Making Music Fun

Lesson Overview

This 45-minute music lesson for Year 1 Kindergarten students in Australia combines creativity, play, and engagement while aligning with the NSW Creative Arts Syllabus (2006) and linking to the NSW Mathematics Syllabus (Stage 1). The focus is on the element of music, "beat", and its relationship to counting and patterns. Students will explore steady beats, rhythmic patterns, and simple counting through movement, singing, and the use of percussion instruments. The lesson is student-centred, prioritising hands-on exploration and collaborative learning.

---

Curriculum Links

NSW Creative Arts Syllabus (2006)

Outcome:

MUS1.1: Sings, plays, and moves to music, demonstrating a basic awareness of musical concepts.

Indicators:

• Explores and demonstrates steady beats by clapping, stomping, or using musical instruments.
• Responds to changes in tempo and rhythm through creative movements and sounds.
• Listens and follows along when directed, experimenting with sounds in time to the beat.

NSW Mathematics Syllabus (Stage 1)

Numeracy Focus:
MA1-13MG Describes and creates simple repeating and rhythmic patterns.

Indicators:

• Uses counting (1–8) as a form of sequencing.
• Identifies and repeats rhythmic patterns in beats and movement.

---

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

1. Recognise and keep a steady beat using their bodies or instruments.
2. Create and follow simple rhythmic patterns through music and movement.
3. Understand how beats can be grouped, reinforcing counting (numeracy) skills.

---

Lesson Structure

1. Welcome & Warm-Up (5 Minutes)

• Teacher Introduction: Begin by sitting in a circle and asking, "What is your favourite part of a song?" Introduce today's focus: "Today, we're going to learn how music has a heartbeat, called a beat. We'll also use counting to make patterns in music."
• Whole-Class Activity: Start a "Follow the Leader" clapping game. Clap a steady beat, asking students to join in. Vary the tempo but keep it steady. Emphasise: "This is the heartbeat of the music!"

---

2. Beat Exploration (10 Minutes)

• Body Beats: Ask students to stand up and explore how they can keep a steady beat using their bodies (e.g., clapping, stamping, patting knees).
• Numeracy Link: Count to 8 out loud while they clap or stamp the beat. Group beats into "sets of 8" (e.g., “1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4”). Highlight patterns.
• Question for the Class: "Can you find a way to keep the beat with your own movement?" Guide them to explore creative movements (e.g., tapping shoulders, snapping fingers).

---

3. Instrument Play (10 Minutes)

• Using Percussion Instruments: Hand out simple instruments (e.g., maracas, tambourines, or rhythm sticks). Model keeping a steady beat on the instrument: "Tap once on each count: 1-2-3-4."
• Students practise playing along to the beat while counting; encourage them to create new patterns (e.g., “shake-shake-clap, shake-shake-clap”).

---

4. Beat and Song Connection (10 Minutes)

• Class Singing Activity: Teach the nursery rhyme "Incy Wincy Spider," incorporating beats. First, tap the steady beat while singing. Then, explore ways to make the song more dynamic by:
  • Slowing down or speeding up the tempo.
  • Adding rhythmic (patterned) claps at the end of a line.
• Numeracy Challenge: Clap and count how many beats fit into one line of the song ("1, 2, 3, 4...").

---

5. Cool Down & Reflection (5 Minutes)

• End the lesson by sitting down and reflecting as a group. Ask:
  1. "What was your favourite way to make music today?"
  2. "What happens when we count the beats in a song?"
• Encourage students to try clapping or stomping beats at home with their favourite songs.

---

Resources Needed

• Percussion instruments (maracas, rhythm sticks, tambourines, etc.)
• Space for movement (classroom or outdoors)
• Nursery rhyme lyrics like "Incy Wincy Spider"

---

Assessment

• Observation: Watch for participation, including students keeping the beat and responding to patterns.
• Discussion and Questions: Students' ability to confidently share their thoughts on beats and rhythms.
• Numeracy Link: Students demonstrate basic counting skills by grouping beats into sets effectively.

---

Conclusion

This lesson bridges the NSW Creative Arts Syllabus (2006) and Mathematics Syllabus (Stage 1), fostering both creativity and early numeracy. By exploring the musical element of beat through body movement, instruments, and song, students gain hands-on music-making experience that's designed to ignite their curiosity and creativity. They’ll develop new skills while making meaningful connections between music and mathematics that can be reinforced throughout the term!