Identifying high and low notes
I can hear the difference between high and low notes in our songs.
Identifying high and low notes
I can hear the difference between high and low notes in our songs.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Pitch is how high or low a note sounds.
- We can use actions with our bodies to help us hear the high and low notes in a song.
- Unpitched percussion instruments do not play higher or lower pitches.
- Rhythms can be played on unpitched instruments.
- When we chant as we play rhythms, it helps us stay in time.
Keywords
Pitch - how high or low a note is
Note - a single sound in music
Rhythm - the pattern of sounds we play and sing
Common misconception
All instruments can play different notes.
Some instruments are unpitched. This means they do not create different high and low sounds when played.
To help you plan your year 1 music lesson on: Identifying high and low notes, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 1 music lesson on: Identifying high and low notes, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 1 music lessons from the Compose and create: high and low melodic responses unit, dive into the full secondary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Selection of unpitched percussion that can play a clear rhythm, for example claves, wooden agogos, woodblocks or tambours.
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
4 Questions
Exit quiz
4 Questions
the way the music is organised
how high or low the note sounds
the pattern of sounds we play and sing