1

Sounds interesting
Expl ori ng sounds
x
2
This unit develops children's ability to identify different sounds and to change and use
sounds expressively in response to a stimulus.
Click here to view the plans:
term plan
1st lesson plan
2nd lesson plan
3rd lesson plan
4th lesson plan
5th lesson plan
6th lesson plan
For definitions of musical
vocabulary, click here.
G l o s s a r y
1. Play S u n r ise sou n ds to identify sounds in
the environment
2 . Listen and move to Sun arise
3. Play the Post ca ly pso game to make a
variety of sounds using voices
identify different sound sources
make sounds and recognise how
they can give a message
listen carefully
Learning Objectives
Children should learn
Teaching Activities
With your class
Learning Outcomes
Children
INTRODUCTION: WHAT SOUNDS CAN WE HEAR?
EXPLORATION: HOW CAN WE MAKE SOUNDS EXPRESSIVELY?
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER: HOW CAN WE USE SOUND TO DESCRIBE EVENTS, FEELINGS AND MOODS?
1. Sing Just a load of rubbish to explore
junk instruments
2. Play the Just ju nk game
3. Play the Post calypso game with junk
instruments
1. Sing S a lly go round the sun and tap the
beat and the rhythm on body percussion
2. Sing S a lly go round the su n and tap the
beat and rhythm on instruments
3. Rehearse different arrangements of Sally
go round the sun
1. Sing Teati me shout with tap, scrape,
shake actions
2. Make up new verses for Teati me shou t
3. Accompany Teatime shout with kitchen
soundmakers
1. Listen to W h en I go to bed to identify
sounds in the environment
2. Rehearse sounds to accompany W h en I
go to bed
3. Perform sound interludes between the
verses of W h en I go to bed
T E R M P L A N
Exploring sounds
1
2
3
4
5
6
Sounds interesting
Year Year
x
2 2
st
n d
rd
th
th
th
2
to recognise different sound
sources
to explore different sound
sources
to focus their listening
to recognise different sound
sources
to explore different sound
sources
to explore instruments
to control instruments
identify different sound sources
make sounds and recognise how
they can give a message
play instruments in different
ways
handle and play instruments with
control
to explore different sound
sources
to explore instruments
to control instruments
to explore expressive use of
sounds
make sounds and recognise how
they can give a message
play instru ments in different wa ys
handle and play instruments with
control
make and select sounds to
reflect the mood of a song
to explore instruments
to explore expressive use of
sounds
to explore expressive use of
sounds
play instruments and create
sound effects
handle and play instruments with
control
make and select sounds to
reflect the mood of a song
to explore instruments
to control instruments
to use sounds expressively to
illustrate a poem
play instruments and create
sound effects
handle and play instruments
with control
select sounds and sound
sources carefully in response to
a poem
to use sounds expressively to
illustrate a scene
1. Rehearse tapping, shaking and scraping
accompaniments to three songs
2. Rehearse movement and dance for S u n
a r ise
3. Direct a performance of From su n r ise to
su nset
select sounds and sound sources
carefully in response to a story
G l o s s a r y
Play Sunrise sounds to identify sounds in
the environment
As th ey listen, the ch ild ren recognise and id entify sou n ds from the environment and
match th em to pictu res. Th ey ex plore vocal and body sou n ds to match th e
environmental sou n ds .
Listen and move to Sun arise
The ch ild ren focus th eir listening as th ey respond in movement to the different sections
of th is son g.
SUPPORT: en cou rage the children to be ex pressive in their movements by joining in with
them as they respond to the music. Invite small groups to sha re their id eas as the rest of
the class wa tch, then copy. Notice if any children need ex tra pra ctice at moving to the
beat in the second section.
Play the Post calypso game to make a
variety of sounds using voices
The ch ild ren ex plore and create vocal sou n ds in response to pictu res as th ey play th is
ga me .
Exploring sounds
Year Year
x
2 2
Sounds interesting
L E S S O N P L A N
1
Learning Outcomes
Children
identify different sound sources
make sounds and recognise how they can
give a message
listen carefully
Learning Objectives
Children should learn
to recognise different sound sources
to explore different sound sources
to focus their listening
st
VOCABULARY:
duration
dynamics
pitch
timbre
Lesson
Extension
Place the cut out out
Postcards along with
some extra blank cards in
the music corner to allow
small groups to create
their own collection and
explore a wider variety of
vocal sounds.
Teaching Activities
RESOURCES AND
PREPARATION
CD tracks: 6568
Sunrise sounds
photocopiable (p53):
enlarge and cut out into
cards
Postcards photocopiable
(p53): enlarge and cut out
the cards
Cloth bag
3
1
2
3
G l o s s a r y
6 5 - 6 6
p53
p53
6 7
6 8
Explori ng sounds
Year Year
x
2 2
Sounds interesting
L E S S O N P L A N
2
Learning Outcomes
Children
identify different sound sources
make sounds and recognise how they can
give a message
play instruments in different ways
handle and play instruments with control
Learning Objectives
Children should learn
to recognise different sound sources
to explore different sound sources
to explore instruments
to control instruments
nd
VOCABULARY:
playing methods: acoustic
(non-electronic) sounds are
made by shaking, scraping,
tapping or blowing sound
sources
sound sources: sounds in
music may come from any
source there are no
limitations
soundmakers: any sound
source used as an
instrument
timbre
Lesson
Extension
Play Just a load of
rubbish, asking a child to
choose a junk instrument
and decide how it will be
played. All sing the
matching words. Repeat
the game with some more
children, then invite all to
play as you all sing:
Just a load of rubbish but
they make a lovely sound
play them high,
play them low,
play them all around.
Teaching Activities
RESOURCES AND
PREPARATION
CD tracks: 68, 69
Just junk photocopiable
(p55): copies for the class
Large box containing a
variety of junk
soundmakers and a screen
Shake, tap, scrape cards
(p54)
4
Sing Just a load of rubbish to explore junk
instruments
Using ju nk instru ments, the ch ild ren ex plore different sound sou rces and meth ods of
pla y ing: sha king, ta pping and scra pin g.
Play the Just junk game
In th is ga me the ch ild ren focus th eir listening and use aural mem ory skills to recognise
the ord er of sou n ds .
SUPPORT: pla ce copies of the Just your ju nk ph otocopiable in the music cor n er with new
sets of instru ments so that small groups can ex plore and recognise the sou n ds of a wid er
range of sou n dmakers .
Play the Post calypso game with junk
instruments
The ch ild ren ex plore the sou n ds of ju nk instru ments as th ey ch oose sou n ds to represent
the postca rds .
1
2
3
G l o s s a r y
6 9
68
p55
p53
Explori ng sounds
Year Year
x
2 2
Sounds interesting
L E S S O N P L A N
3
Learning Outcomes
Children
make sounds and recognise how they can
give a message
play instruments in different ways
handle and play instruments with control
make and select sounds to reflect the
mood of a song
Learning Objectives
Children should learn
to explore different sound sources
to explore instruments
to control instruments
to explore expressive use of sounds
rd
VOCABULARY:
beat
duration
rhythm
tempo
Lesson
Extension
Ask a small group to
create a performance of
Sally go round the sun
which creates a different
mood or effect, eg Sally in
a hurry, Sally feeling
excited. The children
choose vocal, body
percussion or instrumental
sounds which describe the
mood.
Teaching Activities
RESOURCES AND
PREPARATION
CD track: 70
A variety of home-made
shakers
5
Sing Sally go round the sun and tap the
beat and the rhythm on body percussion
The ch ild ren learn a song and ex plore body percussion sou n ds. Th ey play the beat and
the rhy thm of the words as an accom pa niment to the son g.
Sing Sally go round the sun and tap the beat
and rhythm on instruments
The ch ild ren play home - made sha kers with control as th ey add the beat and rhy thm of
the words as an accom pa niment to the son g.
S U P P O R T : sing Sally go round the sun with out the CD at a va riety of different speeds to
give the children ex perien ce of pla y ing the beat and rhy thm at different speeds .
Rehearse different arrangements of Sally go round
the sun
A va riety of sou n d ma kers is ex plored and add ed to the son g. The ch ild ren ex plore th e
ex pressive use of sou n ds to create different moods and effects .
1
2
3
G l o s s a r y
7 0
7 0
Expl oring sounds
Year Year
x
2 2
Sounds interesting
L E S S O N P L A N
4
Learning Outcomes
Children
play instruments and create sound effects
handle and play instruments with control
make and select sounds to reflect the
mood of a song
Learning Objectives
Children should learn
to explore instruments
to explore expressive use of sounds
to explore expressive use of sounds
th
VOCABULARY:
playing methods
timbre
Lesson
Extension
Ask small groups to
prepare their own meal by
making up the words for
three new verses of
Teatime shout. They can
prepare a performance for
the class, accompanying
their verses with either
actions or kitchen
soundmakers, or a
combination of both.
Teaching Activities
RESOURCES AND
PREPARATION
CD tracks: 71
A variety of junk
instruments and kitchen
soundmakers, eg ladles,
saucepans and lids,
chopsticks, plastic bowls,
wooden spoons, cheese
grater
6
Sing Teatime shout with tap, scrape, shake
actions
The ch ild ren learn an action song and add actions to the beat.
Make up new verses for Teatime shout
The ch ild ren contribu te ex tra verses for the song and perform th ese with new actions .
Accompany Teatime shout with kitchen
soundmakers
In groups, the ch ild ren select kitch en sou n d ma kers th ey can sha ke, tap or scra pe to
a ccom pany the song, pla y ing the beat or rhy thm of the words .
S U P P O R T : check that the instru ments you have ch osen are not too la rge for small han ds
as this will make it more difficu lt for the children to control them when pla y ing.
Demonstra te that a bea ter sh ou ld be held in a rela xed way when scra ping.
1
2
3
G l o s s a r y
7 1
7 1
Expl oring sounds
Year Year
x
2 2
Sounds interesting
L E S S O N P L A N
5
Learning Outcomes
Children
play instruments and create sound effects
handle and play instruments with control
select sounds and sound sources carefully
in response to a poem
Learning Objectives
Children should learn
to explore instruments
to control instruments
to use sounds expressively to illustrate a
poem
th
VOCABULARY:
timbre
Lesson
Extension
Ask each group to draw a
plan which shows the
sounds or the instruments
they have chosen for their
musical interlude between
the verses of When I go to
bed.
Teaching Activities
RESOURCES AND
PREPARATION
CD tracks: 7275
All soundmakers used in
previous lessons
7
Listen to When I go to bed to identify sounds
in the environment
The ch ild ren recognise and id entify environmental sou n ds th ey hear in the recordin g.
Rehearse sounds to accompany When I go
to bed
In groups the ch ild ren ex plore sou n ds and select sou n ds to create pa rticu lar moods and
effects using voices, body percussion and sou n d ma kers .
S U P P O R T : en cou rage the children to listen ca refu lly to ea ch other as they add their
sou n ds in ord er to crea te an atmosphere which com plements the words of the song.
Perform sound interludes between the verses
of When I go to bed
The groups create musical interlu d es to play bet ween the verse of the song, using a
va riety of sound sou rces.
1
2
3
G l o s s a r y
7 2 - 7 3
7 4
7 5
Explori ng sounds
Year Year
x
2 2
Sounds interesting
L E S S O N P L A N
6
Learning Outcomes
Children
select sounds and sound sources carefully
in response to a story
Learning Objectives
Children should learn
to use sounds expressively to illustrate
scene
th
VOCABULARY:
beat
dynamics/volume
duration
pitch
rhythm
tempo
texture
timbre
score
soundmakers
structure
Lesson
Extension
Make a class frieze which
shows the plan of the
musical performance (see
photocopiable p60-61).
Teaching Activities
RESOURCES AND
PREPARATION
CD tracks: 67, 73
Sally go round the sun
photocopiable (pp60-61):
also in CD-ROM picture
gallery
Bag of Postcards (from
lesson 1)
8
Rehearse tapping, shaking and scraping
accompaniments to three songs
The ch ild ren revise Post cal y pso, Just a load of rub bish, and Tea time sh ou t and add
a ccom pa niments using instru ments th ey can sha ke, tap or scra pe .
S U P P O R T : en cou rage the children to think about the mood of ea ch song and use their
voices ex pressively to describe the words, eg Post cal y pso - brightly and ha ppily; Just a
load of rub bish - with hu mour; Tea time sh out - en ergeticall y.
Rehearse movement and dance for Sun arise
Groups of ch ild ren respond to the music in movement to create da n ce perfor ma n ces .
Direct a performance of
From sunrise to sunset
S elect sou n ds and sound sou rces ca ref u lly in response to a story. All of the activities
f rom the previous lessons are com bin ed in a musical perfor ma n ce wh ich tells the story
of a pre - sch ool ch ild's da y.
1
2
3
G l o s s a r y
6 7
6 5 6 7 / 7 3
p6 0 p61
p i c
3
9
Glossary
accompaniment
the underlying sounds used to
support a melody line
body percussion
sounds that can be made
using parts of the body, eg
clapping, tapping knees ...
call and response
a style of song in which a
leader sings a short melody
(the call) and a chorus of
singers respond with an
answering short melody (the
response)
chord
when two or more notes are
played at the same time they
are called a chord
drone
a sound, or sounds, played
constantly throughout all or
part of a piece of music as an
accompaniment, eg the drone
of a bagpipe
duration
the word used in music to refer
to the length of a sound or
silence
dynamics/volume
the volume of the music,
usually described in terms of
loud/quiet
free/arhythmic
music which has no discernible
steady beat
improvisation
a piece of music which is
created spontaneously
layering
the process of creating texture
by combining layers of sound
musical elements
pitch, rhythm, timbre,
dynamics, tempo, duration,
texture, structure (see
definitions)
notation
ways of writing music down
ostinato (plural ostinatos/
ostinati)
a short rhythmic or melodic
pattern that is repeated over
and over
phrase
a small unit of melody, often
corresponding to a line of a
song in vocal music
pitch
refers to the complete range of
sounds in music from the
lowest to the highest
pitch movement
the steps and jumps by which
a melody moves up and down
in pitch
playing methods
acoustic (non-electronic)
sounds are made by shaking,
scraping, tapping or blowing a
soundmaker
pulse and beat
pulse and beat are used
synonymously to refer to the
regular heart beat of the music
- the steady beat
rhythm
patterns of long and short
sounds played within a steady
beat
score
a written representation of a
piece of music
soundmakers
any sound source used as a
musical instrument
structure
most music is underpinned by
a structure which may be as
simple as beginning, middle
and end
tempo (plural tempi)
the speed at which music is
performed, usually described in
terms of fast/slow
texture
layers of sound, eg the two
layers of sound created by a
melody accompanied by a
drum beat
timbre
quality of sound, eg squeaky.
All instruments, including
voices, have a characteristic
sound quality which is referred
to as timbre
tuned percussion
the family of instruments
which includes chime bar,
glockenspiel, hand chime,
metallophone, tubular bell,
xylophone
untuned percussion
percussion instruments which
make sounds of indefinite pitch
xylophone
a tuned percussion instrument
with wooden bars