Adding body percussion to a song
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can use body percussion to keep a steady beat whilst singing.
Key learning points
- When we sing the same melody together, we are singing in unison.
- We can use body percussion to accompany a song.
- Music in 4-time has a beat pattern of strong-weak-medium-weak.
- Body percussion can be played on the beat to help us hear the pattern of beats in 4-time.
Keywords
Unison - playing or singing the same thing at the same time
Beat - the playing or showing of the steady pulse, like the ticking of a clock
Body percussion - to make a percussive musical sound with the body
Accompaniment - a musical part that supports the main melody or chant
4-time - the organisation and feel of the beats as: strong-weak-medium-weak
Common misconception
One instrument can only make one type of sound.
Our body is an instrument and we can create many different sounds, all with different timbre.
Teacher tip
If you can find video footage of the listening example, this will help to bring the body percussion accompaniment to life.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
4 Questions
Q1.True or false? The beat is the music’s heartbeat - the pulse is how we show it!
Q2.What is tempo?
Q3.What does the pulse help us do in music?
Q4.What is an instrument?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Why do we use body percussion in music?
Q2.Order the beats in 4-time.
Q3.When we sing the same melody together, we are singing in ...
Q4.We can our singing with a layer of body percussion sounds.
To help you plan your 2 music lesson on: Adding body percussion to a song, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 2 music lesson on: Adding body percussion to a song, 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 Singing for performance: adding a simple vocal accompaniment unit, dive into the full primary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.