New
New
Reading simple rhythms
I can read and chant four beat rhythms.
New
New
Reading simple rhythms
I can read and chant four beat rhythms.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.
These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Many of the songs and games we play have a call and response structure.
- When we chant and clap to a steady pulse, we are chanting a rhythm.
- We clap on each syllable of the chant to create a rhythm.
- For these fruit chants, our one syllable words can be written as Ta and our two syllable words as Ta-di.
Keywords
Call and response - a question and answer musical structure
Rhythm - the pattern of sounds that we play and sing
Chant - speaking in time to a pulse
Syllable - a part of a word
Common misconception
Responses are always the same in call and response songs.
The response can be different every time. The call can also be different. Call and response can be any kind of back and forth musical conversation.
Once pupils feel confident with clapping a rhythm, you might use a drum to keep the steady pulse for them to clap to. Counting in with 'ready, steady off we go' or a steady '1, 2, 3, 4' will help pupils start together.
Teacher tip
Equipment
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
Loading...
Starter quiz
Download starter quiz
4 Questions
Q1.
It is important to warm up before music because...
it makes us learn really hard songs.
it is something we are told to do.
Q2.
Pulse is...
the way the music is organised.
the pattern of sounds that we play and sing.
Q3.
Why do we sometimes write music down?
Because it is the only way we can learn new songs.
Q4.
Call and response is like a question and musical structure.
Exit quiz
Download exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.
True or false? A response is always the same in a call and response song.
Q2.
When we chant and clap to a steady pulse, we are speaking a...
chord
melody
beat
Q3.
Which of these images shows the rhythm for 'pear?'
Ta-di
Q4.
This is the rhythm for...
big green sweet pear
juicy round green grapes