Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade R

Lesson Video

This page supports the lesson note with a companion video and a short classroom-ready summary.

For class groups and homework, share this lesson page so learners also get the summary, objectives, and full lesson context.

Performance objectives

• Make a two-part rhythm
• Mix primary colours to make new colours
• Draw a person or a house using shapes
• Sing a fun South African song
• Talk about our amazing artwork

Lesson summary

This week, we dive into the vibrant world of Creative Arts, focusing on how we can express our feelings, ideas, and stories through drawing, painting, and music. In South Africa, art and music are all around us – in the colourful patterns on Ndebele houses, the powerful rhythms of Gqom music, the beautiful beadwork of the Zulu people, and the heartfelt songs we sing at church or celebrations. For a Grade R learner, engaging in these activities is not just about fun; it is a critical part of development.

Lesson notes

A. Music: Finding the Beat and Rhythm What is a Beat? The beat is the steady pulse of the music, like a heartbeat. It’s what makes you want to tap your feet or nod your head. We can find the beat in any song. For example, in the song "Shosholoza", there is a strong, steady beat you can clap to. What is Rhythm? Rhythm is a pattern of sounds and silences placed on top of the beat. It's the fun part of the music!

Think of how we clap our hands in a game: clap-clap...clap-clap-clap. That is a rhythm.

Example: Body Percussion Rhythms We don't need drums to make music! Our bodies are our first instruments. This is called body percussion.

Step 1: Find the Beat: We can start by stomping our feet steadily. Stomp... Stomp... Stomp... Stomp. That is our beat.

Step 2: Create a Rhythm: Now, on top of our stomping beat, let's add a clapping pattern. We can clap twice for every one stomp.

So it will sound like: STOMP (clap-clap), STOMP (clap-clap), STOMP (clap-clap)*.

Why it works: This helps learners feel the difference between the steady beat and the more complex rhythm. It develops their listening skills and coordination.

B. Painting: The Magic of Colours Primary Colours (The Parent Colours) Primary colours are the three main colours that cannot be made by mixing other colours. They are like the parents of all the other colours.

Red (Bomvu): Like a tomato or a stop sign.

Yellow (Liphuzi): Like the sun or a banana.

Blue (Luhlaza): Like the sky or the deep ocean. Secondary Colours (The Children Colours) When we mix two primary colours together, we create a brand new colour called a secondary colour.

Example: Colour Mixing Recipes Recipe for Green: Take a little bit of yellow paint. Add a little bit of blue paint. Mix them together. Magic! You get GREEN (Luhlaza cwe)! Like the grass in a beautiful park like Kirstenbosch.

Recipe for Orange: Take a little bit of yellow paint. Add a little bit of red paint. Mix them together. Wow! You get ORANGE (Orenji)! Like a delicious naartjie or a sunset over the Drakensberg mountains.

Recipe for Purple: Take a little bit of red paint. Add a little bit of blue paint. Mix them together. Amazing! You get PURPLE (Bukhwebezane)! Like the Jacaranda flowers in Pretoria.

C. Drawing: Building with Shapes Everything we see in the world can be broken down into simple shapes. Learning to see these shapes helps us learn to draw.

Circle (Isangqa): Round like a ball or the sun.

Square (Isikwere): Four equal sides, like a slice of bread.

Triangle (Unxantathu): Three sides, like a slice of pizza or a mountain peak.

Rectangle (Uxande): Four sides, two long and two short, like a door or a book.

Example: Drawing a South African Home Step 1: The House: Draw a big square or rectangle in the middle of your page. This is the main part of the house.

Step 2: The Roof: Draw a big triangle on top of the square. This is the roof, which keeps the rain out.

Step 3: The Door: Draw a smaller rectangle inside the bottom of the square. This is the door to welcome family.

Step 4: The Window: Draw a small square next to the door. This is the window to let the sunshine in.

Step 5: The Sun: Draw a big circle in the corner of the sky. Our house needs a warm African sun! Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Echo the Rhythm Question: "Listen carefully to my pattern and then be my echo. I will clap twice and then pat my knees once. (clap-clap-pat). Now it's your turn!" Solution &

Commentary: The teacher performs the action slowly and clearly. The learners watch and listen, then repeat the pattern. The teacher can then say, "Well done! You are excellent listeners. You copied my rhythm perfectly! Let's try another one." This call-and-response activity builds auditory memory and sequencing skills. It is a game, not a test, which encourages participation.

Predict the Colour Question: "I have a blob of red paint here and a blob of yellow paint here. If I mix them in this clean spot, what colour do you think we will make? Will it be blue, or orange, or green?" Solution &

Commentary: The teacher encourages learners to make a prediction (hypothesis). After they have guessed, the teacher slowly mixes the colours, revealing orange. The teacher then says, "You were right! Red and yellow make orange, the colour of a beautiful sunset." This process teaches scientific thinking (predicting and observing) in a creative context. It makes the discovery memorable.

Directed Shape Drawing Question: "Let's all draw a car together. What shape should we use for the main body of the car? A circle or a rectangle?" Solution &

Commentary: The teacher waits for answers and affirms that a long rectangle is a great choice. "Yes, a rectangle! Let's all draw a big rectangle." The teacher then guides them: "Now, what shape do we need for the wheels?" Learners will say circles. "Correct! Let's draw two circles under our rectangle." This step-by-step guided drawing helps learners who might feel overwhelmed by a blank page.