Class Teaching - Primary

This guide is for Primary School class teachers who teach music. It is written with the 'non-specialist' in mind, particularly those who do not feel musically confident and consequently may find teaching music challenging at times.

If, like this teacher, you lack musical confidence, perhaps the best way to start using Charanga Music's digital learning materials is with short (five minute filler) activities in the classroom. As your confidence builds, try some of the 'full lesson' ideas.

Hopefully your class will respond well to your teaching with the use of these tools and this will inspire you to try teaching a module across a half or full term.

Every class is different, so by trying short activities initially, you can also discover which type of musical activity really inspires your class. Whether it's rapping, singing or playing rhythms there is something here for every child and our modules include detailed plans to guide you in your teaching.

Each of the following suggested activities, has a particular musical focus and starts with a five minute filler. This is followed by suggestions for a full lesson and link to the module where the resource resides.

• Years 5 - 6
• Years 3 - 4
• Years 1 - 2
• Reception / Year 1

The following resources, Rap Gap Fill 1 and Rap Gap Fill 2, can be found in the first lesson of the Hip Hop module.

From the homepage, click on Modules at the top of the screen, then choose Key Stage 2.

More resources, such as Rap Challenge - Basic Level and Your Planet 2022, can be found by using the search bar at the top right of the screen. Alternatively, you can download all the resources together from your lesson viewer using lesson code 13291. For more information on the Lesson Viewer, see this How To Guide.

• Play Rap Gap Fill 1. The resource begins with instruction by Max, which pupils should be able to follow immediately (without any input from you).
• Encourage the class to appraise their own performance; how did they get on? What can they do to improve?
• Play through again from the beginning and, if they go wrong, ask them to identify where the problems start (Repeat 2, Repeat 3 etc). You can click on 'looping' then choose the relevant verse (e.g. 'repeat 3') and play from there. Once they have mastered the chosen verse, click on the next one and the track will move on at the end of the next full verse.

If your class enjoyed this activity, you could continue with progressively more difficult five minute rap activities daily using Rap Gap Fill 2 (same format) and moving on to Rap Challenge - Basic Level followed by Rap Challenge Double Time. Rap Challenges work on the same principle, but are more challenging as pupils have to repeat complete phrases straightaway

After warming the class up with Rap Gap Fill 1 (and Rap Gap Fill 2) play Your Planet 2022 and ask the question 'What is Max's message?'. Max is encouraging pupils to write a rap about an issue that is pertinent to them. You can tailor this as you see fit - perhaps pupils want to talk about the importance of recycling, the standard of school meals or having too much homework - whatever makes them passionate.

Set pupils the task of writing a verse (just four lines). This is often best done in pairs using whiteboards to allow editing.

Use Your Planet 2022 to learn the chorus, then click 'looping' on 'repeat 4' to provide a backing track. Ask each pair of pupils to perform their verse and agree as a class torap the chorus together regularly i.e. between each verse, to keep everyone involved.

Appraise and evaluate verses together, asking the class 'which was your favourite and why?' and follow this discussion with 'what would you like to improve?'.

The following resources can be found in Lesson One of the Blues Module. To get there from the home page, click on Modules at the top of the page, then Key Stage 2 and select Blues

• Play Sometimes it's hard just being a kid (sung by kim with backing vocals) and listen first time. What do pupils notice about the singing?
• Play Sometimes it's hard just being a kid (1 line at a time - sung by Kim) to learn each line and finally, once pupils are confident, Sometimes it's hard just being a kid (for you to sing). Encourage pupils to appraise their performance after each rendition to identify what they need to improve (perhaps timing, volume, particular lines or words)

Lesson One from the Blues module includes videos and introductory presentations, followed by the versions of Sometimes it's hard just being a kid mentioned above. A detailed lesson plan is also included, located at the bottom of the lesson list of the Blues module.

The following song can be found in inspira. From the home page, click the inspira link at the top of the page. Scroll down to Recorder & Classroom Percussion and click the overview button for Term 1.

Scroll down and click Preview Week 6 on the right-hand side of the page. Once loaded, click the 'detailed' button on the left-hand side of the screen, then 'Songs with Vocals' where you will find Hands, Feet, Heart (sung by Kim and Ben)

• Play Hands, Feet, Heart (sung by Kim and Ben) ask pupils to listen first time and then ask if they have noticed anything in particular. They might notice that the tune is almost exactly the same in verses and chorus with repetition of the lines 'music is in me'. They may also notice the 'call and response' of the chorus.
• Agree who will be 'leaders' and 'followers' in the chorus, then sing along.
• Invite pupils to comment on how they think the group sounds after each rendition and what they need to improve on and repeat as required.

From the Term 1 Overview for Recorder & Classroom Percussion, choose the lesson for Week 2. Each lesson contains a detailed lesson plan, which provides a comprehensive program of warm up games and activity focused toward whole class instrumental playing.

To find these resources from the home page, click on Modules at the top of the page, then choose Key Stage 2. Click on Musitrax Play, then Little Bird

• Play Little Bird (recorder 1) and listen first time. What do pupils notice about the tune? (Only two notes, repetitions such as the first line and all of page 1 repeats on page 2).
• Sing together. Encourage pupils to appraise their performance after each rendition to identify what they need to improve (perhaps timing, volume, particular lines or words)

Select Little Bird (djembe) from the resource list and play it, just listening first time through. The djembe has two sounds (low and high). Ask the class to join in using body percussion such as tapping knees for the low sound and tapping chest for the high sound and see if they can join in with the djembe rhythm.

Once they have this mastered, try a few pupils at a time playing djembes (or any other percussion instrument that can produce high and low tones) whilst the rest of the class sing.

Return to Little Bird (recorder 1) and add any recorder players in the class to the ensemble.

To find the following resources from the home page, click on Modules at the top of the page, then select Key Stage 1 from the left-hand menu. Choose Musitrax Sing 1, and select the lesson So-Mi which contains 'Cobbler Cobbler'.

• Play and listen to Cobbler Cobbler. Say the words rhythmically, line by line. What do pupils notice about the rhythm of each line? (The same each time)
• Once confident with the rhythm, sing through once. Ask pupils to comment on how they did, what they need to improve?
• Sing a few more times, focusing on what needs improving.

Follow on from the five minute filler by clicking 'Solfa' at the bottom right-hand side of the screen and learning the names of the notes with the hand signals. You may want to select 'two line' or 'stave' to show the two different notes on the score. Good questions to ask pupils; how many different notes are being used? Which is higher 'so' or 'mi'?

Clicking on 'more fun' will give you additional activity ideas to follow.

After trying out some of these ideas, select another song from within the 'So-Mi' lesson and learn by following the same process as before (rhythm first). Clicking 'More fun' will also give you further activity ideas.

Depending on how your class is getting on, you may want to choose more 'So-Mi' songs, or select one or two from the La-So-Mi to complete the lesson.

To find the following resources, either type the title of the resource into the search box, or download a lesson with all the resources mentioned to your lesson viewer using the lesson code: 51099.

• Play the Pulse cartoon then choose an audio track, e.g. The Saturdays – Just Can't Get Enough. Sit or stand the class in a circle and begin by nodding your head to the pulse, then change to different actions (tapping your foot, knees, shoulders etc).
• Once established, choose a pupil for the rest to follow.
• Change the leader periodically and continue with this pulse game until the music stops. Play the Pulse question.

Play the Rhythm cartoon. What is the difference between beat and rhythm? The beat is always steady and regular whereas rhythm is a combination of short and long sounds.

Play Understanding Beat and ask the class to nod or tap in time with the pulse. Play and watch Understanding Rhythm. Do pupils notice anything? The rhythm of the first line is the same as the beat. Play again and nod, tap or clap along as a class.

Split the class into two groups and using Rhythm and Beat Combination one group clap or tap the beat whilst the other uses a different sound to play along with the rhythm. Depending on how successful this activity is, you may want to try Further Understanding of Beat along with Further Understanding of Rhythm and Further Understanding of Rhythm and Beat Combination.

If pupils are confident, they could try combining the rhythm and beat of a well known song or nursery rhyme in a similar way.

To find the following resource, type the title into the search bar at the top right-hand corner of the screen.

• Play the video We're Going On A Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen - if pupils know they will join in. If they don't, they will be joining in the chorus and actions by half way through

Sit the class in a circle. Introduce a selection of six different instruments (list of suggestions below) and involve pupils in a demonstration of how each one is played and what it sounds like.

Ask pupils to make suggestions for which instrument will be suitable for each part of the bear hunt poem. Accept all reasonable suggestions! Even if the instrument choice is not what you think would be suitable, it is important to allow pupils to explore these choices, they will have an opportunity to review them later.

Allocate instruments as suggestions are made, in preparation of a performance. Once all instruments are decided and given out, run through a performance of the poem with pupils playing instruments in the space where the descriptive words would go (i.e. swishy swashy after grass).

When complete, return instruments to middle of the circle and ask pupils what they thought of their performance. Does anything need improving? If we were to do it again, are there any instruments that might work better for 'grass'? why? Continue to discuss each part with other suggestions. Pupils will often show great thought and consideration behind their comments and choices.

• Grass - swishy, swashy - rainstick/maracas or similar
• Mud - squelch, squirch - guiro (wooden scraper)
• River - splash, splosh - cymbal or tambourine
• Snowstorm - whoo wooo - recorders
• Forest - stumble, trip - rhythm sticks/claves
• Cave - tip, toe - triangle