New
New
Lesson 6 of 6
  • Year 6

Singing for the change we want to see in the world

I can convey emotion through song and know how songs can be powerful for change.

Lesson 6 of 6
New
New
  • Year 6

Singing for the change we want to see in the world

I can convey emotion through song and know how songs can be powerful for change.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Repetition is a powerful tool in creating music so that music and messages can be remembered.
  2. We can combine different layers of sound to create textures that help our piece to have impact.
  3. We can structure our music to make the message in the music more powerful.
  4. We can add dynamics and musical expression to connect and communicate with our audience.

Keywords

  • Repetition - the purposeful use of repeating a phrase in lyrics or music

  • Texture - the way the music is organised

  • Structure - the combination of different layers of sounds

  • Dynamics - how loud or quiet the music is

Common misconception

Texture and structure are the same thing.

Texture refers to the combination of different layers of sound, and structure is the way the music is organised. Texture could be used as a structural device, e.g. when a piece starts by adding one layer at a time, but they are not the same.


To help you plan your year 6 music lesson on: Singing for the change we want to see in the world, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

The backing track is provided to support pupils' improvisation and composition, but it should not constrain them. Their final piece might not use the backing track.
Teacher tip

Equipment

A broad range of instruments with the notes DEFGA to support pupils' composition.

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.
What does “dynamics” describe in music?

the speed of the music
the instruments used
Correct answer: how loud or quiet the music is
the pitch of the melody

Q2.
Why might repetition be useful in music?

to make the music simple
to shorten a piece
Correct answer: to make the music memorable
to stop performers from improvising

Q3.
Match the keyword to its meaning:

Correct Answer:repetition,reusing musical ideas, patterns or phrases

reusing musical ideas, patterns or phrases

Correct Answer:structure,the way the music is organised

the way the music is organised

Correct Answer:dynamics,how loud or quiet the music is

how loud or quiet the music is

Q4.
What do we mean by “texture” in music?

how soft or rough an instrument feels
how fast the rhythm is played
the loudness of the piece
Correct answer: the combination of different layers of sounds

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
How can repetition help music communicate a message?

it hides the lyrics
Correct answer: it makes the message easier to remember
it makes the song quieter
it shortens the performance

Q2.
When we add or remove different instruments or voices, we are changing the .

Correct Answer: texture

Q3.
Why is structure important in music?

it decides how loud the music is
Correct answer: it organises the music into clear sections
it tells you which notes to play
it makes music faster

Q4.
How can dynamics help a performer communicate with the audience?

by changing the tempo
by removing repetition
Correct answer: by expressing emotion through volume changes
by avoiding melody