<h3>Maestro Likes to Hear Us Sing (singing in tune &amp; pulse)</h3><p>Everyone sit in a circle. Put <u class="highlight">Maestro the Music Dog</u> in the middle of the circle. The song uses just your <em>sing-song</em> voice. To teach it, sing one line at a time in a <em>first me, then you</em> way. Ask the children to listen carefully and sing exactly the same notes as you. Persevere with reminding the children sing in tune because even very young children can, if the song is simple enough. Demonstrate <em>not-in-tune</em>! If you sing it wrong on purpose, the children will enjoy correcting you!</p>                                                                <ul class="simple lyrics">            <li>MAE-stro LIKES to HEAR us SING</li>            <li>IN the MID-dle OF the RING</li>    </ul>                                                                                                                                                                                <p>When the children know the song, everyone tap the pulse using hands on knees. Tap on the CAPITAL LETTER part of the words above, and use big movements so that the children can copy you. Remember to tell the children, 'Well done with clapping the pulse,' so that they learn the word, <em>pulse</em>. </p>                                              

<h3>African Dance with Friends (rhythm &amp; pulse)</h3><p>Traditional African dances are led by drums and other percussion instruments. The dancers move in a big circle and the drums tell them what to do by changing from one pattern of sound to another.</p><h4>Listen and Dance to the Drumming </h4><p>The children could listen carefully first and put hands up when they hear a change in the drumming then dance freely, changing what they do if they hear the drumming change.</p>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

African drums, listen and dance - Song

<h4>Market Dance (rhythm, structure)</h4><p>This activity is easier if there are two teachers available, one to organise and demonstrate and the other to play the drum. First you need to teach the actions:</p><ul><li>walking in a big circle </li><li>roly-poly hands above heads. </li></ul><p>The Market Dance is danced in a big circle, accompanied by the teacher playing a drum. The best sort is the djembe drum (as in the picture), played with the hands but, if you don't have one, you can use any other sort of drum. Play the rhythm of the words as you say them in your head: </p><p><u class="highlight">I WENT to buy a BIG blue hat, I WENT to buy a BIG blue hat</u> Ã¢â‚¬Â¦ over and over again.</p>                                                                                                                                    

I went to buy a big blue hat (rhythm, structure) - Chant

<p>This rhythm means 'dance along in time'. The children dance, or walk, round in a big circle. Every so often, give a signal such as blowing a whistle (pre-agreed with the children) that they should stop because you are going to change to a different rhythm. Now play the rhythm of the words:</p><p><u class="highlight">Diddy DUM, diddy DUM, diddy DUM, diddy DUM</u> ... over and over again.</p>                                                                                                                                    <p>This rhythm means stand still and do roly-poly hands above your head. After a while, blow the whistle and start the first rhythm again, and so on.</p><p><u class="highlight">Extension: </u>You could introduce another instrument such as the tambourine, and a third action - maybe sway from side to side.</p>                

Diddy DUM, diddy Dum - Chant

<h3>African Dance with Friends (rhythm &amp; pulse)</h3><p>Traditional African dances are led by drums and other percussion instruments. The dancers move in a big circle and the drums tell them what to do by changing from one pattern of sound to another.</p><h4>Listen and Dance to the Drumming </h4><p>The children could listen carefully first and put hands up when they hear a change in the drumming then dance freely, changing what they do if they hear the drumming change.</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/African_drums.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/girl_dancing.png" alt="Girl Dancing">    </div>                                                                <h4>Market Dance (rhythm, structure)</h4><p>This activity is easier if there are two teachers available, one to organise and demonstrate and the other to play the drum. First you need to teach the actions:</p><ul><li>walking in a big circle </li><li>roly-poly hands above heads. </li></ul><p>The Market Dance is danced in a big circle, accompanied by the teacher playing a drum. The best sort is the djembe drum (as in the picture), played with the hands but, if you don't have one, you can use any other sort of drum. Play the rhythm of the words as you say them in your head: </p><p><u class="highlight">I WENT to buy a BIG blue hat, I WENT to buy a BIG blue hat</u> â€¦ over and over again.</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/I_went_to_buy.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <p>This rhythm means 'dance along in time'. The children dance, or walk, round in a big circle. Every so often, give a signal such as blowing a whistle (pre-agreed with the children) that they should stop because you are going to change to a different rhythm. Now play the rhythm of the words:</p><p><u class="highlight">Diddy DUM, diddy DUM, diddy DUM, diddy DUM</u> ... over and over again.</p>                                                                <audio class="lazy_av" controls="" controlslist="nodownload">    <source src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/Diddy_dum.mp3" type="audio/mp3"></source></audio>                                                                <p>This rhythm means stand still and do roly-poly hands above your head. After a while, blow the whistle and start the first rhythm again, and so on.</p><p><u class="highlight">Extension: </u>You could introduce another instrument such as the tambourine, and a third action - maybe sway from side to side.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/paul-zoetemeijer-ekBOf6sJYYo-unsplash.jpg" alt="Paul Zoetemeijer Ek Bof6S Jyyo Unsplash">    </div>                                                                <h3>In Praise of Visiting Dance Companies</h3><p>I learned the Village Dance during a professional development weekend in an unforgettable session with an African dance company called Lanzel. I later had this company deliver a session at the school where I worked and it was brilliant. It's difficult to over-estimate the value of visiting specialists and I recommend that you organise events like this as often as your budget allows. </p>

Ourselves & Our Friends Level: Key Stage 1 - Listening, appraising & movement

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Maestro likes to hear us sing (singing in tune, pulse) - Video

Music Playtime has been created by a Key Stage 1 and Early Years Music education specialist. The schemes are built in recognition of the fact that most primary teachers are not music specialists. Access the knowledge and the ideas you need to feel confident teaching music.