Rhythm and Pulse Lesson Plan - Year 3 Lesson 5

In Year 3's fifth lesson on Rhythm & Pulse, the students are tasked with enhancing their rhythmic compositions from the previous week by adding instrumental accompaniments. The learning objectives are to maintain a steady pulse, to play the rhythms of the words, and to present and appraise their performances for improvement. Key vocabulary for the lesson includes terms such as pulse, rhythm, words, layers, texture, performance, and analyse. The resources required for the lesson are a variety of percussion instruments that can be tapped, along with paper and pens for notation.

The main activities begin with a warm-up track titled 'HI, MY NAME IS JO' to get the children into the rhythm. They then revisit their rhythm chants from the previous week and are instructed to add instrumental layers to these chants. The class is divided into groups to perform their chants in a staggered fashion, both vocally and with instruments, practicing the build-up and reduction of sound. Differentiation is key in this lesson, with groups working at varying levels of complexity—from chanting in time with each other to performing confidently with thinking voices and no words. Performances are then presented to the class, followed by a plenary session where students appraise each other's work, offering feedback on timing, pulse, texture, and opportunities for improvement. This lesson aligns with the National Curriculum, focusing on ensemble performance, aural memory, and understanding musical concepts such as duration, texture, and structure.