Y1. Lesson 4. Tempo
Prior learning: Beat
Duration: 30 minutes
Materials: Soft, bouncy ball. Untuned percussion.
Keywords: Beat, tempo, singing, chanting, partners, rhymes, circle games.
Difficulty: 
Prepare
ta & ti-ti
Present
Tempo
Practise
Fast & slow, Beat
Explain to students that musicians use a special word called tempo to describe whether music should be faster or slower. A fast tempo means the music should be faster, and a slow tempo means the music should be slower.
Melodic development
Students discover a classic classroom song.
Questions
- Did you prefer the song to be sung faster or slower?
- What is your favourite playground activity?
- The class is seated and attentive.
- Sing the lyrics on a neutral syllable the first time.
- For the second time, pretend to seesaw up and down as you teach the lyrics.
- The class should respond, singing the lyrics.
- When secure, tell students that now they will sing quickly.
- Finally, tell students that now they will sing slowly.
Rhythmic development
Students investigate counting backwards in twos while chanting a rhyme.
Ten Fat Sausages, sizzling in the pan, [hold up ten fingers]
One went pop, [make a pop sound by pulling your finger out of your mouth]
and the other went ‘bang’! [make a loud clap and pause...]
Eight fat sausages...etc. [hold up eight fingers]
Six fat sausages...etc. [hold up six fingers]
Four fat sausages...etc. [hold up four fingers]
Two fat sausages...etc. [hold up two fingers]
No more sausages,
Sizzling in the pan,
They all went went ‘bang’,
‘bang’, ‘bang’ ‘bang!'
- Students learn to skip backwards in twos.
- Teach the rhyme to the class seated on the floor. Speak in a measured cadence to keep the beat.
- This is a great fingerplay rhyme for cross-curriculum teaching, as students practise counting backwards.
- After saying '...the other went bang!" stop and ask the class how many sausages there should be left in the pan.
- Ask a student to come forward and recite a verse. Hold up your fingers for the correct number of sausages as they do so.
Creative movement
Students bounce a ball to the teacher in time with the beat.
Questions
- Could this game be played at a very slow tempo? If not, why not?
- Could this game be played at a very fast tempo? If not, why not?
- Have a large soft, bouncy ball available.
- Arrange the students in a circle.
- Take a position in the centre and lead the class in singing to the beat. The tempo should be moderate.
- On each count of the beat, bounce the ball to a student, who then returns it on the subsequent beat (most beats coincide with the word "bounce").
- Commence with a single student and progress sequentially through the circle while reiterating the song (additionally emphasising the importance of self-restraint and avoiding excessively high bounces).
- Upon completing the circle, you may randomly throw the ball to students, creating a sense of anticipation and heightened engagement.
Listening
Students listen to music with a very fast tempo and keep the beat by clapping.
Questions
- What would happen if a bee flew too slowly?
- What other insects fly at a fast tempo?
- What about insects that move at a slow tempo?
- Students are spread out in the room, with enough space between them to be able to move in a creative fashion.
- Explain to the class that they will hear a piece of music with a very fast tempo.
- Tell students that the music tells the story of a bumblebee flying very quickly.
- The story is that a prince is transformed into a bee by a magical swan. This is done so the prince can fly to visit his father, who does not know that his son is still alive
- Play the track on the audio player and ask students to become bees. They may move quickly on the spot, moving their arms like wings or clapping to the beat.
Visual learning
Students respond to visual icons to practise beat.
- 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 discover how to play the beat of a song using untuned percussion.
- Have a selection of untuned percussion instruments on your desk. These might include woodblocks, claves, cabasas, tambourines, hand drums, etc.
- Invite pairs of students to come forward and give them an instrument.
- Show them how to hold the instrument safely and make a clear sound.
- Instigate a beat by singing See-Saw and ask the students to sing with you and keep in time.
- When secure, explain that now you will play the way the words go.
- Play the rhythm of the words on your instrument. Do not use the word rhythm.
- Ask a volunteer to play the way the words go on an instrument.
- Vary the tempo of the piece by asking students whether the song should have a faster or slower tempo each time.
- Assess performances and provide gentle feedback.
- Rotate so every student can play an instrument.
Part work
The teacher presents the term tempo to students.
Questions
- Where else could you keep the beat apart from your knees?
- What happens to the beat with a faster tempo?
- What happens to the beat with a slower tempo?
- Students are seated and attentive.
- Begin by explaining that musicians use a special word called tempo to describe whether music should be faster or slower. A fast tempo means the music should be faster, and a slow tempo means the music should be slower.
- Begin the chant by keeping a steady beat.
- Students should join in and keep the beat on their laps.
- Ask a student to come forward and ask them to lead the class at a slower tempo. Ask them to put the words in their head.
- Help them show a slower tempo by putting the beat on your knees and indicating they should follow you.
- The chosen student then leads the class chanting at a slower tempo than before.
- Choose another student and ask them to lead the class at a faster tempo, using the same process.
- Repeat as time permits.
Video I
Students learn more about things that move faster or slower.
Assess
Suggested lessons
Y1. Beat II
Y1. Beat III
Y1. Beat IV