Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 1

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• This week, we are diving into the exciting world of music, singing, and rhythm! Music is a powerful way to express ourselves, learn about different cultures, and have fun! In South Africa, music is everywhere – from our traditional dances and songs to the modern beats on the radio. Understanding rhythm helps us dance, clap, and even understand how sounds are organized. Singing helps us learn new words, improve our memory, and connect with others. Through exploring music, singing, and rhythm, we’ll develop our creativity, coordination, and confidence. Imagine singing along to your favourite South African children's song, or making your own beat using everyday objects! This lesson aims to give you the foundation to appreciate and participate in the musical world around you.
• Learning Objectives:
• By the end of this lesson, learners will be able to:
• Objective 1: Identify and reproduce simple rhythmic patterns using body percussion (clapping, stomping, clicking).
• Objective 2: Sing a simple South African folk song in tune and with correct rhythm.

Lesson summary

This week, we are diving into the exciting world of music, singing, and rhythm! Music is a powerful way to express ourselves, learn about different cultures, and have fun! In South Africa, music is everywhere – from our traditional dances and songs to the modern beats on the radio. Understanding rhythm helps us dance, clap, and even understand how sounds are organized. Singing helps us learn new words, improve our memory, and connect with others. Through exploring music, singing, and rhythm, we’ll develop our creativity, coordination, and confidence. Imagine singing along to your favourite South African children's song, or making your own beat using everyday objects!

Lesson notes

What is Music? Music is a collection of sounds organized in a way that is pleasing to the ear. It can be made with instruments, voices, or even by clapping our hands. Music tells stories, expresses emotions, and helps us celebrate. Think about the lively music you hear at a braai (barbecue) or the beautiful songs sung at church. These are all examples of how important music is in South African culture. What is Singing? Singing is using our voices to make music. We can sing alone or with others in a group. Singing helps us learn new words, improves our memory, and connects us with others. In South Africa, singing is a big part of many traditions. Think about the freedom songs sung during the struggle against apartheid – they show how powerful singing can be! What is Rhythm? Rhythm is the pattern of sounds and silences in music. It’s the beat that makes you want to tap your feet or clap your hands. Rhythm helps us organize music and gives it a sense of movement. We can create rhythm using our bodies (clapping, stomping), instruments, or everyday objects. Tempo (Fast and Slow) Tempo refers to how fast or slow the music is played. A fast tempo makes you want to dance quickly, while a slow tempo might make you feel calm or relaxed. Think about a Cheetah running compared to a Tortoise walking. The Cheetah represents a fast tempo, while the Tortoise represents a slow tempo. Pitch (High and Low) Pitch refers to how high or low a sound is. A bird chirping makes a high-pitched sound, while a lion roaring makes a low-pitched sound. Imagine singing “Do Re Mi”. “Do” is lower in pitch than “Mi”. Body Percussion Body percussion involves using your own body to create sounds. This could include clapping your hands, stomping your feet, clicking your fingers, patting your knees, or clicking your tongue.

Examples for South African Learners: Example 1: Rhythm - Clapping a Pattern: Let's clap this pattern: Clap-Clap-Pause-Clap. That's a simple rhythm! Imagine a drummer playing that rhythm on a djembe.

Example 2: Singing - "Shosholoza": Learn the first verse of the traditional song "Shosholoza." Notice the rhythm and how it makes you feel. Shosholoza, Ku lezontaba stimela sendod’ eSouth Africa Example 3: Tempo - Comparing Songs: Listen to two songs: one is a fast kwaito song, and the other is a slow gospel song. Can you tell which one has a faster tempo? Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Question 1: Clap your hands twice, then stomp your foot once. Repeat this pattern four times. Can you write down the pattern using "C" for clap and "S" for stomp?

Solution: The pattern is: C-C-S, C-C-S, C-C-S, C-C-S

Commentary: This exercise reinforces the concept of rhythm and encourages learners to translate sounds into a symbolic representation.

Question 2: Sing the first line of "Happy Birthday" (South African children may already know a version of this song) slowly. Then, sing it again quickly. What changed?

Solution: The tempo changed. When we sang it slowly, the tempo was slow. When we sang it quickly, the tempo was fast.

Commentary: This helps learners understand the concept of tempo in a practical way. Many learners may know "Happy Birthday" which assists with the concepts being taught.

Question 3: Close your eyes.

I will make two sounds: one will be high (like a whistle), and one will be low (like a drum). Can you tell me which sound is high and which is low?

I will play them randomly: Low-High-High-Low-High.

Solution: The answer depends on the order the teacher plays the sounds.

The expected answer for the example is: Low, High, High, Low, High.

Commentary: This exercises reinforces the concept of pitch. Using real-world examples (whistle and drum) helps make it more relatable.

Question 4: Using empty cool drink cans and rice, make a simple shaker. Shake it along to the beat of a song that you like.

Solution: Learners will make a shaker and use it alongside a pre-recorded song. The assessment is observational - did the learner create the shaker and make an attempt to play along to the beat?

Commentary: The practical nature of the exercise encourages creativity whilst reinforcing the understanding of rhythm. Independent Practice (Questions Only) Create your own rhythmic pattern using clapping and stomping. Perform it for the class. Find a short South African children's song and try to sing it by yourself. Can you keep the beat? Listen to a song on the radio. Is the tempo fast or slow? What makes you say that? Can you make a low sound with your voice? Now try to make a high sound. Using different sized spoons, tap on a table. Do the large spoons make higher or lower sounds than the small spoons? Create a simple rhythm with sticks on the ground. Can you get a friend to copy your rhythm? Find 3 objects at home that you can use to make different sounds (e.g. a pot, a spoon, a glass). Create a short musical piece using these objects. Draw a picture of a musical instrument. Describe what sound it makes (high, low, fast, slow).