Y1. Lesson 18. High & low [two-line staff]
Prior learning: High & low
Duration: 30 minutes
Materials:
Keywords: Beat, rhythm, singing, chanting, partners, rhymes, circle games.
Difficulty: 
Prepare
so & mi
Present
Two-line staff
Practise
ta & ti-ti, melodic contour
Melodic development
Students discover that high and low sounds can be shown on a two-line staff.
- The class are seated and attentive.
- Lead the class in singing Goodnight.
- Invite students to sing again using the words high and low and use hand signs to demonstrate high and low sounds.
- Project or draw a single line staff and write the letter 'h'.
- Ask students what this letter means.
- Ask the class what the next sound will be - high or low?
- Receiving the correct answer for low being the letter 'l', ask students where this letter should sit.
- The correct answer is below the line, so explain that another line is used below the first line to stop the 'l' from falling off.
- Begin filling in the first few letters.
- Ask a volunteer to write the correct sequence for the song.
- Offer gentle guidance as required.
Rhythmic development
Students practise melodic contour and finger play in this entertaining rhyme.
This is the Beehive,
But where are the bees?
Hidden inside,
Where nobody sees.
Soon they come creeping,
Out of the hive,
One, two, three, four, five!
- Speak in a measured cadence to keep the beat. Teach the rhyme to the class, who are seated on the floor. Teach the finger plays as you recite the words.
- It may take a few repetitions for the class to absorb this new activity.
- The class begins to recite the rhyme with you and perform the actions with their hands. Remember to keep a steady beat with the rhyme.
- Ask students to copy you moving your arm up and down to the sound of the imaginary bees and make buzzing noises at the end as they mimic the bee sound.
- By moving your arms up and down corresponding with pitch, you are teaching melodic contour.
- Select a student to come to the front of the class and show the class. Repeat the process, guiding the student to keep in time.
- Repeat with other students as time permits.
Creative movement
Students sing and use creative movement in this circle song.
- Students form a circle and then sit.
- Choose a student [leader] who will skip outside the circle holding a prop, such as a cap.
- The students in the circle sing the song and keep the beat on their knees as the solo student begins to skip.
- On the words 'one for you', the student places the cap on a seated student before removing it to place it on another student's head on the words 'one for me'.
- In the last line, 'one for sister (students name)', the student places the cap on another student, who becomes the leader.
- The process is repeated as time permits.
The song derives from African-American music played on the streets in the early 20th century. The word 'sister' should be replaced with 'brother' depending on whether the student is male or female.
Listening
Students listen to the rhythm of the drums to discover the ta & ti-ti patterns.
- Students are seated and attentive.
- Explain that students have become musical detectives and have to discover rhythm patterns on a drum.
- Play the first track on the audio player and ask what the time names are.
- Play again to ensure students have another opportunity to discover the rhythm pattern.
- After receiving correct answers, write the rhythm pattern on the board.
- Repeat for the other three patterns.
- This is an excellent exercise to develop students listening abilities.
Visual learning
Students discover a song through clapping the rhythm.
- Project the graphic on the board.
- Students are seated and attentive.
- Invite students to clap and say the first line of Lucy Locket.
- Ask students if they know what the song is.
- Ask students to clap and say the next line.
- Ask students if they know what the song is.
- If no correct answer is given, hum the first two bars and ask again.
- When the class discover the name, ask them to sing using time names.
Instruments
Students use tuned percussion and play a classic classroom song.
- Divide the class in two and distribute glockenspiels and marimbas to the class in your usual fashion.
- Explain to students that they will discover how to play Rain Rain.
- Teach and demonstrate the two-note accompaniment on the marimba [E - C] and ensure students play this using only the time name ta.
- Students should be encouraged to use two mallets held in the correct position.
- Ask students to play the accompaniment as you conduct.
- Teach and demonstrate the melody of the song on the glockenspiel, using good technique for clear, crisp notes.
- When students are secure, invite them to play as you conduct.
- Invite both sets of students to play at your command, setting the beat as you conduct.
- For those students who do not have an instrument, ask them to sing the song with you as the class performs.
Part work
Students use creative body movements in response to a song with a strong beat.
- Students stand apart from each other in a circle.
- Lead the class in singing the song and demonstrating the appropriate body movements.
- On the first line, the students will clap, and on the second line, they will shake their bodies.
- On the third line, students will hold hands in a circle.
- On the fourth line of 'then you cut the cake,' you will make a chopping motion to break the circle, freeing the two students on either side of you who run around the outside of the circle in opposite directions.
- When they meet again, the two students rejoin the circle, and the song begins.
Assess
Suggested lessons
Y1. Beat II
Y1. Beat III
Y1. Beat IV