Feeling the pulse in music with a fast or slow tempo
I can describe the tempo of the music as fast, slow or steady.
Feeling the pulse in music with a fast or slow tempo
I can describe the tempo of the music as fast, slow or steady.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- We can sing slowly and quickly and know that we are thinking about the tempo of the music.
- We can describe the tempo of the music, for example, the song has a fast tempo.
- The same piece of music can be performed at different speeds. It can be played or sung at a slow tempo or a fast tempo.
Keywords
Pulse - the regular steady heartbeat of the music
Beat - the playing or showing of the steady pulse, like the ticking of a clock
Tempo - how fast or slow the music is played
Common misconception
Pulse and beat are the same thing.
Pulse is the underlying feeling of uniformed beats - it is the heartbeat of the music. When organised into metres, we then feel it as beats e.g. counting 1,2,3 1,2,3.
To help you plan your year 1 music lesson on: Feeling the pulse in music with a fast or slow tempo, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 1 music lesson on: Feeling the pulse in music with a fast or slow tempo, 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 Music and movement: feeling the pulse and changing the tempo unit, dive into the full secondary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
ball, space to move
Licence
Lesson video
Starter quiz
4 Questions
Exit quiz
4 Questions
