Year 1 Performing Arts Learning Challenges

Y1 The Language of Music Pulse and Rhythm This learning challenge introduces children in Year 1 to the basic vocabulary of pulse and rhythm. Repetition of rhythmic patterns is reinforced through clapping games, song and rhythms played on un-tuned instruments. The activities in this learning challenge are designed to encourage children to recognise and explore how sounds can be made and changed.

Opening To get the children listening carefully to sounds, play sounds of everyday life: children to guess what they are.

Investigations 1. Can we make long and short sounds with our voices?

2. Can we make long and short sounds on instruments?

3. Can we keep the beat?

English Opening task  collect a range of describing words for the different sounds.

LC4  A clapping game using the rhythms of the children’s own names could be introduced.

PE LC3  Marching or moving to a beat could be incorporated into PE lessons as a warm up, or into ‘dance’ work.

4. Can we combine long and short sounds to fit in with a steady beat?

Science Links throughout this learning challenge with unit on ‘sound’.

5. Can we follow the conductor and keep together?

PSHE Reflection Task  Discuss how we feel with different emotions. How do we feel when we hear different types of rhythms?

6. Can we invent and use simple symbols to tell us when to play?

Reflection Can we use different rhythms and beats to express different moods we are feeling?

Y1 Making and Enjoying Music Our Class Orchestra An opportunity to learn more about the instruments of the traditional Western orchestra. In this learning challenge, children learn about how sounds are made on different musical instruments They come up with simple symbols to record class composition and play together as a class orchestra. To develop this, children then look at instruments from around the world.

Opening Listen to a live orchestral performance or watch an orchestral performance on the computer.

Investigations 1. Can you make sounds on different instruments?

English LC1  A variety of vocabulary extension tasks will be used to introduce names of instruments and the associated subject specific vocabulary.

Geography LC5 & LC6  Links to work in humanities topic of ‘China’

2. Can you sort our instruments into different families?

Science 3. Can you use symbols to compose and perform a simple piece of music?

4. Can we play a piece of music together as a class orchestra?

5. Can you recognise music and instruments from around the world?

6. Can you compose a piece of music in a traditional Chinese style?

Reflection Can you make an instrument to play in a class orchestra?

LC2  Links to work on ‘sound’: how are sounds made? Pluck, bang, scrape, etc.

Digital Literacy LC4 & LC6  Use a computer program to record and play back the composition of the class orchestra (purple mash?)

Reflection task  Children could take photographs of their instruments and display on class web page / blog.

Technology Reflection task  Children are to design and make their own musical instrument and ‘perform’ it as a class orchestra!