Y1. Lesson 16. Melodic contour
Prior learning: ta & ti-ti, same & different
Duration: 30 minutes
Materials:
Keywords: Beat, rhythm, singing, chanting, partners, rhymes, circle games.
Difficulty: 
Prepare
so & mi
Present
Melodic contour
Practise
same & different, ta & ti-ti
Melodic development
Students use hand signs for high and low and discover where high and low sit on a line.
Dr James Cuskelly and students of St Joseph's School, Stanthorpe.
- Students are seated and attentive.
- Lead the class in singing See-Saw.
- Invite students to use and sing the words high and low to the melody.
- Demonstrate the hand signs for so & mi without referencing the terms and ask the class to sing the words high and low and to copy your hand signs.
- Draw a line on the board and teach that high sounds are shown by the letter 'h' and sit above the line.
- Explain that low sounds are shown by the letter 'l' and sit below the line.
- Slowly sing again, drawing the letters above and below the line in accordance with the melody of the song. Write only the first line of the song.
- Students should demonstrate the so-mi hand signs as you do so.
- Ask volunteers to come forward and write the appropriate letters above or below the line to finish the song.
Rhythmic development
Students discover two songs by clapping the rhythm.
- Project the image of 'Find the song!' and clap the rhythm of the first.
- Then, speak the rhythm syllables.
- Invite students to tell you the name of the song.
- Repeat the process, and lead the class in singing the song.
- Ask a volunteer to come forward to speak the syllables while pointing to each in turn.
- Ask the class how they think the student performed using thumbs up, down or in the middle.
- Repeat the process with another student.
- Using the second image, repeat the process above.
Questions
- The top line of the first song is the same or different as the second song?
- The bottom line of the first song is the same or different as the second song?
Creative movement
Students sing and move to the left, keeping the beat in this circle game.
Dr James Cuskelly and students of St Joseph's School, Stanthorpe.
- Students form a circle. Lead the class in singing the song as students march in a circle to their left.
- A student stands in the middle of the circle, marches to the right, and chooses a few students to join them in the middle of the circle by tapping them on the shoulder as the song progresses.
- Students keep the beat by stamping as they sing
- Once the song has finished the circle reforms, another student is chosen to stand in the middle, and the song begins again.
Listening
Students learn to sing a mystery tune modelled by the teacher.
- Students are seated and attentive. Explain that students will learn to sing the tune from a mystery song.
- Sing the first section of the music on a neutral syllable.
- Ask students if they recognise the music.
- Invite students to sing with you as you repeat the tune.
- When secure, invite students to repeat and clap the beat.
- Finally, ask students to repeat the tune and clap the rhythm.
Visual learning
Students sing using melodic contour icons as visual cues.
- Project the melodic contour example of Happy Birthday.
- Sing the song, moving your hand up and down with the melody.
- Explain to the class that the stars show the sounds of the song moving higher and lower.
- Ask a volunteer to point to each icon from left to right as the class sings.
- Explain that the up-and-down movement made by following the sounds is called a melodic contour.
- Next, draw a contoured line on the board, trace it with your finger, and have students hum along using so and mi, singing higher and lower as they follow the shape of the line.
- For extra fun, play familiar melodies on a pitched instrument and have students trace the shape of the melody in the air as they listen.
Instruments
Students discover how to play a classroom song on the glockenspiel.
- Divide the class into two groups.
- One group will use glockenspiels to play the melody of the song, and the other will sing and use body percussion to demonstrate high and low sounds.
- Assign two students per glockenspiel.
- Explain to the class that they will sing, use movement and play the song.
- Demonstrate how to hold the mallets and produce an accurate note.
- Show students where the two notes are placed on the instrument and how to play the melody.
- One student will play the notes, and the other will face the player and point to the correct bars. After each repetition, they will swap.
- Lead the class by singing the song. Half of the class will sing and put the high sounds on their heads and the low sounds on their shoulders.
- Swap the two groups so that every child has a turn in playing the glockenspiel.
Part work
Students practise singing a known song using time names only.
Dr James Cuskelly and students of St Joseph's School, Stanthorpe.
- Students are seated and attentive.
- Lead the class in singing Goodnight.
- The second time, invite students to sing the time names.
- As you sing, draw the time names on the board, and when halfway through, ask the class which time names come next.
- By the next time through, students should be able to sing the entire song using time names.
Assess
Suggested lessons
Y1. Beat II
Y1. Beat III
Y1. Beat IV