Introduction to Music
Primary 4 · Creative Arts
Introduction to Music
Lesson 5 of 5
25 min
Let's begin
Gatete's class wants to sing at the school assembly. Their teacher says, "First, let's learn how a song is built." Songs are like houses: they have parts, and each part has a job.
Here is a short song written for you by Ganzaa. Read the words first.
The Umuganda Song
Verse 1
Saturday morning, the sun is high,
Hoes and brooms, we're passing by.Chorus
Work together, hand in hand,
Keep it clean, our lovely land!Verse 2
Dig a drain and plant a tree,
Sweep the path for you and me.Chorus
Work together, hand in hand,
Keep it clean, our lovely land!
Every song has words (also called lyrics), a melody, a rhythm and a message. The message of our song is that we keep our country clean by working together.
Many Rwandan and African songs use call and response. A leader sings a line (the call) and everyone answers (the response):
| Leader (call) | Everyone (response) |
|---|---|
| Who will help? | We will help! |
| Who will sweep? | We will sweep! |
| Who will plant trees? | We will plant trees! |
Call and response makes it easy for a big group to join in, even people who are hearing the song for the first time.
Tip
Verses change, the chorus comes back. If the words are new, you are in a verse. If you have sung those exact words before, you are in the chorus.
Try each one first, then tap Show answer to check.
In The Umuganda Song, which lines are the chorus?
Answer: "Work together, hand in hand, / Keep it clean, our lovely land!"
Do the two verses have the same words?
Answer: No. Each verse has different words, but they are sung to the same tune.
What is the message of the song?
Answer: We keep our land clean by working together.
Make up one more call and response line about umuganda.
Answer: Example: Leader: "Who will dig?" Everyone: "We will dig!"
What is another name for the chorus?
Answer: The refrain.
What you learned today
Sources and credits
The Umuganda Song, the call-and-response lines, the story and the practice questions were written by Ganzaa.
This lesson adapts CC BY-SA material and is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Quick check
Match each part of a song to its job.
Tap one on the left, then its partner on the right.
