Rania Chrysostomou

Lesson Plan for nursery school, 8 – 20 month old, by Rania

Duration: approx 20 minutes

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Aim of Session: feel a steady pulse moving fast, or slow
Skill:  observation, listening to the music, being social, memory, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, spacial awareness, awareness of loudness, confidence
Knowledge: Learn about 2 qualities of sound: loudness and timbre; and 1 element of music: pulse

Description of Session

1. Warm up
2. Move with scarves to slow music
3. Move with scarves to fast music
4. Give small percussion instruments and allow some time for the children to explore them.
5. Drum patterns (PDF download further down): create small 3 beat, 4 beat or 5 beat sequences with the drum where everyone is quiet until the last beat and they make some noise 
6. Sing: Open Shut them – 1st time normal, 2nd time fast, 3rd time quiet
7. Sing: A Sailor went to Sea, sea, sea – 1st time normal, 2nd time slow, 3rd time loud
8. Sing: Roly – Poly – 1st time quiet and fast, 2nd time loud and slow, 3rd time normal but omit the ending of each line.
9. Warm down music and goodbye

Music Suggestions

1. Changing between faster and slower sections:
   Sonata for Alto Saxophone and Harp (movement 1) – Andy Scott performed by Polaris Duo
2. Or try this one, What is joy to you? performed by Polaris Duo again and written by Esther Swift, there are more subtle changes between mellower and more energetic parts
3. Slow music or for calming down music Unicorn in Rainbows by Alison Berry  Listen to Unicorn in Rainbows by Alison Berry on #SoundCloud

Classical music suggestions

1. Fanny Mendelssohn – Piano Sonata in C minor (there are 3 movements that you can use for fast music – presto movement 3 – ; slow – Andante con moto – ; or the Allegro moderato con espressione that has little textural changes

View full lesson plan including tips and explanations, covid-19 tips, and EYFS links Googls Docs here or

© Rania Chrysostomou, 2020, lesson plan for nursery schools music