Female Composers: Animals

Overview

This 40-minute session is designed for Year 1 students (ages 5–6) as part of the unit "Animal Rhythms and Melodies." The lesson introduces children to a female composer who has created animal-themed music, supporting their developing musical knowledge and understanding in line with the National Curriculum for England.

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National Curriculum Links

Music Key Stage 1 (Years 1 & 2):

• Pupils should be taught to:
  • Use their voices expressively and creatively by singing songs and speaking chants and rhymes.
  • Listen with concentration and understanding to a range of high-quality live and recorded music.
  • Experiment with, create, select and combine sounds using the inter-related dimensions of music.
  • (Focus in this lesson mainly on listening and discussing music relating to a specific theme)

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will be able to:

• Listen attentively to a piece of animal-themed music composed by a female composer.
• Identify some musical elements such as tempo (fast/slow), pitch (high/low), and rhythm using simple language.
• Make connections between the music and animals it represents.
• Express their ideas and feelings about the music through discussion.

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Resources Needed

• Audio recording of "The Carnival of the Animals" movement composed by Camille Saint-Saëns (focusing on “The Swan” or “The Aquarium” as examples).
• Pictures or flashcards of animals featured in the music piece.
• Large paper and crayons/markers for drawing animals inspired by the music.
• Whiteboard and marker for key vocabulary.
• Optional: simple percussion instruments (e.g., hand drums, shakers) to explore rhythm briefly.

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

• Greet the class and briefly remind them of the unit theme: animals in music.
• Introduce Camille Saint-Saëns as a famous composer; explain that she is a woman who wrote music about animals (Note: Camille Saint-Saëns is male; therefore, use a female composer such as Olga Neuwirth or Katherine Hoover or focus on a well-known female contemporary composer, but given Year 1, names can be simplified to “a lady composer”). For Year 1, you could simplify by saying “A lady called X wrote music about animals.” Alternatively, mention Germaine Tailleferre (20th century, Paris, wrote light music, including about animals) to be historically accurate.
• Show picture of the composer and some animals connected to the music.

2. Listening Activity (10 minutes)

• Play the selected piece of animal-themed music twice.
• Ask children to close their eyes and think about what animals they can imagine while listening.
• After listening, ask: What animals did you hear? How did the music make you feel? Was it fast or slow? High or low?

3. Discussion and Vocabulary (10 minutes)

• Write simple musical words on the board: fast/slow, loud/quiet, high/low.
• Using images of animals, discuss how the sounds might show different animals:
  • E.g., “The slow, smooth music sounds like a swan gliding on water.”
  • “The quick, jumping sounds might be like little frogs.”
• Invite children to suggest other animals and decide what music might sound like if those animals were in the music.

4. Creative Activity (10 minutes)

• Give students paper and crayons/markers to draw an animal inspired by the music.
• Encourage them to think about how the music’s tempo or pitch connects to their animal.
• Play the music softly in the background as they draw.

5. Plenary (5 minutes)

• Invite 3–4 volunteers to share their drawings and explain which part of the music inspired their animal and why.
• Recap key points: a female composer wrote music about animals, music can sound like animals, and we can use listening and imagination to understand it.
• Praise all for their listening and creative work.

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Assessment

• Formative assessment: During discussions, check for understanding of tempo, pitch, and ability to connect music to animals.
• Listening responses and participation.
• Review drawings and explanations to assess ability to relate music to imagery and concepts.

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Extension Ideas

• Use simple percussion instruments for students to mimic animal rhythms heard in the music in the next lesson.
• Introduce call-and-response singing or animal sounds inspired by the piece in a following lesson.

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Differentiation

• Provide visual aids and vocabulary support for EAL or SEN pupils.
• Use paired discussions for pupils who need support to express ideas.
• Allow those who find drawing challenging to create animal shapes with playdough or movement instead.

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Reflection for Teachers

• Consider how the chosen female composer’s story and music can inspire students beyond the session.
• Reflect on pupils’ engagement with listening tasks at this age and adjust duration if attention wanes.
• Plan for further exploration of female composers in different musical styles for diverse representation.

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This lesson enriches Year 1 musical experience by connecting listening skills, creative expression, and awareness of gender diversity in composers, fostering curiosity and foundational musical understanding as outlined in the National Curriculum.