NZC — The Arts Phase 1 (Years 0–3)

During Year 1

During Year 2

During Year 3

During Year 1

During Year 2

During Year 3

Elements of music 

• Music is made up of different parts:
  • the elements of music are the “recipe” for a piece of music.
  • the beat of music is a steady pulse.
  • tempo is the speed and can be described as fast or slow.
  • the pitch is how high or low the music is.
  • rhythm can be made up of long/short sounds.
  • the texture is the layers of sound.
  • music has both sound and silence.
  • the rows of a rhythm grid correspond to beat cycles (e.g. four beats in a bar).

• Tempo can change to create different effects.
• Beats can be counted in 2s and 3s.
• Steady beats and strong beats (accents) can be identified in a piece of music.
• Rhythm patterns can be represented using stick notation (crotchets, quavers and crotchet rests) without the need for a staff.
• Dynamics of music is the volume.
• Changes in dynamics are referred to as ‘crescendo’ (getting louder) and ‘diminuendo’ (getting quieter).
• Letter names and solfa represent pitch.
• Pitch goes up and down.

• Dynamic markings represent how music should be played: forte (f) means loud and piano (p) means soft.
• Dynamics and tempo play a key role in creating a musical mood.
• Names for tempo include allegro (fast), adagio (slow).
• Music has phrases (musical sentences), and phrases can sound the same or different.
• Simple harmony can be created using a drone (long, steady note).
• Music can be shaped by different structures: call and response, echo, ostinato.
• The staff is the 5 horizontal lines on which musical notes are written.
• In staff notation:
  • notes on the stave correspond to letters, representing pitch.
  • duration is represented by minims (𝅗𝅥), crotchets (𝅘𝅥) and quavers (𝅘𝅥𝅮, ♫).

• Using body percussion (clapping, stamping, tapping) or body movement to keep a steady beat
• Changing the speed of the beat as the tempo of the music changes
• Recognising how the beats of the music relate to tempo and describing tempo as fast or slow
• Recognising changes in pitch and referring to them as going higher or lower

Teaching considerations:

• Use Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer’s Pirates of the Caribbean to explore the elements of music — the “recipe” that makes up a piece
• Use examples of different tempos (e.g. fast clapping or slow clapping), take turns as a leader
• Use the Kodály method to teach rhythm words like ‘ta titi ta’ to match sounds in words (e.g. ‘apple’ = ti-ti, ‘pear’ = ta)

• Marking the beat of a listening piece by tapping or clapping and recognising tempo as well as changes in tempo
• Grouping beats in 2s and 3s by tapping knees on the first (strongest) beat and clapping the remaining beats
• Identifying beat groupings in familiar music
• Using body percussion to create and perform short repeating patterns 
• Reading and writing stick notation of simple rhythms using crotchets, quavers and crotchet rests) 
• Recognising the use of crescendo and diminuendo

Teaching considerations:

• Use short listening examples and ask guided questions
• Tempo: Compare slow vs fast pieces (e.g. “Adagio for Strings” vs “William Tell Overture”)
• Dynamics: Listen for crescendo and diminuendo (e.g. “Also sprach Zarathustra” opening by Strauss). Have students draw or gesture what they hear — rising lines for crescendos, etc

• Walking, moving or clapping to a steady beat along with music, changing the speed of the beat as the tempo changes
• Reading and clapping rhythms using notation for crotchets, paired quavers, minims
• Layering rhythms (e.g. clapping and stamping at the same time)
• Representing simple tunes (within a range of a 3rd (do-me))

Teaching considerations:

• Explain that phrases in music work like punctuation in language — they give shape and meaning
• Write the lyrics on the board and mark the natural breaks:

🎵 Happy Birthday to you | Happy Birthday to you |
Happy Birthday dear [Name] | Happy Birthday to you!

• Point out that each line feels like a complete musical idea — that’s a phrase

Listening and responding 

• Music can be used to express feelings and tell stories. 
• Music is a part of everyday life in different cultures. 
• Music is an important part of te ao Māori (e.g. waiata, titonga) and are engaged with, with care and respect (kawa, tukanga). 
• Sound can be made in a variety of ways. 
• Sound has natural and human-made sources. 

• Music is a part of everyday life in different cultures and has a variety of purposes in our lives.
• Music can be described using simple words (fast, slow, happy, sad).
• Music can serve purposes such as welcoming, storytelling, or marking events (e.g. waiata, folk songs, national anthem).
• A composer is someone who creates music, and there are well known composers.
• Different objects (e.g. buckets, shells, shakers) make different kinds of sounds.
• Different instruments make different kinds of sounds and can be identified by their sound (e.g. pātē, kōauau, piano, trumpet, violin).
• Music can use different sounds to illustrate feelings and ideas.

• Music has different purposes, such as celebration, communication, and storytelling. 
• Music can represent ideas and places.
• Some instruments in our classroom can be identified by the way they sound (e.g. kōauau and pātē).
• Instruments are grouped into families (e.g. brass, strings, woodwind, percussion, electronic), which have different sounds.
• Simple words can describe what is thought or felt about music.
• Features of waiata (e.g. call and response, repeated phrases) have a role in tukanga.
• Music can be moved to by marching, walking, hopping, and swaying.
• Music can be responded to by:
  • listening and humming to the melody
  • copying short rhythms and melody patterns.

• Sharing music from their lives and cultures 
• Recognising the differences between sounds from natural and human-made sources
• Sharing responses to familiar and unfamiliar music in appropriate contexts
• Listening for high and low sounds around us such as in a soundscape or classroom
• Listening to a simple waiata and responding respectfully (e.g. sitting quietly, joining in actions if appropriate)
• Describing and responding to recorded music using language from the elements of music (e.g. pitch, tempo)

Teaching considerations:

• Explore storytelling through music — the study of Peter and the Wolf — how are instruments and the elements of music used to bring text to life?

• Sharing music and exploring the purposes of music 
• Listening to identify different instruments and sound-making materials (e.g. pātē, kōauau, piano, trumpet, violin, shakers)
• Listening and drawing to show how music makes them feel
• Describing music with simple words such as ‘fast’, ‘slow’, ‘happy’, ‘sad’, and drawing on language from the elements of music

• Recognising and referring to dynamics and tempo, linking their use to the effect on the listener
• Distinguishing instruments from different families (e.g. brass, strings, woodwind, percussion, electronic), by their sounds
• Sharing music and exploring the purposes of music they have experienced in their lives and within their families
• Using simple music words such as pitch, structure, dynamics, and tempo to talk about music
• Sharing what we think or feel about music we hear
• Exploring how sound effects change the feeling or meaning of music

Performing 

Singing

• Singing requires upright posture, breathing, and listening to others.
• Waiata are selected and sung with care and respect as part of tukanga (e.g. appropriate actions and posture).
• The national anthem is sung in te reo Māori and English to show respect and pride for Aotearoa New Zealand.

Playing instruments

• When playing music, students know to follow a sequence of: silence, count in (1,2,3,4), start when 1 returns.
• The symbols within a rhythm grid tell when to strike the instrument (e.g. on the first and third beats of a bar).
• Instruments need to be taken care of, cleaned after use, and put away safely.

Creating and composing

• Improvising and creating music can draw on a range of known short melodic patterns.
• Improvising and creating music can draw on short rhythmic patterns encountered in call and response rhythm games.
• ‘Calls’ and ‘responses’ will usually be the same length.

Singing

• Singing in a group requires singing at the same time, using clear words, and changing volume and pitch.
• Varying breath supports tone and phrasing.
• Leading or joining a waiata can express a genuine and unified commitment to collective learning and kaupapa.

Playing instruments

• Simple songs can be played on musical instruments by using simple rhythm patterns.
• Playing instruments together includes:
  • following signals for start/stop
  • respecting others’ instruments and space.
• Orchestras and choirs are led by a conductor who helps them start and stop together and keep rhythm.

Creating and composing 

• Improvised responses to calls can draw on a wide range of known vocal and rhythmic patterns.
• Musical elements like tempo or dynamics can have an effect on the mood of the listener.
• Silences and rests are musical options to consider in the creative process.

Singing

• Singing can be done individually, in rounds and in part/partner songs.
• Longer phrases require different breath control.
• Warm up before singing includes checking posture, and vocal warm-ups.
• Singing can be done unaccompanied, accompanied, individually, and in unison, with clear words and dynamics.
• Waiata typically feature te reo Māori and familiar melody structures designed for collective use.

Playing instruments

• Techniques to create the sound for chosen letters on a pitched instrument (e.g. which fingers to put down for a ‘B’ on a descant recorder).
• Instruments require specific postures or positions to play.

Creating and composing 

• Melodies are created by combining known note values into patterns.
• Question and answer phrases, ostinato and silence can be used to create music.

Singing

• Singing simple songs or chants, singing with others and at the same pitch
• Adjusting posture before singing (e.g. feet flat, shoulders relaxed)
• Using simple breathing exercises (e.g. smell the flower, blow the candle)
• Imitating accurately in call and response (my turn, your turn)

Playing instruments

• Accurately repeating a simple rhythmic call (my turn, your turn)
• Using percussion instruments to practice a steady beat (pulse)
• Keeping this pulse in time with others
• Matching strikes on untuned percussion to the symbols in rhythm grids
• Playing simple pieces using untuned percussion
• Handling instruments carefully (e.g. two hands, gentle taps)
• Returning instruments to their place

Creating and composing

• Improvising short responses to a vocal or rhythmic call with the metrical support of a metronome or backing track

Teaching considerations:

• STOMP-style Performance — inspired by the famous STOMP group, combining movement, rhythm, and theatre — chairs and movement using Kaboom percussion books.

Singing 

• Singing simple songs in unison with a pitch range of do-so, with accurate pitch
• Singing together and listening for loud/soft sounds using longer breaths for longer notes
• Singing the national anthem in te reo Māori and English to learn the words and sing together with pride

Playing instruments

• Using untuned percussion or single-pitch instrument to create a note at a defined time
• Following stick notation to play simple rhythms
• Combining body percussion patterns such as stamps and claps with waiata or haka to show beat and volume

Creating and composing

• Developing creative responses using pitch: creating short sequences of sound using instruments in response to stimuli

Teaching considerations:

• STOMP-style Performance — inspired by the famous STOMP group, combining movement, rhythm, and theatre — chairs and movement using Kaboom percussion books
• Provide opportunities for students to take turns being a conductor to start and stop class singing or playing

Singing

• Singing songs that have varying styles and structure within a do-so pitch range, with accurate pitch, with expression, and dynamics (piano, forte)
• Singing in rounds or with a partner
• Warming up with jumps in pitch and checking posture
• Using the Do Re system to sing scales
• Breathing at the end of musical sentences to help with phrasing
• Performing a short kapa haka sequence that layers singing, actions

Playing instruments

• Checking how we sit or stand and where we place our hands before playing
• Creating intended sounds at the intended place in the music on a pitched instrument
• Playing a restricted group of notes (3-4) on a pitched instrument
• Using notation as a support to aural knowledge of a melody
• Playing short melodies using 3-4 notes and short phrases 
• Play short melodies with close rhythmic unison with a group, including starting and stopping together

Creating and composing

• Developing creative responses using melody:
  • improvising to create short answer phrases on tuned percussion/pitched instruments
  • using question and answer phrases, alongside ostinato and silence, to create musical responses to a stimulus (e.g. a storm)

During Year 1

During Year 2

During Year 3

During Year 1

During Year 2

During Year 3

Making and creating  

• The visual arts use elements to create pictures: 
  • line — defines shapes, suggests movement, or expresses emotion (e.g. long, short, curved, broken) 
  • shape — organises space, represents form, and can be geometric (circles, squares, triangles) or organic (free-form, natural shapes) 
  • colour — expresses mood or meaning. Primary colours are red, yellow, and blue. Colours vary in tint (light/dark), and intensity (brightness) 
  • texture — how something feels or looks like it feels. Texture connects with sensory experiences and can be actual (tactile — rough, smooth) or visual (suggested through marks or patterns) 
  • mark making — the process of creating lines, dots, patterns, or textures using tools and materials (scribbles, dabs, smudges, strokes), supporting fine motor development and creative expression. 
• Artworks can be created using a variety of materials (e.g. paints, pastels, found objects), tools (e.g. brushes, scissors, sticks), and ways of working and processes (e.g. collage, rubbing, printmaking, 3D sculpture, weaving, carving). 
• Images, symbols, motifs, and patterns reflect people, places, and stories and carry mana by connecting to whānau, culture, and what is important (e.g. identity, ancestry, relationships). 

• Meaning and emphasis are conveyed through principles, such as: 
  • layout — how things are placed in the artwork to show importance and guide the viewer’s eye 
  • scale — changes in size to show importance and represent proximity. 
• Colours can be mixed to make new colours: 
  • secondary colours are made by mixing equal amounts of two primary colours (e.g. red + yellow = orange, red + blue = purple) 
  • complementary colours sit opposite from each other on the colour wheel (e.g. yellow and purple, green and red). 
• Colour can be warm or cool, creating mood and showing distance or focus (e.g. cool blue feels calm and far away, warm yellow feels bright and close). 

• Making artworks to represent subject matter and ideas about their world in realistic, imaginative, or expressive ways through hands-on exploration: 
  • using lines to define shapes, suggest movement, or express emotion 
  • creating geometric and organic shapes to represent different forms and subject matter (e.g. inspired by nature or cultural patterns) 
  • experimenting with colour, including layering colours, creating textural effects, and exploring how changes in colour, tone, and opacity can express mood or meaning  
  • exploring how texture connects to sensory experiences by observing and experimenting with materials (e.g. using natural surfaces and resist techniques, creating texture boards) 
  • exploring mark making using lines, dots, patterns, or textures with different tools (e.g. brushes, sponges, fingers) and materials (e.g. paint, dyes, sponges) 
• Experimenting with a variety of materials, tools, and ways of working to create drawings, paintings, and simple sculptures  
• Creating a pattern using colours, symbols, and shapes to represent important people, places, or things 

• Using visual features to clearly show an idea, feeling, or story (e.g. using symbols, composition, and style to express meaning or cultural identity) by: 
  • using layout and scale to arrange elements to show what is important and guide the viewer’s eye (e.g. making something big and in the middle, or putting it at the front) 
  • mixing primary colours to create new colours, including secondary colours, and exploring their use in different art movements 
  • choosing warm or cool colours to show mood or focus (e.g. use cool blues to suggest distance; use warm yellows to highlight figures) 
  • making choices in colour, shape, and layout to create impact (e.g. using repetition, symmetry, and structure) 

Observing and responding  

• Artworks can be viewed, appreciated, and responded to in different ways by audiences. 
• Artworks can express feelings, ideas, and stories, reflecting the artist’s culture and community and the time in which they are made. 
• Simple descriptive words can be used to talk about their own and others’ artworks (e.g. bright, big, smooth). 

• Details in artworks can be observed and discussed to help understand the meaning. 
• Reflecting on artworks and thinking about what can be changed is an important part of the creative process. 

• Observing artworks in classrooms, homes, and communities in order to share and celebrate the process of making art (e.g. creating a classroom gallery, visiting a local gallery or marae) 
• Using pictures, symbols, or motifs to show people, places, or things that have meaning and mana and are important to them (e.g. whānau, home, nature) 
• Responding to artworks using simple words to describe what they feel, think, or notice (e.g. colours, shapes, textures) 

• Communicating and reflecting on their art-making choices and how their work has changed over time (e.g. talking about colour, symmetry, materials, or patterns they used or adapted)