Myths about teaching can hold you back
- Year 5
Syncopated rhythms in jazz
I can use inspiration from jazz to create syncopated vocal improvisation.
- Year 5
Syncopated rhythms in jazz
I can use inspiration from jazz to create syncopated vocal improvisation.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Jazz grew from the music and experiences of enslaved Africans and their descendants.
- Jazz blends African music traditions with European instruments and newer American influences.
- Syncopation can be used to make the same melody sound and feel very different.
- We can take inspiration from jazz to create short syncopated rhythms using scat singing and improvisation.
Keywords
Jazz - a music genre that originated in the African American communities of New Orleans, blending elements of blues, African rhythms, and European harmonic structures
Influences influences - musical traits such as rhythm and melody that inspire a musician’s work
Improvisation - to create new musical ideas in the moment
Scat singing - a vocal jazz technique where singers improvise melodies and rhythms using wordless syllables instead of lyrics
Common misconception
Improvisation in music is only done on instruments and not the voice.
Scat singing, from jazz music is one type of vocal improvisation. Other types include the sargams of Hindustani and Carnatic music from India, freestyle rap, even yodelling!
To help you plan your year 5 music lesson on: Syncopated rhythms in jazz, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 5 music lesson on: Syncopated rhythms in jazz, 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.
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