Year 3 Rationale

Throughout Year 3, children build upon their learning from KS1 and they learn and develop their skills in Singing, Listening, Composing, Musicianship and Performing. Lessons are planned and delivered by a specialist music teacher from the company ‘Junior Jam’. Each week is progressive, with children learning new knowledge and skills. Prior learning is revisited throughout lessons to ensure children embed new skills and knowledge.

In Autumn 1, children complete the unit ‘Song writing with glockenspiels, level 1’. Children learn lots of different techniques to make writing a song a simple process. They choose their own theme and target market and compose a song to a brief of their own creation. Alongside this, the class look at building their musical lexicon with a musical dictionary that they add to every week. Children learn different methods to create interest within their songs, such as; call and response and echo phrasing. They also analyse and rewrite songs and are encouraged to draw upon their English reading and writing skills throughout the process.

In Autumn 2, children complete the unit ‘Singing, level 1’. Children learn a number of keywords which help them to control their voice, their pitch and their   breathing. Children are taught how the keywords link together to help with the overall sound and precision of singing. Children learn about different techniques that songs use to keep them interesting such as verses, choruses, and call and response.

In Spring 1, children complete the unit ‘Music Theory with keyboards, level 1’. This unit introduces children to reading and playing music. Children learn basic keyboard skills to help them understand how to play notes and chords. Children work through a number of exercises looking at notation, timing and rhythm. Children learn how to read music in the treble clef and perform a song to the class.

In Spring 2, children complete the unit ‘Keyboards, level 1’. This unit focuses on children learning how to play a keyboard. Pupils are taught how to improve their keyboard skills, gaining confidence in reading music, performing and improvising. Children work through several exercises looking at notation, timing and rhythm. Pupils learn how to read music in the treble and bass clef and perform a variety of pieces throughout the unit.

In Summer 1, children complete the unit ‘Electric Drums, level 1’. Children learn about music of a different culture. Lessons include; the history of the drum, how the drums are made, information about the countries and how to play the basic hits. Children play the drums, both as part of the group and in a solo capacity.

In Summer 2, children complete the unit ‘Class Jam, level 1’. Throughout the unit, children build on their musical skills using a range of melodic and percussive instruments. Pupils play Chime bars, African drums, Boomwhackers, Keyboards and accompany them with both vocal and instrumental percussion to recreate famous popular songs. Children learn to play along to backing tracks and are given the opportunity to swap instruments and experiment with playing melody, rhythm and accompaniment whilst improving their ability to perform within an ensemble.