Grade 3 Music Creating And Composing Songs – Melody Notes

What is a melody?

A melody is the tune you hum or sing. It is a group of single notes played one after another that make a song easy to remember. Think of the part you whistle or sing along with — that is the melody 🎶.

How melodies move

• Up and down: A melody can go higher (up) or lower (down).
• Steps: Small moves to the next note (like do → re).
• Leaps: Bigger jumps between notes (like do → sol).

High and low (pitch)

High notes sound small and bright. Low notes sound big and deep. Sing a high note: "laaa" (higher). Sing a low note: "laaa" (lower). Practice with a friend: one sings high, the other sings low — then swap!

Words we use

• Melody: the main tune you hum.
• Pitch: how high or low a note is.
• Step: move to the next note (small move).
• Leap: jump to a farther note (big move).
• Solfa: do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti (easy way to sing notes).

Familiar example (sing-along)

Try this short part of "Twinkle Twinkle" using solfa:

How Kenyans can use melody in songs

Use simple melodies for children's songs sung in Swahili, English or local languages. Try singing with drums or a small keyboard. Popular instruments you might hear: drums, guitar, xylophone (or wooden bars), and sometimes the voice alone.

Fun activities (easy to do!)

1. Sing "do, re, mi" up and down. Try making a short 4-note tune.
2. Clap the rhythm, then hum a melody on top of the claps.
3. Call and response: you sing a short melody, a friend repeats it.
4. Make your own song: pick 4 notes (do, re, mi, so), sing them in a new order and add words about school, home, or nature.