Music News

Term 2 in Music

Prep students are continuing to learn to play at the right time, take turns and care for instruments. They listen to live and recorded music, create simple soundscapes using pitch, dynamics and tempo, and explore percussion and tuned instruments such as clap sticks, shakers, drums, boomwhackers and ukuleles while developing listening and timing skills.

Year 1 students are learning basic rhythms (tas and titis) and creating short performances. They are developing singing skills through “Many Many Rivers,” learning an Auslan version of “Three Little Birds,” and enjoying “Miss Mary Mack” while beginning to play melodies on percussion and keyboards, focusing on notes C–G.

Year 2 students are singing, moving, playing and composing a variety of music, including creating parody songs. They are developing skills on percussion and ukuleles, working collaboratively on mini performances, and exploring rounds and conducting. They are also learning to recognise rhythm symbols and identify whether pitch is rising or falling.

Year 3 students are learning famous riffs. They have looked at "Smoke on the Water”, “I Love Rock and Roll”, “Low Rider” and will soon move on to “Seven Nation Army”. As well as becoming familiar with the riffs, they are learning to recognise musical symbols and read TAB for guitar and ukulele.

Year 4s, 5s have started the term by refreshing their knowledge of the G chord Family (G, C, D and Em). They have listened to a variety of songs that use these chords and chosen one to work on. They will be working in multi-instrumental groups to learn and develop a performance of the song. As the term concludes they will have the opportunity to enter their song in a Battle of the Bands. As well as performing with their groups, the students will be involved in assessing their own and the work of others in response to a set of criteria based around how they imagine an audience would respond to their performances.

The Year 6s are working in a similar way, but have also learned about transposition and are working with both the G and C chord families.

Jane & Kerrie