Y1. Lesson 1. Beat
Prior learning: Beat
Duration: 30 minutes
Materials: Woodblocks or claves, foot cut-outs (image provided)
Keywords: Beat, singing, chanting, partners, rhymes, circle games
Difficulty: 
Prepare
Present
Beat
Practise
When focusing on the melodic element, consider selecting a new song to prepare for the next rhythmic element. Similarly, when preparing a rhythmic element, choose a new song to complement the next melodic element.
Greeting
Students respond to the teacher singing Good Morning by echo singing.
Questions
- How many sounds did I sing?
- Was the first sound higher or lower than the second one?
- How many sounds are in your name?
- Sing "Good morning, everyone!" using variations on so, mi and la.
- Students should respond by singing "Good morning [teacher's name]" using the combination of pitches used by the teacher.
- Pick a student and sing, "Good morning [student's name]".
- The student responds by singing, "Good morning [teacher's name]".
- Praise the student, regardless of skill level.
- Offer remedial feedback if students do not correctly pitch match, such as 'Did you bring your singing voice?"
- Repeat as time permits with selected students for individual responses.
- At the end of the lesson, singing the greeting for the last time will reinforce the student's ability to echo pitches correctly.
Melodic development
Students sing and keep the beat on their knees.
- Students are seated and attentive.
- Explain that the class will learn the song Snail Snail.
- Use a neutral syllable to establish the melody, then the next time, sing the lyrics.
- Ask students to follow you as you sing again in a measured cadence.
- Ask students to keep the beat on their knees as they sing.
Questions
- How many different sounds could you hear? [Three]
- Did some words have more than one sound on a beat?
- Which words had more than one sound?
Rhythmic development
The teacher presents the term beat to students.
Feet, Feet, Feet, Feet.
Going up and down the street.
Big feet, little feet,
Can't catch me!
Click on the foot and download the foot cutouts!
- Tell students they will march and chant with the rhyme Feet Feet.
- Place several cardboard foot props on the floor and ask students to come and stand next to them but not on them.
- Teach students the words to the rhyme if they are unfamiliar with it.
- Demonstrate the rhyme, speaking in a measured cadence and stepping along the side of the props in time with the words.
- Select a student to mimic your actions.
- The remainder of the class is instructed to help by pointing to the feet as they say the rhyme to help guide the chosen student as they step through each word.
- The whole class will march up and down the room, chanting the rhyme.
- Ensure everyone does their best to keep in time with the beat.
Creative movement
This classic circle game promotes memory and recall through song repetition and action sequences.
- Mulberry Bush is a traditional singing game that encourages the development of coordination and motor skills.
- Students form a circle, holding hands, while one stands in the middle as the 'mulberry bush.'
- The circle revolves as students sing the song to the beat.
- At the end of each verse, a new action is introduced, and the student in the centre performs it. This continues until everyone has had a turn in the centre.
- This game encourages taking turns and cooperating with others and fosters social interaction and teamwork.
Listening
Students practise singing and speaking voices.
- With the class seated, explain to students that you have brought a new friend and would like to introduce him to the class.
- Using a hand puppet, such as a bumblebee, explain that your friend loves to talk, and to do so, he uses his talking voice.
- Recite the words of the song 'Bee, bee, bumblebee, can you say your name to me', using the puppet to 'speak' to the class.
- Repeat several times, choosing a new student to speak their name.
- Explain your friend now wants to sing and show you his singing voice.
- Sing the melody of Bumblebee using the puppet to 'sing' and choose a student who should sing their name in response.
- The puppet will now recite the words to the song in a whisper. Ask students to whisper the song in response. Choose a student to whisper their name.
- Repeat with other students, perhaps using the puppet to land on their heads for fun.
- Ask students if they can hear the difference between a singing, a speaking, and a whispering voice.
Visual learning
These iconic representations represent the beat as a precursor to rhythmic syllables ta and ti-ti.
- Project the beat icons.
- Students are seated and attentive
- Sing the song with the class, pointing to each icon on the beat.
- Students should keep the beat on their knees, shoulders or heads.
- When secure, ask a volunteer to point as the class sings.
- Repeat as time permits.
- This exercise reinforces students' development of beat by using visual cues.
Instruments
Students sing and keep the beat and the rhythm using woodblocks or claves.
Helpful Hint: To play the wood block, hold it in your non-dominant hand. To make a good clean sound strike the top of the wood block with the tip of the stick.
- Students are seated. Have woodblocks or claves at hand, along with beaters.
- Instruct the class that they will sing Snail Snail with you.
- Begin singing and keep the beat with the instrument.
- Ask for a volunteer and instruct them how to hold the beater and woodblock correctly.
- The class should sing again, with the volunteer keeping the beat on the block.
- Assess their performance for accuracy and time-keeping and offer guidance as necessary.
- Ask for another volunteer and repeat as time permits.
- The class should sing again as you play the rhythm on the woodblock.
Questions
- When you sang, and I played the woodblock the first time, there was one sound on the beat. What about when I played the second time?
- Did some beats have more than one sound?
Part work
Students sing and move in time to the beat.
- Lead students to sing the song and join this classic circle game. Ensure that they move in time with the beat.
- One student stands in the middle, and the others form a ring and dance around this student.
- When the song has finished (on the final word "down"), all students in the ring should lie down or squat on their heels.
- Students then immediately get up, and the game starts again.
Students section
Assess
Suggested lessons
Y1. Beat II
Y1. Beat III
Y1. Beat IV