How Music Can Move Us

To follow progression of musical skills from EYFS to Year 6. 

Follow the progression of one musical skill through the school. Listening and responding and how this filters into other skills such as  performing and composing.

How Music Moves Us - Reception

Reception listened to a variety of Christmas songs including Little Donkey and other traditional carols. They explored how the words of the songs and the music itself made them feel and how they could respond in actions. They practised their songs in class adding movement and gestures to perfect their performance for the Christmas play.

The Emotion Found in Music - Year 1

Year 1 listened to a variety of pieces of music that convey different emotions and feelings, including happiness, frisson, excitement, sadness. They listened to ‘Fossils’ from ‘Carnival of the Animals’ and sang ‘The Skeleton Dance’. They then acted out the song and played xylophones to create the sound of the skeletons.

Giving Texture Through Sound - Year 4

Year 4 listened to ‘Reflets dan l’Eau’ by Claude Debussy. They explored through enquiry based questioning, how Debussy was able to create the sound of the movement of water on the piano. They focussed on texture of the piano writing through reacting with scarves as the music changed from flowing to splashing. They then improvised sounds of their own using small percussion.

Viewing History Through Song - Year 6

Year 6 worked on performance of the song ‘We’ll Meet Again’. Through their project on the Second World War, they listened to songs and other music of the 1940s and explored its impact, through the music and lyrics, on the armed forces and the population left at home during the war. They performed the song during an assembly to mark Remembrance Day.