Music for Learning - Unit 1
Version 3
Foundation – Year 6
Good to Great Schools Australia’s range of ready-to-teach lessons and resources in Music align to the Australian Curriculum.
All lessons use explicit instruction pedagogy and content that cover Australian perspectives and learning outcomes. Lessons are formulated based on scientific evidence of how students best learn and are further informed by cognitive science.
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Starter Lessons
Year Overview
Foundation Year (Coming Soon)
Year 1 – Year 2
Years 1-2, Lesson 1
Years 1-2, Lesson 2
Unit Overview
In the Sing and Play unit, students will explore how their voices can bring the elements of music to life.
They will develop their understanding of key musical elements- pitch, dynamics, duration, and tempo-through both analysis and hands-on activities.
Students will also build their musicianship through performance using voice, keyboard, and body percussion.
The unit will culminate in small group presentations, where students perform the pieces they have learned.
Student Activities and Music
Music Examples and Instrumentation
Music examples:
- Do, Re Mi
- A Whole New World
- Hot Cross Buns
- Baby Shark
- Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
Instrumentation: Voice, body percussion and keyboard.
Student Activities
Student activities include:
- listening to varied musical pieces and identifying musical elements by movement
- performing music by singing in small groups, singing and playing the keyboard and by using body percussion.
Features
Features
- Creative tasks that allow students to learn by doing.
- Musical examples supporting every lesson.
- Animated slides to clearly visualise musical concepts and activities.
Special Inclusions
- Musical examples feature a diverse range of genres and musicians.
- Hands-on music-making activities make learning fun and impactful.
- Creative and engaging lessons, making the learning fun and accessible.
- Playing the keyboard as an integral part of the lessons.
Lessons, Assessment and Resources
Unit, Lesson and Assessment Information
- 9 Week Unit
- Lessons are 45 minutes and delivered once a week for nine weeks.
- Summative Assessment, Lessons 8–9: Students will demonstrate their understanding of musical elements by performing two songs in small groups: one by singing, and another by singing and playing the keyboard at the same time.
Resources
- Lessons x9
- Instructional Teaching Guide
- Student Workbook
- Unit Overview
- Assessments/Progression Indicators
- Professional Learning Modules
Year 3 – Year 4
Years 3-4, Lesson 1
Years 3-4, Lesson 2
Unit Overview
In the Music and the Elements: Earth, Water, Fire and Air unit, students will explore how nature has been represented through art for hundreds of years before taking charge of their creative process to improvise and compose their own responses to nature.
They will develop knowledge and understanding of specific musical elements through analysis and practical work, as well as develop their musicianship in composition and performance on selected instrumentation (voice, percussion).
The unit will culminate in a presentation of small group performances where students perform the pieces they have created in response to one of the natural elements: Earth, Water, Fire or Air.
Student Activities and Music
Music Examples and Instrumentation
Music examples:
- ‘Naka Wara Wara To’o’, Small Island, Big Song ft. Charles Maimarosia
- ‘Bloom’, Michael Torke
- Vanuatu Women’s Water Music
- ‘Re(new)al’, Viet Cuong
- ‘Tuvan Throat Singing’, Saidash Mongush
- ‘Harmonica Beatbox’ Zipporah Temelloso
- ‘Winter Bonfire’, Sergei Prokofiev
- ‘Swamp Fire’, Duke Ellington
- ‘Bardju’, Brenda Gifford.
Instrumentation: Pitched and unpitched percussion, including homemade ‘water instruments’ and voice.
Student Activities
Student activities include:
- listening to varied musical examples and identifying the musical components that make up the music
- exploring a range of percussion instruments and vocal techniques
- using homemade ‘water instruments’ inspired by traditional music making in Vanuatu
- creating and performing music inspired by the unit’s musical examples.
Features
Features
- Creative tasks that allow students to learn by doing.
- Musical examples supporting every lesson.
- Embedded demonstration videos and audio tracks.
Special Inclusions
- Bespoke audio and video demonstrations support teaching and learning.
- Musical examples feature a diverse range of genres and musicians.
- Hands-on music-making activities make learning fun and impactful.
Lessons, Assessment and Resources
Unit, Lesson and Assessment Information
- 9 Week Unit
- Lessons are 45 minutes and delivered once a week for nine weeks.
- Summative Assessment, Lessons 8–9: Students will demonstrate their understanding of musical components by creating a group composition inspired by one of the natural elements: earth, water, fire or air. Students will make informed choices throughout the creative process and demonstrate their skills by presenting their ideas through music.
Resources
- Lessons x9
- Instructional Teaching Guide
- Student Workbook
- Unit Overview
- Assessments/Progression Indicators
- Professional Learning Modules
Year 5 – Year 6
Years 5-6, Lesson 1
Years 5-6, Lesson 2
Unit Overview
In the Introduction to Jazz Music unit, students will explore the distinctive qualities of jazz music through listening, analysis and performance.
They will learn to recognise key elements that define jazz – such as rhythm, melody and expression.
Through practical activities, students will build their skills in performing jazz rhythms and melodies, while also uncovering the deeper meaning behind the music.
Student Activities and Music
Music Examples and Instrumentation
Music examples:
- In the Mood – Glen Miller
- Take Five – Dave Brubeck
- Blues in the Night – Ella Fitzgerald
- Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off – Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
- Woodchopper’s Ball – Woody Herman
- Take the A Train – Duke Ellington
- So what – Miles Davis
- What a Wonderful World- Louis Armstrong
- St Louis Blues – Louis Armstrong
- Joy Spring – Clifford Brown and Max Roach
- Summertime – George Gershwin
- Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off – Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
- C Jam Blues – Duke Ellington
- Take the A Train – Duke Ellington
- Summertime – George Gershwin
- What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong.
Instrumentation: Keyboard.
Student Activities
Student activities include:
- listening to jazz music and identifying jazz characteristics
- analysing jazz music using the elements of music
- performing jazz music using the keyboard.
Features
Features
- Creative tasks that allow students to learn by doing.
- Musical examples supporting every lesson.
- Embedded demonstration videos and audio tracks.
Special Inclusions
- Bespoke audio and video demonstrations support teaching and learning.
- Hands-on music-making activities make learning fun and impactful.
- Class set of keyboards required.
Lessons, Assessment and Resources
Unit, Lesson and Assessment Information
- 9 Week Unit
- Lessons are 45 minutes and delivered once a week for nine weeks.
- Summative Assessment, lesson 9: students will complete a performance-based assessment, demonstrating their technical and expressive skills. They will be assessed against specific performance criteria that reflect both technique and musicality.
Resources
- Lessons x9
- Instructional Teaching Guide
- Student Workbook
- Unit Overview
- Assessments/Progression Indicators
- Professional Learning Modules
- Class set of keyboards