Changing the tempo to build excitement
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can sing songs with a changing tempo and can explain how this makes the song feel.
Key learning points
- We can use changing dynamics along with facial expressions and actions to give a song character.
- Tempo is the speed of the music, it means how fast or slow it is played or sung.
- We can change the tempo to change how a song feels.
Keywords
Dynamics - how loudly or quietly the music is played or sung
Tempo - the speed of the music - how fast or slow the music is played
Practise - to play or sing something several times to try and get better
Common misconception
Sometimes we exaggerate tempo changes, interpreting singing fast as singing 'as fast as we can'.
Subtle tempo changes can affect the character of the music as well as big ones.
Teacher tip
Model tempo changes and use example recordings to show the effect that subtle tempo changes have on the character of the music.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
4 Questions
Q1.If you were singing about an elephant, you might use a loud .
Q2.When we sing about a mouse, which dynamic would most suit the character of the song?
Q3.True or false? The lyrics help us to decide the character of a song.
Q4.Match these definitions.
how loudly or quietly we sing or play
movements and facial expressions to do while singing a song
how fast or slow the music is played
how high or low a note is
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1. is how fast or slow the music is played.
Q2.True or false? When we choose a fast tempo, we should play it as fast as possible.
Q3.Would a faster or slower tempo suit a song about a cheetah?
Q4.Would a faster or slower tempo suit a song about a tortoise?
To help you plan your 1 music lesson on: Changing the tempo to build excitement, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 1 music lesson on: Changing the tempo to build excitement, 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: Changing tempo and dynamics in our songs unit, dive into the full primary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.