Music and Movement Unit Outline

5 Cheeky Monkeys Music and Movement

Experiences for 4-5 year old children

(Image retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/551339179360958769/)

Activity 1: Singing 5 Cheeky Monkeys Swinging in a Tree.

Time: 10-15 minutes

Learning Outcome: Students to learn the lyrics and basic tune of 5 Cheeky Monkeys

Lesson: Sing the song through and then break the song down into sections (EYLF Outcome
5.1 [Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) 2009]). Have
discussions about how students think each section should be sung and at what speed. Guide
children’s guesses to ensure they feel confident and supported in their learning (EYLF
Outcome 1.1 [DEEWR, 2009]). Model the right tune and get students to sing in the right
tune of each section before moving on to the next. Children will work towards singing all
parts together at the right tune with the children. Differentiate expectations appropriately
on abilities. Get students to sing the song without your guidance at the end and provide
feedback to them.

Evidence of learning: Students develop and use language through song. Students can
demonstrate the lyrics and basic tune to the song. Students feel supported in their learning.
Activity 2: Introducing bongo drums.

Time: 10-15 minutes

Learning Outcome: Students to have learnt the basic movements to drum on bongo drums.

Lesson: Give each student a drum and demonstrate how to drum on these accurately. Next
show students how to make different sounds with their hands. Discuss the beats and get
students to copy you drumming fast, slow and making a rhythm. Use the drums to count to
the beat. Empower students to show you their knowledge by playing games where they can
demonstrate their skills such as switching between fast and slow, loud and quiet for
example (EYLF Outcome 1.1 & 4.2, [DEEWR, 2009]). Allow students to attempt to drum to
the beat of a song or your made up beat first and then guide them to match the beat.
Provide students with positive and constructive feedback. Extend students who have
demonstrated high levels of skills and adjust expectations to the level of children’s abilities.

Evidence of learning: Students will learn what a beat is and the basics of what is needed to
make a beat on a bongo drum. Students will explore tempo and have opportunities to
express themselves creatively on the bongos.

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Activity 3: Drumming to 5 Cheeky Monkeys.

Time: (15-20 minutes)

Learning outcome: Students will learn how to play the basic beat to 5 Cheeky Monkeys.

Lesson: Have discussions on what beat the children think each section of the song is.
Encourage students to reflect and remember what a fast and slow beat looks like and let
children explore these in fun and guided ways (EYLF Outcome 4.3 [DEEWR, 2009]). Next
teach the students how to correctly follow the beat of the 5 cheeky monkey song. Break the
song down in to sections and encourage all students who are attempting whether they are
correct or not, offer gentle guidance to assist them in doing it correctly.

Evidence of learning: Students will have engaged with and learnt the basic beat to the 5
Cheeky Monkey’s song. Students feel confident in their knowledge and abilities.
Activity 4: Let’s pretend to be animals.

Time: 10-15 minutes

Learning Outcome: Students to identify the actions of animals and work collaboratively to
decide which ones will be used in the performance.

Lesson: Get children to act out a range of animals including monkeys and crocodiles. Allow
students to act it how however they please and ask questions to guide them to the correct
actions. Get the class to choose one child’s monkey and one child’s crocodile move to
incorporate into the activity and get everyone to practice these. Get students to act like a
cheeky/teasing monkey and chose one students’ action to include. Next sing 5 cheeky
monkeys with the students using the actions chosen earlier. Ask students how many
monkeys and crocodiles there are then have 5 students line up to be the monkeys and one
to be a crocodile (EYLF Outcome 5.1 & 5.2 [DEEWR]). Go through the song with these
students doing the actions, have multiple groups so all students can be involved.

Evidence of learning: Students will have shown the ability to identify animal actions as well
as contributed and learnt the actions to the song. Students will have worked effectively to
select the actions developing awareness of other student’s emotions and fairness.

Activity 5: Whole class performance.

Time: 20-25 minutes

Learning outcome: For all students to work collaboratively in creating a performance to

show others.

Lesson: Assist the class to select 5 students to be the monkeys and 1 to be the crocodile. If
students struggle to decide about who is doing what, draw names out of a hat to be more
inclusive (EYLF Outcome 1.2, 1.4, 2.3 & 3.1 [DEEWR, 2009]). Have the other students playing
a bongo drum each. Put all prior knowledge learnt in the previous lessons to use to create a
whole class performance of the song. Practice it all together multiple times, let the students
do it on their own without guidance and provide feedback for improvement. Once the class
identifies they have done the song well, invite another class or other teachers to the room
to watch the performance (EYLF Outcome 1.3, 2.1, 4.1 & 5.1 [DEEWR, 2009]).

Evidence of learning: Students demonstrate through performance their knowledge of the

beat, actions and lyrics to 5 Cheeky Monkeys. All students should all feel confident, included
and capable to do this.