Exploring Instruments Sounds

Year Level

Year 3 (7-8 years old)

Duration

30 minutes

---

Curriculum Alignment

This lesson aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh for The Arts — Music learning area.

Learning Area: The Arts — Music
Strand: Practical knowledge (Exploring and developing ideas)
Achievement Objective:

• Exploring and responding to music: Explore and use the elements of music, including sound, silence, and tempo, to express feelings, ideas, and communicate meaning (Levels 1-2 Achievement Expectation).
• Experimenting with sound: Explore the sounds of different musical instruments and how they can be made and changed (Level 1).

Key Competencies:

• Thinking: Students make sense of musical sounds and explore how to use them creatively.
• Using language, symbols, and texts: Students use musical terms and describe musical sounds clearly.
• Relating to others: Students listen and respond to peers during group activities.

Principles:

• Inclusion: Adapt activities to meet all learners’ needs.
• Community engagement: Connect learning by sharing music that may include traditional or locally relevant instruments.

---

WALT (We Are Learning To)

• Explore different musical instruments and describe the sounds they make.
• Identify how different instruments create different sounds.

---

Success Criteria

• I can recognise and name at least three musical instruments.
• I can describe the sound each instrument makes (e.g., loud/soft, high/low).
• I can work respectfully with others while exploring sound.

---

Resources Needed

• A selection of real or model musical instruments representing different families (e.g., percussion, strings, wind). Examples: drum, maracas, xylophone, recorder, guitar.
• Images and simple labels of the instruments for dyslexia-friendly support.
• Sound recording device or tablet (optional for recording sounds).
• Visual chart with sound descriptors (loud, soft, high, low, fast, slow).
• Listening space arranged in a circle for easy sharing and participation.

---

Lesson Plan Overview

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

• Gather students in a circle.
• WALT and Success Criteria discussion: Briefly explain what they will do and learn.
• Introduce the selection of instruments visually and physically, showing each one clearly. Name them using clear, concise language with visual cards for support.
• Invite students to share if they have seen or played any of these instruments before to connect prior knowledge.

2. Guided Exploration (15 minutes)

• Activity: "Sound Detective"
  • Teacher models playing each instrument one at a time.
  • Students listen carefully and describe the sound using simple terms or the visual chart (e.g., "soft," "loud," "high-pitched").
  • Students then take turns experimenting with the instruments in small groups (4-5 students each) rotating every 3 minutes.
  • Encourage descriptive language supported by the sound chart and visual cues.
  • Teacher and assistants circulate, supporting vocabulary and listening skills.
  • Optional: Record some sounds for playback to discuss differences and similarities after exploration.
• Differentiation:
  • Provide extra scaffolding for students needing language support using picture cards and simple descriptors.
  • Allow students with sensory sensitivities to opt for quietly observing or using tactile exploration instead of sound-making.
  • Use peer buddies to support students who may need more guidance.

3. Sharing and Reflection (8 minutes)

• Reconvene as a class.
• Ask volunteers to share their favourite sound and describe why.
• Play back any recorded sounds if done, and discuss.
• Use sentence stems to support participation, e.g., "My favourite sound was...because..."
• Ask questions like:
  • Can you make a loud or soft sound on your instrument?
  • Is the sound high or low?
  • Which instrument do you think is the easiest to play? Why?

4. Extension Activity for Advanced Learners (Optional/Homework)

• Challenge these students to create a simple rhythmic pattern using two or more instruments and perform it to the class or record it.
• Encourage them to use descriptive musical terms in their presentation.

---

Assessment and Reflection

• Informal observation during activities noting students' ability to recognise instrument sounds and use descriptive language.
• Ask individual students to name instruments and describe their sounds during reflection.
• Use a simple checklist aligned with Success Criteria for teacher reference.
• Encourage peer and self-assessment through group discussion and sharing.

---

Inclusion and Differentiation

• Use clear visual supports for dyslexia-friendly access to instrument names and sound descriptors.
• Provide multiple ways to participate (playing, listening, describing, observing).
• Adjust volume and sensory input as needed for children sensitive to noise.
• Support expressive language with sentence stems and peer modelling.
• Allow flexible grouping and movement breaks.

---

Links to Cultural Context

• Include or discuss traditional Māori instruments such as pūtātara (conch shell trumpet) or taonga pūoro sounds if available, acknowledging local cultural heritage and enhancing community relevance.

---

This lesson plan uses a hands-on approach tailored for Year 3 students developing foundational musical knowledge in line with the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum. It encourages active exploration, verbal description supported by visual aids, and inclusive participation—empowering children to discover musical sounds and relate these experiences back to the elements of music in a joyful and engaging way .