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  3. Lower key stage 2 >
  4. Year 4 >
  5. Musical motifs: Reading the stave >
  6. Lesson 1: Notes on the stave
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This is preview content for the 2026-27 academic year. Your feedback will help us improve these units.

Learning objective

  • To recognise notes C to G on the stave.

Success criteria

  • I can describe what a stave is and
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National curriculum

Music

Pupils should be taught to:

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Cross-curricular links

British values
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Before the lesson

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Lesson plan

Recap and recall

Remind the class that pitch can move in steps and leaps. Steps move to the next note up or down on the stave, e.g. C, D, E. Leaps skip over one or more notes on the stave, e.g. C, E, G. Show the Presentation: Match the pitch and ask the children to discuss how the…

Learning objective

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Adaptive teaching

Pupils needing extra support:

  • Could take away unnecessary bars (notes) on the glockenspiel.
  • Could use a whiteboard pen to write the name of the notes on their instruments or put a dot on the notes C to G.

Pupils working at greater depth:

  • Should sing along with the notes as they play.
  • Should be the conductor or leader as other children are playing, helping them to follow the music.
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Assessing progress and understanding

Pupils with secure understanding can:

  • Describe what a stave is and how to
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Vocabulary definitions

  • notation

    A written system to represent musical sounds.

  • notes

    A musical symbol that represents a pitch.

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In this unit

Assessment - Music Y4: Musical motifs

Lesson 1: Notes on the stave

Lesson 2: Reading the stave

Lesson 3: What is a motif?

Lesson 4: Composing a motif

Lesson 5: Performing a motif

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Maintained by: Kapow Primary team

Last update: 26th May, 2026

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Assessment – Music Y4: Musical motifs: Reading the stave Previous Lesson
Lesson 2: Reading the stave Next Lesson

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