<p>Here's an activity that any teacher could do, using a set of chime bars or a big xylophone. It helps the children to understand <em>high and low pitch</em>. Children need plenty of reinforcement about the meaning of high and low pitch as opposed to high and low volume (dynamics) so it's best to be consistent when you use the words <em>loud and quiet</em> for <em>dynamics</em> and <em>high and low</em> for <em>pitch</em>.</p>                                                                  

<h3>High and Low Pitch</h3><p>After I'd used the word, <em>pitch</em> with the children several times, I was thrilled to hear India use the term spontaneously to comment on the tune of a song we were singing. Introducing the right vocabulary in context really does promote understanding. I took the opportunity to explore with the children the physical properties of pitch in relation to the xylophone, and left it out so that they could experiment individually after the lesson.</p>                                                                                                                                                                                <p>Which dinosaur would make the lowest pitch sound and which would make the highest pitch sound? Bigger things and longer things generally make the lowest sounds and the children can test this out in different contexts, for example using the piano strings or even different sized saucepans that are made of the same material. Boomwhackers are good fun too - they are tuned to specific pitches, just like chime bars.</p>                                                                                                                                                <p>In my set, the short red one is higher C and the long red one is lower C. It can be a bit confusing at first because the tallest boomwhacker makes the lowest sound and, at first, children can confuse 'tall' (height) with 'high' (pitch)!</p>                                                                                                                                                <p>Here's an activity that any teacher could do, using a set of chime bars or a big xylophone. It helps the children to understand <em>high and low pitch</em>. Children need plenty of reinforcement about the meaning of high and low pitch as opposed to high and low volume (dynamics) so it's best to be consistent when you use the words <em>loud and quiet</em> for <em>dynamics</em> and <em>high and low</em> for <em>pitch</em>.</p>                                                                                                                

High and low pitch - Video

<h3>High and Low Pitch</h3><p>After I'd used the word, <em>pitch</em> with the children several times, I was thrilled to hear India use the term spontaneously to comment on the tune of a song we were singing. Introducing the right vocabulary in context really does promote understanding. I took the opportunity to explore with the children the physical properties of pitch in relation to the xylophone, and left it out so that they could experiment individually after the lesson.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/391993722?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>                                                                <p>Which dinosaur would make the lowest pitch sound and which would make the highest pitch sound? Bigger things and longer things generally make the lowest sounds and the children can test this out in different contexts, for example using the piano strings or even different sized saucepans that are made of the same material. Boomwhackers are good fun too - they are tuned to specific pitches, just like chime bars.</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/boomwhackers.jpg" alt="Boomwhackers">    </div>                                                                <p>In my set, the short red one is higher C and the long red one is lower C. It can be a bit confusing at first because the tallest boomwhacker makes the lowest sound and, at first, children can confuse 'tall' (height) with 'high' (pitch)!</p>                                                                    <div class="img img_sml">        <img class="lazy_img" src="https://rippleeducation.blob.core.windows.net/media/my_boomwhackers.png" alt="My Boomwhackers">    </div>                                                                <p>Here's an activity that any teacher could do, using a set of chime bars or a big xylophone. It helps the children to understand <em>high and low pitch</em>. Children need plenty of reinforcement about the meaning of high and low pitch as opposed to high and low volume (dynamics) so it's best to be consistent when you use the words <em>loud and quiet</em> for <em>dynamics</em> and <em>high and low</em> for <em>pitch</em>.</p>                                                                <div class="video">    <div class="embed">                    <iframe class="lazy_embed" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/382923040?title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;color=A2D6BD" allowfullscreen="">            </iframe>            </div></div>

Dinosaurs Level: Key Stage 1 - Introductory

Year 1

Year 2

Music

High and low pitch activity - 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.