Words Are Ours (getting started exercise)^©

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Words Are Ours (getting started exercise)

How to use this Warm Up
Warm up info and tags
Teaching Song Guides

- Read through the lyrics and highlight the most important words; remember there is no definitive answer!
- Discuss ‘diction’ – the clear and meaningful enunciation of words so that they may be heard and understood. Say a word from the lyrics (eg. ‘places’) and ask the children to copy your diction. Experiment with effective and ineffective pronunciation.
- Whisper a series of unvoiced ‘p’ sounds: ‘p … p … p … p …’ etc. Encourage children to join in, perhaps as a rhythmic call and response. Can they feel how the flow of air is propelled through the lips? Discuss how the function of the consonant is to drive the airflow forward. Repeat this idea with the other consonant phonemes from ‘places’ (‘l’, ‘s’ and ‘z’).
- Set a steady pulse and teach Part 2 to the whole group:
  
  Places, flowers, names are ours.
- Try to keep the rhythms accurate, with the words pronounced as clearly as possible and with crisp consonants. Focus on how the airflow is stopped, started and regulated by use of lips, teeth, palate, throat, etc.
- Then teach Part 1:
  
  The names of, the names of, the names of, words.
- Split into two groups and chant bars 1-4 in two parts, each group trying to be as clear as possible. Make it a competition – which group has the best diction? (Make sure it’s not a volume competition!) Challenge them to make it sound as if it’s just one part.
- Remember – phrases from later in the song can be given the same treatment, and you could try adding the pitches as well. Have a listen to the audio track for more ideas.
This preparatory activity focuses on clear, communicative diction. Click here for materials for Words Are Ours, our setting of the poem donated by Michael Rosen (Children's Laureate from 2007-2009) to the National Year of Reading 2008.

Digital Songbook/Song Bank Song Bank

Key stage KS2

Year group 5, 6

Subject English, Music

Style Rap and Chant

Musical format Unaccompanied
- Words are ours (getting started exercise) (notes and activities)

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All copyright music in the Sing Up programme is used by permission. The songwriters and/or copyright holders have been remunerated under due licensing arrangements. Find out more about copyright by visiting the UK Music and Sound Rights websites.

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Comments about Words Are Ours (getting started exercise)

I keep looking but can't find anything beyond the first phrase. Perhaps the rest of the lyrics might be in a Micheal Rosen book somewhere? (Love him, he's fab!) Shame the melody isn't given for the children to follow... or is it hiding?

The Sing Up Team Report this comment

Posted 1st Sep 2011 04:29

Hi Miss Spicer,

You'll find the lyrics and the accompanying score on this page under the heading 'Lyrics/Song Sheets'. They're laid out this way so that you can encourage students to follow the musical score along with the words they're singing. Hope this helps - let us know if you have any further trouble!