Presenting Soundscapes

Overview

• Unit: Exploring Soundscapes Together (Lesson 5 of 5)
• Duration: 50 minutes
• Class size: 30 Lower KS2 students (ages 7-9)
• Subject: Music
• National Curriculum Focus:
  • Key Stage 2 (Years 3-4)
  • Pupils should develop an understanding of the interrelated dimensions of music (pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure) through active listening, composition, and performance.
  • Pupils should learn to use voices and instruments with increasing accuracy, control, and expression.
  • Pupils should explore and develop musical ideas by improvising and composing within musical structures.
  • Pupils should listen to and appraise a wide range of music, identifying musical contrasts and expressing thoughts about how music makes them feel.

Learning Objectives

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

1. Finalise and refine their individual or group soundscape compositions using musical elements thoughtfully (NC Ref: KS2 Music - Perform & Compose).
2. Explain the creative choices they made in their compositions using appropriate musical vocabulary (NC Ref: KS2 Music - Listening and Appraising).
3. Perform their soundscape confidently and with appropriate expression to an audience (NC Ref: KS2 Music - Perform).
4. Listen appreciatively to peers’ performances, providing constructive feedback and recognising varied musical ideas (NC Ref: KS2 Music - Listening and Appraising).
5. Demonstrate an understanding of soundscape structure and variety by referencing texture, dynamics, and timbre in their reflections.

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Curriculum Links and Standards

• National Curriculum for England (2014) - Music Programme of Study, Key Stage 2:
  • Performing: Play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts with increasing confidence, fluency, and control.
  • Composing: Use layers of sounds to create different textures, using a range of musical devices and structures.
  • Listening and Appraising: Describe, compare and evaluate music using appropriate musical vocabulary, including pitch, duration, dynamics, tempo, timbre, texture, structure.
  • Musical Knowledge and Skills: Understand and explore how music is created, produced, and communicated, including through the interrelated dimensions of music.

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Resources

• Completed or near-completed soundscape compositions (digital/audio or using classroom instruments/percussion).
• Audio playback equipment (speakers, interactive whiteboard for displaying lyrics, structure, or images).
• Reflection sheets with prompts (musical vocabulary, space for describing choices).
• Feedback forms or ‘praise cards’ for peer review, designed to highlight musical elements.
• Optional: simple recording devices or apps for live recording playback.

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (5 minutes) – Reflective Warm-Up

• Gather in a circle. Play a 1-minute segment from a professional environmental soundscape piece (e.g., recordings of forest sounds or urban soundscapes).
• Ask pupils: What sounds did you hear? How did they make you feel? What do you notice about the different sounds working together?
• Pupils respond briefly to engage listening skills and focus on texture and timbre before sharing their own compositions.

2. Finalising Soundscapes (15 minutes)

• Pupils work individually or in their groups to rehearse and refine their soundscape compositions.

• Teacher circulates and supports, encouraging the use of dynamics, timbre variation, and clear texture layering.

• Prompt questions for refinement:

  • How can you make your soundscape more interesting? Can you add or remove sounds to make the texture clearer?
  • What choices did you make about volume or tempo? Why?
  • Are all parts working well together?

• Emphasise the expressive use of sound and encourage pupils to think about how their soundscape fits the theme they chose earlier in the unit.

3. Reflection and Sharing Preparation (10 minutes)

• Hand out brief reflection sheets with prompts:

  • What sounds did you include and why?
  • Which musical elements did you focus on (pitch, rhythm, dynamics)?
  • What was the most challenging part of creating your soundscape?
  • What do you hope your audience feels or imagines during your performance?

• Pupils take 5-7 minutes to write or draw their responses, recalling their creative process and choices.

• Encourage use of musical vocabulary and descriptive language.

4. Performance Session (15 minutes)

• Arrange pupils for a ‘class concert’—either seated audience or a semi-circle to optimise listening and respect.
• Each individual or group performs their soundscape. Ensure timing so all have a chance (around 1-2 minutes each).
• Encourage the audience to listen carefully and think about what musical elements they hear.

5. Peer Feedback and Group Appreciation (5 minutes)

• After each performance, invite a few pupils to share what they liked about the soundscape using simple sentence starters (e.g., “I liked how the sounds got louder when...”, “The tempo made me feel like I was in a jungle.”).
• Use ‘praise cards’ or simple thumbs-up/thumbs-down to encourage positive, constructive feedback.
• Emphasise respect, kindness, and appreciation of creativity.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Formative: Teacher observation during refinement phase noting pupils’ ability to apply musical vocabulary and make creative choices.
• Self-assessment: Reflection sheets offer insight into pupils’ understanding of musical concepts and creative decisions.
• Peer assessment: Sharing and feedback session provides evidence of pupils’ listening skills and ability to articulate musical appreciation.
• Performance assessment: Evaluate pupils’ confidence, expression, and control during presentations against national curriculum criteria for performance.

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Differentiation

• Support:
  • Pair pupils with peers for reflection prompts.
  • Provide sentence starters or word banks with musical vocabulary.
  • Allow use of drawings or symbols if writing is challenging.
• Challenge:
  • Encourage pupils to identify and discuss specific musical features (e.g., use of syncopation or call and response).
  • Prompt pupils to consider how the soundscape could be further developed or extended.
  • Challenge more confident performers to introduce an improvisation element within their presentation.

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Teacher’s Notes / Tips

• Prepare the space to allow smooth transitions between performances.
• Reinforce positive listening habits: attentive silence, respectful applause, eye contact with performers.
• Use this final lesson to celebrate progress and foster musical community within the class.
• Consider recording performances (audio only) for pupils to listen to in future lessons as a form of self-appraisal.
• Encourage parents or other classes to attend a sharing event if possible, extending pupils’ audience experience.

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This lesson builds on pupils' previous explorations of sound and composition within the unit, ensuring they gain confidence in performing, reflecting on, and appreciating music in a social and creative context aligned fully with the National Curriculum for England.