Collaborative Music Making

Year level: Prep (Foundation Year)

Duration: 45 minutes

Class Size: 30 students

Unit: Exploring Music Through Play

Lesson Number: 20 of 30

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Lesson Overview

WALT (We Are Learning To):
Work together to create music.

Success Criteria:

• Participate actively in a group music composition.
• Follow assigned roles during group activities.
• Contribute ideas and sounds collaboratively.

Differentiation:

• Assign specific roles based on students’ strengths and needs (e.g., rhythm keeper, sound maker, conductor).
• Offer visual and verbal cues to support understanding, especially for learners with dyslexia or language needs.
• Provide tactile instruments and clear graphic symbols for non-verbal communication.

Extension:

• Offer an opportunity for groups to perform their compositions to the class, encouraging confidence and expressive skills.
• Advanced learners can help lead their groups or experiment with more complex rhythmic or melodic patterns.

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Curriculum Alignment

Western Australian Curriculum - The Arts: Music - Foundation Year (Prep)

• Content Descriptor:
  AC9AMUFD01 - Use play, imagination, arts knowledge, processes and/or skills to discover possibilities and develop ideas.
• Elaborations related to collaborative composition and play:
  • Playing games to develop pitch, beat and rhythm recognition and exploring expressive movement (AC9AMUFD01_E4)
  • Improvising rhythmic patterns and movements to create accompaniments (AC9AMUFD01_E6)
  • Collaborating in groups to imagine and create soundscapes (AC9AMUFD01_E2, AC9AMUFD01_E7)
• Performance and Sharing:
  AC9AMUFP01 - Share their arts works with audiences, including performing musical activities using skills such as matching pitch and timing (AC9AMUFP01_E2)

This lesson is designed to build ensemble skills, collaborative creativity, and respect for others' musical ideas, which align closely with these curriculum points for Prep year music education in Western Australia【1:AC9AMUFD01】【3:AC9AMUFP01】.

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Lesson Plan

Materials Needed:

• A variety of simple percussion instruments (e.g., shakers, tambourines, drums, claves)
• Classroom space arranged to encourage group interaction
• Visual role cards with symbols/pictures (e.g., conductor, rhythm keeper)
• Optional: recording device/tablet for audio recording

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Lesson Sequence & Timing

Time	Activity	Details
0–5 min	Introduction & WALT	Welcome students, explain the learning intention (WALT), and success criteria using simple language and visuals. Briefly discuss what it means to work together and make music collaboratively.
5–10 min	Warm-Up: Body Sounds & Movement	Engage students with fun body percussion (clapping, tapping, stomping) in groups to feel the beat. Use call-and-response patterns to model turn-taking and listening. Incorporate movement to embody rhythm. This builds listening and ensemble awareness.
10–15 min	Assign Group Roles	Divide the class into 6 groups of 5 students. Introduce roles with visual cards: conductor (leading), rhythm keeper (steady beat), sound maker (choose an instrument), dynamics controller (soft/loud), and improviser (adds creative sounds). Roles allow differentiation and inclusion.
15–30 min	Group Collaborative Composition	Each group experiments creating a short musical piece using their instruments and roles. The teacher circulates, offering support and prompting students to listen to each other and coordinate their sounds. Encourage them to decide as a group when to start, stop, get louder, or softer. Use visual cues for timing.
30–35 min	Reflection & Share Plans	Groups share their plan briefly with the class — what sounds they made, how they worked together, and who did which role. This encourages verbal expression supported by visual aids and positive feedback.
35–45 min	Performance & Extension (Optional)	Groups perform their compositions for the class. Encourage listening audience to show appreciation through clapping or simple feedback. For groups ready for extension, invite them to add a movement or change dynamics during their performance. Optionally, record performances for playback and reflection.

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Assessment & Feedback

• Informal observation of student engagement in group participation, role fulfilment, and co-operation.
• Teacher notes on each student's ability to listen and contribute ideas within groups.
• Peer feedback during sharing times encouraged with sentence starters: "I liked when you...", "I noticed..."
• Extension students assessed on their ability to lead or elaborate musical ideas.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Visual aids for roles and instructions to support dyslexic learners.
• Provide tactile and easy-to-handle instruments.
• Offer verbal and demonstration support for students needing language support or fine motor assistance.
• Allow choice in instruments and roles to suit individual preferences and capabilities.
• Support shy or reluctant students with role assignment as “dynamics controller” or “conductor” who use clear gestures rather than speaking.

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Extension Opportunities

• Encourage groups to add a simple movement, dance or use scarves to enhance their musical expression during performance.
• Invite confident students to help direct or conduct other groups, fostering leadership.
• Introduce layered sounds (e.g., one group plays slow rhythms while others add faster rhythms) for richer texture.
• Use simple graphic scores or drawings to visualise their composition ideas for recall and modification.

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Dyslexia-Friendly Supports

• Clear, large-font printed WALT and success criteria on display in visual format.
• Use of colourful role cards with icons for clarity.
• Pre-teach vocabulary: rhythm, beat, loud, soft, conductor.
• Give simple one-step instructions, with demonstrations.
• Pair verbal instruction with physical modelling and gestures.

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Teacher Reflection Prompts (Post-Lesson)

• How did the students respond to role assignments?
• Which groups showed clear collaboration and listening?
• Were there opportunities for all students to contribute?
• How effectively did the warm-up prepare students for the group task?
• How might you adjust the lesson to better suit diverse learners or increase engagement?

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This lesson plan places strong emphasis on teamwork, playful exploration, and learning through active music-making in line with the Western Australian Curriculum for Foundation Year music, fostering learners’ early musical skills and social collaboration【1:AC9AMUFD01】【3:AC9AMUFP01】.

If you would like, I can provide sample visual role cards or a simple graphic score template for this lesson!