Music as a Reliever

Year Level

Year 5

Duration

60 minutes

Curriculum Reference

This lesson aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum, The Arts learning area, specifically music strand:

• Level 3 achievement objectives:
• "Explore and express ideas, experiences, feelings, and stories through music."
• "Use the elements of music to communicate meaning in a range of music works."
• Key Competencies supported:
• Managing self (self-regulation through relaxation)
• Relating to others (collaborative activities)
• Thinking (reflecting on how music influences emotions)

Learning Objectives

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

1. Understand music's role as a reliever and stress reducer.
2. Demonstrate body percussion and vocal warm-up exercises to express rhythm and calmness.
3. Listen attentively to calming music and identify feelings and relaxation responses.
4. Reflect on their experience of music as a way to relax and share their thoughts with peers.

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Lesson Outline

1. Introduction – What is Music as a Reliever? (10 minutes)

• Begin by discussing with students what they think “music as a reliever” means.
• Explain that music can help us feel calm and reduce stress.
• Briefly share examples from daily life (e.g., listening to calming music when upset, using music to relax before sleep or after a busy day).
• Link to the key competency of Managing self: how music can help us manage our feelings.

2. Warm-Up: Body Percussion and Vocal Exercises (15 minutes)

Objective: Engage students physically and vocally to feel rhythm and relaxation without instruments.

Activities:

• Body Percussion Patterns:
• Use clapping, snapping fingers, thigh taps, and stomping (softly) to create simple rhythm beats.
• Start slow and gentle, encouraging awareness of body and breath as they move.
• Experiment with repeating rhythmic patterns that feel soothing versus energetic.
• Vocal Warm-ups:
• Gentle humming exercises from low to high pitch to loosen the voice.
• Controlled breathing exercises focusing on long, calm exhalations.
• Simple call-and-response singing or chanting of relaxing sounds (e.g., “mmm,” “ahh”).

3. Listening and Response to Calming Music (15 minutes)

Objective: Develop attentive listening skills and emotional response to music.

• Play a carefully selected calming piece of music (no lyrics to focus on sound and mood; something gentle like slow classical, nature-inspired ambient, or Maori traditional waiata with soothing tempo).
• Ask students to sit comfortably, close their eyes if they want, and focus on their breath and feelings while listening.
• After listening, facilitate a brief sharing circle:
• What did you notice in the music?
• How did it make you feel?
• Did it help you feel more relaxed?

4. Reflection and Sharing (10 minutes)

Objective: Encourage students to articulate their personal experience and understanding.

• Have students draw or write one or two sentences about how music can help them feel calmer or less stressed.
• Invite volunteers to share their reflections.
• Discuss as a class why music might help people feel better.
• Reinforce the social and emotional value of music.

5. Assessment / Check for Understanding (10 minutes)

Formative assessment through verbal and written reflection:

• Oral questioning during and after activities to check understanding of the concept of music as a reliever.
• Collect and review students’ personal reflection drawings or sentences.
• Use observations of participation in body percussion and vocal exercises to assess engagement and physical coordination with rhythm.
• Provide individual feedback and encourage students to use music as a personal tool for relaxation at home and school.

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Resources Needed

• A calm, quiet classroom space with room for movement.
• Audio playback device and calming music track (instrumental, slow tempo).
• Drawing materials (paper, coloured pencils).

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Teacher Notes

• Emphasise inclusivity and encourage all students to participate at their comfort level.
• Link activities to Te Whāriki principles of holistic development—cognitive, emotional, and physical integration through music.
• Be mindful of cultural responsiveness by potentially incorporating Māori waiata or Pacific melodies as calming examples if preferred by students.
• Support students who may find it difficult to sit still by inviting gentle body movement and breathing focus.

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This lesson plan offers Year 5 students a hands-on, reflective experience aligned with The New Zealand Curriculum’s focus on expressive arts and holistic well-being development, fostering both musical skills and emotional self-management in an engaging, instrument-free format.