Choose exam board for KS4 Computer Science (GCSE)
Choose exam board for KS4 English
Choose exam board for KS4 French
Choose exam board for KS4 Geography
Choose exam board for KS4 German
Choose exam board for KS4 History
Choose tier for KS4 Maths
Choose exam board for KS4 Music
Choose exam board for KS4 Physical education (GCSE)
Choose exam board for KS4 Religious education (GCSE)
Choose exam board for KS4 Spanish

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can sing in unison, working to create a balanced and united choral sound.

      Key learning points

      1. Warming up together is a form of social bonding as well as protecting our voice and developing our choral skills.
      2. Social bonding is about making positive connections with others and can be achieved through singing in unison together.
      3. Listening carefully to those singing around us as we sing can help us create a blended and balanced choral sound.

      Keywords

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

      • Social bonding - developing connections and relationships with family, friends and community

      • Choral - an adjective relating to music written for or performed by a choir

      • Balance - how each part is matched against another to ensure that no one part overwhelms the others

      Common misconception

      Singing has to be rehearsed and performed in order to be successful.

      Singing is one of the most powerful tools we can use socially to create bonds between people. This is very often unrehearsed; particularly in sports arenas such as football stadiums.

      Teacher tip

      Encourage pupils to sing quietly, to create a blended choral sound.

      Equipment

      Beanbags for video 2

      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

      Loading...

      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      4 Questions

      Q1.
      Match each musical element to its meaning.

      Correct Answer:structure,the way the music is organised
      Correct Answer:pitch,how high or low a note is
      Correct Answer:beat,the playing or showing of the steady pulse like the ticking of a clock

      Q2.
      A is a person who directs the performance of an ensemble.

      Correct Answer: conductor

      Q3.
      A is a musical thought, like a sentence in a story.

      performance
      percussion instrument
      Correct answer: phrase

      Q4.
      A is a part of a word pronounced as one unit of sound.

      Correct answer: syllable
      rhythm
      chord

      4 Questions

      Q1.
      When we breathe deeply, which part of our body should we notice moving?

      feet
      neck
      shoulders
      Correct answer: ribcage

      Q2.
      Singing together can bring us together - even with strangers. What can we call this?

      social division
      social sports
      Correct answer: social bonding
      social etiquette

      Q3.
      How do singing games help us feel bonded together?

      Correct answer: by moving at the same time
      Correct answer: by singing, listening and responding together
      by playing on our own
      Correct answer: by using eye contact
      by practising on our own

      Q4.
      In a descending sequence, each phrase is sung __________ each time.

      higher
      Correct answer: lower
      at the same pitch

      To help you plan your 5 music lesson on: Singing in unison, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...