Level 1. Lesson 20. Duple metre
Woodblock
Difficulty: 
Prior learning: None
Prepare: Present: Duple metre Practice: notation
Students will identify strong and weak beats and learn how they are represented in notation and time signature.
Questions
- How do we show a strong beat in this song? [x]
- Is there a marking for a weak beat? [no]
- What do we call the pattern of strong and weak beats in this song? [2-metre]
Success Criteria
- I can use body movements to represent strong and weak beats.
- I can identify and mark strong beats in the rhythm.
- I can explain the pattern of strong beats and understand the 2-metre time signature.
- Sing the first four measures of Rain Rain while drawing the rhythm names (ta and ti-ti) on the board.
- Repeat with time names, helping students associate the sounds of the song with the rhythm syllables.
- Sing the first four measures again and ask students to follow along using a body ostinato.
- Strong beats can be shown by touching their heads. Weak beats can be shown by touching their knees.
- Practice this several times, ensuring students can coordinate the movements with the beat.
- Teach that the first beat is strong, followed by a weak beat.
- Ask students how strong and weak beats could be shown visually on the board.
- Encourage suggestions and guide them to mark strong beats with a symbol.
- Project the graphic or draw the pattern of string and weak beats.
- Show/draw crosses above the strong beats on the rhythm syllables for the first four measures.
- As you do so, ask students to observe the placement of the strong beats and discuss what they notice.
- Ask what the pattern of the strong beats is.
- Help students recognise and articulate that the strong beats occur every two beats.
- Explain that musicians use a number to represent a time signature pattern.
- Write the numeral 2 at the beginning of the rhythm to indicate the time signature is in 2-metre.
- Discuss how the time signature shows two beats in each bar, and the strong beat is always on the first beat.
Students will participate in a call-and-response singing activity, keep a steady beat, and engage in a collaborative movement game.
Lyrics
Charlie over the ocean [call], Charlie over the ocean [response]
Charlie over the sea [call], Charlie over the sea [response]
Charlie caught a big fish [call], Charlie caught a big fish [response]
Can't catch me [call], Can't catch me [response]
- Have students sit in a circle on the floor.
- Choose one student to walk around the circle while singing the solo call section ("Charlie over the ocean..."). If the song is new, it will help to hold their hand.
- The class sings the response section while tapping the beat on their knees.
- When this student reaches the end of the song, they will tap another student on the last word.
- The tapped student becomes the “chaser” and must try to tag the caller as they run around the circle.
- The rest of the students clap or tap their knees to encourage the chase.
- The chased student must find a vacant spot in the circle before being tagged.
- They will remain the caller for the next round if they are tagged. If not, the chaser will become the next caller.
- Begin the game, ensuring as many as possible get a turn as the caller or chaser.
- Continue for as many rounds as time allows.
Success Criteria
- I can sing the response section while keeping the beat on my knees.
- I can take turns being the caller and chaser.
- I can participate in the game while following the rules and encouraging my classmates.
Questions
- Where can Charlie be found?
- What did Charlie catch?
- How do we show the beat while singing the response section of the song?
Students will learn the term ostinato and how it can be used to create layered music.
An example of how this may sound is on the audio player. The song and ostinato pattern repeat twice.
Lyrics
Snail, snail, snail, snail.
Goes around and round and round.
Questions
- What words did I sing over and over while you sang the song?
- What do we call a short musical phrase that is repeated over and over?
- How did it feel to sing the song and hear the ostinato at the same time?
- Lead students in singing Snail Snail as a group. Ensure everyone is confident with the melody and words.
- Sing the song again, but you sing only the first two words ("Snail Snail") repeatedly as an ostinato while the students continue the full song.
- After finishing, ask students if they noticed anything different.
- If students do not identify that you were repeating the first two words, sing the song again, highlighting your repeated ostinato part.
- Split the class into two groups.
- Group 1 sings the whole song.
- Group 2 sings the ostinato ("Snail Snail") repeatedly.
- Lead the groups, ensuring each part stays steady and in time with the other. Repeat as needed until students are confident.
- After singing, explain that repeating a short musical phrase over and over is called an ostinato.
- Discuss how it felt to sing in two parts and listen for the ostinato.
- Rotate groups so all students experience singing both the song and the ostinato.
Success Criteria
- I can sing the full song Snail Snail.
- I can sing the first two words of the song as an ostinato.
- I can explain what an ostinato is.
In a fun, interactive circle activity, students will develop coordination and beat awareness by performing body actions while singing and moving.
Lyrics
Bend down, turn around, touch your toes.
Shake your head, then your leg,
Elbows, knees and eyes and nose.
- Begin by having the students form a circle so they can see you and follow along with the movements.
- Sing the song and demonstrate each action as you go along, keeping in time with the beat.
First Action: Bend at the waist and turn around. - Encourage students to touch their toes as part of the movement if possible.
- First Action: Bend at the waist and turn around.
- Second Action: Shake their head, followed by shaking a leg.
- Final Action: Touch their elbow, ear, eye, and nose in sequence.
- Remind students that following each movement perfectly is not essential. They should focus on singing in tune and having fun with the actions. They can also be creative and personalise the movements.
- Sing the song a few times, making the students comfortable with the movements.
- Encourage them to keep in time with the beat as they sing and move.
- Ask the students if they enjoyed the different movements and if they found it easy to sing in time with the beat while moving.
Success Criteria
- I can sing the song and follow the movements with my classmates.
- I can keep in time with the beat while performing the actions.
- I can participate actively and enjoy the activity, being flexible with my movements.
Questions
- What time names do the first two sounds have? [ta]
- Where in the song can ti-ti be found? ["turn - a"]
- What other part of the body could you shake to change the words?
Students will explore beat and rhythm by listening to and responding to In The Hall of the Mountain King.
Questions
- What is the difference between the beat and the rhythm of the music?
- What did you notice about the music when we switched between keeping the beat and clapping the rhythm?
- Was it harder or easier to clap the rhythm as the music got faster?
- Play the music from the beginning and guide students to tap the steady beat on their knees.
- Model keeping the beat for them before starting.
- Play the music again, but this time, ask students to clap the rhythm of the melody instead of tapping the beat.
- Split the class into two groups.
- Group 1: Keeps the beat on their knees.
- Group 2: Claps the rhythm of the melody.
- Swap roles so each group experiences both tasks.
- Ask students how switching between keeping the beat and clapping the rhythm felt.
- Discuss how these two elements work together to make the music feel alive.
Success Criteria
- I can tap the steady beat of the music on my knees.
- I can clap the rhythm of the melody.
- I can switch between beat and rhythm and explain the difference.
Students will connect rhythm syllables to the beat, sing in canon, and practice memorisation while keeping a steady beat.
- If students have books with filled beat circles for Kangaroo, have them open to the relevant page. If not, display the worksheet on a projector or provide printed copies.
- Guide students to sing the time names to the melody while tapping each beat circle in time.
- Repeat, but after one measure, join the students by singing the time names in canon.
- Ensure students maintain their focus and follow the beat while singing in their group.
- Repeat this process, encouraging students to stay steady and listen to their group and you.
- Ask students to close their books or turn over the worksheets on the third repetition.
- Encourage them to sing the time names and melody from memory while tapping at imaginary beat circles.
Success Criteria
- I can tap the beat circles in time with the melody.
- I can sing the time names in canon while staying on the beat.
- I can sing the melody and time names from memory while keeping in time.
ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS
- The student demonstrates an understanding of 2-metre.
- The student demonstrates an understanding of an ostinato.
- The student can sing time names in canon.
Suggested lessons
Y1. Beat II
Y1. Beat III
Y1. Beat IV