SUBJECT: Vocational Aptitude

CLASS: Primary 1

TERM: First Term

WEEK: 6

AGE: 5 – 6 years

TOPIC: The Importance of Music

DURATION: 40 minutes

---

BEHAVIOURAL OBJECTIVES

By the end of this lesson, the pupils should be able to:

1. Say what music means in their own words.

2. Mention at least three ways music is useful in everyday life.

3. Identify different occasions where music is used.

4. Participate in singing a familiar local song.

---

KEYWORDS:

Music, sing, drum, dance, joy, learn

---

SET INDUCTION 

Teacher (cupping her ear): “Shhh… children, listen carefully. What’s that sound outside the window?”
Pupil A (eyes wide): “Ma! It’s someone beating drum o!”
Pupil B (starts shaking his waist): “I can dance it, ma. Look!”
Teacher (smiling): “Ah, look at you all! That’s the power of music—it calls to our body, our heart, and even our memories. Today, let’s uncover the magic music brings to our world.”

---

ENTRY BEHAVIOUR

Most pupils have heard music at home, on radio, during church/mosque services, parties, or even from their neighbours’ phone speakers. They already react to rhythm and sound, often unconsciously.

---

LEARNING MATERIALS & INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

• Local instruments (drum, tambourine, shaker)

• Audio of local children’s songs

• Picture cards of music scenes

• Poster of a choir singing or drummers performing

---

BUILDING BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE 

Ask pupils:

• “Have you ever danced at a birthday party?”

• “Who sings lullabies at home when it’s bedtime?”
  Explain that music is all around us. It helps us learn, express ourselves, and enjoy life. Even clapping in rhythm or humming quietly is music.

---

EMBEDDED CORE SKILLS

• Emotional expression

• Listening and attention

• Cultural understanding

• Creativity

• Group participation

---

MAIN CONTENT

What Is Music?

Music is a special sound made with voices, instruments, or even hands that makes people feel something—joy, peace, excitement, or even calm.

---

Why Music Is Important

Let’s walk through some real-life ways music shapes our lives:

1. Music makes us happy: Ever seen a baby dance? Music lifts our spirits—even without words.

2. It helps us learn: Songs help us remember things. That’s why we sing ABCs and number rhymes.

3. We use music in celebrations: No party is complete without music. It brings life to the moment.

4. We worship with music: Every prayer service, whether Christian or Muslim, includes songs or chants.

5. Music brings people together: Singing as a group builds unity—just like our morning assembly.

6. It helps us relax: Gentle music can calm our minds after a busy day.

7. Music expresses how we feel: Happy songs, sad songs, love songs—they all speak our hearts.

---

STORYTIME WITH A MESSAGE

In a small town near Ibadan, a quiet girl named Zainab loved hiding in corners. But each time the village band practiced, she would step out and sway gently. One day, the drummer was sick. Zainab surprised everyone by taking his place and beating perfect rhythm. That day, they discovered her gift—and Zainab found her voice.

Moral: Music can uncover hidden gifts.

---

Evaluation

Part A: 10 Fill-in-the-Blank Objective Questions

(Choose the correct answer from options a, b, c, or d)

1. Music helps us to feel ______ when we are sad.
   a) angry
   b) sleepy
   c) happy
   d) sick

2. We can make music by using our ______.
   a) mouth
   b) hands
   c) legs
   d) ears

3. A song that helps us learn the alphabet is called a ______.
   a) cartoon
   b) rhyme
   c) book
   d) movie

4. We sing and dance to music during ______.
   a) fighting
   b) cleaning
   c) parties
   d) exams

5. One instrument we beat with our hands is the ______.
   a) whistle
   b) flute
   c) drum
   d) bell

6. Music is also used to pray and worship in the ______.
   a) kitchen
   b) bathroom
   c) mosque
   d) market

7. When people hear music, they often want to ______.
   a) sleep
   b) cry
   c) dance
   d) read

8. Music can help us remember what we ______.
   a) eat
   b) learn
   c) buy
   d) draw

9. People who make music are called ______.
   a) dancers
   b) musicians
   c) tailors
   d) bakers

10. Music can be made with voices and ______.
    a) books
    b) pencils
    c) instruments
    d) shoes

---

Part B: 10 Class Discussion FAQs 

1. Teacher: “What’s the first song you learned as a baby?”
   Pupil: “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, ma!”

2. Teacher: “Who sings to you when you’re crying at home?”
   Pupil: “My mummy, she sings soft-soft songs.”

3. Teacher: “What do you feel when music plays during church or mosque?”
   Pupil: “I feel happy and clap my hands, ma.”

4. Teacher: “Can music help us learn things?”
   Pupil: “Yes ma! I sing ABC to remember it.”

5. Teacher: “Can anybody make music?”
   Pupil: “Yes! Even small baby can sing.”

6. Teacher: “Is music only for parties?”
   Pupil: “No ma. We sing in school and when we march.”

7. Teacher: “What’s your favourite music instrument?”
   Pupil: “I like drum. It goes gbam gbam gbam!”

8. Teacher: “When you hear music, what do you want to do?”
   Pupil: “I want to dance and jump like this!”

9. Teacher: “Do we use music in school?”
   Pupil: “Yes ma! During assembly and break time.”

10. Teacher: “If there’s no music, how would life feel?”
    Pupil: “Boring o, very dry like garri without sugar.”

---

Part C: 10 Evaluation Theory Questions

1. What is music in your own words?

2. Mention two places where we hear music.

3. Say two things music helps us to do.

4. Mention one musical instrument you have seen.

5. What happens when you hear a drum beating?

6. Can music help us feel better when we’re sad? Explain.

7. Name one song you like and why.

8. Do we use music when we pray? How?

9. What would happen if there was no music in the world?

10. Describe how you feel when singing with your classmates.

 

ASSESSMENT

• Observation: Pupils respond to music rhythm

• Class activity: Clap or dance to a beat

• Oral questions and flashcard matching

• Pupils sing familiar songs together

---

CONCLUSION (Spoken from the Heart)

“Music, my dear children, is more than just sound—it’s part of our joy, our stories, our worship, and our learning. The next time you hear music, don’t just dance—listen with your heart. There’s a message in every melody.”

Part A: Answers & Explanations (Objective Questions)

1. Answer: c) happy
   Music lifts our mood when we’re feeling sad. It can make us smile or even dance!

2. Answer: b) hands
   We clap or beat drums with our hands—music starts with movement!

3. Answer: b) rhyme
   Rhymes like the ABC song help children remember letters and sounds easily.

4. Answer: c) parties
   Parties without music? Never! We sing and dance during celebrations.

5. Answer: c) drum
   Drums are played with hands and make strong, loud sounds. Kids love them.

6. Answer: c) mosque
   Both churches and mosques use music or chanting to pray or worship.

7. Answer: c) dance
   Music naturally makes us want to move our bodies and express joy.

8. Answer: b) learn
   Songs help us remember lessons—ever heard the times table song? It works!

9. Answer: b) musicians
   People who create music, sing or play instruments are called musicians.

10. Answer: c) instruments
    Guitars, drums, flutes, and pianos are examples of musical instruments.

---

Part B: FAQ Deep Dive (With Learner-Friendly Explanations)

1. Why do children remember their first songs?
   – Because music and rhythm are tied to memory. Simple tunes stick easily in young minds.

2. Why do parents sing to children?
   – Singing calms, soothes, and builds emotional bonding. It also aids language learning.

3. How does music help in worship?
   – It expresses feelings we can’t put into words—reverence, joy, sorrow, gratitude.

4. Why do we use songs in teaching?
   – Because it’s easier and more fun to remember things in song form than plain speech.

5. Can anyone make music?
   – Absolutely! Every human has a voice or rhythm—music is universal.

6. Is music for only fun times?
   – No. It’s also used in school, learning, worship, and even healing.

7. Why do children love drums?
   – Because of their deep, vibrating sound and physical interaction (hitting = fun!).

8. Why do we want to move when we hear music?
   – Music activates motor parts of our brain. It invites our body to respond.

9. How does school use music?
   – Assemblies, marching, classroom transitions, and celebrations all use music.

10. What would life be like without music?
    – Dull, less expressive, and emotionally cold. Music colours our world.

---

Part C: Suggested Answers (Evaluation Theory)

1. What is music in your own words?
   Music is sound we enjoy. It can be singing, clapping, or playing instruments.

2. Mention two places where we hear music.
   Church and birthday parties.

3. Say two things music helps us to do.
   It helps us to be happy and to learn.

4. Mention one musical instrument you have seen.
   I have seen a drum.

5. What happens when you hear a drum beating?
   I want to dance or move my body.

6. Can music help us feel better when we’re sad?
   Yes. A sweet song can make us smile again.

7. Name one song you like and why.
   I like “Baa Baa Black Sheep” because it’s fun to sing.

8. Do we use music when we pray? How?
   Yes, we sing worship songs or hymns in church.

9. What would happen if there was no music in the world?
   Life would be boring. There would be no singing or dancing.

10. Describe how you feel when singing with your classmates.
    I feel happy, excited, and like a big family.