Ain't no mountain high enough lesson plan - Sing Up

Ain’t no mountain high enoughWRITTEN BY MARTYN SOULSBYKEY STAGE 2 YEAR GROUP: 5SONG BANK LINKSUBJECT LINKSAin’t no mountain high enoughSEAL (Social & Emotional Aspects of Learning)Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson Getting On, Falling OutWeekly Achievement Focus: Being a really good friendDURATION: 45 MINS – 1 HOURLearning objectives• To explore the good qualities of a friend, and to be able torecognise how they can be a good friend to others.• To learn about breathing and sing songs with increasing controlof breath and posture.Resources• Ain’t no mountain high enough - all audio tracks• Ain’t no mountain high enough - optional harmony track• Card/paper• Copies of song lyrics• Interactive whiteboard (IWB), flipchart or dry wipe boardIntroduction• Share the Learning objectives with the children at the start of the session.• Arrange the children in a circle and play a short breathing exercise game. Ask the children to stand tall,knees loose and feet apart. Encourage the children to focus on their classmates opposite or on an objectin the distance.• Explain to the children that they are going to practise breathing.• Remind the children that they should breathe in through their mouths when singing and demonstrate how.• To encourage the children to breathe without raising their shoulders, try the following activity. Ask themto stand in a circle, all facing clockwise and to place their hands gently on the shoulders of the person infront. You count slowly: IN-2-3-4, OUT-2-3-4 and then repeat with your hands by your sides.• After repeating this twice, ask the children if they managed to breathe without letting their shouldersrise.Singing tips• Ask the children to imagine afeather in front of them andthat they are blowing thefeather gently to the person atthe other side of the room. Ifthey blow too hard the featherwill blow off course; too softand it will fall to the ground.They must take a really deepsilent breath and then exhale.Encourage the children to raisetheir hand as they run out ofbreath.• To stop shoulders rising, suggestthat they imagine carrying aheavy bag of shopping in eachhand.Main activity• Display the word ‘friend’ on an Interactive Whiteboard, flipchartor dry wipe board.• In pairs ask the children to think about the things that they lookfor and expect of a friend and then share these as a class. Recordthese on the IWB or flipchart, asking children to clarify theiropinions if appropriate. Which qualities are most common andwhy? Are there any qualities which are a surprise? Are there anyothers which we need to add?• Play the performance track of Ain’t no mountain high enough,asking the children to listen carefully to the words.• Now display the words on the interactive whiteboard (or hand outcopies) and use the echo track with the children. Encouragecorrect breathing.• Ask the children what they think this song is about? Who do youthink it was it written for? What is the main message?• Sing the song again. Use your discretion - the children may needthe echo track again or you may be able to move onto thebacking track. Add the qualities you hear mentioned in the songto the class list you have compiled.Independent activity• Using the card or paper, ask the children to produce a smallillustrated postcard for display, highlighting the different qualitiesthey would look for or expect in a friend. Through discussion,encourage the children to think of times when they would look forthese qualities.• While the children are working, continue to play theaccompaniment quietly in the background. Have copies of thewords around the classroom for the children to refer to.Sing Up, the Music Manifesto National Singing Programme, produced by Youth Music with AMV-BBDO,Faber Music and The Sage Gateshead, supported by Government1

Ain’t no mountain high enoughDifferentiationSupport• Questions or vocabulary prompts.• Children could work in pairs or smallgroups to produce a poster-sizeversion of the postcard together.Extension• Children can use the other side ofthe postcard to complete the flipside of friendship: the qualities theydo not like to see in a friend.Plenary• Children share their postcards with a partner. Askthem to discuss what they think is the mostimportant quality in a friend. Feed back to thewhole group.• Do all friends have all these good qualities?Discuss briefly in small groups and feed back.• Sing the song again as a class and finish with somebreathing exercises.Next steps• The lesson could be repeated again, this time focusing on theharmony track. The children can explore other aspects offriendship, for example falling out and why this happens.• Link to Drama - can the children devise a short piece based on thethemes discussed?Assessment for Learning (AfL)• Peer talk• Self evaluation• Success criteria• QuestioningQuestions linked to SEAL• Why do most people have friends?• What would the world be like if there were no friends?Differentiated success criteriaAll children will: Some children will: A few children will:• Be able to identify the good qualities theylook for in a friend.• Work independently or in small groups toproduce an illustrated postcard showingfriendship qualities.• Debate positive and negative qualitites ina friend.• Sing confidently in tune with an awarenessof breathing.• Talk about friendship in a wider context.Sing Up, the Music Manifesto National Singing Programme, produced by Youth Music with AMV-BBDO,Faber Music and The Sage Gateshead, supported by Government2