Skip to content
Skip to content
Teachers
Go to pupils
View unit
New
New
Lesson 5 of 6
  • Year 5

Composing together using do, mi, so

I can contribute to the composition of a three note song (do, mi, so).

View unit
Lesson 5 of 6
New
New
  • Year 5

Composing together using do, mi, so

I can contribute to the composition of a three note song (do, mi, so).

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Melodies do not need to be complicated. They can use simple rhythms and just a few notes.
  2. Effective song melodies will use repetition of ideas.
  3. Do, mi and so work really well together to create pleasing melodies.
  4. Notation needs to be written carefully and spaced out thoughtfully in order for it to be read easily.

Keywords

  • Melody - a combination of notes to make a memorable tune

  • Chant - speaking in time to a pulse

  • 4-time - the organisation and feel of the beats as: strong-weak-medium-weak

  • Rhythm - the pattern of sounds and silences that we play and sing

  • Pitch - how high or low a note is

Common misconception

Ta-di is two beats.

Every time we chant 'Ta' it is the beginning of a new beat. Ta-di is two sounds in one beat, each sound is half a beat.


To help you plan your year 5 music lesson on: Composing together using do, mi, so, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Take extra time to model a simple, successful melody that includes lots of repetition and not many leaps, and model how to notate this clearly and neatly.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Pencils or claves - four for each pupil.

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Skip lesson video

Loading...

Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
How would you clap and chant this rhythm?

An image in a quiz
Correct answer: Ta Ta Ta-di Ta-di
Ta-di Ta-di Ta Ta
Ta-di Ta-di Takadimi Takadimi
Ta Ta Takadimi Takadimi

Q2.
How does singing with hand signs help us to notate a song?

they help us understand the timbre
Correct answer: they help us follow the melodic shape
they help us understand the dynamics

Q3.
What is it called when we make music with our bodies, e.g. clapping?

Correct Answer: body percussion

Q4.
When we focus on our breathing, sometimes we (incorrectly) raise our shoulders which can cause tension. Which set of bones are supposed to move when we breathe in to make space for the air we inhale?

Correct Answer: ribcage, ribs, rib cage, Ribs, Ribcage

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following are benefits to deeper breathing for singing?

we can sing louder
we can sing faster
Correct answer: we can have enough air to sing to the end of the line
Correct answer: it can lower our stress levels

Q2.
In 4-time, the feel of the beats is:

strong-weak-weak-weak
strong-weak-strong-weak
strong-medium-strong-medium
Correct answer: strong-weak-medium-weak

Q3.
True or false? Ta-di is two beats.

Correct Answer: False, false

Q4.
Which of the following best describes the difference between singing in unison and singing in harmony?

singing in harmony is where we all sing the same notes at the same time
Correct answer: singing in harmony is more than one note coming together to make a richer sound
singing in harmony is when we start quietly and build to a crescendo
singing in harmony is when we sing songs that are happy or uplifting