Year 6
June 2023
This term we have been to visit the residents at Crofton Court to sing some of the songs we learnt from our Roots topic. A shout out to Hansel who lead the call and response for Oleo. Good job! :)
We are revisiting our 'elements of music' such as tempo, texture, timbre and revising the meanings. We are also learning some new songs...New Horizons, Raise my voice and One in a Million to possibly choose one for the Leaver's service.
Well done to Victoria, Hafeez, Austin, Hansel, Enya, Aimee and Aynsley who are members of the choir and have been working on songs to perform at Westlands at Yeovil Together and the Singing Festival in July :)
April 2023
So this term we will be exploring digital composition using the laptops. This will include pentatonic and ambiant sounds. We will be experimenting with different electronic sounds and beats and combining melody and rhythm to record, edit and refine our compositions and sharing them with each other.
March 2023
Here is a video giving some info on Anansi the Spider. We will be watching some of those stories as we explore our Roots topic on music from Ghana.
Also, watch the drumming ensemble. Do you recognise any of the rhythm patterns we are learning?
January 2023
Here is a Ravel's Bolero for you to listen to...the original and the fun cello one we watched in class. Enjoy!
We were talking about the different sounds that the piano and the harpsichord make ...this is tone colour or timbre. Watch this to explain...
November 2022
This half term we are looking at the topic of journeys, focusing on extending and improving our singing through warm ups, using dynamics (loud and quiet) and singing in 3 part harmony.
We will be learning Ain't gonna let nobody turn me around, Voices calling and Something inside so strong.
We will also be looking at an overview of the history of music.
October 2022
So, here we are again...a new school year! Already in Year 6 we have been enjoying our World Unite topic exploring beat, rhythm and syncopation. We have created, rehearsed and performed our Compass Beat rhythm patterns in groups which I recorded yesterday. Nice work!
Next we will be looking at pitch and harmony and learning to sing scat like the great Ella Fitzgerald (see below)
I have also put Anna Meredith's Hands Free on for you to listen to. How does the composer use vocal sounds and body percussion to create music and movement within the piece?
July 2022
Here is the link for the Raise My Voice song.
Have a sing along and try to learn the words for next Thursday's assembly.
March 2022
Here is the tutorial for the cup tutorial we are learning in class. Have a practise at home with a plastic or paper cup and then see if you can speed it up.
February 2022
Hi there... here is a link to the song we will be learning over the next few weeks.
Raise my voice from Singup. Have a listen and sing along at home. If you scroll down to the white board press play and you can see the lyrics and the music together. (widen the screen for a better view!)
January 2022
So in the first half of this term we will be doing a topic called Growth where we will be looking exploring a piece of music called Bolero through mime, learning songs and accompaniments and creating a dance to build into a street dance performance.
Watch the link below before our first lesson next week if you can. It's quite a long piece but stick with it...can you hear the piece growing from a tiny, quiet beginning with just one or two instruments to a loud and full finale?
See how many instruments you can recognise.
November
This half term we will be doing a topic called journeys which includes learning songs with a theme of challenging journeys focusing on change or transition. We will be singing in 3 part harmony in major and minor keys and revising staff notation. Remember to look here for extra songs and activities that support our in class learning.
October 2021
We have been exploring rhythm, melody and harmony in song and dance with our world unite topic. This has included learning pitch lines with body movement and notation and then playing them on tuned percussion. Also learning to sing scat like Ella Fitzgerald (see link)
I will put a clip below to remind you of the musical elements we have been revising as well.
2nd March
So this is the next lesson carrying on with the West African drumming, recapping last weeks' call and response and learning some cross rhythms.
Hope you enjoy this and I look forward to seeing you all next week in the classroom for some real live music!! :)
23rd February
Hi there! Hope you had a good half term :)
Over the next few weeks we will be looking at the National Oak Academy lessons on Rhythm and West African drumming . In today's you will learn a call and response warm up and focus on ostinati, (repeated patterns.)
I only wish you could play along on a djembe drum but if we learn these patterns hopefully it won't be too long before we can all have a go in the classroom!
And here is a bit of fun...
10th February
This is the final lesson on Timbre. It will recap the warm up and ostinati from the past weeks and show you how to structure a piece of music.
If you can somehow record a sound clip of your Mambo rhythms to send me or your answers from the quiz I would love to see how you are getting on.
I have also posted a fun clip on my music main page to watch over half term :) Enjoy!
2nd February
Continuing with our series on Timbre this next lesson looks at Bersteins' Mambo again and identifies the call and response parts. You will get to copy them and compose some of your own. Maybe you can try them out with a family member.
! have also added a fun clip below where you can try out some scat singing which is a jazzy form of call and response. Enjoy! :)
26th January
So this week we are learning about the role of percussion in music and in this lesson there will be a chance to listen to part of Bernstein's Mambo and play some of the ostinati (repeated rhythmic patterns) and compose your own!
Have fun!:)
19th January
Back to National Oak Academy lessons this week. Looking at world percussion this time you can see if you can find items in your home to imitate different instruments. Have a go at the quiz before the lesson to find out how much you remember about timbre from 2 weeks ago.
Enjoy being creative!
12thJanuary
Building on the lesson you watched last week I would like you to watch the clip below about the families of instruments in the orchestra.
Afterwards, see how many different ones you can remember and which family they belong to.
Try explaining to a member of your family.
Spring term 2021
7th Jan
This half term we will be learning about timbre. This means the different sounds that instruments produce.
We will be using the National Oak Academy lessons. In the first one below you will be looking at the different families of the orchestra.
Watch The Young persons guide to the orchestra as well.
Week 5 3/12/20
Today will be our last music lesson of the term and we will concentrate on learning our class song Tonight for the Carol service (see below)
As we have been learning about harmony this term here is a special Christmas treat. A selection of songs from the Pentatonix. Enjoy! :)
Week 4 26/11/20
Sorry we didn't have music today but I will be teaching you next week.
If you didn't have a go at the beat boxing last week then have a go this week. If you did here is the next lesson. See if you can build on your skills.
I would also like you to listen to the song below which will be the song you will learn as a class for the carol service. Tonight (that's the name of the song!)
Week 3 19/11/20
This week we sang our Voices calling song in unison and in harmony and we heard the Pentatonix demonstrate awesome singing in harmony using beat boxing sounds to accompany the melody.
Watch this lesson clip that teaches the basics of beat boxing.
Have fun trying it out at home :)
Week 2 12/11
Here is a reminder of what harmony means and how it is related to melody and pitch and the musical alphabet.
If you have a piano or keyboard at home see if you can find these notes. If not just get a piece of paper and draw on 5 lines to make a stave and test yourself on your notes in the treble clef.
Week 1 4/11/20
This half term we will be learning to sing in unison and harmony and in major and minor keys.
We will be learning some new songs around the theme of journeys and exploring what that means for animals and people.
We will also be practising our notes on the stave.
Watch the first 5 minutes of this clip to remind you. (Don't worry about the bass clef notes)
October half term activities
Hi there. So we have already done 6 weeks of music making this school year and are getting used to new ways to sing and play instruments in class.
We have been learning about melody and pitch (can you remember what they mean?) and learnt to sing melodic ostinati (repeated patterns) using our bodies to represent the pitches and also play on glockenspiels.
Listen to this song and see if you can identify and sing the melody. Is the pitch high or low? Does it change?
Week beg 13/07
Hello! Last week of term! :)
Hope you have been able to have a go at the musical activities I have been putting up here and enjoyed learning some new songs.
To round off the term here is a link to some YCC Kids Songs that the young people from my church have put together. (My Lighthouse and Be Happy are my faves!)
They are fun to join in with and remind us that Jesus is always with us no matter what we are doing or where we are.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi_-8jmfbAw&list=PLwNX5-_NasbzG19bKuKSz9kp4wCjTxN4g
I am sorry not to be able to say goodbye to you in person but will be praying that you all have a great time at your new schools in September. Keep on singing and making music!
Have a wonderful summer!
Take care and God bless
Mrs Bowsher
Week beg 6/07
This week I would like you to look at this lesson about singing in major and minor keys.
It uses the solfa system which we did look at briefly when we learnt Do Re Mi from the Sound of Music. Here's a little reminder of the original with the lovely Julie Andrews.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drnBMAEA3AM&list=TLPQMDcwNzIwMjDCH8F3fXRsyw&index=1
Here is a version using the solfa hand signs. See if you can learn them and sing along.
Week beg 29/06
Thinking about the Olympics this week and in particular Japan, (who would have hosted this year) here are some clips to watch and compare. The song is a traditional Japanese folk song firstly played on the Koto. (You may remember it from year 2!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDTp_YQizqE
This one is played by a small orchestra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAcpUcGa0Yc
This version you can sing along to in Japanese!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVTIb5eUsTw
How are the versions different? Think about tempo and pitch as well as arrangements and instruments. What sort of mood and emotions does it envoke?
This song uses the pentatonic scale which we have experimented with before. If you have a keyboard at home try making up your own melody using all the black notes.
Week beg 22/06
Thinking about Black Lives Matter this week have a listen to some of these songs following the link below. You will hopefully remember Something inside so strong that we've learnt before.
Try learning and singing along to Raise my voice and Lean on me.
https://www.singup.org/singupathome/black-lives-matter
Think about who you are leaning on at the moment and is there anyone you can help support?
Also what are the issues you would like to raise your voice about? Maybe you can write some lyrics and put it to a simple tune? If you have a way of recording it I would love to hear it.
Have a listen to the Sounds from Kenya clip
Week beg 15/06
Hello there,
I saw this amazing body percussion duet and thought you'd love it. Have a look...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3ufzZey_iY&feature=youtu.be
Now join in with this body percussion workshop. You'll need a bit of space but give it a go.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFYAM_Gn2Wc&feature=youtu.be
Finally watch this...in the Hall of the body percussion king.You should recognise the music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lk75qDst8wE&feature=youtu.be
Can you make up some simple body percussion to go with one of your favourite songs?
Practise it and perform it to a family member.
Week beg 8/05
This week we are going to learn the song Mama don't allow, which I have half taught you already but this version has a really nice body percussion accompaniment as well. Once you have sung along remember to look at the activities as there are some good ideas of extra things to do there.
Try to make up some more verses...eg: Papa/sister/Grandma don't allow....
https://www.singup.org/singupathome/mama-dont-allow
As part of our Under the sea theme here is a fun song from the little mermaid for you to sing along to. Love this song! Hope you enjoy it too :)
Week beg June 1st
Hello, hope you all had a good half term and have been enjoying the sunshine :)
This week we are going to be thinking about exploring our emotions in music. Listening to or playing music can be such an emotional experience. A familiar melody can bring comfort or stir up a memory or just make us want to get up and dance. The lesson below explains how we can think of relating different sounds to colours. Have a go and enjoy learning George Ezra's song Pretty Shining People.
https://www.thenational.academy/year-6/foundation/exploring-emotions-in-music-year-6-wk6-5#slide-2
Week beg 18/05
Hi there,
This week have a look at this lesson on harmony (extra notes above or below the tune)
https://www.thenational.academy/year-6/foundation/singing-in-harmony-year-6-wk5-5#
It will teach you how to sing a harmony to a song with some fun examples from the Pentatonix to listen to.
After the lesson see if you can sing a harmony line to one of your favourite songs or pick out a harmony line when you listen to songs on the radio or TV.
Keep singing and hopefully we can all sing together again soon!
Here is a beautiful song that I want to share with you all. It's called The Blessing and the words are a promise taken from the bible. This version sung by children is particularly lovely and this is my prayer to you all over this difficult time. I hope it speaks to you heart. Make sure you share it with your adults. God bless you all.
Week beg 11/05
Hi there,
Here are the lyrics (Very simple!) to our song this week which is a funky hip hop version of a spiritual Ain't gonna let nobody
https://www.singup.org/song-bank/lyrics/view/444-aint-gonna-let-nobody/type/main/
Follow this link for the performance track along with some other inspirational songs you may like to sing along with. (Eye of the tiger is one of my faves!)
https://www.singup.org/singupathome/empowering-inspiring
Here is an extra link to follow which is a lesson which shows the difference between pulse and rhythm (although you should already know it's a good reminder and has the Oleo song we learnt with our African topic)
https://www.thenational.academy/online-classroom/year-6/foundation#subjects
Week beg 4/5/20
Hi again, we now have access to the singup at home site which has loads of fun songs and activities so I will be sharing a different link each week. There will be a song to listen to and learn and various things to do related to that song. Look in 'Activities' or the 'Pupil pack'.
This week look up One in a million https://www.singup.org/singupathome/one-and-a-million
It celebrates the power of working together which is something we are even more aware of now.
Hope you enjoy learning it and singing along. Maybe you can perform it to your family?
This link doesn't have an activity or pupil pack so...
If you have a keyboard or instrument that plays a melody you could try playing along to the music in the 'Voices and accompaniment score'. If not, use the score to remind yourself of the notes on the stave. (Remember Face in the Space song!)
If you are still working on your Garage band composition then keep going. Maybe think about adding some more sounds to thicken out the sound (texture) I would love to hear them one day!
Week beginning 27.04.20
Hello there, hopefully you have found this page where I will be putting your work on for the next few weeks till we're back to school.
Those of you who have Garage band can continue with your compositions. This week you can explore melody line loops. These can include any instruments which play a tune such as xylophone, saxophone, flute, trumpet etc. Have an experiment and try to find a sound that goes well with the groove of your rhythm track you made last week. If you play an instrument and feel confident, try playing in an actual tune on the keyboard or piano to add to your piece. Here is another link to look at if you need help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT1tiNNwAes
If you don’t have access to Garage band or an ipad but have a smart phone or android tablet, there are other music apps which include composing. See what you can find.
Or if you don’t have access to any of the above, you can still make music up using the things you have around you. If you have a keyboard, ukulele or recorder, see if you can make up a tune. Try writing it down on the stave. (Remember the face in the space song.) If you have no instruments you can always use your voice and add body percussion! Happy composing!