Level 2. Lesson 2. Prepare la
Woodblock
Difficulty: 
Prior learning: None
Prepare: la Present: Practice: writing on the staff
Students will explore melodic movement using so, mi, and a higher pitch through singing, hand signs, and visual mapping.
Lyrics
Snail, snail, snail, snail.
Goes around and round and round.
Questions
- Can you show me the hand signs for so and mi?
- Which circle is the highest note?
- Which is higher in pitch - so or mi?
- Draw three vertical circles on the board, spacing them evenly to represent three different pitches.
- As you sing Snail Snail, point to the circles to correspond with the sounds: the lower two circles represent so and mi, while the highest circle represents a new, higher sound that is not named.
- Begin by singing through the song while pointing to each circle as its pitch is sung. Emphasise the movement between so, mi, and the new note, using clear gestures to model the changes.
- Ask students to sing along, using hand signs to show so and mi and raising their hands higher for the new note. Encourage them to observe the relationship between the sounds and the placement of the circles.
- When the students are secure with the sequence, invite individuals to come forward and point to the circles as the class sings. This allows them to connect their actions with the sounds and visually map the melody.
- Next, select a student to sing the song solo while pointing to the circles. This reinforces pitch recognition, independence, and confidence. Encourage the rest of the class to follow along silently with hand signs to support the soloist.
Success Criteria
- I can sing the melody accurately, matching the pitches for so, mi, and the higher sound.
- I can use hand signs to show so and mi and raise my hands higher for the new note.
- I can point to the circles on the board while the melody is sung.
Students will explore melody patterns on "Melody Street" and identify an unknown note above "so" using the melody from a familiar song.
Questions
- Can you show me the hand signs for so and mi?
- Which house is the highest note?
- Is this house a step or skip above so?
- Briefly recap the notes so and mi with hand signs and singing exercises.
- Show the image of "Melody Street" with so, mi, and the unknown note above so.
- Explain to students that they’ll investigate this "mystery note" as musical detectives!
- Ask if the new note is a skip or a step above so.
- Sing a fragment of the melody from Snail Snail that includes so, mi, and the unknown note (no name mentioned).
- Ask students to listen for the note that sounds higher than so.
- Repeat the melody, stopping at the unknown note for students to echo-sing it.
Success Criteria
- I can identify "so" and "mi" on the staff.
- I can listen carefully and identify the mystery note in the melody.
- I can confidently sing the unknown note in tune.
Students will practise writing notes on the staff while identifying spaces and lines by number.
- Provide students with their music writing books or a printed sheet with an empty staff.
- Explain that they will write notes as you give instructions, such as "place a note in the fourth space" or "write a note on the third line."
- Give one or two examples on the board demonstrating how to correctly locate the specified space or line and place the note.
- Emphasise the importance of counting spaces and lines from the bottom of the staff upwards.
- Allow students to work through the exercise, giving clear and simple instructions for each note placement.
- Walk around the room to monitor their work and provide guidance as needed. Correct mistakes gently and encourage students to check their own work.
Success Criteria
- I can correctly identify the spaces and lines of the staff by their numbers.
- I can accurately write notes on the staff as directed.
- I can follow guidance to improve my understanding of the staff layout.
Questions
- How many lines does a staff have?
- How many spaces does a staff have?
- Do you think notes could live above or below the lines and spaces?
Students will identify and physically represent pitch levels (high, middle, low) through listening and movement.
Lyrics
Lucy Lockett lost her pocket, Kitty Fisher found it.
Not a penny was there in it, only ribbon 'round it.
- After singing the song, ask students which of the three notes the music starts on—high, middle, or low.
- Provide hints or sing the song again to help them correctly identify the middle sound.
- Explain that the middle sound is represented by touching their shoulders.
- Demonstrate this as you sing the middle pitch [so]
- Next, the high sound is represented by touching the top of their heads [la], and the low sound [mi] by touching their laps. Practice this sequence with them slowly, singing and moving together.
- Sing the song again, asking students to join in with the singing and the corresponding movements.
- Repeat a few times, gradually letting them take the lead while you observe. Celebrate their accuracy and encourage everyone to focus on matching the pitch with the correct movement.
- To extend the activity, invite a student to sing or hum the melody solo while the rest of the class follows along with the movements. This keeps the activity engaging and reinforces the connection between sound and pitch placement.
Success Criteria
- I can identify which of the three notes the song starts on.
- I can use my body (head, shoulders, lap) to represent high, middle, and low sounds.
- I can follow the melody by moving to the correct pitch level.
Questions
- Can you show me where the middle sound starts—on your head, shoulders, or lap?
- Where does the lowest note start on your body?
- What action would you do for the highest note in the song?
Students prepare 4-metre
In wrong place!!
Lyrics
Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping?
Brother John, Brother John?
Morning bells are ringing. Morning bells are ringing.
Ding, dang, dong. Ding, dang, dong.
- Introduce the song by singing it for the students, using a steady pace and clear enunciation to model it effectively.
- Teach the song one line at a time. Sing the first line and ask the students to echo it. Repeat as necessary until they are secure. Continue with each subsequent line, ensuring accuracy before moving on.
- Once all lines have been learned individually, combine them two lines at a time, then progress to singing the full song together. Encourage students to focus on pitch, timing, and clarity throughout.
- When students are confident, sing the song as a group several times. Highlight their progress and explain that this song will be used in different ways in forthcoming lessons, creating excitement and interest for future activities.
Success Criteria
- I can sing each line of the song accurately.
- I can join the class and sing the whole song confidently.
- I can remember the melody and words for future lessons.
Questions
- What do you think the song is about? [Monks had to wake up early long ago and often fell asleep]
- Who is Brother John?
- Why do you think he was tired?
Students will explore how barlines are used in music to organise beats and identify the double barline at the end of a song.
Questions
- What does the number 2 mean?
- Where is the number 2 placed?
- What does a barline show?
- Write the rhythm of Rain Rain in stick notation on the board.
- Mark an x above each strong beat.
- Remind students that the song has a strong beat followed by a weak beat.
- Explain that musicians use barlines to replace the x to show where each strong beat starts.
- Draw barlines before each strong beat on the board, dividing the rhythm into measures.
- Explain that there is a pattern of a strong beat and a weak beat. We show this pattern by placing 2 before the first barline.
- Show we put a barline at the end of the music to ensure we don't get lost.
- Teach that the 2 replaces the first barline, which is put at the end of the song to show that it has finished.
- Introduce the double barline at the end of the song to show where it finishes!
Success Criteria
- I can identify strong beats in a song.
- I can explain how barlines are used to organize beats in music.
- I can recognise and use a double barline to show the end of a song.
ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS
- The student can demonstrate the new note above so using body movements.
- The student can accurately place notes on the correct lines and spaces of the staff.
- The student can sing in canon with accurate intonation and steady timing.
Suggested lessons
Y1. Beat II
Y1. Beat III
Y1. Beat IV