New
New
Lesson 2 of 6
  • Year 6

Sharing emotion through song

I can understand how lyrics and music can convey emotions and feelings.

Lesson 2 of 6
New
New
  • Year 6

Sharing emotion through song

I can understand how lyrics and music can convey emotions and feelings.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Music has been used to express how people feel about migration and leaving loved ones behind.
  2. Lyrics and music can convey powerful emotions and feelings.
  3. We can use different vocal and expressive techniques to communicate the emotion of the lyrics to an audience.

Keywords

  • Migration - the movement of people from one place to another

  • Calypso - a style of music from Trinidad and Tobago where lyrics are often improvised and often on a topical theme

  • Syncopation - rhythms that emphasise the off-beat

  • Lyrics - the words of a song

  • Drone - a constant, pitched sound that continues throughout a piece of music

Common misconception

Music and songs are only written for an audience's enjoyment.

Songs and music can be written to help people understand a feeling or an important message.


To help you plan your year 6 music lesson on: Sharing emotion through song, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Communicating the meaning of the lyrics to an audience is an important part of singing well. Spend plenty of time encouraging the pupils to sing and chant the repeated phrases with feeling.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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

Loading...

Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
Why do composers use repetition in music?

Correct answer: to make the music easier to remember
to make the music completely different each time
to confuse the listener
to stop people from joining in

Q2.
What does singing with expression mean?

singing in a very quiet voice
singing as fast as possible
Correct answer: singing in a way that shows feeling and the meaning of the words
singing together with other people

Q3.
What is a drone in music?

when the melody is embellished with extra notes
Correct answer: a constant pitched sound that continues throughout a piece of music
the length of a sound or silence
when two or more notes played together clash with each other

Q4.
What are lyrics in a song?

the melody of a song
Correct answer: the words of a song
the instruments used in a song
the way a song is performed

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
Which of these help us to communicate the emotion of the lyrics to an audience?

changing the lyrics of a song
Correct answer: using facial expression and body language
Correct answer: changing tone quality to match the mood
singing every note in the same way

Q2.
A syncopated rhythm emphasises the beat

Correct Answer: off, Off

Q3.
A constant, pitched sound that continues throughout a piece of music is called a .

Correct Answer: drone, Drone

Q4.
True or false? Songs can be written to help people understand a feeling or tell an important message.

Correct Answer: True, true