Music
Welcome back to Term One! This term we are focusing on developing skills such as beat, ensemble playing, technology and music and note reading.
Years Three and Four students auditioned late last year and early this year for Mass Choir in the Victorian State School Spectacular. From this, 25 students were selected to represent Glen Waverley Primary School at John Cain Arena in September. Both the students and I are already getting excited to see what songs we will be singing in the Victorian State School Spectacular this year.
Year One and Two Music Innovation will also take place this term with the students learning about many different percussion instruments and the way we play them.
Prep
In Term One, Prep students will commence a unit on pitch, focusing on the strategies we can use to help us determine a high sound and a low sound. Prep students will be using instruments that have a range of pitches and music games to help them develop this skill. They will work on their listening skills and transfer these to distinguish a high sound from a low sound on various instruments. Prep students will transition into discerning middle sounds along with loud and soft sounds and long and short sounds. They will focus on differentiating these various sounds through a range of learning tasks designed to build confidence and skill level.
Curriculum Links:
Rehearse and perform songs and short instrumental pieces which they have learnt and composed (VCAMUP019)
Key Vocabulary:
Pitch, Listening, Strategies
Year 1
Throughout Term One, Year One students will be beginning a unit on Xylophones. They will focus on the technique used to play the Xylophone and how to read the notes. Students will also be introduced to dynamics (volume) specifically consolidating their knowledge of high, middle and low sounds and they will use the Xylophone to continue to develop these skills, transferring their current knowledge. They will also explore a variety of percussion instruments to assist them in beginning to discern the difference between a melody and a harmony. Students will focus on their instrument technique through a range of learning tasks using multiple instruments.
Curriculum Links:
Rehearse and perform songs and instrumental music they have learnt and composed to communicate ideas to an audience (VCAMUP023)
Sing and play instruments to improvise, compose and practise a repertoire of chants, songs and rhymes, including those used by cultural groups in the local community (VCAMUM022)
Key Vocabulary:
Dynamics, Melody, Harmony, Percussion, Xylophone
Year 2
In Term One, Year Two students will undertake a unit on note reading, focusing on strategies to help us remember and work out the notes when reading formal notation. Year Two students will be using BoomWhackers and Pianos to help them develop their note reading skills. They will work on their strategies, coming up with new ones that they find beneficial and transfer these strategies to read formal notation when playing music. Year Two students will practise their sight reading skills (note reading) transitioning into reading the notes fluently. They will focus on reading the notes through a variety of learning tasks designed to build confidence through the use of instruments.
Curriculum Links:
Rehearse and perform songs and instrumental music they have learnt and composed to communicate ideas to an audience (VCAMUP023)
Sing and play instruments to improvise, compose and practise a repertoire of chants, songs and rhymes, including those used by cultural groups in the local community (VCAMUM022)
Key Vocabulary:
Formal notation, Sight reading, Fluently
Year 3
Throughout Term One, Year Three students will undertake a unit on Tempo (speed) and Dynamics (volume). They will learn some terms that indicate the different tempos and dynamics on sheet music and practise these on various instruments. Students will be introduced to many different songs such as ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’ that change tempo and dynamics throughout. This will give students the opportunity to transfer their knowledge of tempo and dynamics to instruments. Throughout the term students will also be introduced to form (structure) in music, specifically Binary and Ternary form. Students will transfer their learning of form to play various songs on instruments such as Piano, Xylophone and Glockenspiel. They will focus on breaking the song into sections to learn it more effectively.
Curriculum Links:
Use voice and instruments to sing, play and arrange music from different cultures, times and locations, and improvise and compose music in different forms (VCAMUM026)
Use imagination and creativity to explore pitch, rhythm/time and form, dynamics and tempo using voice, movement and instruments (VCAMUE025)
Key Vocabulary:
Tempo, Dynamics, Form
Year 4
In Term One, Year Four students will commence a unit on technology in Music specifically, through the use of an app called GarageBand. Students will choose a favourite song of theirs to focus on for the term. They will research the artist/composer of their song before learning about the form (structure) of different types of music. Students will then manipulate parts of the song to create their own personalised version of it. They will transfer their knowledge of form by manipulating certain sections of the song at a time, for example the chorus. Students will focus on using the features that GarageBand has to offer to create their personalised song.
Curriculum Links:
Use voice and instruments to sing, play and arrange music from different cultures, times and locations, and improvise and compose music in different forms (VCAMUM026)
Rehearse and perform songs and instrumental music they have learnt and composed, shaping elements of music to communicate ideas to an audience (VCAMUP027)
Key Vocabulary:
GarageBand, Form, Technology, Artist, Composer
Year 5
Throughout Term One, Year Five students will undertake a unit in Piano focusing on the technique used to play. Students will begin by learning songs using right hand only or left hand only before learning songs with both hands playing at the same time. They will also ensure they are continuing to use the correct technique during songs. When learning songs students will be transferring their prior knowledge of notes to make certain they are playing the correct rhythm. For students who currently or have previously learnt piano they will be given more challenging songs at their level. Throughout the term Year Five students will focus on playing the correct rhythm whilst also using the correct technique to play songs of various difficulty on the piano.
Curriculum Links:
Explore ways of combining the elements of music using listening skills, voice and a range of instruments, objects and electronically generated sounds to create effects (VCAMUE029)
Develop and practise technical skills and use of expressive elements of music in singing, playing instruments, improvising, arranging and composing (VCAMUM030)
Rehearse and perform songs and music they have learnt, including their own compositions, combining aspects of the elements of music and using performance skills, to communicate ideas and intentions to an audience (VCAMUP031)
Key Vocabulary:
Rhythm, Technique
Year 6
In Term One, Year Six students will commence a unit on Piano focusing on the strategies that help us to remember the notes. Students will be reading formal notation and transferring this knowledge to the Piano remembering which notes are which keys. They will work on their technique to play the Piano and also their fluency in reading and then playing the notes. Students will also explore different time periods of music such as the classical period and the composers that lived during those times. They will then transfer this knowledge to the songs they are learning to perform them in the style of that music period. Students will focus on their technique and note reading fluency through learning multiple different songs at varying difficulties.
Curriculum Links:
Explore ways of combining the elements of music using listening skills, voice and a range of instruments, objects and electronically generated sounds to create effects (VCAMUE029)
Develop and practise technical skills and use of expressive elements of music in singing, playing instruments, improvising, arranging and composing (VCAMUM030)
Rehearse and perform songs and music they have learnt, including their own compositions, combining aspects of the elements of music and using performance skills, to communicate ideas and intentions to an audience (VCAMUP031)
Key Vocabulary:
Formal notation, Composers, Technique
How can you support your child’s Music learning at home?
- Sing a variety of different songs with words. These can be from anywhere in the world.
- Experiment with sound and rhythm. This could be with instruments you own or home-made instruments.
- When listening to music, pick out any patterns you can hear.