This classroom resource for ages 5 to 12 will help pupils build confidence in developing music skills together. The 25 short pieces here are suitable for class or group performances, giving opportunities to join in with body percussion, voices, all sorts of classroom percussion - tuned and untuned - ukuleles, recorders and other wind instruments, guitars, keyboards, apps and other sound makers, plus varied creative responses within a musical structure.
The ‘Around the World’ theme provides numerous links to classroom activities right across the curriculum, helping to grow pupils' skills in geography and science and awareness of environmental issues.
Each piece of music is accompanied by suggestions for how best to join in with the music tracks, which you can find on the individual content pages. There is also a comprehensive set of Teacher Notes to download/print.
The videos
Beep Beep. video
A fun join-in piece about traffic, featuring percussion, mouth sounds and kazoos.
Blow, Blow, Blow. video
The piece is a useful springboard for considering weather systems and wind instruments from around the world.
Boats Afloat. video
A lyrical tune, based on a five note pentatonic scale using C, D, E, G and A.
Chum Chum Pah. video
This piece is from Tanzania and features drums and other percussion to join in with.
Gamelan Gong Gong. video
A piece inspired by gamelan music from Indonesia providing opportunities for pupils to perform repeating patterns.
Hush Little Baby. video
The well-known lullaby is given a Caribbean feel in this arrangement with steel pans.
It's in the BAG! video
A tune that uses just three notes - B, A and G - in different orders, to make different musical patterns.
Jump like a Flea. video
A fun opportunity for beginner ukulele players to pluck their open strings in time with other instruments.
Little Turtle. video
A tune from the Caribbean in which the swimming of a little turtle mingles with the gentle rhythm of lapping waves.
Open to the World. video
A fun opportunity for beginner guitarists to play their open strings in time with other instruments.
Pathlines and Songlines. video
A short piece evoking the geography and people of Australia, featuring the didgeridoo.
Pizzicato Plink. video
A fun song for beginner violinists to join in playing open strings to fit the tune and everyone else to contribute percussion and actions.
Pizzicato Plonk. video
A fun tune for beginner cellists to join in playing open strings to fit the tune and everyone else to provide percussion and actions.
Radio Waves. video
The music provides a framework for pupils to improvise sounds inspired by the history of radio communications.
Raindrips. video
This piece provides a framework for improvising musical patterns inspired by rain, wet weather and the changing climate.
Rattly Old Car. video
A short piece providing pupils with a framework for creating sounds to depict a rattly old car.
Samba Samba. video
A feast for percussion exploring the sounds of South America - especially Brazil.
Scaling Up and Down. video
An opportunity for pupils to join in with the notes of a C Major scale in many different ways.
Spin, Earth, Spin. video
A gentle piece that takes the ‘Around the World’ theme out to the solar system.
Supercool Ice and Snow. video
This short piece provides a background framework for children to improvise sounds and patterns inspired by snow and ice.
Taj Mahal. video
A contemplative piece evoking the sounds of India using classroom instruments.
Take to the Air. video
A lilting piece in a music hall style about all things that fly.
Travelling, Travelling. video
A piece drawing on influences from around the world to explore the history of human movement and transportation.
Twelve-Bar Walkabout. video
Evoking 1950s / 1960s rock 'n' roll and the twelve-bar blues.
Zero One Go! video
A musical adventure into the high-tech world of digital communications, computer science and video games!
Resources
