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Lesson 3 of 6
  • Year 5

Singing and playing simultaneously: three note melodies

I can read and play a simple three note melody, with a strong pulse, whilst singing simultaneously.

Lesson 3 of 6
New
New
  • Year 5

Singing and playing simultaneously: three note melodies

I can read and play a simple three note melody, with a strong pulse, whilst singing simultaneously.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. A sound sense of pulse is essential when singing rounds and partner songs.
  2. Body percussion and actions can help us feel the pulse and stay in time.
  3. Pitch actions and hand signs help us learn melodies, before playing them on instruments.
  4. Pitch notation can be read on a stave.

Keywords

  • Pulse - the regular, steady heartbeat of the music

  • Pitch - how high or low a note is

  • Notation - a way of visually representing and recording music

  • Stave - lines on which musical notes can be placed

  • Melody - a combination of notes to make a memorable tune

Common misconception

Reading notation is the most effective way of learning a melody.

If the song has been well established, pupils may not even need notation. They will have learnt through singing, pitch actions, chanting rhythms and hand signs.


To help you plan your year 5 music lesson on: Singing and playing simultaneously: three note melodies, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

You may like to group the pupils, encouraging them to rotate who plays, who sings the pitches and who chants the rhythms to encourage a multisensory and ensemble approach to learning.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Pitched percussion with the notes F, A, C', for example glockenspiel, xylophone or percussion tubes.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), 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

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
Rhythm is ...

An image in a quiz
an exact copy of a musical phrase.
the playing or showing of the steady pulse, like the ticking of a clock.
Correct answer: the pattern of sounds that we play and sing.

Q2.
Which of these is an example of a pitched percussion instrument?

Correct answer: glockenspiel
maracas
claves

Q3.
A is a song structure where multiple groups sing the same melody but start at different times.

Correct Answer: round, Round, canon, Canon

Q4.
How would you chant and clap this rhythm?

An image in a quiz
Ta-di Ta Ta-di Ta-di
Correct answer: Ta Ta-di Ta Ta
Ta Takadimi Ta Ta

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
Pulse is ...

Correct answer: the regular, steady heartbeat of the music.
the playing or showing of the steady pulse, like the ticking of a clock.
the pattern of sounds and silences that we play and sing.

Q2.
How do we label this hand sign?

An image in a quiz
do
Correct answer: mi
so

Q3.
How would you clap and chant this rhythm?

An image in a quiz
Takadimi Ta Takadimi Ta
Ta Ta-di Ta Ta-di
Correct answer: Ta-di Ta Ta-di Ta

Q4.
Jun learns to play a melody by listening to it, singing it, signing it, chanting the rhythm and adding actions. He also reads the notation. How is this effective?

An image in a quiz
He is learning only by reading the notation.
He is learning just by singing it many times.
Correct answer: He is learning in a multisensory way, using all his musical skills.