Layering syncopated rhythms to accompany a song
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can play a syncopated rhythm to accompany a song.
Key learning points
- There are many drums played in West Africa, inclduing the dundunba, sangban, and kenkeni forming the mande drum enemble.
- Kuku is a rhythm from Guinea that can be played on two or more drums.
- We can use rhythm grids to decode syncopated rhythms.
- We can sing to a syncopated accmpaniment.
Keywords
Djembe - a goblet-shaped drum originating from West Africa, played with hands
Kuku - a rhythm from Guinea, West Africa, that can be played on two or more drums
Syncopation - rhythms that emphasise the beats that are usually weaker
Drum break - a specific phrase played by the lead drummer to signal starting, stopping, or changing a rhythm
Common misconception
A commonly misused, generalised term is ‘African drumming’.
A popular drum from West Africa is the djembe, which is frequently referred to as ‘African drumming’. By looking specifically at Guinea, in West Africa, we can see there are many types of drum in one country within the continent of Africa.
Teacher tip
Using three different sounding drums (or untuned percussion) will work well in this lesson. Finding a low, a medium, and a slighter higher pitched sound will let us hear the rhythm clearly. Body percussion can work too. If you are using djembes, allow time to explore the bass, tone, and slap sounds.
Equipment
Hand drums available to you, djembes, and/or classroom percussion available. It may even be possible to hire a mande drum ensemble set from your music hub.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
4 Questions
Q1.Order these in terms of how the beats feel in 4-time, from beat 1 to beat 4.
Q2. is the steady heartbeat of the music.
Q3.A rhythmic ostinato is ...
Q4.Which kind of rhythm emphasises beats that are usually weaker, or plays in between beats?
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1.The Kuku rhythm played on two or more drums comes from .
Q2.What does tempo mean?
Q3.Weak beats or notes between the beats are called .
Q4.When we play and sing together, it is important that we keep the steady to play in time with each other.
To help you plan your 5 music lesson on: Layering syncopated rhythms to accompany a song, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 5 music lesson on: Layering syncopated rhythms to accompany 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 2 music lessons from the Singing for performance: syncopation in songs unit, dive into the full primary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.