Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v5 - Grade 2

Lesson Video

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Performance objectives

• Participate in musical activities.
• Use body movement to express emotions.
• Act out simple stories or scenarios.
• Identify different musical instruments.
• Work with friends to create a short performance.

Lesson summary

This week, we are diving into the wonderful world of creative arts! We will explore music, movement, and drama. These activities are not just fun; they help us express ourselves, understand our feelings, and work together as a team. In South Africa, with our rich and diverse cultures, music, dance, and storytelling are a vital part of our heritage. Learning about creative arts helps us connect with our traditions and celebrate our unique identity. Think about the vibrant songs and dances you see at celebrations or the stories your grandparents tell - these are all part of the creative arts!

Lesson notes

This week, we'll focus on three main areas:

A. Music: Music is all around us! It's more than just songs. It's about sounds, rhythms, and feelings.

Rhythm: Rhythm is the pattern of sounds and silences in music. It's like the heartbeat of a song! We can clap our hands, tap our feet, or use instruments to create rhythms. Think about the sounds of a marimba band – the different instruments create a complex and exciting rhythm. A simple example of rhythm is clapping your hands two times, then pausing, then clapping two times again (clap, clap, pause, clap, clap, pause).

Tempo: Tempo is how fast or slow the music is. A fast tempo makes you want to dance quickly, like in a Gqom song. A slow tempo can be calming, like a lullaby. We can use words like "fast," "slow," or "medium" to describe the tempo. Imagine the difference between a slow, swaying gospel song and a fast-paced kwaito track.

Instruments: Different instruments make different sounds. Some are loud, some are soft, some are high, and some are low. For example, a drum makes a booming sound, while a flute makes a high, light sound. In South Africa, we have many unique instruments like the uhadi (a type of musical bow) and the djembe (a West African drum played in many South African performances).

Example: Let's imagine we have a drum and a recorder. The drum makes a loud, booming sound. If we hit it quickly, it sounds fast! If we hit it slowly, it sounds slow. The recorder makes a higher, whistling sound. We can use both to make music together!

B. Movement: Movement is using our bodies to express ourselves.

Expressing Emotions: We can use movement to show how we are feeling. If we are happy, we might jump and dance. If we are sad, we might move slowly and droop our shoulders. Think about how dancers in traditional South African dances use their bodies to tell stories and express emotions.

Acting out Stories: We can use movement to act out stories. We can pretend to be animals, trees, or even superheroes!

Example: Imagine we are acting out the story of Nelson Mandela. We can walk tall and proud to show his strength. We can hold our hands together to show his determination to unite the country.

C. Drama: Drama is acting out stories or situations.

Role-Playing: Role-playing is pretending to be someone else. We can use our voices and bodies to act like different characters. For example, we can pretend to be a doctor, a teacher, or a police officer. Think about the characters in South African folktales like Anansi the Spider - you could role-play those characters!

Using Your Voice: We can use our voices to change how we sound. We can speak loudly or softly, quickly or slowly, and with different emotions. When acting out a character, you can change your voice to match the character's personality!

Example: Let’s say we are role-playing a grandmother telling a story. We can use a soft, slow voice and maybe even pretend to be a little shaky to sound like a grandmother. If we are role-playing a lion, we can use a loud, roaring voice! Guided Practice (With Solutions)

Question 1: Clap your hands to create a rhythm of two claps, then a pause, then one clap, then a pause. Repeat this pattern. What kind of rhythm did you create – is it fast, slow, or medium?

Solution: The rhythm is: clap, clap, pause, clap, pause. This would be considered a medium rhythm because it's not extremely fast or very slow. The pauses give it a moderate pace.

Question 2: Imagine you are feeling very happy because it's your birthday. Show how you would move your body to express this feeling.

Solution: You might jump up and down, skip, twirl around, smile widely, or clap your hands. These are all examples of movements that express happiness. The specific movements can vary, but the key is that they show joy and excitement.

Question 3: Act out the role of a friendly shopkeeper helping a customer. What kind of voice would you use? What kind of movements would you make?

Solution: You would use a kind, friendly, and helpful voice. You might smile, nod your head, and use welcoming gestures. You might offer to help the customer find what they need and thank them for their business. Your tone would be polite and respectful, reflecting the shopkeeper’s desire to provide good service.

Question 4: Identify the instrument from the following description: This instrument is often played in a band and makes a "boom boom" sound when you hit it.

Solution: The instrument is a drum. Independent Practice (Questions Only) Create a simple rhythm using your hands and feet. Write down the pattern of claps and stomps you used. Choose an emotion, such as anger, sadness, or fear. Show how you would express this emotion using only your body movements. Act out the role of a teacher explaining something to students. Use different tones of voice to keep the students engaged. Listen to a song. Is the tempo fast, slow, or medium? What instruments can you hear? Think about a story you know.