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Music Update

This week is all about musical learning in Years 1 and 2. Both year groups are busily learning Christmas songs for their performance, but they are also developing other musical skills.

Year 1 are learning about fast and slow in music. We have been talking about animals that move fast and animals that move slowly. I have been playing different melodies and sounds on the piano for the children to respond to. First, walking to some music and when it gets faster, run on the spot! Then when the music suddenly gets louder, pretend to jump into a hole. Next, we have been listening and responding to different melodies and sounds to move like a cheetah. We have sounds for when the cheetah is stalking its prey, pouncing, sleeping and playing with friends. The children hear the changes in the sound and respond with different movements and shapes. We will be exploring the movements of a slow animal (like a sloth or snail) by listening to changes in sound on the piano.

Year 2 are learning about pulse and rhythm. I have been using vocabulary from their history topic on ‘Mighty Monarchs’ to develop their musical understanding. We have been learning to listen, watch and copy clapping rhythms and practising to keep a steady pulse (the heartbeat in music). We have then been using this knowledge to help us count the number of sounds/syllables in words, e.g. ‘king’, ‘queen’, ‘castle’ and ‘jubilee’. Once the children are more confident, they will be making rhythm patterns with these words to create their own compositions using a rhythm grid to record their ideas. 

I have been very impressed with their teamwork and brilliant ideas!