Hello, primary educators! Welcome to the jungle of duration...it's time for a Safari Adventure in your classroom.
In this first episode of the pBuzz Primary resources series, your pBuzz ambassador, Susie Riddell, is here to guide you through the wild and wonderful world of musical durations.
This free music education resource is based around the Safari Adventure topic and has been designed for children in Year One (in the English and Wales National Curriculum for Music at Key Stage 1)
This episode is the first of six topics in Year One before learners progress to another six topics in Year Two.
Before we jump in, be sure to have a quick peek at the planning documents for a heads-up on what's to come!
Duration in music is all about the length of notes – it's the pulse of our musical heartbeat. Imagine Beethoven's iconic "Duh duh duh duh" from his 5th Symphony. That's our muse: a pattern of short, short, short, long notes. Our mission? To help pupils distinguish between these musical beats without getting tangled in technicalities.
A common pitfall in teaching duration is relying on clapping. Why? Well, a clap can't really stretch out like a yawn – it's inherently short. Instead, we'll use our voices or instruments capable of sustaining notes to demonstrate those elusive long sounds.
Safari Adventure Lesson Breakdown: From Assessment to Freestyle
1. Spotting Short and Long: How do you check if your pupils understand the difference between a short and a long note without a day-long interrogation? Simple! Use hand signs. It's quick, easy, and won't eat into your precious teaching time.
2. Copycat Rhythms: Lesson two brings in 'copy back' – sing or play, and the class echoes. Initially, don't sweat the pauses between call and response; we’re aiming for prompt replies eventually.
3. Animal Rhythms Unleashed: Come lesson three, unleash your students’ creativity with animal-name rhythms. Let them ride the rhythm wave with the backing track. Remember, it's freestyle, so let loose and watch the creativity flow!
4. Managing the Musical Zoo: The fourth lesson's challenge is akin to herding musical cats. Multiple groups, one noisy room. Think strategically about space and use anything from coat racks to bookshelves to create sound barriers. And yes, let the noise reign (just this once)!
5. Consolidation Time: By lesson five, it's time to bring it all together. Try playing along with the backing track. If it's more cacophony than a symphony, no worries – it's all part of the learning curve.
Teaching Primary Students About Duration
So, there you have it, educators! A quick tour through our Safari Adventure, focusing on durations and rhythms. Remember, teaching music is as much about fun and exploration as it is about hitting the right notes.