Sailing Through Sea Shanties

Lesson 1: Introduction to Sea Shanties

Year Level

Year 4

Duration

60 minutes

Class Size

20 students

Curriculum Links

NSW Curriculum for The Arts: Music – Years 3 and 4

Content Descriptions
Explore and describe where, why, and how music is composed and performed across cultures, times, places and contexts. (ACAMUM086)
Develop aural skills to discriminate simple sounds by using voices, body percussion and classroom instruments. (ACAMUM087)
Participate in singing and playing instruments in informal and formal settings. (ACAMUM085)
Achievement Standard By the end of Year 4, students describe the use of elements of music in music they compose, perform and/or experience. They describe where, why and/or how music is composed and/or performed across cultures, times, places and/or other contexts. Students demonstrate listening skills when performing and composing. They combine the elements of music to compose music that communicates ideas. They sing and play music in informal settings.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Describe what sea shanties are and their role in sailors' work at sea.
Listen attentively and identify key features of sea shanties (steady rhythm, call-and-response structure).
Participate in a simple clapping or movement activity that simulates the rhythm and call-and-response pattern of sea shanties.
Express excitement and curiosity about the upcoming unit and performance project.

Resources Needed

Audio recording of an authentic sea shanty (e.g., "Drunken Sailor," or any age-appropriate sea shanty).
Space for movement activities.
Visual aids: images of sailors, sailing ships, and historical context of sea shanties.
Whiteboard or chart paper for mind mapping ideas.
Optional: Percussion instruments (claves, hand drums) if available.

Lesson Outline

1. Introduction & Engagement (10 minutes)

Gather students and introduce the unit theme: "Sailing Through Sea Shanties."
Show images of sailors and sailing ships, prompting discussion: "What do you think life was like on a sailing ship long ago?"
Ask: "Have you ever heard a sea shanty? What do you think it might sound like?"
Explain: Sea shanties are work songs sung by sailors to help them work together on tasks aboard ships.

2. Listening Activity (15 minutes)

Play the chosen sea shanty audio recording once through.
Ask students to listen carefully to the steady beat and the pattern of singing.
On second listen, ask students to tap or gently clap along to the beat to feel the rhythm.
Discuss as a class:
What did you notice about the rhythm?
Did you hear one person singing first and the group responding? (Call-and-response pattern)
How do you think this helped sailors work together?

3. Movement and Call-and-Response Practice (20 minutes)

Teach a simple call-and-response line from the sea shanty or an original one inspired by typical shanty style. For example: Leader (teacher or student): "Haul away, boys!" Group: "Haul away!"
Practice until students are comfortable with the pattern.
Add a movement element mimicking work tasks on a ship (e.g., pretend pulling ropes, stamping feet, swaying like rocking on a ship).
Practice in small groups if possible to build teamwork skills.
Encourage students to feel the rhythm with their bodies and voices.

4. Discussion and Reflection (10 minutes)

Invite students to share how singing and moving together made them feel.
Discuss how singing together might help sailors stay motivated and coordinate their work.
Introduce excitement for the unit performance project where they will perform their own sea shanty piece.

5. Wrap-Up & Exit Task (5 minutes)

Quick recap quiz/chat:
What is a sea shanty?
Why did sailors sing sea shanties?
What is call-and-response?
Ask students to think tonight about what kind of sea-related stories or ideas they might want to include when composing or performing later in the unit.

Assessment & Feedback

Formative assessment: Teacher observes participation in clapping/movement to assess sense of rhythm and engagement with call-and-response.
Oral responses during discussions demonstrate understanding of sea shanties’ historical purpose.
Use an informal checklist: participation, ability to imitate call-and-response, ability to reflect on the function of sea shanties.

Differentiation and Inclusion

Provide visual supports and role modelling for students who need extra help with rhythm or language.
Encourage pairing or small groups to support students who are shy or less confident in singing aloud.
Use movement options to allow physical expression for those who learn kinesthetically.
For students needing challenge, invite them to create additional call-and-response lines or simple rhythmic accompaniments with percussion instruments.

Teacher Reflection

Did the students engage with the history and purpose of sea shanties?
How successful was the call-and-response and movement activity in building group cohesion?
What did students find most exciting or challenging?
Use reflections to guide adjustments in lesson 2 and plan the scaffolding for the unit performance project.

This lesson structure models a project-based learning approach, embedding historical context, aural skills, movement, and group performance building excitement and foundational knowledge for the unit "Sailing Through Sea Shanties."

If you require, I can provide detailed lesson plans for lessons 2 to 10 to scaffold progressively towards the big performance project.

Teaching Instructions