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      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can play singing games with awareness of beat, rhythm, and pitch.

      Key learning points

      1. Moving and singing together when we play singing games helps us to feel the beat.
      2. As we repeat songs, we become more familiar with the rhythm of the words, and the way the pitch moves.
      3. The beat of a song stays steady, like a ticking clock, while the rhythm follows the pattern of the words.
      4. When we know a song very well, it is easier to clap or play the rhythm.

      Keywords

      • Beat - the playing or showing of the steady pulse, like the ticking of a clock

      • Rhythm - the pattern of sounds that we play and sing

      • Call and response - a question and answer musical structure

      • Pitch - how high or low a note is

      Common misconception

      Beat and rhythm are the same thing.

      The beat is the playing or showing of the steady pulse, while the the rhythm is a pattern of sounds we play or sing.

      Teacher tip

      The use of puppets or props is encouraged when playing singing games.

      Equipment

      Puppets or props as needed, such as: bumble bee finger puppet, a doggy bone and a dog hand puppet, and a magic wand prop. You will also need three types of unpitched percussion isntruments.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      4 Questions

      Q1.
      We call the words of the song, the ...

      echo
      Correct answer: lyrics
      call

      Q2.
      When we sing songs with high notes and low notes, we are singing a ...

      Correct answer: melody
      chant
      body percussion pattern

      Q3.
      Call and response is a and answer musical structure.

      Correct Answer: question

      Q4.
      What is a syllable?

      Correct answer: a part of a word
      an exact copy of a musical phrase
      a gentle, soothing song to help us sleep

      4 Questions

      Q1.
      Can you clap and chant this rhythm?

      An image in a quiz
      Correct Answer: Ta-di Ta-di Ta-di Ta

      Q2.
      Doggie, Doggie is an example of a __________ musical structure.

      echo
      Correct answer: call and response
      warm up

      Q3.
      The __________ is the pattern of sounds and silences that we sing and play.

      Correct answer: rhythm
      tempo
      timbre
      dynamics

      Q4.
      How would you clap and chant this rhythm?

      An image in a quiz
      Ta-di Ta-di Ta Ta
      Ta Ta-di Ta Ta-di
      Correct answer: Ta-di Ta Ta-di Ta
      Q1 MuseScore Studio is developed by Muse Group https://musescore.org/en Q4 MuseScore Studio is developed by Muse Group https://musescore.org/en

      To help you plan your 2 music lesson on: Bringing it together, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...