I am a specialist primary music teacher living and teaching in Devon.
I have 20 years experience of teaching and love creating resources. As well as creating my own resources I have also created resources for companies such as ABRSM. I am also a professional and published composer of Brass band and Concert Band music.
Check out my Youtube page - www.youtube.com/musicwithmrgray
I play trumpet professionally in a ska/reggae/dub band called The Kingstons (www.thekingstons.club).
I am a specialist primary music teacher living and teaching in Devon.
I have 20 years experience of teaching and love creating resources. As well as creating my own resources I have also created resources for companies such as ABRSM. I am also a professional and published composer of Brass band and Concert Band music.
Check out my Youtube page - www.youtube.com/musicwithmrgray
I play trumpet professionally in a ska/reggae/dub band called The Kingstons (www.thekingstons.club).
This is a 6 week topic that aims to give the children an understanding of the song writing process.
This topic is designed to give the children the opportunity to write a song, from scratch, as a class over a six week process. It will help them to develop a good understanding of the process of writing a song, the “musical ingredients” (elements) that are needed and an appreciation of the time and skill that goes into writing a song.
The children will develop an understanding of how to structure a song, creating verses, a chorus and the opportunity to compose a bridge/middle 8 as well.
You do not necessarily have to be musical to do this but obviously some knowledge would help. It’s a great project for you to use for children who currently play an instrument as well, especially if you have been learning one via the wider opps/first access projects. Instruments can be easily incorporated into the topic. The topic also included opportunities for children to rap and beat box if they are not too keen on singing!
The first 1-3 lessons will be spent on writing some verses and a chorus. This will be followed by adding simple accompaniment using class percussion (tuned and untuned) and other instruments your class/children may have been learning how to play. The songs will be kept in C Major/A Minor (Using the common chords C, F, G & Am). This is perfect for their vocal range and for accompanying instruments.
Instrumental parts could also be added in between the verses and choruses.
By the end of the topic the class with have a complete song that they can record and perform to other years and their parents.
Links to curriculum/Possible assessment opportunities:
Use the voice expressively and creatively by singing songs and speaking chants and rhymes
Play tuned and untuned instruments musically
Listen with concentration and understanding to a range of high-quality live and recorded music
Experiment with, create, select and combine sounds using the inter-related dimensions of music
Please note: I have used the font AR CHRISTY so you may have to edit some of the slides/fonts.
The aim of this topic is to give children the opportunity to learn about the music of Mexico through listening and singing.
The children will:
Listen to a variety of music styles and genres from Mexico.
Learn about the instruments used in the popular Mariachi bands.
Listen to some music from the Maya Civilisation.
Learn to sing the song Al Citron and play the stone passing game associated with it.
This a a short topic that can be stretched to 6 weeks or done in 3, depending on the amount of time dedicated to your music lessons. It would work nicely as a cross-curricular topic if you are looking at Mexico in Geography or the Mayan Civilisation in History.
Eight planets is a 6 week topic aimed at teaching children all about the planets through singing, playing and composing.
It’s aimed at Years 1-4.
Included is:
● An original song (backing track/vocal track)
● Planet cut outs
● Rhythm cut outs
● Score
● Melody score for tuned percussion (including coloured score for boom whackers, belles etc)
● Lesson plan
● Powerpoint
Learning Outcomes:
● I can name all eight planets learn other words relating to space such as galaxy, solar system, sun and orbit.
● I can sing a song about space.
● I can read and understand crotchets (ta), quavers (ti-ti) and crotchet rests (shh).
● I can notate rhythms.
● I am developing an understanding of pitch (higher and lower).
● I can play tuned percussion using two notes: G (so) and E (mi).
● I can use technology to create sounds.
● I can listen to a piece of music and describe it (instrumentation, how it makes me feel, happy/sad/exciting etc.).
It covers all KS1 links to the national curriculum:
• Use their voices expressively and creatively by singing songs and speaking chants and rhymes
• Play tuned and untuned instruments musically
• Listen with concentration and understanding to a range of high-quality live and recorded music
• Experiment with, create, select and combine sounds using the inter-related dimensions of music
This is an Orff style arrangement of Bala Pata Zoom, a song from Ghana.
It comes with parts for tuned percussion, including coloured notes for use with BoomWhackers and Chimes and Djembe.
The song is great fun to sing and perform and comes with actions as well, to turn it into a game.
Perfect if you are looking at African countries, but also works well independently.
This is a collection of 10 Body Percussion songs. All of these songs focus on different Body Percussion rhythms to accompany them.
Every song is designed to reinforce pitch, pulse and rhythm (either consciously or unconsciously) and will help with a range of social skills (turn taking, working with a partner or group etc).
The songs are all in an appropriate range for children. Most use a maximum of a 6-note range with some stretching to an octave.
These songs are more demanding than the other Active singing songs because of the Body Percussion rhythms so are more suitable for KS2.
These songs have also been designed to fit perfectly within the Kodaly methodology if teachers are using it (using common ta and ti-ti rhythms and incorporating familiar melody lines - so-mi / mi-so-la).
Scarf songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12564116
Passing songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12600356
Miscellaneous songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12564112
Rhythm stick songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12590879
Parachute songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12563992
Shaker songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12564118
Cup songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12585890
All 80 songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12564122
This is a collection of 10 songs to be sung with a cup.
Every song is designed to reinforce pitch, pulse and rhythm (either consciously or unconsciously) and will help with a range of social skills (turn taking, working with a partner or group etc).
The songs are all in an appropriate range for children. Most use a maximum of a 6-note range with some stretching to an octave. All songs are in C Major but can easily be transposed to D. Each song comes with easy to follow instructions and a video to help.
The songs are ideal for children in KS2.
These songs have also been designed to fit perfectly within the Kodaly methodology if teachers are using it (using common ta and ti-ti rhythms and incorporating familiar melody lines - so-mi / mi-so-la).
Scarf songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12564116
Miscellaneous songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12564112
Rhythm stick songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12590879
Parachute songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12563992
Shaker songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12564118
All 60 songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12564122
This is a collection of 10 songs to be sung with a parachute (they could also be used with scarves/lycra).
Every song is designed to reinforce pitch, pulse and rhythm (either consciously or unconsciously) and will help with a range of social skills (turn taking, working with a partner or group etc).
The songs are all in an appropriate range for children. Most use a maximum of a 6-note range with some stretching to an octave. All songs are in C Major but can easily be transposed to D. Each song comes with easy to follow instructions.
They can be used with KS1 and KS2 and have all been tried and tested by the children I teach and have all been received well and enjoyed!
These songs have also been designed to fit perfectly within the Kodaly methodology if teachers are using it (using common ta and ti-ti rhythms and incorporating familiar melody lines - so-mi / mi-so-la).
Miscellaneous songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12564112
Scarf songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12564116
Shaker songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12564118
All 40 songs for £5 - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12564122
This is a collection of 10 songs to be sung with a scarf.
Every song is designed to reinforce pitch, pulse and rhythm (either consciously or unconsciously) and will help with a range of social skills (turn taking, working with a partner or group etc).
The songs are all in an appropriate range for children. Most use a maximum of a 6-note range with some stretching to an octave. All songs are in C Major but can easily be transposed to D. Each song comes with easy to follow instructions.
They can be used with KS1 and KS2 and have all been tried and tested by the children I teach and have all been received well and enjoyed!
These songs have also been designed to fit perfectly within the Kodaly methodology if teachers are using it (using common ta and ti-ti rhythms and incorporating familiar melody lines - so-mi / mi-so-la).
Shaker songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12564118
Miscellaneous songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12564112
Rhythm stick songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12590879
Parachute songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12563992
All 60 songs for £7 - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12564122
This is a collection of 10 passing songs. These songs use a variety of props including stones, bean bags, shoes, teddy bear, ball.
Every song is designed to reinforce pitch, pulse and rhythm (either consciously or unconsciously) and will help with a range of social skills (turn taking, working with a partner or group etc).
The songs are all in an appropriate range for children. Most use a maximum of a 6-note range with some stretching to an octave. All songs are in C Major but can easily be transposed to D. Each song comes with easy to follow instructions and a video to help.
The songs are ideal for children in KS1-KS2.
These songs have also been designed to fit perfectly within the Kodaly methodology if teachers are using it (using common ta and ti-ti rhythms and incorporating familiar melody lines - so-mi / mi-so-la).
Scarf songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12564116
Miscellaneous songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12564112
Rhythm stick songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12590879
Parachute songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12563992
Shaker songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12564118
Cup songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12585890
All 70 songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12564122
This is a collection of 10 miscellaneous songs that can be song with a variety of aids including: bean bags, cups, balls, body percussion and even a wizards hat! There are passing songs, songs that change you into an animal and songs that you can perform whilst doing body percussion.
Every song is designed to reinforce pitch, pulse and rhythm (either consciously or unconsciously) and will help with a range of social skills (turn taking, working with a partner or group etc).
The songs are all in an appropriate range for children. Most use a maximum of a 6-note range with some stretching to an octave. All songs are in C Major but can easily be transposed to D. Each song comes with easy to follow instructions.
They can be used with KS1 and KS2 and have all been tried and tested by the children I teach and have all been received well and enjoyed!
These songs have also been designed to fit perfectly within the Kodaly methodology if teachers are using it (using common ta and ti-ti rhythms and incorporating familiar melody lines - so-mi / mi-so-la).
Shaker songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12564118
Parachute songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12563992
Scarf songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12564116
All 40 songs for £5 - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12564122
This is a collection of 10 songs to be sung with a shaker.
Every song is designed to reinforce pitch, pulse and rhythm (either consciously or unconsciously) and will help with a range of social skills (turn taking, working with a partner or group etc).
The songs are all in an appropriate range for children. Most use a maximum of a 6-note range with some stretching to an octave. All songs are in C Major but can easily be transposed to D. Each song comes with easy to follow instructions.
They can be used with KS1 and KS2 and have all been tried and tested by the children I teach and have all been received well and enjoyed!
These songs have also been designed to fit perfectly within the Kodaly methodology if teachers are using it (using common ta and ti-ti rhythms and incorporating familiar melody lines - so-mi / mi-so-la).
Scarf songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12564116
Miscellaneous songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12564112
Rhythm stick songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12590879
Parachute songs - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/resource-12563992
All 40 songs for £5 - https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/-12564122
This is an Orff style arrangement of Sambalele, a folk song from Brazil.
It has been arranged in 3 keys (C, F and G) and each pack consists of:
Score
Melody - Black and white and coloured notes for Boom Whackers and coloured chimes/bells
Harmony
Bass (easy) - a simplified bass line
Bass (advanced) - a more advanced bass line with syncopated rhythms
Lyrics
Optional Samba parts - Guiro, Surdo, Agogo, Shaker
This is a perfect song and piece of music if you are exploring the music of Brazil and/or South America. It can be played on classroom percussion and steel pans/jumbie jams. F# and Bb will be needed when played if G and F Major.