Pitch Lesson Plan - Year 5 Lesson 1

In the first lesson of a pitch-focused music series for Year 6, students embark on a journey to experiment with their voices and delve into the world of musical intervals, specifically the So-Mi interval. The learning objectives are centred around using the voice in various ways, recognising and singing the So-Mi interval, learning the solfa names and hand signs for So and Mi, reading simple notated rhythm and pitch patterns, and improvising with these elements. A variety of resources are employed, including a whiteboard, pen, and optional stave notation worksheets. The lesson is interactive and engaging, with students being introduced to a chant called 'We Are Kids from Many a Nation' to help them transition from speaking to singing voices, while also revising concepts of high and low pitch.

The lesson continues with the introduction of two characters, Sophie (So) and Mikhail (Mi), who each have their own hand signs and pitch levels to help children visualise and remember the pitches. Students practice rhythm patterns using these characters and their associated pitches, before moving on to silent singing patterns. They then read and sing So-Mi patterns from notation, culminating in an improvised performance using chime bars. The lesson concludes with an appraisal of the students' timing, tuning, and rhythmic abilities, and an assessment to gauge their understanding and skills. The plenary involves singing 'Goodbye Everyone' while playing pulse on tuned instruments. Throughout the lesson, the importance of participation and confidence-building is emphasised, with a sensitive approach to children who may feel self-conscious about their singing abilities.