Identifying the timbre of classroom percussion
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explore the sounds of our percussion instruments, starting and stopping with a leader.
Key learning points
- We warm up before singing so that our bodies, minds and voices are ready to sing.
- We can sing and move in time to a steady pulse.
- We can describe the timbre of percussion instruments.
- We can recognise the sound of a selection of percussion instruments.
Keywords
Pulse - the regular, steady heartbeat of the music
Percussion instrument - a device used to make a musical sound which is played by striking, scraping or shaking
Timbre - the way an instrument sounds that helps us identify it
Common misconception
When describing an instrument’s timbre, we can say it is high or low, loud or quiet, fast or slow.
Timbre describes the unique sound of an instrument, not its pitch, dynamics or tempo.
Teacher tip
To encourage creative vocabulary to describe an instrument’s timbre, try to discourage the use of words that can be muddled with other musical elements (high/low - pitch, loud/quiet - dynamics).
Equipment
a wide selection of classroom percussion instruments, a box or bag for Timbre Time
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
4 Questions
Q1.How is this guiro played?
Q2.Which of these percussion instruments is played by shaking it?
Q3.When we are speaking to the regular, steady pulse, we are .
Q4.Match the musical word to the definition.
the regular, steady heartbeat of the music
the playing or showing of the steady pulse like the ticking of a clock
a musical instrument which is played by striking, scraping or shaking
a device used to make a musical sound
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.How is this glockenspiel played?
Q2.What type of instrument is played by striking, shaking or scraping?
Q3.We can show we have a good sense of the pulse by ...
Q4.Timbre is...
To help you plan your 1 music lesson on: Identifying the timbre of classroom percussion, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 1 music lesson on: Identifying the timbre of classroom percussion, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 1 music lessons from the Compose and Create: exploring and performing rhythm patterns unit, dive into the full primary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.