St Michael's CofE Primary School

YEAR 5 MUSIC

Rainforests

In Year 5, we explored pulse and rhythm by listening and responding to a range of different film music inspired by rainforests. We developed our understanding of different scores by performing body percussion arrangements. We learned the 'Save our Trees' song. We sang it in unison and as a round. As a class and then in groups, we composed, practised and performed an accompaniment to the song. We developed our understanding of pulse, rhythmic and melodic ostinati, drones and melody. We also considered the elements: structure, texture, dynamics, tempo and pitch. We listened to music inspired by rainforests and composed our own class and then group rainforest music. We enjoy composing and performing to each other.

Class Accompaniments to the 'Save our Tree' Song

Class Rainforest Composition

Group Rainforest Compositions

Ancient Greece

In Year 5, we developed our understanding of pulse and rhythm by practising a whole class body percussion arrangement of Mamma Mia. We found out about Ancient Greek music from paintings, text and listening to examples. We developed our understanding of notation and practised clapping from notation in time with a range of music. We analysed the music for a Greek song. We then learned the song in unison and then as a round. We composed class and then group accompaniments to the song. We continued to develop our understanding of pulse, rhythmic and melodic ostinati, drones and melody. We also considered the elements: structure, texture, dynamics, tempo and pitch. We listened to modern Greek music and anaylsed it using our understanding of the musical elements. We then composed a group piece of music inspired by Greece. The music needed to be calm and relaxing. Our aim was to compose chillout music for a taverna by the sea. We used an A B A structure and had to use our knowledge and understanding of all the elements.

Class Accompaniments to the 'Now tell me 'bout the Greeks' Song

Group Accompaniments to the 'Now tell me 'bout the Greeks' Song

Chillout music for a taverna by the sea

YEAR 6 MUSIC

Victorians

In Year 6, we listened to songs from Oliver Twist and developed our understanding of pulse, rhythm and notation. We learned a song about Victorian children, first in unison and then in several parts. We explored texture and pitch. As a class and then in groups, we composed, rehearsed and performed an accompaniment to the 'Victorian Children' song. We developed our understanding of of pulse, rhythmic and melodic ostinati, drones and melody. We also considered the elements: structure, texture, dynamics, tempo and pitch. We enjoy composing and performing to each other. We listened to and evaluated Victorian Street Cries using musical vocabulary. We then composed, practised and performed our own using repetition of melody and lyrics. We looked at the music for a 'Machine Round' and discussed the notation: stave, bars, bar lines, time signature, treble clef, staccato and accent markings and note values. We practised clapping the rhythms in unison and then in parts. In pairs, we then composed our own 2 part rhythmic machine composition for a Victorian machine.

Accompaniments to the 'Victorian Children' Song

Creating our own Street Cries

Group Accompaniments to the 'Victorian Children Song'

Around the World

In Year 6, we continued to develop our understanding of formal notation and practised clapping rhythms in time with a range of music, including Hip Hop, Latin, Bhangra. We explored American Folk and learned the song 'Oh Susanna'. We developed our understanding of a range of scores by practising and performing a whole class boomwhacker arrangement of the song. We then looked at the boomwhacker sheet music for 'Oh Susanna' and discussed the notation. We learned about time signatures, repeat markings, 1st & 2nd time bars and reviewed note values. In groups, we practised and performed from the sheet music. We also practised and performed a whole class boomwhacker arrangement of 'Africa'. It was in two parts. There was the melody and chord accompaniment. It was great. We also learned 'Hey Ungua', an African welcome song. We sang it in unison, call and response and canon. In pairs, we composed a Djembe arrangement. We used our knowledge of structure and rhythms from our djembe course in Term 1 and our knowledge of many other musical elements from previous class lessons. We used an ABA structure of: Djembe/Singing/Djembe. The drumming section needed to include an introduction, 2 different rhythms and call and response. We needed to think about structure, repetition, texture, pulse, rhythm, tempo, dynamics and pitch. We also listened to samba music from Brazil. We discussed the music in terms of the musical elements and instruments used. We created a whole class samba piece. It was amazing. Finally we listened to Bhangra music and practised and performed a whole class body percussion version of Jailo.

Whole Class Samba Composition

Listen to how we explore structure, timbre, texture and rhythms.