Search M
Can't find what you're looking for?
Translate N
Translate / Traduire / Übersetzen / Tłumaczyć / Išversti / Tulkot / Traducir
School Logo

Stonehill School

Growing Lifelong Learners

Get in touch

Contact Details

Growing Lifelong Learners

Music

Music

 

At Stonehill School, we recognise the importance of Music across the curriculum and the role it has to play in promoting cultural diversity. The intent of the music curriculum at Stonehill is to provide all children with a range of opportunities to learn and experiment with sounds, rhythm and notation. It is our vision for every pupil to succeed and achieve their potential as well as to learn something new. It is our role to inspire pupils through offering fun and engaging music lessons that are enjoyable, challenging and accessible to all. We want our pupils to appreciate and know the benefits of listening to and playing music. Through our teaching of music, we will provide opportunities for pupils to develop values and mindfulness skills through calm and reflective opportunities across the curriculum. Through skills learned, children will have opportunities to perform in large and small groups.

 

Aims:

1. To develop musically competent learners

2. To develop engaged learners

3. To develop reflective learners

4. To give children a range of opportunities to experiment with instruments.

 

We intend to do this by:

  • Ensuring all children have opportunities to experiment and practice a wide range of instruments both individually and with their peers.
  • Providing a stimulating, challenging and engaging learning environment with a range of activities.
  • Allowing children to review their learning by watching back videos and performances.

Autumn term music topics

 

Autumn 1

EYFS

Me!

Learn to sing nursery rhymes and action songs:

  • Pat-a-cake
  • 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Once I Caught a Fish Alive
  • This Old Man
  • Five Little Ducks
  • Name Song
  • Things For Fingers

Cross-curricular and topic-based focus

Explore:

  • Growing
  • Homes
  • Colour
  • Toys
  • How I look

Musical learning focus

  • Listening and responding to different styles of music
  • Embedding foundations of the interrelated dimensions of music
  • Learning to sing or sing along with nursery rhymes and action songs
  • Improvising leading to playing classroom instruments
  • Share and perform the learning that has taken place

Year 1

My Musical Heart beat

 

This Unit of Work consists of clearly sequenced lessons with planning, key learning and outcomes that support the National Curriculum. There is an Assessment Checkpoint and a performance opportunity in Step 6.

Musical Spotlight: My Musical Heartbeat

Every piece of music has a heartbeat - a musical heartbeat. In music, we call it the 'pulse' or the 'beat' of the music. When you are listening and singing to the music and songs in this Unit, try to find and keep the pulse or steady beat together. You might march, clap or sway in time - find a movement that helps you to keep the beat.

Social Question: How Can We Make Friends When We Sing Together?

Explore this question as you progress through the unit.

Musical Learning: Singing and listening are at the heart of each lesson. Play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, G

Year 2

Pulse, Rhythm and Pitch

This Unit of Work consists of clearly sequenced lessons with planning, key learning and outcomes that support the National Curriculum. There is an Assessment Checkpoint and a performance opportunity in Step 6.

Musical Spotlight: Pulse, Rhythm and Pitch

Music has a pulse, a steady beat. Music is also made up of long and short and high and low sounds, called ‘rhythm’ and ‘pitch’. These elements combine when we sing and play. As you listen to, sing, play and dance to the music in this unit, explore these elements of music and how they work together.

Social Question: How Does Music Help Us to Make Friends?

Explore this question as you progress through the unit.

Musical Learning: Singing and listening are at the heart of each lesson. Play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, G, A

 

Year 3

Writing down music

This Unit of Work consists of clearly sequenced lessons with planning, key learning and outcomes that support the National Curriculum. There is an Assessment Checkpoint and a performance opportunity in Step 6.

Musical Spotlight: Writing Music Down

Long and short (rhythm) and high and low (pitch) sounds can be represented by musical symbols. These symbols can be written on a stave and named with special musical names. This helps us to remember what we are going to sing and play. Explore the notes, crotchets and minims within the music you learn. See how these notes can fit on the lines and spaces of a stave.

Social Question: How Does Music Bring Us Closer Together?

Explore this question as you progress through the unit.

Musical Learning: Singing and listening are at the heart of each lesson. Play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, B

Year 4

Musical structures

This Unit of Work consists of clearly sequenced lessons with planning, key learning and outcomes that support the National Curriculum. There is an Assessment Checkpoint and a performance opportunity in Step 6.

Musical Spotlight: Musical Structures

Musical sections that repeat or change help create the structure, or form, of a piece of music or a song. Look for patterns in the sections of music and songs within this unit. Verses and choruses can repeat or alternate and these provide structure in music.

Social Question: How Does Music Bring Us Together?

Explore this question as you progress through the unit.

Musical Learning: Singing and listening are at the heart of each lesson. Play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, B♭

Year 5

Melody and Harmony

This Unit of Work consists of clearly sequenced lessons with planning, key learning and outcomes that support the National Curriculum. There is an Assessment Checkpoint and a performance opportunity in Step 6.

Musical Spotlight: Melody and Harmony in Music

A melody (or a tune) is a group of notes played one after another. In music, 'melody' contrasts with 'harmony'. Harmony means notes which are played at the same time, like chords. Composers often think of a melody and then add harmony to it. Explore the voices that sing the melodies and the instruments used within the music in this unit to create the harmonies. Can you hear the difference?

Social Question: How Does Music Bring Us Together?

Explore this question as you progress through the unit.

Musical Learning: Singing and listening are at the heart of each lesson. Play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E♭, E, F, F♯, G, A, A♭, B♭, B

Year 6

Music and technology

This Unit of Work consists of clearly sequenced lessons with planning, key learning and outcomes that support the National Curriculum. There is an Assessment Checkpoint and a performance opportunity in Step 6.

Musical Spotlight: Music and Technology

Nowadays, music and songs are often created and composed using a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). In all the units of work, there is a combination of live instruments with a DAW. Can you tell the difference between the live sounds and digital sounds? The YuStudio projects in the YuStudio tab will teach you invaluable skills in music production that will enrich and enhance your musical journey and inspire your creativity.

Social Question: How Does Music Bring Us Together?

Explore this question as you progress through the unit.

Musical Learning: Singing and listening are at the heart of each lesson. Play, improvise and compose using a selection of these notes: C, D, E, F, F♯, G, A, B♭, B

 

 

 

Autumn 2

EYFS

My Stories 

Learn to sing nursery rhymes and action songs:

  • I’m A Little Teapot
  • The Grand Old Duke Of York
  • Ring O’ Roses
  • Hickory Dickory Dock
  • Not Too Difficult
  • The ABC Song

Year 1

Rhythm In The Way We Walk

and Banana Rap

Children will be learning songs for the nativity.

 

All the learning is focused around two songs: Rhythm In The Way We Walk (Reggae style) and Banana Rap (Hip Hop style). You will Listen & Appraise other styles of music and continue to embed the interrelated dimensions of music through games and singing

Year 2

Ho, Ho, Ho!

Children will be learning songs for the nativity.

 

A Christmas song by Joanna Mangona and Jane Sebba  

This is a six-week Unit of Work that builds on previous learning. It is supported by weekly lesson plans and assessment. All the learning is focused around one song: Ho Ho Ho - a Christmas song. You will Listen & Appraise other styles of music and continue to embed the interrelated dimensions of music through games, singing and playing.

Year 3

Glockenspiel Stage 1

This is a six-week Unit of Work that introduces the children to learning about the language of music through playing the glockenspiel.

The learning is focused around exploring and developing playing skills through the glockenspiel or if you have previous knowledge, the recorder.

Year 4

Glockenspiel Stage 2

his is a six-week Unit of Work that introduces the children to learning about the language of music through playing the glockenspiel.

The learning is focused around exploring and developing playing skills through the glockenspiel or if you have previous knowledge, the recorder.

This Glockenspiel 2 Unit of Work builds on the learning from Glockenspiel 1.

Year 5 

Charanga Musical School’s Ukulele course is built around eighteen songs that take beginners from playing open strings to songs that use three chords. Pupils will learn the chords C, F, G7 and G in order of difficulty, beginning with the easiest; the chord of C

Year 6 

Charanga Musical School’s Ukulele course is built around eighteen songs that take beginners from playing open strings to songs that use three chords. Pupils will learn the chords C, F, G7 and G in order of difficulty, beginning with the easiest; the chord of C

 

 

 

Spring Term Music Topics

 

Spring 1

EYFS

Everyone!

  • Listening and responding to different styles of music

  • Embedding foundations of the interrelated dimensions of music

  • Learning to sing or sing along with nursery rhymes and action songs

  • Improvising leading to playing classroom instruments

  • Singing and learning to play instruments within a song

  • Share and perform the learning that has taken place

Year 1

In the groove

 

In The Groove is a song that was specially written for classroom use to teach children about different styles of music. This is a very easy song to learn and has been arranged in six different styles; Blues, Baroque, Latin, Bhangra, Folk and Funk.

Year 2

I wanna play in a band

I Wanna Play In A Band is a Rock song written especially for children. In this song you learn about singing and playing together in an ensemble.

As well as learning to sing, play, improvise and compose with this song, children will listen and appraise classic Rock song

 

Year 3

Three Little Bird

his is a six-week Unit of Work. All the learning is focused around one song: Three Little Birds. The material presents an integrated approach to music where games, elements of music (pulse, rhythm, pitch etc.), singing and playing instruments are all linked. As well as learning to sing, play, improvise and compose with this song, children will listen and appraise other Reggae songs.

Year 4

Stop!

This is a six-week Unit of Work that builds on previous learning. It is supported by weekly lesson plans and assessment. All the learning is focused around one song: Stop! - a rap/song about bullying. You will learn about the interrelated dimensions of music through games, singing and composing.

Year 5

Make me feel my love

This is a six-week Unit of Work. All the learning is focused around one song: Make You Feel My Love. The material presents an integrated approach to music where games, elements of music (pulse, rhythm, pitch etc), singing and playing instruments are all linked. As well as learning to sing, play, improvise and compose with this song, children will listen and appraise other Pop Ballads.

Year 6

A new year carol

This is a six-week Unit of Work that builds on previous learning. It is supported by weekly lesson plans and assessment. All the learning is focused around one song from Benjamin Britten’s Friday Afternoons: A New Year Carol. 

Other learning within the unit gives your class the opportunity to research Benjamin Britten’s life and to listen to many of his other works through links to Fridayafternoonsmusic.co.uk (you can also download a piano reduction for this song from here too).

 

 

Spring 2

 

 

EYFS

Our World

 

Learn to sing nursery rhymes and action songs:

  • Old Macdonald
  • Incy Wincy Spider
  • Baa Baa Black Sheep
  • Row, Row, Row Your Boat
  • The Wheels On The Bus
  • The Hokey Cokey

 

Year 1

Round and Round

This is a six-week Unit of Work that builds on previous learning.  All the learning is focused around one song: Round And Round, a Bossa Nova Latin style.

 

Year 2

Zootime

his is a six-week Unit of Work. All the learning is focused around one song: Zootime. The material presents an integrated approach to music where games, the interrelated dimensions of music (pulse, rhythm, pitch etc), singing and playing instruments are all linked.

 

Year 3

The Dragon Song

The Dragon Song by Joanna Mangona and Pete Readman

This is a song about kindness, respect, friendship, acceptance and happiness.

 

Year 4

Lean on Me

A Soul/Gospel Song by Bill Withers

This is a six-week Unit of Work. All the learning is focused around one song: Lean On Me

 

Year 5

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Old-School Hip Hop by Will Smith

This is a six-week Unit of Work. All the learning is focused around one song: The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air.

 

Year 6 

You've got a friend

All the learning in this unit is focused around one song: You've Got A Friend by Carole King

Looking at pulse and rhythm. 

 

Summer Term Music Topics

 

Summer 1

EYFS

Big Bear Funk!

  • Listening and appraising Funk music
  • Embedding foundations of the interrelated dimensions of music using voices and instruments
  • Learning to sing Big Bear Funk and revisiting other nursery rhymes and action songs
  • Playing instruments within the song
  • Improvisation using voices and instruments
  • Riff-based composition
  • Share and perform the learning that has taken place

Year 1

Your imagination

 

This is a song about using your imagination and experimenting with sounds using a range of instruments.

Year 2

Friendship song

This is a song about being friends. Children will use the glockenspiels during this unit. 

 

Year 3

Bring us together

This is a Disco song about friendship, peace, hope and unity.

Year 4

Blackbird

All the learning in this unit is focused around one song: Blackbird by The Beatles - a song about civil rights.

Year 5

Dancing in the street

All the learning in this unit is focused around one song: Dancing In The Street by Martha And The Vandellas

Year 6

Music and Me

Music and Me is the first in a series of units focusing on inspirational women working in music, and part of Brighter Sound’s pioneering gender equality initiative Both Sides Now.

Throughout this series, your students will explore the concept of ‘identity’ – the various elements that shape us. In this unit, we start with gender, with reference to social and cultural differences.

 

 

Top