Year 3 - Music
Songs that bring people together
Singing together: how songs are used in communities
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
Pupils learn that singing often draws communities together to tell stories, comment on history, share happy or sad times and to worship. Through rehearsing and performing a range of songs, pupils explore how different songs capture different emotions.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to participate in playground singing games and know that these can be used to bring communities together.
Key Notes
- Playground singing games are unaccompanied songs that are often inspired by folk songs.
- Playground singing games are shared orally by friends teaching one another in the playground.
- Children teach one another playground songs in playground communities all over the world.
- A group of people performing together is called an ensemble.
- To be a successful ensemble, it is important to look at one another and listen to one another and to work as a team.
Vocabulary To Learn
- folk song: a song that originates from a particular country, culture or people that is usually passed down orally
- pulse: the regular, steady heartbeat of the music
- beat: the playing or showing of the steady pulse, like the ticking of a clock
- ensemble: a group of people who perform together
- unaccompanied song: a song that uses voices only
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Playground singing games, such as clapping games, are different to "real music" or are not "real music."
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Playground singing games are unaccompanied songs that are often inspired by folk songs. Playground singing games are shared orally by friends teaching one another in the playground.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'folk song'
a song that originates from a particular country, culture or people that is usually passed down orally.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: Playground singing games, such as clapping games, are different to "real music" or are not "real music.". Correction: Playground singing games are a fantastic example of real music making! The skills needed to play them are used by musicians in other contexts. This unit draws a comparison between playground songs and these skills in action in a string quartet.
More Lessons In This Unit
Browse all guides in the Year 3 Music guide library.