PAGE 1: Overview OVERVIEW ======== A melody is a tune made of pitches one after another. In this sub-strand you will recognise the sol-fa syllables doh, ray and me, written d, r and m, and show them with Kodaly hand signs. You will learn what makes a good short melody, compose one with the rhythms you already know, and model the letters d, r and m in clay using slab and coil techniques. ## Strand 1.0: Creating and Executing Sub-strand 1.5: Melody Suggested lessons: 15 ## What this sub-strand covers • Sol-fa syllables: d r m • Kodaly hand signs for d r m • Qualities of a melody; use of stepwise motion, variation of the sol-fa syllables and sound duration, ending on d • Slab and coil technique ## Source • KICD Grade 4 Creative Arts Curriculum Design (Revised 2024) — Strand 1.0 Creating and Executing, Sub-strand 1.5 Melody ## Learning outcomes By the end of the sub-strand, the learner should be able to: a) identify sol-fa syllables d r m in a simple melody b) interpret hand signs for the sol-fa syllables d r m for pitch discrimination c) state the qualities of a good melody as a foundation to composition d) create short melodies using the sol-fa syllables d, r and m e) model clay slabs with sol-fa syllables using coil and slab techniques f) enjoy creating short melodies and modelling using clay ## Key inquiry questions 1. How can interesting melodies be created? PAGE 2: How we will learn ## Learning experiences • sing familiar songs based on the sol-fa syllables d r m, and identify the sol-fa syllables by ear • listen to and identify aurally and orally the sol-fa pitches (d r m) as sounded on a melodic instrument/voice • watch videos/demonstrations of execution of the Kodaly hand signs for the sol-fa syllables d, r m and practise performing the hand signs • brainstorm on the qualities of a good melody • apply composition techniques to create short melodies based on the sol-fa syllables d r m and the note symbols; crotchet, a pair of quavers and their rests • collect clay for modelling from the local environment • roll clay into slab and cut out three rectangular pieces of three different sizes • model so-lfa syllables (d r m) using coil technique and attach on the slabs ## Core competencies • Creativity and Imagination: The learner uses unique and new ideas to compose melodies and models the sol-fa syllables. • Self-efficacy: The learner models the sol-fa syllables and composes original melodies. ## Values • Unity: The learner works with peers when modelling, creating and performing various melodies. • Love: The learner respects others while critiquing their performances. ## Pertinent and contemporary issues • Life skills: The learner acquires interpersonal skills through interacting with peers in groups as they model sol-fa syllables and create melodies. • Mentorship and peer education: The learner shares their compositions with peers who give feedback for improvement. ## Links to other learning areas • Mathematics: The learner applies the skill of sequencing of sol-fa syllables when creating simple melodies using stepwise motion. PAGE 3: Lesson 1: The sol-fa syllables d, r and m — Notes 1 LESSON 1: THE SOL-FA SYLLABLES D, R AND M ========================================= ## What you will learn • Name the sol-fa syllables d, r and m and say which is lowest and which is highest. • Sing a short pattern on d, r and m. • Point to each syllable when you hear it in a simple tune. Curriculum outcomes: a) identify sol-fa syllables d r m in a simple melody ## Introduction A melody needs names for its pitches, or every note would only be called 'higher' or 'lower'. Sol-fa gives three starting names: d, r and m. ## Notes **Sol-fa** is a way of naming pitches with syllables. In this sub-strand you use only three: - **d** stands for **doh**, the home note and the lowest of the three - **r** stands for **ray**, one step higher than doh - **m** stands for **me**, one step higher than ray, and the highest of the three From low to high the order is d, r, m. From high to low it is m, r, d. If you start on d and walk up one step you reach r. One more step reaches m. These moves to the next syllable are called steps. ### Singing the three pitches Your teacher, or a melodic instrument such as a xylophone or a recorder, will give you a comfortable d. Sing: - d — r — m — r — d Keep d as the lowest sound and m as the highest. If m comes out lower than d, stop and listen again. You can slide your hand upwards as the pitch rises, even before you learn the official hand signs. PAGE 4: Lesson 1: The sol-fa syllables d, r and m — Example 1 ### Finding them in a tune A simple melody using only these syllables might be: d r m r d Sing it slowly. As you sing, point to the letter. Then close your eyes and sing it again from memory. Identifying the syllables means you can name the one you have just heard, not only copy the sound. Many short school songs sit on only a few pitches. When your class sings one that uses d, r and m, listen for the home note at the end. It is often d. Do not force a song that uses many pitches into these three names. If a note sounds lower than d or higher than m, it is outside this lesson. ## Key words • sol-fa — a system of naming pitches with syllables such as doh, ray and me • doh (d) — the home note, the lowest of d, r and m • ray (r) — the pitch one step above doh • me (m) — the pitch one step above ray ## Worked examples ### Example 1 Put d, m and r in order from lowest to highest. Working: 1. d is the lowest. 2. r is one step above d. 3. m is one step above r. Answer: d, r, m ## Worked examples ### Example 2 A tune goes d r m r d. Which syllable is the highest sound? Working: 1. The syllables used are d, r and m. 2. m is the highest of the three. Answer: m ## Activity: Sing and name d, r and m You will need: Voices, A melodic instrument if one is available, Letter cards d, r and m 1. Listen to d, then sing d, r and m upwards and back down. 2. Hold up the matching letter card as the class sings each syllable. 3. Sing the pattern d r m r d and point to each syllable. 4. A partner hums one syllable. You name it d, r or m. 5. Swap roles. ## Practice 1. What do the letters d, r and m stand for? 2. Which of d, r and m is the home note and the lowest? 3. In the tune d r m r d, which two syllables are next to each other as a step up from d? ## Answers to practice 1. doh, ray and me. 2. d (doh). 3. d then r. The next step up is r then m. ## Summary • d, r and m are doh, ray and me. • d is lowest, r is in the middle and m is highest. • You identify them by listening and naming the pitch you hear. PAGE 5: Lesson 2: Identifying d, r and m by ear — Same or different LESSON 2: IDENTIFYING D, R AND M BY EAR ======================================= ## What you will learn • Tell whether a second pitch is the same, a step up or a step down. • Name d, r or m after hearing it on a voice or a melodic instrument. • Find a wrong syllable in a short pattern. Curriculum outcomes: a) identify sol-fa syllables d r m in a simple melody ## Introduction Naming a pitch you can see written down is reading. Naming a pitch you only hear is identifying by ear. That is the skill this lesson trains. ## Notes You will use two kinds of listening. ### Same or different Your teacher sings or plays two sounds. - If the second is the same pitch, say 'same'. - If it moves to the next syllable upwards, say 'step up'. - If it moves to the next syllable downwards, say 'step down'. Examples from d: - d then d is the same - d then r is a step up - r then d is a step down - d then m is a **skip**, because r has been jumped over. You should notice that a skip sounds wider than a step. ### Naming the syllable First the home note d is given, so you have a starting place. Then one pitch is sounded. Match it inside your head to d, r or m before you answer. Strategies that help: - Sing d r m quietly to yourself, then stop on the pitch you heard. - If the sound feels like a resting place, it is often d. - If it feels like the top of the three, it is m. - r sits between them and can feel unfinished. PAGE 6: Lesson 2: Identifying d, r and m by ear — Key words ### A short melody Listen to d r m m r d. Count the syllables: there are six. The pattern steps up, repeats m, then steps down to d. If someone sings d r m r r d, the fourth sound is r, not m. Identifying means catching that difference. Work in a quiet room. Shouting the answer stops other people from hearing the pitch. When you are unsure, ask for the sound again rather than guessing. A second hearing is part of careful listening. Use a voice or a melodic instrument. A drum cannot give d, r and m, because one drum does not play a tune. A xylophone, a recorder or a sung note can. ## Key words • by ear — by listening, without looking at the written notes first • step — a move from one sol-fa syllable to the next, such as d to r • skip — a jump that misses a syllable out, such as d to m ## Worked examples ### Example 1 You hear d, then a higher pitch that is the very next syllable. What is the second pitch? Working: 1. The next syllable above d is r. 2. m would be a skip, not a step. Answer: r ## Worked examples ### Example 2 The pattern was supposed to be d r m r d. You hear d r m m d. Which sound is different? Working: 1. Compare each place: d d, r r, m m, then r against m, then d against d. 2. The fourth syllable was sung m instead of r. Answer: The fourth syllable. It should be r, but m was sounded. PAGE 7: Lesson 2: Identifying d, r and m by ear — Answers to practice ## Activity: Listen and name the pitch You will need: A voice or a melodic instrument, Letter cards d, r and m 1. The teacher gives d, then plays two notes. The class says same, step up, step down or skip. 2. Hide the cards. One pitch is played and you hold up d, r or m after singing the ladder quietly. 3. Listen to d r m r d and raise a hand if a wrong syllable is slipped in on a second hearing. 4. In pairs, hum a syllable and let your partner name it. 5. Talk about which syllable was easiest to recognise. ## Practice 1. What is the difference between a step and a skip? 2. You are given d. The next note is one step down from m. What is it? 3. Why can a single drum not give you the pitches d, r and m? ## Answers to practice 1. A step moves to the next syllable, such as r to m. A skip jumps over a syllable, such as d to m. 2. r 3. A single drum does not play different pitches of a tune. A voice or a melodic instrument can. ## Summary • Use d as home, then decide if the next sound is the same, a step or a skip. • Name the pitch d, r or m after you hear it. • A melodic instrument or a voice can sound these syllables. One drum cannot. PAGE 8: Lesson 3: Kodaly hand signs for d, r and m — The three signs LESSON 3: KODALY HAND SIGNS FOR D, R AND M ========================================== ## What you will learn • Show the hand sign for d, for r and for m. • Place the signs at different heights to show low, middle and high. • Change from one sign to the next as you sing. Curriculum outcomes: b) interpret hand signs for the sol-fa syllables d r m for pitch discrimination ## Introduction Hand signs let a class see a pitch before anyone sings it. Each of d, r and m has its own hand shape, and the height of your hand shows how high the note is. ## Notes Kodaly hand signs are actions for sol-fa syllables. They help you tell pitches apart because your eyes and your muscles join your ears. Watch a demonstration, then copy it slowly. ### The three signs - **d (doh):** make a fist. The palm side faces downwards. Hold this sign low, about at your waist. Doh is home and low. - **r (ray):** hold the hand sloping upwards, about halfway between flat and upright. Keep the fingers together and the palm facing partly down and partly out. Hold this sign higher than doh, about at the lower chest. - **m (me):** hold the hand flat and level, palm facing the floor, fingers together. Hold this sign higher than ray, about at the upper chest. The shape and the height work together. A fist held up at the shoulder is still a confusing sign, because the shape says d but the height says a higher note. Match them: low fist, middle slope, high flat hand. ### Practising the change Sing d r m and change the sign as the pitch changes. The hand should arrive on the new shape as the new syllable starts, not after it. Then sing m r d. The hand comes down as the tune comes home. If your arm gets tired, you are holding the signs too stiffly. The hand is firm enough to be clear, but the shoulder stays relaxed. Use the hand on the side your group can see. PAGE 9: Lesson 3: Kodaly hand signs for d, r and m — Pitch discrimination ### Pitch discrimination Discrimination means telling one pitch from another. When two signs look different and sit at different heights, it is easier to sing different pitches. If you sing m while showing the fist of d, the sign and the voice disagree. Check yourself in pairs: one person watches the hand, the other listens to the voice, and both should agree on the syllable. [DIAGRAM] TYPE: svg ALT: Hand signs rise with the pitch: low fist for d, slope for r, high flat hand for m PAYLOAD: CAPTION: Hand signs rise with the pitch: low fist for d, slope for r, high flat hand for m [/DIAGRAM] ## Key words • Kodaly hand signs — hand shapes and heights that stand for sol-fa syllables • pitch discrimination — telling one pitch apart from another ## Worked examples ### Example 1 Which hand sign is a low fist? Working: 1. d is a fist held low. 2. r is a sloping hand. 3. m is a flat hand held higher. Answer: d ## Worked examples ### Example 2 A learner sings m but shows a flat hand down at the waist. What should change? Working: 1. m uses a flat hand, so the shape can stay. 2. m is the highest of the three, so the hand should be up at the upper chest, not at the waist. Answer: Keep the flat hand but raise it to upper-chest height. ## Activity: Copy the three signs You will need: Space to stand, A demonstration by the teacher or a short video of the hand signs 1. Watch the signs for d, r and m. 2. Make each sign yourself and say the syllable. 3. Sing d r m r d and change signs with the voice. 4. In pairs, check that the fist is low, the slope is in the middle and the flat hand is high. 5. Perform the pattern together as a class. ## Practice 1. Describe the hand sign for d. 2. Describe the hand sign for m. 3. Why do the signs sit at different heights? ## Answers to practice 1. A fist held low, about at the waist, with the palm side facing down. 2. A flat, level hand, palm facing the floor, held high about at the upper chest. 3. The height shows the pitch: d is low, r is in the middle and m is high. ## Summary • d is a low fist, r is a sloping hand, and m is a high flat hand. • Change the sign as you change the syllable. • The sign and the voice should name the same pitch. PAGE 10: Lesson 4: Reading hand signs and singing the pitch — Leader and class LESSON 4: READING HAND SIGNS AND SINGING THE PITCH ================================================== ## What you will learn • Sing the syllable a leader shows with a hand sign. • Show the signs for a melody you hear. • Correct a sign that does not match the pitch. Curriculum outcomes: a) identify sol-fa syllables d r m in a simple melody; b) interpret hand signs for the sol-fa syllables d r m for pitch discrimination ## Introduction Once the signs are clear, they become a way to read a tune in the air. The leader's hand is the music, and your voice answers it. ## Notes Interpreting a hand sign means singing the pitch that the sign stands for. You are discriminating pitches with your eyes and your ears together. ### Leader and class The leader gives d first, with the low fist, so everyone has the home note. Then the leader shows a row of signs without talking. A useful practice row is: - fist low (d) - sloping hand (r) - flat hand high (m) - sloping hand (r) - fist low (d) Sing only after you have seen the shape and the height. If you sing the whole ladder every time, you are not reading; you are reciting. Look, decide, then sing that one syllable. ### The other direction Now the music comes by ear and the signs come from you. A partner sings d r m r d. You show the signs as each pitch arrives. Your partner tells you if a fist appeared on m or a flat hand appeared on d. ### Patterns that test you - d d r m — two homes, then a step, then another step - m r d — walking down to home - d m — this is a skip; the hand jumps from the low fist to the high flat hand and misses out the slope of r Start with stepping patterns. Add a skip only when the steps are secure. ### Working kindly Some voices take longer to match a pitch. The hand sign can still be right while the voice is settling. Praise a correct sign, and let the singer try the pitch again after hearing d. Do not laugh at a voice that slides. Offer the home note once more. That is how a group learns together. PAGE 11: Lesson 4: Reading hand signs and singing the pitch — Example 1 ## Key words • interpret a hand sign — to sing the sol-fa syllable that the hand shape and height stand for • leader — the person who shows the signs or sings the pattern for others to answer ## Worked examples ### Example 1 The leader shows a high flat hand. Which syllable do you sing? Working: 1. A flat hand is the sign for m. 2. Held high, it matches the highest of the three pitches. Answer: m ## Worked examples ### Example 2 You hear r but you show a low fist. What is the mismatch? Working: 1. A low fist means d. 2. r needs the sloping hand at middle height. Answer: The sign says d while the pitch is r. Change to the sloping hand. ## Activity: Signs into sound, sound into signs You will need: Space to see one another's hands 1. The teacher shows d r m r d in signs. The class sings each syllable. 2. In pairs, one learner signs a five-note pattern and the other sings it. 3. Swap: one learner sings and the other signs. 4. Include one pattern that steps and, if you are ready, one skip from d to m. 5. Tell your partner one sign that was clear. ## Practice 1. What should you do before you sing a row of hand signs? 2. Which sign do you show when you hear r? 3. A singer shows the correct sign for m but the voice is still on d. What help is fair? PAGE 12: Lesson 5: Qualities of a good melody ## Answers to practice 1. Listen to or see d first, so you know where the home note is. 2. The sloping hand, held about at the lower chest. 3. Give the home note again and let the singer try m once more. Do not laugh. ## Summary • Sing the syllable that matches the shape and the height of the hand. • Show signs for a tune you hear, starting from a given d. • Help a classmate match the voice to the sign without mockery. LESSON 5: QUALITIES OF A GOOD MELODY ==================================== ## What you will learn • State the qualities of a good melody used in this sub-strand. • Explain stepwise motion, variation and ending on d. • Choose the stronger of two short melodies and give reasons. Curriculum outcomes: c) state the qualities of a good melody as a foundation to composition ## Introduction Three notes can still make a dull tune if they jump about, stay on one syllable or stop in mid-air. A good melody has a shape you can remember and a home note at the end. ## Notes These are the qualities of a good melody for your compositions. ### Stepwise motion Stepwise motion means moving to the next syllable: d to r, r to m, m to r, or r to d. The tune walks. A skip, such as d to m, jumps. You may use a skip sometimes, but the main movement should be by step so the tune is easy to sing. ### Variation of the sol-fa syllables Use d, r and m, not only one of them. A line that stays on d d d d has rhythm but almost no melody. Variation means the pitch changes. You do not have to use all three in every bar, but the whole melody should include more than one syllable. PAGE 13: Lesson 5: Qualities of a good melody — Compare two tunes ### Variation of sound duration Duration means how long a sound lasts. Use the rhythms you know: the crotchet, called taa, and the pair of quavers, called ta-te. A rest may give a short silence. If every syllable is the same length, the melody is flatter than it needs to be. ### Ending on d End on doh. d is home. A melody that stops on r or m can sound as if it has been cut off. The last pitch should be d, and it is strongest when that d is a crotchet, a long note, not a hurried quaver. ### Two melodies - Melody A: d d d d. It ends on d, but there is no variation of pitch or of rhythm. - Melody B: d r m r d, sung as taa, taa, ta-te, taa, taa. Check the joins: d–r is a step, r–m is a step, m–r is a step, r–d is a step. All three syllables appear. The rhythms are not all the same. It ends on d. Melody B is the model of a good short melody. Use Melody B as a test, then write something of your own that still follows the same qualities. ## Key words • melody — a tune made of pitches sounding one after another • stepwise motion — moving to the next sol-fa syllable instead of jumping over one • duration — how long a sound lasts ## Worked examples ### Example 1 Which ending is stronger for a melody in this sub-strand: stopping on m, or stopping on d? Why? Working: 1. A good melody ends on d, the home note. 2. m is the highest syllable and does not sound finished in the same way. Answer: Stopping on d, because d is home and makes the melody feel complete. ## Worked examples ### Example 2 The pitches d m d m are all from the set d, r, m, and the line ends on m. Which qualities are weak? Working: 1. d to m is a skip, not a step, and it happens twice. 2. The line ends on m, not on d. 3. r is never used. Answer: It lacks stepwise motion and it does not end on d. It also leaves out r. ## Activity: Compare two tunes You will need: Two short melodies written in sol-fa on the board, Voices 1. Sing both melodies. 2. In groups, check stepwise motion, whether d, r and m are varied, whether the durations vary, and whether the tune ends on d. 3. Choose the stronger melody and give reasons. 4. Change one weak join in the other melody into a step. 5. Sing the improved version. ## Practice 1. What is stepwise motion? 2. Name the qualities of a good melody in this sub-strand. 3. Why is d d d d a weak melody? PAGE 14: Lesson 6: Creating short melodies ## Answers to practice 1. Moving to the next sol-fa syllable, such as d to r or m to r, instead of jumping. 2. Stepwise motion, variation of the sol-fa syllables, variation of sound duration, and ending on d. 3. The pitch never changes, so there is no variation of sol-fa syllables. ## Summary • Move mostly by step between d, r and m. • Vary the syllables and the note lengths. • End on d. LESSON 6: CREATING SHORT MELODIES ================================= ## What you will learn • Compose a short melody on d, r and m that follows the qualities of a good melody. • Use crotchets, pairs of quavers and rests. • Share the melody and use kind feedback to improve it. Curriculum outcomes: d) create short melodies using the sol-fa syllables d, r and m; f) enjoy creating short melodies and modelling using clay ## Introduction Composing a melody is choosing a path from home and back home. You already know the steps, the hand signs and the rhythms. Now you put them in an order that is yours. ## Notes Keep the melody short. Four or eight pitches are enough. ### A plan that works 1. Start on d so the singers know home. 2. Move by step. From d you can go to r. From r you can go to m or back to d. From m you can come back to r. 3. Use all three syllables somewhere in the piece. 4. Give some syllables the length taa and at least one beat the length ta-te. A rest is allowed if the tune still makes sense. 5. Finish on d, preferably as a crotchet. Here is a model, not a tune to copy: - pitches: d r m r | r m r d - rhythm: taa taa ta-te taa | taa ta-te taa taa Check the model. Every join is a step. d, r and m all appear. Durations vary. The last note is d. Your own melody should make different choices. PAGE 15: Lesson 6: Creating short melodies — Feedback ### Write and sing Write the sol-fa letters in free hand. Under them, write taa or ta-te, or draw the note symbols on a monotone. Sing with the hand signs. If a jump feels awkward, change it to a step. If the ending feels unfinished, check that the last letter is d. ### Feedback Perform for two classmates. They can answer: - Did it move mostly by step? - Did the rhythm vary? - Did it end on d? Listen to their feedback and change one thing if it helps. You may keep a choice you can defend. Thank the listeners. Sharing a new tune takes courage, and careful comments help the next composition. Enjoy the sound of your own melody. A simple tune that is well shaped is better than a long one no one can remember. ## Key words • compose — to create your own melody and write it down • phrase — a short musical idea, here a few sol-fa syllables that belong together ## Worked examples ### Example 1 Improve the ending of the melody d r m r m so that it finishes at home by step. Working: 1. The last sound is m, which is not home. 2. m can step down to r, and r can step down to d. 3. Adding r d gives a stepwise ending on d. Answer: d r m r m r d PAGE 16: Lesson 6: Creating short melodies — Answers to practice ## Worked examples ### Example 2 A melody uses only taa. How can the duration be varied without changing the pitches d r m r d? Working: 1. Variation of duration means mixing note lengths. 2. One beat can become ta-te by repeating a syllable, or one syllable can stay taa while another beat uses two quicker sounds. Answer: Keep the shape but put a ta-te on one beat, for example d r m-m r d, so one beat has two sounds. ## Activity: Compose and share a melody You will need: Exercise book, Pencil, Voices 1. Write a melody of your own on d, r and m, mostly by step, ending on d. 2. Add rhythms using taa, ta-te and a rest if you need one. 3. Sing it with hand signs. 4. Perform for two classmates and ask them to check the ending and the steps. 5. Improve one part if their feedback shows a skip or a weak ending. ## Practice 1. Which sol-fa syllables may you use in this composition? 2. What should the last note be, and why? 3. Name two rhythms from the previous work that you can use for duration. ## Answers to practice 1. d, r and m only. 2. d, because a good melody in this sub-strand ends on the home note. 3. The crotchet (taa) and the pair of quavers (ta-te). A rest may also be used. ## Summary • Start on d, move mostly by step, use r and m as well, and end on d. • Vary the length with taa and ta-te. • Sing it with hand signs and improve it after fair feedback. LESSON 7: CLAY SLABS OF THREE SIZES =================================== ## What you will learn • Collect and prepare clay safely. • Roll an even slab and cut three rectangles of different sizes. • Keep the clay workable for the coil letters. Curriculum outcomes: e) model clay slabs with sol-fa syllables using coil and slab techniques ## Introduction The syllables d, r and m can be seen as well as sung. Clay slabs will become three signs, each a different size, ready for the letters you will add next. ## Notes A **slab** is a flat sheet of clay, like a tile. You will cut three rectangular slabs, each a different size, one for each syllable. PAGE 17: Lesson 7: Clay slabs of three sizes — Rolling the slab ### Collecting clay Use clay from the art room if it is provided. If you collect it, go with your teacher to a place where you are allowed to dig, such as a patch the school has set aside. Take only what the class needs. Do not dig a deep hole, and fill any small hole you make. Remove stones, sticks and leaves. Clay that is full of grit will crack. If the clay is dry, sprinkle on a little water and let it soak. If it is sticky like porridge, leave it spread out until it can be handled. Knead it until it feels even. This kneading is called wedging. It pushes out air bubbles. ### Rolling the slab 1. Work on a clean board or desk covered with a plastic sheet or a large leaf if you have no board. 2. Press the clay flat with your palm. 3. Roll it with a bottle or a rolling pin. Two sticks of the same thickness, placed on either side, stop you rolling one part thinner than the rest. 4. The slab should be about as thick as your little finger, even all over. 5. Cut three rectangles of three different sizes. A blunt knife, a ruler edge or a straight stick can cut clay. The largest slab can stand for m, the highest pitch, the middle size for r, and the smallest for d. That match is a choice you can explain. The design asks for three different sizes; it does not fix which letter is largest, so your group may choose another order if you can say why. 6. Smooth the edges with a damp finger. PAGE 18: Lesson 7: Clay slabs of three sizes — Example 1 ### Care Cover the slabs with a damp cloth or a plastic bag so they do not dry before you add the letters. Wash your hands. Wipe the desk. Clay dust should not be left for the next class to slip on. ## Key words • slab — a flat sheet of clay • wedging — kneading clay to make it even and to push out air • rectangle — a four-sided shape with square corners, which may be longer than it is wide ## Worked examples ### Example 1 One corner of a slab is thin enough to see through and the opposite corner is thick. What caused it, and how can the next slab be even? Working: 1. Uneven pressure makes uneven thickness. 2. Sticks of equal thickness on both sides guide the roller. Answer: The clay was rolled without a guide. Use two sticks of the same thickness beside the clay so the roller stops at the same height. ## Worked examples ### Example 2 The class dug a deep hole at the edge of the field and left it open. What should they do instead? Working: 1. Only a little clay is needed. 2. Holes should be filled so nobody falls and the ground is cared for. Answer: Take only enough clay and fill the hole before leaving. ## Activity: Prepare three slabs You will need: Clay, A board or covered desk, A bottle or rolling pin, Two sticks of equal thickness, A blunt cutter, A damp cloth 1. Collect or receive clay and remove stones and sticks. 2. Wedge the clay until it is even. 3. Roll a slab using guide sticks so the thickness stays the same. 4. Cut three rectangles of different sizes and smooth the edges. 5. Cover them with a damp cloth and clean the working area. ## Practice 1. What is a slab? 2. Why are guide sticks used when rolling a slab? 3. How many slabs do you cut, and what is different about them? 4. Why must the slabs be covered before the next lesson? ## Answers to practice 1. A flat sheet of clay. 2. They keep the slab the same thickness all over. 3. Three slabs, each a different size, for d, r and m. 4. So they stay damp enough for the coil letters to be joined on. ## Summary • Collect only the clay you need and prepare it by wedging. • Roll an even slab and cut three rectangles of different sizes. • Keep the slabs damp and leave the workplace clean. PAGE 19: Lesson 8: Coil letters on the slabs — Shaping the letters LESSON 8: COIL LETTERS ON THE SLABS =================================== ## What you will learn • Roll even clay coils and shape the letters d, r and m. • Join each letter firmly to its slab. • Talk about the clay work and the melodies with appreciation. Curriculum outcomes: e) model clay slabs with sol-fa syllables using coil and slab techniques; f) enjoy creating short melodies and modelling using clay ## Introduction A coil is a rope of clay. Ropes can be bent into letters. Today each slab receives one sol-fa syllable, so your melody has a solid sign you can hold. ## Notes The **coil technique** means rolling clay into ropes and using those ropes to build a form. Here the form is a letter. ### Rolling a coil Take a small piece of clay and roll it under your fingers on the board. Move your hand along the rope so the middle does not get thin while the ends stay fat. The coil should be about as thick as a pencil and long enough for one letter. If it cracks, the clay is too dry: dampen your fingers and roll again. ### Shaping the letters - **d** needs a straight ascender and a round bowl. Join the rope smoothly at the bowl. - **r** needs a short stem and a curved top. Do not make it so thin that it collapses. - **m** needs two arches. Look at the letter from above and check that both sides are similar. Remember your free hand lettering: d has an ascender, r stays nearer the middle, and m is a middle letter with two peaks. The clay letter should still be readable from across the table. PAGE 20: Lesson 8: Coil letters on the slabs — Drying and talking ### Joining the coil to the slab 1. Scratch the back of the letter and the place on the slab where it will sit. Scratching gives the join something to grip. 2. Dab a little watery clay, called slip, or a drop of water, on the scratches. 3. Press the letter on gently. Do not squash the slab out of shape. 4. Smooth the join with a fingertip so the letter will not drop off when it dries. Put d on one slab, r on the second and m on the third. If you chose sizes by pitch, the smallest can carry d and the largest m. ### Drying and talking Leave the slabs in the shade, uncovered once the letters are firm. Harsh sun can crack them. Do not fire them unless your teacher has a kiln and says to. Air drying is enough for this work. Then sing a short melody and point to the clay letters as you sing d, r and m. Tell a classmate one thing you like about their letters, such as an even coil or a clear shape. Enjoy both parts of the lesson: the tune you made and the clay you can see. Creating does not live only in sound or only in a picture. Here the same three syllables do both. ## Key words • coil — a rope of clay rolled under the fingers • slip — watery clay used like glue to join clay pieces • score — to scratch a clay surface so another piece will stick ## Worked examples ### Example 1 A coil letter falls off the slab as it dries. What was missing in the join? Working: 1. Clay sticks better if both surfaces are scratched. 2. Slip or a little water helps the join, and the letter must be pressed on and smoothed. Answer: The surfaces should have been scratched, dampened with slip or water, pressed together and smoothed. ## Worked examples ### Example 2 The letter m looks like a wavy line with three peaks. How can it be corrected while the clay is soft? Working: 1. m has two arches. 2. Extra clay can be lifted away and the coil pressed into two clear peaks. Answer: Reshape the coil into two arches so the letter reads as m. PAGE 21: Revision quiz ## Activity: Model d, r and m You will need: The three damp slabs, Clay for coils, A little water or slip, A pointed stick for scratching 1. Roll three even coils. 2. Shape the letters d, r and m. 3. Scratch, slip and press each letter onto its own slab. 4. Set the work in the shade to dry. 5. Sing your short melody and point to the clay syllables. Give one kind comment on a classmate's letters. ## Practice 1. What is the coil technique? 2. How do you join a coil letter to a slab? 3. Why dry the slabs in the shade? 4. How do the clay letters and the melody belong together? ## Answers to practice 1. Rolling clay into ropes and using the ropes to model a form, here the letters d, r and m. 2. Scratch both surfaces, add a little slip or water, press the letter on and smooth the join. 3. Harsh sun can crack the clay. Slow drying in the shade is safer. 4. Both use the syllables d, r and m. You can point to the letters as you sing the tune. ## Summary • Roll even coils and shape readable letters d, r and m. • Join them to the three slabs with scratches and slip. • Dry the work slowly, sing the melody and appreciate both. REVISION QUIZ ============= Answer all the questions, then mark yourself on the Answers tab. 1. Which order is correct from lowest to highest? A. m r d B. r m d C. d r m D. m d r 2. You hear d and then the next syllable up. Which pitch is the second sound? A. d B. r C. m D. a rest 3. What is a skip? 4. Which hand sign stands for d? A. A high flat hand B. A sloping hand at the chest C. A low fist D. Two open palms 5. How is m shown with a Kodaly hand sign? 6. A leader shows a sloping hand at lower-chest height. Which syllable do you sing? A. d B. r C. m D. s 7. Which of these is a quality of a good melody in this sub-strand? A. Ending on m B. Using only jumps C. Ending on d D. Staying on one syllable 8. What is stepwise motion? 9. Which melody best matches the qualities you have learned? A. d d d d B. d m d m C. m r d r m D. d r m r d 10. Which rhythms can vary the duration of your melody? 11. How are the coil letters joined to the slabs? A. By baking them in the sun at once B. By scratching, adding slip or water, and pressing C. By tying them with string D. By painting them on 12. Why make clay letters of d, r and m as well as singing them? PAGE 22: Quiz answers ANSWERS ======= 1. C. d r m d is home and lowest, r is one step up, and m is one step above r. 2. B. r The next step above d is r. m would be a skip. 3. A jump that misses out a syllable, such as d to m. A step moves only to the next syllable. d to m jumps over r. 4. C. A low fist Doh is shown by a fist held low, about at the waist. 5. With a flat, level hand, palm facing the floor, held high about at the upper chest. The flat shape and the high position together show me, the highest of the three pitches. 6. B. r The sloping hand is the sign for r. 7. C. Ending on d A good melody ends on d, the home note. 8. Moving to the next sol-fa syllable, such as d to r or r to m. Stepwise motion walks from note to note instead of skipping. 9. D. d r m r d d r m r d moves by step, uses all three syllables and ends on d. 10. The crotchet (taa), a pair of quavers (ta-te) and their rests. Duration is varied by mixing these note lengths, which were learned with rhythm. 11. B. By scratching, adding slip or water, and pressing Scoring and slip make a firm join between the coil letter and the slab. 12. The same syllables can be heard in a melody and seen on the slabs, so creating happens in sound and in clay. The sub-strand asks learners to enjoy both composing short melodies and modelling with clay.