Important update!
This unit offers a preview of our enhanced Key stage 2 Music curriculum for 2026–2027.
Please note: some audio recordings are currently in draft form and will be updated before September 2026.
Explore the Music long-term plan for 2026–2027. More preview units coming soon!
Unit outcomes
Pupils who are secure will be able to:
- Recognise and describe the sound of some common Indian instruments.
- Explain what is meant by improvisation.
- Improvise by changing the order of notes or adding silence.
- Improvise using five notes and change the order.
- Create a 4-beat rhythmic pattern, using three different sounds.
- Create a drone sound using a variety of instruments or objects.
- Explain what musical contrast is.
- Change the dynamics, tempo or rhythm in a piece of music to show a clear beginning, middle and end, and share ideas in a group.
- Contribute their musical ideas to the group to enhance the performance.
- Improvise to just one section (beginning, middle or end).
Suggested prior learning
Instruments (Theme: Musical storytelling)
This assumes that you are following Kapow Primary’s Music Long-term plan – standard.
Teacher video: Musical improvisations unit overview
Lesson 1: Introduction to traditional Indian music
Lesson 2: Improvising a melody
Lesson 3: Exploring drone and tala sounds
Lesson 4: Musical stories
Lesson 5: Practise and perform
Key skills
Listening and evaluating
- Developing an
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Key knowledge
Listening and evaluating
To know:
- Music
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Key vocabulary
drone
dynamics
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Related content
Unit resources
Knowledge organiser – Music Y3: Inspired by India: Musical improvisations
Aimed at pupils, a single page which gives key facts and definitions from the unit Traditional instruments & improvisation.
Vocabulary display – Music Y3: Inspired by India: Musical improvisations
A display version of the vocabulary from the unit 'Inspired by India: Musical improvisations'.
Cross-curricular opportunities
Geography: Locational knowledge; Human and physical geography.
English: Spoken language.
British values: Mutual respect; Democracy.