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Y3. Lesson 4. Practise note names on lines & in spaces

Overview

  • Students reinforce their learning of note names on the lines and in the spaces of the staff.

Learning intention

By the end of this lesson, students will have:

  • Understood that notes have fixed names from the alphabet and may sit on lines or in spaces.

Success criteria

  • Students demonstrate their understanding that notes have fixed letter names, sit on lines or in spaces and can draw them on a staff.

Prior learning: Treble clef                               

Duration: 30 minutes

Materials: Recorders                

Keywords: Beat, rhythm, singing, chanting, partners, rhymes, circle games.       

Difficulty: 

Prepare

 

Present

 

Practise

Notes on lines and in spaces

Melodic development

Students explore the note names of a known song.

Bow Wow Wow [Letter names]

  • Lead the class in singing Bow Wow Wow.
  • Project, print or draw the score without the note names.
  • Ask the class what the four notes in a space are called [FACE].
  • Point to the first notes and ask their name. 
  • Ask a student to come forward and draw the letters.
  • Repeat for the notes in the next measure.
  • Repeat for the third measure.
  • The third measure has a note that is not in a space but on a line. 
  • Ask students what this note might be [D].
  • Ask students what the notes in the last measure are. Again, apart from A and G, which sit in spaces, one note sits on a line [G].
  • Ask students to copy the first two measures in their notebooks.

Rhythmic development

Students discover the missing parts of a song.

What's missing?

  • Project the score of Apple Tree and lead the class in singing the song.
  • Referring to the score, ask students to identify whether the song is in duple metre or quadruple metre [duple].
  • Ask what is missing at the first question mark [a 2 for duple metre]
  • Ask what is missing at the second question mark [a repeat of the melody of the words 'Apple tree'].
  • Ask what is missing at the third question mark [the notes for 'fall on me'].
  • Ask what is missing at the fourth question mark [the notes for 'I won't shout'].
  • Ask what is missing at the fifth question mark [a double bar line].
  • Students should write the song in their notebooks with the missing parts included. 

Creative movement

Students form two circles and sing the song in canon.

Sally Go Round The Sun [canon]

  • Students form two circles, with a smaller one inside the other.
  • Students are to sing the song, starting with the first inner circle who move clockwise.
  • The outer circle join in as a canon, starting two beats later and moving anticlockwise.
  • Each group should jump on the word 'boom'.
  • As soon as each group finishes they repeat the song, but reversing their original direction.
  • Repeat as time permits.

Listening

Students listen to the beginning of Beethoven's Fur Elise.

Fur Elise [Ludvig Van Beethoven]

  • "Fur Elise," composed by Ludwig van Beethoven, is a renowned piano piece cherished by many. This enchanting melody captures the imagination, evoking a sense of wonder and tranquillity. 
  • Play the track and ask students to close their eyes.
  • When finished, ask students how they felt about the music. What did they wonder?
  • Teach that the composer was German and called Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Ask what instrument was being played.

Visual learning

Students name the notes in a simple melody.

Notes on lines and in spaces

  • Project, print or draw the melody on the board.
  • Ask a volunteer to name the first note on the line [E].
  • Continue with another student for the next note.
  • When the series is complete ask if students can discover a pattern between each pair of notes [alternate lines and spaces].
  • Ask how many E notes are shown [2]. Do these notes sound the same?
  • Ask how many F notes are shown [2]. Do these notes sound the same?
Girl detective

Instruments

Students discover a new note on the recorder, A.

Finger position A copy
Rabbit fingers copy

The Recorder - the note A

  • Show students how to hold the recorder using Rabbit fingers, with the first and second left-hand fingers covering the first and second holes on the instrument.
  • This fingering will produce the note A when students blow gently.
  • With the recorder in their mouths, ask students to say the word 'too' in a whisper when they play a note. Explain this is called tonguing, which separates the notes.
  • Have the class practice tonguing as they play the note A.
  • Project or print the score for the song called A-mazing.
  • Students should play the first two A notes with a rest in between. The three A notes and a rest, four A notes, and finally two separated by rests.
  • Remind students to count 1-2-3-4 in their heads as they play.
  • The comma marking denotes where a breath should be taken.

Part work

Students sing this classic pentatonic song in canon.

Are You Sleeping? [canon]

  • Divide the class into girls and boys.
  • Explain that the song will be sung in canon.
  • Lead the girls who should begin the song on your conducting command.
  • After one measure the boys should begin singing.
  • The class should repeat, with the roles swapping over.
  • The audio player shows the effect of the canon.

Assess

Markbook

Suggested lessons

Y1. Beat II

 

 

Y1. Beat III

 

Y1. Beat IV

 

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