Singing – JSS2 Cultural & Creative Arts Lesson Note (Second Term)

Singing with solfa notation means using the syllables doh, ray, me, fah, soh, lah, te, doh instead of note names to learn melodies and sing in tune.

• Subject: Cultural and Creative Arts
• Class: JSS2
• Duration: 40 minutes

Behavioural objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils should be able to:

1. Explain what solfa notation is.
2. Sing the solfa notes: doh, ray, me, fah, soh, lah, te, doh.
3. Run the musical scale up and down correctly.
4. Use hand signs for each solfa note.
5. Sing the Nigerian National Anthem with proper pitch and rhythm.
6. Demonstrate good singing posture and breathing.

What materials are needed?

• Solfa ladder chart: shows d r m f s l t d.
• Hand sign chart: shows the hand sign for each solfa note.
• Anthem poster: picture or poster of the Nigerian National Anthem lyrics.
• Pitch source: keyboard or piano if available, or a pitch pipe or tuning app.
• Flag: the Nigerian flag or a picture of it.
• Posture chart: shows proper singing posture.

What should pupils already know?

• Songs: pupils can sing familiar songs and have joined in assembly singing.
• Anthem words: pupils know the National Anthem words, though they may not sing it with correct pitch.

Introduction (3 minutes)

The teacher opens the lesson by singing a familiar song in solfa instead of words.

1. The teacher sings “Happy Birthday” in solfa: “d d r d f m, d d r d s f…”
2. The teacher stops and asks: “What song was I singing?”
3. Pupils recognise the tune even though no words were used.
4. The teacher explains that solfa is a special way musicians learn songs, and it helps pupils sing any song correctly.

Step 1: What is solfa notation? (8 minutes)

Solfa notation is a system of singing in which the syllables doh, ray, me, fah, soh, lah, te, doh are used instead of note names.

What are the key terms?

• Solfa: a set of eight syllables used to sing the notes of a scale.
• Scale: a row of notes arranged in order from low to high, like steps on a ladder.
• Pitch: how high or low a note sounds.
• Melody: the tune of a song.
• Tempo: the speed at which a song is sung.
• Posture: the way you hold your body when you stand or sit.

How are the solfa notes written?

1. The teacher writes the short letters on the board: d : r : m : f : s : l : t : d
2. The teacher writes the full names underneath: doh : ray : me : fah : soh : lah : te : doh
3. The teacher explains that these eight notes form a musical scale.
4. Each note has its own sound and its own position on the scale.

Why do we use solfa?

• Easy to remember: “doh ray me” is simpler to recall than complicated note names.
• Correct pitch: it helps you sing in tune.
• Any starting note: once you know a song in solfa, you can start it on any note.
• Ear training: it trains your ear to tell different pitches apart.
• Wide use: solfa is used in many schools and choirs, including in Nigeria.

What is the solfa ladder?

The solfa ladder shows the eight notes as steps, with the lowest note at the bottom.

• Singing up: climb the ladder from bottom to top.
• Singing down: come back down the ladder from top to bottom.

What are the Curwen hand signs?

Curwen hand signs are simple hand shapes, each shown at a different height, for each solfa note.

• doh (d): fist at waist level.
• ray (r): flat hand angled up at chest level.
• me (m): flat hand held level at shoulder level.
• fah (f): thumb pointing down at chin level.
• soh (s): flat hand at mouth level.
• lah (l): hand angled down at forehead level.
• te (t): pointing finger up at the top of the head.
• doh (d, high): fist raised above the head.

The teacher practises each sign slowly while pupils copy.

Step 2: How do we run the scale? (12 minutes)

Running the scale means singing all the notes from low doh to high doh, then back down to low doh, in order and without stopping.

What is proper singing posture?

Proper singing posture is a straight, relaxed body that lets air move freely. The teacher demonstrates, then pupils practise.

1. Stand or sit up straight, with no slouching.
2. Keep your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
3. Keep your shoulders relaxed, not raised or tense.
4. Keep your chin level, not tilted up or down.
5. Keep your hands by your sides or clasped in front.
6. Breathe deeply into the belly, not in shallow breaths from the chest.

How do we do the breathing exercise?

Good breathing gives you enough air to sing clearly and loudly.

1. Breathe in slowly through your nose for 4 counts.
2. Hold for 2 counts.
3. Breathe out slowly through your mouth for 6 counts.
4. Repeat three times.

How do we sing the scale going up?

1. The teacher sings first as a model, using hand signs: “Doh, ray, me, fah, soh, lah, te, doh”. The pitch rises with each note.
2. The teacher sings again and pupils join in softly.
3. Pupils repeat several times with hand signs, getting louder and more confident each time.

How do we sing the scale going down?

1. The teacher sings from high to low: “Doh, te, lah, soh, fah, me, ray, doh”. The pitch falls with each note.
2. Pupils practise with the teacher, moving their hand signs downward.

How do we run the complete scale?

1. Pupils sing up and then straight back down without stopping: “Doh ray me fah soh lah te doh, doh te lah soh fah me ray doh”
2. The teacher gives the starting note with a keyboard or pitch pipe.
3. With no instrument, the teacher sings the starting “doh” and pupils match that pitch.

What practice variations can be used?

1. Speed change: sing slowly, then faster, then very fast.
2. Volume change: sing softly, then normally, then loudly.
3. Without hand signs: sing standing still with good posture.
4. In groups: boys sing up and girls sing down, then switch.
5. Echo: the teacher sings “doh ray me” and pupils echo “doh ray me”.

What common mistakes should the teacher correct?

• Flat singing: pupils sing every note at the same pitch, so the voice does not rise or fall.
• Poor posture: slouching or leaning.
• Chest breathing: breathing from the chest instead of the belly.
• Shouting: forcing the voice instead of singing.
• Closed mouth: not opening the mouth enough for a clear sound.

Step 3: How do we sing the Nigerian National Anthem? (15 minutes)

The Nigerian National Anthem is the official song of Nigeria, sung with correct words, pitch and respect.

How does the teacher begin?

1. The teacher displays the anthem lyrics and asks: “How many of you know the National Anthem?”
2. The teacher asks: “How many of you sometimes sing it at the wrong pitch?”
3. The teacher explains that pupils will now sing it properly using their solfa skills.

What are the words of the first verse?

Arise, O compatriots,
Nigeria’s call obey
To serve our fatherland
With love and strength and faith
The labour of our heroes past
Shall never be in vain
To serve with heart and might
One nation bound in freedom, peace and unity.

How do we teach the anthem with solfa principles?

The teacher does not write the whole anthem in solfa, which is too hard at this level. Solfa ideas are used to teach correct pitch.

1. Find the starting note: the teacher gives the starting pitch with a keyboard or by singing it clearly. Pupils hum along to find it.
2. Teach line by line: the teacher sings “Arise, O compatriots” and pupils listen to the melody.
3. Repeat the line: pupils sing it back, trying to match the exact pitch.
4. Correct the pitch: the teacher helps anyone singing too high or too low, then repeats until everyone is on pitch.
5. Practise difficult parts: words such as “compatriots” and “unity” have pitch changes. The teacher practises them separately and shows whether the pitch goes up or down.
6. Put it together: pupils sing the whole first verse slowly, stopping to correct pitch errors.

How should we behave when singing the anthem?

• Stand at attention: feet together, hands by your sides or behind your back.
• Face the flag: face the Nigerian flag if it is present.
• Sing clearly: use clear voices and do not mumble.
• Show respect: the anthem is the song of our country.
• Show pride: sing with pride in being Nigerian.
• Keep the tempo: do not rush, sing at the proper speed.
• Project your voice: sing so that others can hear you.

How is the practice performance done?

The class stands properly and sings the first verse three times.

1. First time: slowly, focusing on correct words and pitch.
2. Second time: at normal speed with good posture.
3. Third time: as if at assembly, with full voice and pride.

The teacher walks round and corrects pupils who are off pitch or have poor posture.

What do the words of the anthem mean?

• “Arise, O compatriots”: wake up, fellow Nigerians.
• “Nigeria’s call obey”: listen and respond to our country’s needs.
• “To serve our fatherland”: work for the good of Nigeria.
• “The labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain”: the efforts of those who worked for Nigeria’s independence will not be wasted.
• “One nation bound in freedom, peace and unity”: we are one country joined together.

Understanding the words helps pupils sing with feeling, correct breathing, good posture and careful listening.

Evaluation (2 minutes)

Practical test

• Scale up: 3 or 4 pupils sing the scale going up, one after another.
• Scale down: 3 or 4 different pupils sing the scale going down.
• Anthem: the whole class sings the first verse together.

Questions

1. What are the eight solfa notes?
2. What does “running the scale” mean?
3. Demonstrate the hand sign for “doh”.
4. What is proper singing posture?
5. Why should we sing the National Anthem with respect?

Assignment

Practise running the scale up and down at home every day with the hand signs, then sing the National Anthem clearly at assembly, standing properly and using the correct pitch learned today.