Prep. Lesson 3. Moving to the beat
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- Woodblocks, claves, or hand drum Difficulty:
. Prior learning: None
- Woodblocks, claves, or hand drum Difficulty:
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Students will practice beat awareness while developing self-control and coordination as they respond to musical cues.
- Start by teaching the song while walking in time with the beat.
- Next, have the students stand up and join you, marching in place while singing and keeping in time with the music.
- When the word "stop" is used, students must freeze immediately.
- Any student who moves after "stop" is out and must move to the side of the class, but they should still sing along as the game continues.
- After each round, select a student to decide whether the class should walk faster or slower; they will help set the new pace for the group.
- The game continues until only one student, who is declared the winner, remains.
Lyrics
Now you walk, and you walk,
and you walk, and you walk.
And you walk, and you walk,
and you walk, and you stop!
Success Criteria
- I can march in time with the beat while singing the song.
- I can freeze immediately when the teacher says, "Stop."
- I can control my movements to stay in the game.
- I can sing along even if I am out of the game.
- I can participate in setting the pace for the group and deciding whether to walk faster or slower.
Students explore ways to keep the beat while singing, fostering creativity and physical coordination.
Lyrics
Rain, rain, go away,
Come again some other day.
Sunshine's here to stay,
Now we can go out to play
- Sing the lyrics of "Rain Rain" to the class while seated.
- Ask the students to tap the beat on their knees as you sing. Then, have them sing the song while tapping their knees in time with the beat.
- Once finished, engage the class by asking, "Where else could we keep the beat?" Encourage creative responses such as tapping on their ears or shoulders.
- Have the students repeat the song, tapping their ears to the beat.
- Continue asking for different body parts to keep the beat, like shoulders, chin, or legs. With each suggestion, the class sings the song while tapping the suggested area, always keeping a steady beat.
Success Criteria
- I can sing the song while keeping a steady beat.
- I can tap different parts of my body in time with the music.
- I can offer creative ideas for where to keep the beat.
- I can maintain the beat consistently, regardless of the tapping location.
Students practise their ability to maintain a steady beat while moving and singing in a group and will engage in social interaction through musical play.
Lyrics
v.2 The farmer takes a wife, etc.
v.3 The wife takes the child, etc.
v.4 The child takes the nurse, etc.
v.5 The nurse takes the cow, etc.
v.6 The cow takes the dog, etc.
v.7 The dog takes the cat, etc.
v.8 The cat takes the mouse, etc.
v.9 The mouse takes the cheese, etc.
- Circle games are excellent for social interaction, and this song encourages both movement, and keeping a steady beat while singing.
- Start with the first verse of the song and ask the class to form a circle.
- Choose one student to be the "farmer" who walks inside or outside the circle in the opposite direction.
- The class sings the first verse together, and when they finish, the student in the centre picks someone from the circle who has been singing well to join them in the centre.
- Now, teach another verse and repeat the process.
- Continue singing and repeat the game with the following verses, ensuring as many students as possible have a turn to participate.
- Change the way students move around the circle. Instead of walking, try skipping, hopping, or tiptoeing to match the song's beat. For an extra challenge, vary the song's tempo—sing it faster or slower—and encourage students to adjust their movements accordingly.
- To add more fun and interaction, assign roles from the song. For example, have students act out different roles as they walk around the circle, like the farmer, dog, or cow, using simple movements that reflect the character. Each verse can introduce a new character, allowing students to become creative with their movements while staying in time with the song.
Success Criteria
- I can sing new verses while keeping a steady beat.
- I can move in time with the beat as part of the circle.
- I can recognise and encourage good singing in others.
- I can participate actively and follow the structure of the game.
Students will learn to perform the fingerplay, developing fine motor skills, coordination, and expression through movement.
Lyrics
Five little peas in a pea pod pressed.
One grew, two grew, and so did all the rest.
They grew, and they grew, and they would not stop,
Until one day, they all went –Pop!
Success Criteria
- I can recite the rhyme while performing the finger movements.
- I can follow the sequence of actions to match the words.
- I can adjust the speed of my movements when the rhyme is faster or slower.
- I can add expressive movements to the "pop" action.
- Begin by introducing the fingerplay to students.
- Explain that it involves using their fingers to act out the rhyme, and they’ll make movements to match the words.
- Demonstrate the rhyme once, showing the actions that accompany each line.
- Have the students put their fingertips together and hide them away like a closed pea pod. Then, show them how to hold their hands in this position to get ready.
- "Five little peas in a pea pod pressed": Keep your fingertips together to represent the peas inside the pod. Encourage the students to press their hands as if squeezing the pea pod tightly.
- "One grew, two grew, and so did all the rest" Gradually open one finger at a time, starting with the thumb, until all the fingers are stretched out. Have the students follow along and open their fingers slowly.
- "They grew, and they grew, and they would not stop" Stretch the fingers wider and wider, raising the hands higher with each repetition of "grew." Make it look like the peas are expanding out of the pod.
- "Until one day, they all went…" Pause and build up suspense with your voice, keeping your hands in the stretched position.
- "Pop!" Quickly clap your hands together or throw your fingers wide apart to mimic the peas bursting out of the pod. Have the students do the same.
Students will explore various locomotor movements while keeping a steady beat and develop cooperation and coordination through partner-based challenges.
Lyrics
My father was a butcher. My mother cut the meat.
But I’m a little hot dog. And I run down the street!
Create Movement Variations
- Encourage students to move around the circle differently based on prompts to add variety.
- For example, skip, hop, or tiptoe around the circle in time with the beat.
- Each movement can match the beat of the rhyme, helping students engage with different types of locomotor movement while reinforcing the concept of beat.
Partner Challenge:
- Instead of having one student chase the other, pair students up.
- One student from each pair walks around the circle, and when they are tapped, their partner stands and joins them, both trying to return to the spot first.
- This adds an extra element of cooperation and coordination between partners.
Success Criteria
- I can change my movements (skip, hop, tiptoe) to match the beat.
- I can maintain a steady beat.
- I can cooperate with my partner to complete the challenge.
- I can respond to prompts and adjust my movement style as needed.
Students discover how to move their bodies to the beat as Zoe performs a fun routine to the beat!
Suggested lessons
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
Prep. Lesson 5. Singing and speaking voices
Students aurally identify singing and speaking voices through listening and performing. AC9AMUFP01
Prep. Lesson 6. Chants & fingerplays
Students sing songs, chants, and rhymes and engage in partner activities and fingerplays. AC9AMUD01