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Year 2

Call and response improvisation within a four note toneset

I can improvise with a partner using do, mi, so and la, within a call and response structure.

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Year 2

Call and response improvisation within a four note toneset

I can improvise with a partner using do, mi, so and la, within a call and response structure.

Download all resources
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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Improvising is a way to create new musical ideas in the moment.
  2. We can improvise new words, new rhythms, or new melodies using our voices or instruments.
  3. We can improvise alone, in a group, or with a partner using call and response.
  4. We can improvise new melodies using do, mi, so, and la.

Keywords

  • Improvise - to thoughtfully create new musical ideas in the moment

  • Note - a single sound in music

  • Call and response - a question and answer musical structure

  • Melody - a combination of notes to make a memorable tune

  • Pitched percussion - an instrument that can play musical notes when we strike it

Common misconception

Improvisation is difficult and only professional musicians can do it well.

Improvisation is about exploring new musical ideas. Even young pupils can improvise in a fun and playful way using familiar material as a starting point.


To help you plan your year 2 music lesson on: Call and response improvisation within a four note toneset, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

For this lesson, we will be using the notes C, E, G, and A on pitched percussion. It may be helpful to remove the bars that are not needed or label the bars do, mi, so, and la.
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Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

Pitched percussion instruments (xylophones, glockenspiels) and beaters.

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Starter quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following instruments can play a melody?
tambourine
Correct answer: xylophone
wood block
egg shaker
Q2.
Looking at this picture of a xylophone, which bars have a lower pitch?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: The longer bars on the left side of the picture have a lower pitch.
The shorter bars on the right side of the picture have a lower pitch.
Q3.
A glockenspiel is a __________ percussion instrument.
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: pitched
unpitched
Q4.
A pitched percussion instrument can play a melody because it can play different .
Correct Answer: notes, pitches, Notes, Pitches, tones

Exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
Call and response is like a musical question and .
Correct Answer: answer, Answer
Q2.
We can use call and response to improvise...
on our own.
Correct answer: with a partner.
Q3.
We can use __________ percussion to improvise new melodies.
Correct answer: pitched
unpitched
Q4.
Improvising is creating music as you go along, while composing is writing down music you have thought of before. Which of the following are examples of improvising?
Correct answer: Singing new words to a song in the moment.
Correct answer: Playing the notes in a different order to create a new melody on the spot.
Writing a new song.
Correct answer: Singing or playing a new, in-the-moment, response to a musical call.