Key Stage 2 Unit 5 - Ancient Egypt

Learning, Listening, Composing & Evaluating Activities

Starter & Plenary Activities

Supporting Activities - Cover & Homework

Exploring Dynamics, Texture & The Harmonic Minor Scale

This unit contains a variety of ideas suitable for KS2 classes that wish to link their music with the history unit based on Ancient Egypt.  The activities all have a clear music focus and draw upon a history element as a starting point or stimulus.  Unlike other KS2 units, this unit does not attempt to explore music of the time, since at KS2 level, the historian would be relying heavily on supposition based upon wall paintings, artefacts and such like to ascertain what the music may or may not have sounded like!  Rather, the activities open up opportunities for the creation of pupil’s own music as a response to some of the stimuli associated with Ancient Egypt.  The unit begins with a focus on two elements of music - dynamics and texture which are explored using graphic scores in the shape of an Egyptian pyramid.  Pupils identify dynamics and texture and gradual changes within these two musical elements through listening, performing and composing and learn about the musical symbols used to show dynamics.  Pupils are then introduced to the harmonic minor scale with its characteristic “middle eastern” sound, exploring this through singing a round, accompanied by chords and ostinati patterns, towards a class performance, before listening to a range of “Egyptian-inspired” music.  The unit ends with a totally optional, but fun, activity exploring Ancient Egyptian dance and hand clapping to the popular song “Walk Like an Egyptian”.

Element Focus - Rhythm, Texture, Timbre & Dynamics, Melody & Harmony

Performing Activities - Songs & Scores

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