1. Subjects >
  2. Music >
  3. Key stage 2 >
  4. Year 4 >
  5. Adapting and transposing motifs (Theme: Romans) >
  6. Lesson 3: Motifs and mosaics

Learning objective

  • To compose and notate a motif.

Success criteria

  • I can compose a motif.
  • I can use graphic
Lock

This content is for subscribers only. Join for access today.

Join Log in

National curriculum

Music

Pupils should be taught to:

  • Improvise
Lock

This content is for subscribers only. Join for access today.

Join Log in

Cross-curricular links

None.

Lock

This content is for subscribers only. Join for access today.

Join Log in

Before the lesson

Lock

This content is for subscribers only. Join for access today.

Join Log in

Lesson plan

Recap and recall

Display the Presentation: Agree or disagree? and use it to recap the learning from the previous lesson.

Learning objective

Lock

This content is for subscribers only. Join for access today.

Join Log in
Extended-mode explainer videos

How to extend your display to view the lesson page and presentation mode simultaneously. Choose your operating system below to watch the video

Mac

Windows

If you need further support with extending your display,
please contact [email protected].

Extended-mode explainer video: For Mac

Extended-mode explainer video: For Windows

Adaptive teaching

Pupils needing extra support

Could work as part of a guided group or start by using an example motif and adapting it slightly to make it their own rather than starting from scratch.

Pupils working at greater depth

Should use the Activity: Mosaic motif extension.

Lock

This content is for subscribers only. Join for access today.

Join Log in

Assessing progress and understanding

Pupils with secure understanding indicated by: creating and performing a motif, notating

Lock

This content is for subscribers only. Join for access today.

Join Log in

Vocabulary definitions

  • beat

    The steady 'heartbeat' of the music.

  • dotted minim

    A note that lasts for three beats.

Lock

This content is for subscribers only. Join for access today.

Join Log in

In this unit

Assessment - Music Y4: motifs

Lesson 1: Here come the Romans

Lesson 2: Musical motifs

Lesson 3: Motifs and mosaics

Lesson 4: Motif development

Lesson 5: Combine and perform

Originally created by:

Elizabeth Stafford

Music specialist

Image Specialists 12
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 across the UK…
Find out more
Image Specialists 12

Maintained by: Kapow Primary team

Last update: 12th October, 2025

_
Lesson 2: Musical motifs Previous Lesson
Lesson 4: Motif development Next Lesson

Related content

Kapow logo
Music
Lesson 4: Motif development

Experimenting with rhythm, note order and even the notes themselves, developing the motifs from the...

View
Kapow logo
Music
Lesson 5: Combine and perform

Combining different motif versions and performing these to the rest of the class.

View
Kapow logo
Music
Lesson 2: Musical motifs

Learning what a motif is and how to identify one, playing and incorporating motifs into...

View
Kapow logo
Music
Lesson 1: Here come the Romans

Singing Roman-themed vocal warm-ups and learning the Road building song through call and response.

View
Please don’t screenshot or copy images from this page.
Kapow Primary resources are created by teachers and protected by copyright. Copying images or slides into your own presentations (for example using the Snipping Tool) counts as reproducing the resource and isn’t permitted under the Kapow licence.
This resource is being accessed through your school’s Kapow licence.
Thank you for respecting the work of the teachers who create these materials.