Solfège in Action

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Lesson Title:

Solfège Fun and Games

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Year Level:

Years 3–4

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Duration:

50 minutes

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Australian Curriculum Links:

Learning Area: The Arts – Music
Strand: Developing practices and skills
Sub-strands: Developing aural skills | Developing technical and expressive skills | Creating and interpreting

Curriculum Links (Version 9.0):

• AC9AMU4P01 - Develop technical and expressive skills in singing, playing instruments and using technologies.
• AC9AMU4P02 - Sing and play music, using notation and terminology to communicate music ideas.

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Lesson Description:

Students will dive into the exciting world of solfège (do–re–mi) through music performance and movement-based games. The lesson begins with a short, high-energy vocal warm-up using a YouTube video to reinforce the solfège scale. Students will then use boomwhackers to play along with a simple online song arrangement, reinforcing rhythm and pitch matching through hands-on participation. The lesson finishes with a Solfège Jump Game, a kinaesthetic activity where students physically jump to the correct solfège pitch indicated, reviewing pitch recognition and internalising scale relationships through movement.

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Learning Intentions:

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Understand and recognise the solfège syllables: do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do
• Develop the ability to sing and play melodies using solfège
• Improve their aural awareness, particularly pitch matching
• Use kinaesthetic strategies to reinforce melodic concepts

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Success Criteria:

Students will be successful when they:

• Accurately sing and identify solfège syllables with accompanying hand signs
• Perform a melodic sequence using boomwhackers in time and in tune
• Participate actively and demonstrate correct solfège responses during the jump game
• Reflect on how their body and ears help them understand music

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Required Materials:

• Projector and speakers for playing YouTube videos
• Boomwhackers (1 set per group of 4 students)
• Printed Solfège floor dots/cards (laminated pitch cards to jump on: one of each solfège syllable, large enough for students to step on)
• Whiteboard and markers
• iPad or Laptop with saved links to videos (links to be sourced by teacher)

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Lesson Breakdown:

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Introduction & Warm-Up (0–5 mins)

Activity:
Start the class with a 5-minute vocal warm-up video that includes singing the solfège scale with hand signs.

Teacher Actions:

• Prompt students to mirror their voices with the video.
• Guide students with animated hand gestures and voice control.

Focus:
Pitch awareness, voice warm-up, matching movement with pitch.

Video Example Prompt for Teachers:
Search for “Do Re Mi Solfege Warmup for Kids” on YouTube (ensure it is age-appropriate and visually engaging).

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Main Activity: Boomwhacker Melody Play-along (5–35 mins)

Activity:
In groups of four, students play boomwhackers in small melodic and rhythmic patterns, following a YouTube visual play-along based on the solfège scale.

Teacher Instructions:

• Assign boomwhacker pitches to each student in a group to ensure full scale is covered.
• Selected song should be simple, such as “Mary Had a Little Lamb” or “Do Re Mi” from The Sound of Music.
• Pause during sections to discuss rhythm, pitch placement, and group timing.
• Rotate students through different solfège pitches every few minutes.

Skills Reinforced:

• Pitch mapping from colour to sound
• Ensemble timing and cooperation
• Reading visual cues in music

Teacher Note:
Pause the video mid-way to engage in a quick reflection: “Which part did you find tricky?” “Who helped keep the steady beat?” etc.

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Consolidation Activity: Solfège Jump Game (35–50 mins)

Set-up:
Lay solfège floor cards in a scale fashion across the classroom floor. Call out (or sing) solfège notes, and students must jump to the correct pitch.

Variants:

• Melodic sequence: Teacher sings “do–mi–so” and students must jump to the sequence.
• Group relay: Team members relay jump one at a time to follow a given phrase.
• Speed round: Students have 3 seconds to find the correct card.

Assessment Opportunity:
Observe students’ ability to match correct pitch mentally without instrument or visual aid.

Reflective Close:
Gather students in a circle and prompt them to share:

• “What did you learn about musical notes?”
• “Which solfège part was easiest/hardest?”
• “How did movement help you remember?”

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Differentiation Strategies:

For Diverse and EAL Learners:

• Use visual solfège hand signs next to note cards
• Pair students with a peer buddy for support during game sequences
• Provide verbal scaffolds and slow-down options during fast-paced video sections

For Students with Additional Needs:

• Allow seated participation during the scaffolded part of the jump game
• Offer colour-coded solfège cue cards for guidance
• Implement non-verbal response options (pointing instead of jumping)

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Extension Activities:

For Advanced Learners:

• Create their own 4-beat solfège melody and teach it to the group using boomwhackers
• Identify matching keyboard notes for each solfège pitch
• Add simple rhythms (ta, ti-ti) to compose custom solfège patterns

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Assessment & Observation Focus:

During the lesson, teachers should informally assess:

• Ability to follow melodic direction through boomwhacker performance
• Use of correct solfège syllables and hand signs
• Confidence and participation in group and individual tasks
• Aural pitch recognition during the jump game

Record notable student responses or progress against success criteria using a quick checklist or visual rubric.

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Teacher Reflection Prompts (Post-lesson):

• Did students engage consistently across vocal, instrumental, and movement tasks?
• What musical concepts appeared most challenging for this group?
• How can I develop their solfège fluency further in future lessons?

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Let the music move them – literally and lyrically. With strong visuals, engaging melodies, and bodies in motion, this lesson brings the solfège scale off the page and into the rhythm of learning. 🎵