&list=OLAK5uy_nXjfxe-hfE2Zw2sIdlqEjYgleEc6aya2k&index=15
Starts with snare drum roll, then bagpipes play.
Hopefully the children will recognise the sound as typically Scottish! You could use the music to march to the steady beat.
- Yellow (Coldplay) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdVAqxNLXiw
Instruments: Acoustic, electric and bass guitars, drumkit
Starts with acoustic guitar, then electric joins in with power chords, then bass guitar with drumkit to add to driving rhythm. Solo male voice singing.
Rock? Band. Male solo voice.
- Be Our Guest (Beauty and the Beast) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afzmwAKUppU
Orchestral backing. Voices – full chorus (group) singing.
About 20 secs into excerpt it slows down, starts to get faster again until it’s back at the first speed until the end. Big (loud) finish.
Conclude
Throughout the year we’ve looked at: voices (male/female, solo/group), instruments, styles of music (orchestra/rock group etc), music expressing feelings, whether music is loud/quiet, fast/slow.
Encourage the children to use these pointers in their own listening.
