Music

Welcome back to Term Four! Throughout this term students will once again be provided with many opportunities to explore various musical instruments in different settings. Over the term they will be focusing on patterns in music, piano and guitar skills and also song These skills will be developed using a variety of instruments including piano, guitar, xylophone and boomwhackers. 

Prep

This term, Prep students will begin to use their knowledge of the xylophone to play songs with a greater number of notes in them. They will explore how to keep a steady beat throughout songs, especially when singing. Students will also be introduced to a new instrument - the African drum. On this drum they will follow a rhythm and create their own rhythm, maintaining a steady beat. They will be given the opportunity to share their rhythms with the class, performing them on the drums. Students will continue to practice their audience etiquette through these performances.

Year 1

Throughout this term, students will begin looking at how we communicate through music and begin creating their own songs using patterns. Students will use the notes, ‘mi’, ‘so’ and ‘la’ to create their own song using patterns. They will then transfer their song onto either boomwhackers or the xylophone. Students will perform their songs for the class, once again practicing their audience etiquette. When looking at how we communicate through music, students will explore different sounds that certain instruments make and how we can use those sounds to communicate an idea or feeling.

Year 2

During Term Three, students will undertake a piano unit. They will transfer their knowledge of notes on the stave to the piano, learning many different songs throughout the term. Students who already learn piano outside of school will be challenged with songs that are at their level, strengthening their ability to read notes. They will be taught the correct technique to use when playing the piano and ensure they are keeping a steady beat when playing songs. Students will also use their knowledge of crotchets, quavers, minims, semibreves and crotchet rests when playing the piano to confirm they are playing the correct rhythm.

Year 3

During Term Three, students will be learning music from different times and locations. They will be analysing songs from different eras and countries, comparing them to today’s music. Students will then have the opportunity to learn these songs on different instruments. They will consolidate and transfer their knowledge of dynamics (volume) and tempo (speed) when learning and performing these songs. Students will also continue to develop their knowledge of time signatures and bar lines, using them to count in the song, which in turn helps to keep a steady beat. 

Year 4

This term, students will be undertaking a unit on guitar. They will learn technique and basic chords that are needed to play the guitar. Students will then transfer this knowledge to learn simple songs, both in small groups and as a class. They will use their knowledge of time signatures and bar lines to help them count and keep a steady beat, therefore staying in time with their peers. Students who currently learn guitar outside of school will be given the opportunity to help teach their peers and try more challenging songs. Year Four students will also be given the opportunity to create their own short song using the chords that they have learnt on guitar.

Year 5

This term, Year Five students will be introduced to more complex time signatures such as 3/8, 6/8 and 12/8. They will use their knowledge of simple time signatures (2/4, 3/4 and 4/4) to explore the differences and similarities when counting in different time signatures. Students will be given the opportunity to create their own rhythm or song using a time signature of their choice, to perform for the class. They will also continue to consolidate their knowledge of music notation by using sheet music to play songs on piano and boomwhackers.

Year 6

Throughout Term Four, Year Six students will develop their singing voices to learn their graduation song. They will explore the skills needed to sing as a large group and transfer this knowledge when singing their graduation song. They will also be given the opportunity to play the harmony of their graduation song using boomwhackers. Students will explore the benefits of singing on their health, both mental and physical and why it is important to stand when singing to get the best sound.