All the learning in this unit is focused around one song: Happy by Pharrell Williams - a Pop song with a Soul influence about being happy.
1. Listen and appraise the song Happy and other songs in different styles about being happy:
● Happy by Pharrell Williams
● Top of the World sung by The Carpenters
● Don’t Worry, Be Happy sung by Bobby McFerrin
● Walking On Sunshine sung by Katrina and the Waves
● When You’re Smiling sung by Frank Sinatra
● Love Will Save the Day sung by Brendan Reilly
2. Musical Activities - learn and/or build on your knowledge and understanding about the interrelated dimensions of music through:
a. Warm-up games
b. Flexible games (optional extension work)
c. Learn to sing the song (and extended) with vocal warm ups
d. Play instruments with the song
e. Improvise with the song
f. Compose with the song
3. Perform the song - perform and share your learning
Optional Extension Activities
What makes you happy? The Dalai Lama said, “Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions”.
Create a video / audio recording:
● Tell us / show us / sing / dance, in fact do anything to tell us what makes you happy. Pharrell asked lots of children what makes them happy in his children’s book, Happy! This is introduced on YouTube, have a look and see if it inspires you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqNoIpTv9wQ
● Record your class performing 'Happy'. Watch Pharrell’s official music video and perhaps some of the world’s first 24-hour music video he created with the song 'Happy'. Again, this will inspire you and you will learn fantastic dance moves.