K/F-2 Integrated English and Music unit: ‘Sing, Play, Learn’

Introduction to unit

This integrated English and music unit targets Foundation students early in their first formal year of education, whilst they are learning and consolidating their alphabetic knowledge. It is anticipated the unit will be taught alongside the school synthetics phonics program, each mutually reinforcing the other. As students learn the alphabetic code, at the same time they are learning about key English and music concepts through quality literature and music.

Sing, play, learn is an integrated English unit that includes content descriptors from Australian Curriculum: English 9.0 Foundation, and the Arts- Music V9 Foundation.  Children have learned through singing and play throughout human history as evidenced by archaeological and cross-cultural records.  

The social and academic skills that music and play brings to children’s learning is well documented (Sandberg & Heden, 2013). Music and play are highly engaging activities in the early reading classroom.  Sing, play, learn is a Foundation unit designed to address S. learning needs early in the first year of formal education, building a love of learning through singing and play, supporting their alphabetic knowledge acquisition, in addition to English and music concepts.

 In English the key concept is perspective. Throughout the unit, we encourage S. to view texts through the lens of their own opinions and those of their peers. S. may have different opinions to their peers, and they need to be able to discuss these differences as perspective shapes what we see in texts and the way we see it. Perspective is the lens through which we see the world and influences how we understand texts.     

 We focus on the elements of music including rhythm, duration, pitch, dynamics, and expression, taught through games and songs that engage, build a love of music and learning and at the same time, assist students in their language and literacy learning through quality literature.

Download the integrated English and music unit here.

Download the accompanying teacher resource folder here.

Godwin, J. & Lester, A. (2020). Sing me the summer. Affirm Press. Main text in unit.


Lorri Beveridge

An educator with a passion for English, early reading and music. A researcher and English consultant supporting teachers and schools.

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K/F-2 Integrated English and Music unit: ‘True or False’