Assessment 8
PORTFOLIO EXAMINATION
Due 5 September 2025
,LSP1501
Assessment 8: PORTFOLIO
Examination
Due 5 September 2025
Life Skills: Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Music and Physical Education in
Foundation Phase
SECTION A — MUSIC, DANCE & DRAMA
Activity 1 — Part 1
Question 1.1
Name two ways toddlers develop their musical skills according to researchers. (2)
Entrainment to beat and rhythm — toddlers gradually develop the ability to align their
movements with steady beats and rhythmic pulses (e.g., clapping, swaying, rocking).
Repeated exposure to rhythm-rich contexts such as nursery rhymes and chants
strengthens auditory-motor synchronisation.
Vocal exploration and imitation — young children experiment with pitch, tone, and
melodic contour by imitating caregivers’ singing and exploring their own vocal range.
This includes babbling-like singing, call-and-response games, and echo songs, which
scaffold early melodic awareness.
,Question 1.2
Discuss how music can support the development of other learning areas such as
numeracy and literacy, in the Foundation Phase. Provide examples from your teaching
experience or observations. (6)
Answer 1.2 — Refined expert guidance:
Literacy connections
• Phonological awareness: Nursery rhymes and rhythmic chants highlight syllables
and sounds, strengthening listening and segmentation skills (e.g., clapping
syllables in “ap-ple”).
• Vocabulary and narrative: Story-based songs expose learners to new words and
sequencing structures (e.g., “The Farmer in the Dell”), allowing opportunities for
re-telling verses.
• Observation example: “During circle time, after I introduced an echo song with
farm animal vocabulary, three learners later incorporated the same words into
their drawings and oral explanations.”
Numeracy connections
• Counting and one-to-one correspondence: Children count beats, claps, or steps
(e.g., “We clap four times — how many claps did we hear?”).
• Patterns and grouping: Rhythmic sequences (e.g., ta–ta–ti-ti) introduce AB
patterns and form a bridge to mathematical patterning. Body percussion
reinforces concepts like doubling or halving (two claps versus four claps).
• Observation example: “Using a marching song, learners organised themselves
into groups of two and then into groups of four, supporting their emerging
understanding of number sets and subitising.”
, Activity 2 — Design a Music Lesson (14)
Question
Design a complete music lesson plan for Grade R learners that includes presenting and
teaching a new song. Your plan should include: selection of an age-appropriate song;
breathing and posture exercises; step-by-step teaching strategy; use of visual or
physical aids (e.g., hand levels, clapping); methods to encourage expressive singing.
Answer — Model lesson plan (polished for academic submission):
Grade: R
Subject: Life Skills — Music
Theme/Topic: “Seasons Song” (sample; choose a simple, repetitive song about
seasonal changes such as sun, wind, and rain).
Objectives
• Learners will sing a six-line seasonal song with correct phrasing.
• Learners will demonstrate a steady beat by clapping or stamping for four
measures.
Materials
• Song lyrics displayed on a large poster with picture icons (sun, rain, wind, snow).
• Rhythm cards (icons with 1–4 dots), hand-level cue cards (for high/low pitch),
small percussion instruments (e.g., homemade shakers).
• Open space for movement.
Introduction (1 minute) — 2 marks
• Begin with a short echo chant: teacher sings a line, learners echo.
• Introduce: “Today we’ll learn a new song about the seasons. First, let’s practise
our breathing so we can sing strongly and clearly.”