CROSS CURRICULAR LEARNING IN MUSIC (3 hours)

Consider how you can make links between music and other curricular areas.  Choose as many subject areas as you wish, and for each, create activities that draw upon musical knowledge to enhance the learning. 

Music and Art – Create a picture to go alongside the piece they have created in music.

• Consideration of key (major or minor = happy or sad) and what colours could represent that
• Is this piece slow and graceful or quick and jumpy? What sort of lines and shapes
• could represent this?
• Musically, this develops the skill of appreciation, and being able to identify themes and techniques used in the music. Artistically, this allows the children to create an explorative piece, where they are free to express themselves, and justify their use of materials and artistic techniques
  • Art – Through observing and recording from my experiences across the curriculum, I can create images and objects which show my awareness and recognition of detail. EXA 2-04a
  • Music – 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 / EXA 2-19a

Music and Science – Waves and Vibrations

• Use scientific skills of hypothesising and experimenting to investigate:
  • Which instruments make vibrations and how?
  • Which instruments make the most vibrations? Why?
  • Do higher or lower pitches make more vibrations? Why? (wave lengths)
  • Can you always see vibrations?
• How do different materials allow vibrations to pass through them? Which would be the best material to use for music room? Why?
  • Music – I can use my voice, musical instruments and music technology to discover and enjoy playing with sound, rhythm, pitch and dynamics. EXA 1-17a
  • Science – By collaborating in experiments on different ways of producing sound from vibrations, I can demonstrate how to change the pitch of the sound. SCN 1-11a

Music and HWB/Drama – Music linked to emotions

• Examine major and minor chords and scales. Ask the children how the sounds make them feel, contrasting the two. Also play with spooky and dreamy scales. Also look at pieces of music, having the children close their eyes and use their imagination to pick out the emotions present in the music.
• This can then link to drama and characterisation, with the children creating/developing characters and their traits, based on a piece of music. This reinforces the skills of identifying themes and emotions portrayed in music.
  • HWB – I am aware of how friendships are formed and that likes, dislikes, special qualities and needs can influence relationships. HWB 0-44a / HWB 1-44a
  • HWB – I am aware of the need to respect personal space and boundaries and can recognise and respond appropriately to verbal and non-verbal communication. HWB 0-45b / HWB 1-45b / HWB 2-45b / HWB 3-45b / HWB 4-45b
  • Music – 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 / EXA 2-19a
  • Drama – I enjoy creating, choosing and accepting roles, using movement, expression and voice. EXA 1-12a

Music and Literacy – Music and Poetry

• After looking at poems in class (potentially about their topic), let the children listen to different pieces of music and have them decide which piece fits the poem(s) best. (appreciation)
• Then the children would work in groups to create their own music piece to match a poem, thinking about the techniques the pointed out in the previous examples. (composition)
• If the children are enjoying these activities, they could be developed further, with the children writing their own poems and music to go alongside them (which could link with topic) – with the final product being performed, bringing in the final aspect of music. (performance)
  • Music – 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 / EXA 2-19a
  • Music – 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 0-18a / EXA 1-18a / EXA 2-18a
  • Music – I have experienced the energy and excitement of presenting/performing for audiences and being part of an audience for other people’s presentations/performances. EXA 0-01a / EXA 1-01a / EXA 2-01a
  • Literacy – Having explored the elements which writers use in different genres, I can use what I learn to create stories, poems and plays with an interesting and appropriate structure, interesting characters and/or settings which come to life. ENG 2-31a
  • Literacy – I can: · discuss structure, characterisation and/or setting · recognise the relevance of the writer’s theme and how this relates to my own and others’ experiences · discuss the writer’s style and other features appropriate to genre. ENG 2-19a

Music and Maths – The Sound of Shapes (reinforcement exercise)

• When learning about 2d shapes, the more corners a shape has, the higher the note they should play i.e. triangle would have a low pitch but an octagon would have a high pitch, whereas a circle would be silent – use boomwhackers or similar
• This tests their knowledge of shapes and their ability to distinguish low and high pitch and how to make those sounds.
• This activity can then be used to teach about music notation. Instead of notes on a stave, the children could use shapes to know which note to play. This can allow them to create rhythms and patterns without knowledge of how staves work.
  • Maths – I have explored simple 3D objects and 2D shapes and can identify, name and describe their features using appropriate vocabulary. MTH 1-16a
  • Music – I can use my voice, musical instruments and music technology to discover and enjoy playing with sound, rhythm, pitch and dynamics. EXA 1-17a