Prep. Lesson 1. First steps
Woodblocks, claves, feet cutouts
Prior learning: None
Difficulty: 
Students develop their ability to match pitch using a two-note pattern, improving their vocal accuracy and confidence through individual and group participation.
Success Criteria
- I can respond to the teacher’s greeting using the correct notes.
- I can match pitch when singing with the class or individually.
- I can respond to feedback and improve my singing voice over time.
- I feel more confident in using my singing voice during the activity.
Start your lesson with a greeting to signal the beginning of this special activity. This helps to create a sense of "music time" and encourages tuneful singing. Use a standardised greeting that children will recognise as the cue that it’s time to sing. For example, you might sing or chant, “Good morning, everyone.” This familiar phrase sets the tone and prepares them for learning. Then, review a known song or introduce a new one.
- Start singing "Good morning, everyone!" using a simple two-note pattern like so and mi. If needed, use a tuning fork to ensure the correct pitch.
- The class responds by singing back, "Good morning, [teacher's name]," using the same notes.
- Next, choose a student and sing, "Good morning, [student's name]," encouraging the student to respond with "Good morning, [teacher's name]" on the same notes.
- Provide positive feedback to encourage participation, regardless of skill level. If a student struggles with pitch matching, gently offer feedback such as, "Did you bring your singing voice?"
- Repeat with other students as time allows. To end the lesson, sing the greeting one last time to reinforce learning the two notes in a fun and engaging way.
Music skills. Singing. PR. MU.01.001
Students will develop beat awareness, coordination, and teamwork by engaging in a musical movement game.
Success Criteria
- I can recite the rhyme with a steady beat.
- I can participate in the movement and actions while keeping the beat.
- I can demonstrate coordination by catching or avoiding my classmates in the game.
- I can actively contribute by patting the beat on my knees while watching the game unfold.
- Teach the lyrics and have the class form a circle, repeating the words with you while keeping a steady beat.
- Choose a student to walk around outside the circle as the other students chant the rhyme together.
- At the end of the rhyme, the chosen student taps a classmate on the head, and that student stands up to walk around the circle, attempting to catch the classmate who tagged them.
- The seated students pat their knees to the beat as the game progresses.
- The goal is for the child who tagged their classmate to catch them before they return to their original spot in the circle.
Rhythm. Beat. PR. RH.01.001
Lyrics
My father was a butcher. My mother cut the meat.
But I’m a little hot dog. And I run down the street!
Students sing the song, coordinating their movements with the lyrics. They will develop beat and body awareness and follow instructions through music and actions.
Lyrics
Teddy bear, Teddy bear, turn around.
Teddy bear, Teddy bear, touch the ground.
Teddy bear, Teddy bear, show your shoe.
Teddy bear, Teddy bear that will do!
- Begin by teaching the lyrics and melody. Sing the song slowly and clearly, ensuring the students understand each word. Repeat the song a few times, inviting the students to sing with you. Once they are comfortable with the melody and lyrics, introduce the actions.
- Demonstrate the actions for each line of the song (see below)
- Perform the actions as you sing so students can see how the movements connect to the lyrics. Encourage them to join in and imitate the actions.
- Repeat the song several times and encourage the students to sing and perform the actions together. Provide plenty of positive reinforcement and praise to boost their confidence.
Repertoire. Games. RE.02.001
Actions
- Turn around: Turn 360 degrees in a circle.
Touch the ground: Bend down and touch the floor.
Show your shoe: Bend down and touch your shoe.
That will do: Sit down on the floor.
Success criteria
- I can sing the song "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear" from memory.
- I can perform the correct actions in time with the lyrics.
- I can listen carefully and respond to instructions by matching the actions to the song.
- I can participate actively and show confidence while singing and moving.
Students will learn to sing and move in time with the beat while participating in a circle game that fosters listening, coordination, and group cooperation.
Lyrics
Ring a ring a' rosy,
A pocket full of posy.
A tish-oo, a tish-oo,
We all fall down.
- Explain to the students that you will teach them a song involving singing and moving in a circle. Let them know that one student will stand in the middle while the rest form a ring around that student.
- Sing the first line of the song and encourage the students to listen carefully.
- Have the students repeat the line back to you, singing along.
- Continue this process with each line until they know the entire song.
- Demonstrate how the students in the ring should move in a circle around the student in the middle, making sure they move in time with the beat.
- Explain that on the final word, "down," everyone in the ring should lie down or squat on their heels.
- Choose one student to stand in the middle and the rest to form a circle around that student.
- Sing the song together, and have the students dance around the middle student.
- On the final word, "down," all students in the circle should lie down or squat quickly. The middle student can also join in.
- Have everyone stand up after the song ends and choose a new student to stand in the middle.
- Repeat the song and game, allowing different students to take turns in the middle.
Repertoire. Circle Games. RE.02.002
Success criteria
- I can sing the song and move in time with the beat.
- I can follow the instructions to lie down or squat on the final word "down."
- I can actively participate in the game and take turns being the student in the middle.
Students will develop their ability to maintain a steady beat, while singing and moving. They coordinate their actions with the beat and participate actively in groups.
Lyrics
I'm a bear, and I like honey,
Lots of honey in my tummy,
I'll feel sick, and I'll feel funny,
If I go on eating honey!
- Sing the first line of the song while keeping the beat by clapping or tapping. Encourage the students to clap or pat their laps along with you.
- Have the students repeat the line, clapping or tapping the beat together.
- Continue teaching the song, line by line, ensuring the students can maintain the beat while singing.
- Have the students form a circle, standing with enough space between each other.
- Explain that they should pat the beat on their laps while singing the song, ensuring their hands move in time with the beat.
- Use a bear puppet and explain that as the class sings and keeps the beat, the bear will move around outside the circle, "eating honey," by gently tapping students’ hands in time with the beat.
- Walk around the circle with the bear puppet, tapping students' hands on the beat while they continue singing and patting the beat.
Repertoire. Games. RE.02.003
Success criteria
- I can sing the song while keeping a steady beat by clapping, patting, or stepping.
- I can move my hands, feet, or body in time with the beat while participating in the circle game.
- I can follow along with the actions, staying in time with the beat as the bear puppet moves around the circle.
Students will learn to recite the rhyme while coordinating hand movements and developing fine motor skills, beat, and memory.
Lyrics
Two little Mickie birds sitting on a wall [hands together, thumbs up]
One named Peter, one named Paul [wiggle each thumb in turn]
Fly away, Peter, fly away, Paul [each thumb in turn moves behind your back]
Come back, Peter, come back, Paul [bring each thumb back in turn]
Success Criteria
- I can say the rhyme and keep a steady beat.
- I can perform the thumb movements in time with the words.
- I can follow along and participate in the actions.
- I can demonstrate the rhyme to others using both the words and actions.
- Recite the rhyme slowly and clearly, emphasising each word and keeping a steady beat.
- Ask the students to follow you as you say the rhyme and perform the actions.
- Recite the rhyme again, but have the class copy your thumb movements in time with the beat.
- Repeat the rhyme several more times, encouraging the students to join in with both the words and actions.
- Praise the students for participating and following along.
- For added fun, ask them to suggest different names for the birds or create new movements while keeping the basic structure of the rhyme.
Repertoire. Rhymes & fingerplay. RE.03.001
Students watch Dasha Duck and Kody Koala move their bodies in different ways to a steady beat!
Suggested lessons
Prep. Lesson 2. Feel the beat
Students team up with partners and use circle games to develop the feeling of a steady beat. AC9AMUFP01
Prep. Lesson 3. Moving to the beat
Students keep the beat on their knees, clap in time with rhymes and in teacher-led circle games. AC9AMUD01
Prep. Lesson 4. Exploring beat
Students sing in time to the beat. They recite a classic rhyme and keep the beat with their arms. AC9AMUD01