Reading the five note major pentachord scale
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can read and notate the ascending and descending major pentachord on a simplified stave.
Key learning points
- Musical notes are written on a stave, which tells us the pitch of the notes.
- Higher notes are higher up on the stave.
- Improvising means creating music in the moment using the voice or instruments, alone or with others.
- We can add pitches to a rhythmic composition using improvisation.
Keywords
Stave - lines on which musical notes can be placed
Major pentachord - the first 5 notes of a major scale - do re mi fa so
Rhythm - the pattern of sounds and silences that we play and sing
Improvisation - creative, in-the-moment musical composition
Common misconception
The notes on the stave can be written like dots on the line or inbetween the lines.
It is important that the size of the notes matches the size of the stave. This makes the notation easier to read.
Teacher tip
Pupils could demonstrate their improvisations to the class at the end of the lesson, or could improvise to each other in pairs.
Equipment
Class set of pitched percussion instruments, eg. glockespiels, xylophones, chime bars.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
4 Questions
Q1.What are the five notes in the major pentachord?
Q2.What note is shown by this Solfège hand symbol?
Q3.The pitch of a note is ...
Q4.The pattern do, re, mi, fa, so is
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.A stave is ...
Q2.The pattern so, fa, mi, re, do is ...
Q3.What rhythms are shown in this image?
Q4.Improvisation means ...
To help you plan your 4 music lesson on: Reading the five note major pentachord scale, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 4 music lesson on: Reading the five note major pentachord scale, 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 2 music lessons from the Compose and Create: composing a major melody on a stave unit, dive into the full primary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.