Mixing sounds

In this unit, we will see, hear and learn about a large number of musical instruments from all five continents. This vast musical diversity is a treasure, as it provides us with great cultural wealth.

The teaching unit presented here has been designed according to the syllabus for the area "Art & Music" in year 5 of Primary Education.

Culture is not a closed concept, as it is constantly evolving and continuously being enriched through coexistence with other cultures. Discovering the values and customs of other cultures makes pupils aware of different realities, giving them the opportunity to increase their understanding by observing the similarities and differences between them.

Based on one of the topics studied in this year, namely, the use of musical expression for communicating and describing feelings or situations, we are going to reflect upon how other cultures have an influence on the building of our own, as this exchange helps to develop attitudes of tolerance and respect among pupils, favouring interculturality. - Learn about other musical expressions
- Discover musical instruments
- Understand the importance, richness and value of overcoming the race divide
- Discover, explore and appreciate other cultures through their music
- Musical instruments from other countries and from the Basque Country
- World Music
- Reading comprehension
- Searching for information
- Active listening
- Interest in finding out about the origin of certain musical instruments
- Recognising the value of overcoming the race divide
- Respect and consideration for other people’s opinions
- Appreciate the musical wealth of other cultures and countries
- Enjoying music

Competence in the culture of humanism and art

The activities programmed in this unit help to understand the need for expression and communication through music that is a feature of all societies, and has been since time immemorial.

Through music and musical instruments, pupils will learn about and appreciate the wealth and diversity of different cultures, from those closest to them to those furthest away, from the ones most familiar to them to others that are far removed.

Pupils will be able to identify and enjoy the different sounds they make and the different shapes and materials used to make musical instruments.

Processing information and honing digital skills

Pupils will have a chance to listen to and analyse the sounds produced by different musical instruments.

The preparation of an assignment on their favourite instrument will encourage them to look for information and images.

Learning to learn

Pupils will be able to listen to and experiment with the sounds from different musical instruments, as well as discover the enormous diversity of materials they are made of, and their different shapes and sizes.

These musical instruments will teach them more about Basque culture and the culture of other peoples.

Competence in the culture of science, technology and health.

Pupils will discover and hear different musical instruments from the Basque Country and the rest of the world.

Through observation, experimentation and discovery, pupils will be able to relate the sounds each instrument makes to its name, appearance and place of origin, allowing them to explore and understand other forms of expression.

Competence for personal initiative and independence

Pupils will be asked to identify and select from among all the musical instruments they know the one they like the most, which will help each pupil to make a personal and individual choice.

The outcome of this exercise will be that each pupil accepts those choices different to their own made by each one of their fellow classmates, with their own choice being accepted in turn by the rest of the class.

Social competence and citizenship

Knowing and discovering musical instruments brings the pupils into contact with other ways of understanding and experiencing the world, favouring an acceptance of plurality and an appreciation of the importance, wealth and value of diversity and multiracialism in society.

On the one hand, this competence is reinforced through its contribution to the moulding of each pupil’s individual identity, as each one will choose the instrument they like most and will make a poster that explains their choice. On the other hand, all the finished posters will be used to make a class book, strengthening the identity of group belonging.

In addition to all the above, the preparation of this collective book of instruments will help to develop a sense of cooperation, following rules and instructions, as well as learning to care and preserve this document.

Competence in language communication.

Pupils will be able to read a description of the world’s different instruments as they are presented in the unit, acquiring the vocabulary specific to this topic.

They will subsequently draw up a document describing their favourite instrument, and to do so they will use the terminology related to music and musical instruments, as well as pictures, texts, etc.
Over the course of the unit, pupils will study three values that are closely linked to each other and provide support for social coexistence.

The value of Tolerance, accepting the musical tastes and preferences of all their classmates, and which may be different to their own.

Likewise, and closely linked to the value of tolerance, there is the value of respect, which in this unit means learning through musical instruments to value and appreciate the world’s different cultures.

The value of knowing how to work in a team; in this case to collectively create a book featuring pictures and descriptions of their favourite instruments.