Music – First Level: Composing with Body Percussion (Sequence of 3 Lessons)

Learners will watch and listen to recorded body percussion performances before composing their own pieces.

Learners will have opportunities to:

engage with a stimulus and share their ideas
think about the elements that make music
participate in an improvisation activity to explore sound using body percussion
explore how the body can be used to make sounds and music
work collaboratively with others to combine a series of body percussion actions to create a sixteen beat pattern on a composition grid
perform their compositions both unaccompanied and as an accompaniment to a recorded piece of music
develop and extend their compositions, whilst also learning about musical form
orchestrate their body percussion pieces, using percussion instruments.

Experiences and Outcomes:

I can sing and play music from other styles and cultures, showing growing confidence and skill, while learning about musical notation and performance direction. EXA 1-16a
I can use my voice, musical instruments and music technology to discover and enjoy playing with sound, rhythm, pitch and dynamics. EXA 1-17a
Inspired by a range of stimuli, and working on my own and/or with others, I can express and communicate my ideas, thoughts and feelings through musical activities. EXA 1-18a
I have listened to a range of music and can respond by discussing my thoughts and feelings. I can give and accept constructive comment on my own and others’ work. EXA 1-19a

Resources

Device for playing music and speaker
Interactive whiteboard
Body Percussion flashcards
16 beat grid
Whiteboard and pen
iPad (for recording purposes)
A selection of four different types of untuned percussion instruments, enough for everyone in the class to have one each (e.g. claves, egg shakers, bells, boomwhackers)

Useful Links

If you search for ‘body percussion composition grids’ on Google images, you will find examples of body percussion compositions.