New
New
Year 3

Singing partner songs

I can hold my part confidently in a partner song and can hear how my part adds to a thicker texture.

New
New
Year 3

Singing partner songs

I can hold my part confidently in a partner song and can hear how my part adds to a thicker texture.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. We can add more partner songs to a piece to thicken the texture.
  2. Each partner song must be sung to the same steady beat in order for them to fit together.
  3. Following the conductor shows us a visual pulse to follow.
  4. Singing confidently but not loudly helps us to keep focused on our partner song and not be distracted by the other tunes

Keywords

  • Conductor - a person who directs musicians or singers

  • Partner songs - two or more separate songs that fit together musically when sung at the same time

  • Texture - the combination of different layers of sounds

  • Pulse - the regular, steady heartbeat of the music

  • Unison - the same tune sung or played at the same time

Common misconception

Blocking out the sound of the other song will help you concentrate on your own part better.

By singing more softly, we can hear the other parts and hear how partner songs fit together. This is because they share similar musical characteristics such as the key, the rhythm, the tempo and chord progression.


To help you plan your year 3 music lesson on: Singing partner songs, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Ideas such as singing in a circle with pupils singing each part standing alternately in the circle, or even walking around the room can all help pupils develop a sense of confidence and autonomy when holding their own line.
Teacher tip

Equipment

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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4 Questions

Q1.
Match the song types to their meanings:
Correct Answer:Rounds,groups sing the same melody but start at different times

groups sing the same melody but start at different times

Correct Answer:Call and response,a question and answer musical structure

a question and answer musical structure

Correct Answer:Partner songs,two or more songs that fit together sung at the same time

two or more songs that fit together sung at the same time

Q2.
Which of the following can we use to make the texture of a song thicker?
Singing louder
Correct answer: Adding more songs to partner songs
Correct answer: Singing a round in more parts
Singing at a faster tempo
Q3.
Complete the sentence: Partner songs can fit together musically when they're sung to the same steady .
Correct Answer: beat, Beat, pulse, Pulse, tempo
Q4.
Put the following gestures in the order a conductor might use them to keep us together when singing:
1 - Ready, steady, off we go (followed by two hands indicating the beat to begin)
2 - Tapping the steady pulse (hand open flat, palm down - marking the steady pulse)
3 - Two closed fists on the beat we should stop singing

4 Questions

Q1.
Complete this sentence: Adding more partner songs will thicken the .
Correct Answer: texture, Texture
Q2.
What word is being described here? 'The same tune sung or played at the same time'.
round songs
partner songs
Correct answer: unison
texture
Q3.
Which of the following are two useful pieces of advice for someone singing partner songs?
Sing loudly to block out the other groups' sound
Correct answer: Sing more softly so that you can hear how all the parts fit together
Correct answer: Watch the conductor
Sing quicker to make sure your group gets to the end of the song in time
Q4.
Match the keywords to their meanings:
Correct Answer:conductor,a person who directs musicians or singers

a person who directs musicians or singers

Correct Answer:partner songs,two or more songs that fit together when sung at the same time

two or more songs that fit together when sung at the same time

Correct Answer:pulse,the regular, steady heartbeat of the music

the regular, steady heartbeat of the music

Correct Answer:unison,the same tune sung or played at the same time

the same tune sung or played at the same time

Correct Answer:texture,the combination of different layers of sounds

the combination of different layers of sounds