Lesson 1: What is Calypso?

Discovering the origins of Calypso music, as well as some of its key features, before performing a Calypso style song.

Learning objective

  • To understand the main features of Calypso music

National curriculum

Pupils should be taught to:

  • Play and perform in solo and ensemble contexts, using their voices (and playing musical instruments) with increasing accuracy, fluency, control and expression
  • Listen with attention to detail and recall sounds with increasing aural memory
  • Appreciate and understand a wide range of high-quality live and recorded music drawn from different traditions and from great composers and musicians
  • Develop an understanding of the history of music

Success criteria

Cross-curricular links

Before the lesson

Attention grabber

Main event

Differentiaion

Pupils needing extra support: Pair these pupils with a more confident talk partner for the questions. Place them nearer more confident singers for the singing.

 

Pupils working at greater depth: Can be encouraged to justify their answers with more depth. Could ‘conduct’ the singing, showing everyone else when to start and stop.

Wrapping up

Assessing pupils' progression and understanding

Vocabulary

Created by:
Elizabeth Stafford,  
Music specialist
After a brief spell as an opera singer, Liz embarked on a 20-year career in music education, teaching at early years, primary and secondary. After Liz had her daughter, she started her own business Music Education Solutions® Limited, helping teachers…
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