The Year 4 music programme follows 12 units that all have a cross curricular link to enable application of skills across the entire curriculum. Below is a break down of the units that children will look at each term within their music lessons.

Autumn Term

Poetry - The children develop performances of continuing poems. They use their voices to speak expressively and rhythmically, and discover ways to create ostinato accompaniments to enhance their performances.

Environment - Seasons and the environment provide the stimuli for compositions. The children make descriptive accompaniments and discover how the environment has inspired composers throughout history.

Sounds - After exploring how sounds are produced and classified, the children use their voices to make beatbox sounds, sing four-part songs, and perform a jazzy round.

Recycling - The children make their own instruments from junk and use them to improviser, compose and play junk jazz music in a variet6y of different musical styles.

Spring Term

Building - Building-themed songs allow the children to explore how music can be structured to provide different textures. They use layers and rondo structure to combine ostinati played on body percussion and tuned instruments.

Around The World - The children explore pentatonic melodies and syncopated rhythms, learning that the fundamental dimensions of music are the same all over the world.

Ancient Worlds - The children celebrate achievements of the ‘Amazing Egyptians’ and explore 20th century minimalist music inspired by the age of Akhenaten. They arrange and perform a layered pyramid structure.

Singing Spanish - A sample of the sights and sounds of the Spanish-speaking world, including greetings, counting to twelve and playing a singing game. The children explore part-singing and accompaniments in four contrasting songs.

Summer Term

Communication - Children create a news programme, complete with theme music and school news headlines. Using songs and raps, this musical news bulletin will alert the school to the burning issues of the day.

Time - Music featuring bells and clocks helps the children to understand rhythm and syncopation. They learn to sing and play bell patterns, listen to an orchestral clock piece, and create their own descriptive music.

In The Past - The children use a variety of notations to build performances from different periods and styles. They learn a Renaissance dance, walk down the aisle to Wagner’s Bridal march and dance the mashed potato!

Food and Drink - The children cook up a musical feast. They enjoy a varied diet of healthy beans, exotic Tudor banquets and DIY pizzas before celebrating in a song performance.