Exploring Sounds Together

Lesson Details

• Subject: Music
• Year Group: Reception
• Lesson Duration: 20 minutes
• Class Size: 27 students
• Curriculum Area: Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) – Expressive Arts and Design
• Specific Focus: Listening and responding to sounds from Bog Baby, using call and response and body percussion

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

1. Develop Active Listening Skills – Identify and describe sounds they hear from Bog Baby.
2. Explore Call and Response – Engage in musical interaction by echoing rhythms and words.
3. Use Body Percussion Creatively – Clap, stamp, tap, and pat to imitate and create sounds.
4. Express Themselves Through Sound and Movement – Respond using their voices and bodies.

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Resources Needed

• Audio clips of natural sounds from Bog Baby (e.g., water splashing, rustling leaves, croaking frogs).
• A printed image or toy representation of a "Bog Baby" for engagement.
• Teacher’s hands, feet, and voice for body percussion and call and response activities.

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Lesson Structure

1. Settling into the Circle (2 minutes)

• Invite children to sit in a large circle on the carpet.
• Hold up the Bog Baby image/toy and ask: "Can you imagine where the Bog Baby lives? What do you think it sounds like?"
• Encourage students to take a deep breath and prepare their "listening ears."

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2. Listening to the Sounds of the Bog Baby's World (4 minutes)

• Play pre-recorded sound clips (one at a time):
  • Splashing water
  • Rustling leaves
  • Chirping birds
  • Croaking frogs
• After each sound, pause and ask: "What do you think this sound is? Where might it come from?"
• Encourage children to make the sound using their voices (e.g., "Can we all make a splish-splash sound together?").

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3. Call and Response Using Sounds from Nature (6 minutes)

• Explain: "We will listen to a sound and copy it, just like an echo!"
• Teacher makes a sound related to the Bog Baby world, children copy:
  • "Swish, swish" (rustling leaves)
  • "Plop, plop" (droplets of water)
  • "Ribbit, ribbit" (frog sounds)
• Make it more challenging by changing volume (whisper, loud) or speed (slow, fast).

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4. Body Percussion Adventures (6 minutes)

• Demonstrate different ways to make sounds without instruments:
  • Tapping fingertips together for light raindrops
  • Clapping hands softly for gentle splashes
  • Stamping feet for big splashes
  • Patting knees for frog hopping
• Call out movements: "Let’s make the Bog Baby’s world come to life! Can we make it sound like a storm? Can we make soft footsteps like children sneaking through the forest?"

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5. Closing Reflection (2 minutes)

• Ask: "What was your favourite sound today? Can you show me with your hands or voice?"
• Finish with a soft humming sound together, pretending to sing the Bog Baby to sleep.

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Differentiation

• Support: If some children struggle to copy rhythms, simplify patterns or encourage them to follow along visually.
• Challenge: Invite confident students to create their own Bog Baby sounds for peers to copy.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Observe whether students actively listen and describe sounds.
• Check engagement in call and response activities.
• Assess ability to create sounds using body percussion.

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Teacher Reflection

• What went well? (E.g., Did children engage in making sounds?)
• What would I change? (E.g., Should I adjust sound pace or volume?)
• How can I extend their learning? (E.g., Can we create a full soundscape next time?)

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Why This Lesson Stands Out?

• Fully interactive – children become the sounds, not just hear them.
• Integrates literacy (listening to Bog Baby) and music naturally.
• Encourages creativity and play while developing auditory skills.

This lesson isn’t just about sound – it’s about stepping inside a story and bringing it to life with music! 🎶✨